The Orphans (Book 2): Surviving the Turned (29 page)

              “Right, I think we need to look for a nice farm somewhere, like out of town, where there won’t be any problems again.”

              Clary rubbed his face and put his pistol away. He looked around the alleyway, gripped a two-by-four he found lying against the wall, and whistled as he waved the blood-soaked handkerchief in the air. The Turned stared, catching the smell of Clary’s blood. It crouched down low and then jumped ten feet in the air and off of the side of a brick wall. Clary spun in a swirl and smashed the wood directly in the face, knocking it back four feet.

It landed flat out and jumped back up, crouching a second time and sprinted at Clary, hands open. Clary looked at the wood that was left. A broken edge had came off from the blow and only a three-foot triangle remained of it. The two ran at each other. Clary screamed a war cry as the monster ran toward him. It jumped at the last minute, surprising Clary who moved to the side of it and gripped its shirt collar, pulling it back and slamming it down to the ground. He raised the shard of wood above his head and slammed it repeatedly into the thing’s skull until he cracked it open. He put in a finishing blow to its skull with the sharp end of the two-by-four. Its legs jolted one time in shock and the rage in its eyes slowly burned out.

              Greg stepped up closer to the monster on the ground, poking at it with his rifle. “Holy crap, you took it out with a two-by-four. That was awesome. Let’s hope we never need to do that again.”

              “Don't count on it. If those things love noise that much, we are going to have to come up with a silencer for the rifles. We need to be able to take these things out a hell of a lot easier. Shit like this is only going to happen so many times before we get killed.”

              “But it was great; I couldn’t agree more though. Let’s never do that again!”

              *****

              Aslin drove around the block, trying his best to avoid gaining the attention of the Turned that filled a good majority of the streets. Kristy said, “Do you think they’re all right?”

              Tina laughed. “You don’t have maybe just the
slightest
crush on Greg, do you? Or is it Clary that you are worried about, Kristy?”

              Kristy blushed. “Sorry if I am worried about someone besides myself, Tina. I guess he just strikes me as a good guy. I think he has potential.”

              Tina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, you just know him so well that you can know how great he might be one day?”

              Patrick said, “Now ladies, let’s just settle down. It’s all going to be okay. We just need to relax. It’s been kind of a stressful day for all of us.”

              The two girls snapped their heads toward him, simultaneously snapping, “Shut up, Patrick!”

              Patrick sat back in his seat, mouthing, “
Wow
.”

              Aslin looked at the three in the backseat, shaking his head and thinking there were some third world countries that he had enjoyed a hell of a lot more than having to deal with the likes of teenagers. He said, “Open that window up and yell to Shaun. We need to do a drive-by and see if they are ready. Tell him to double tap the roof if we are good to stop and retrieve our guys.”

              Kristy hit her belt and pulled open the window. “Aslin says to keep an eye out; we're going to drive down the alleyway behind Dee’s Place.”

              Shaun stared back. “That’s pretty dumb. Just leave the window open; I’ll be like, ‘hey, there they are, stop the truck,’ and then we stop the truck.”

              Kristy stared back at Aslin to give the message but he was already shaking his head no. “God, I hate kids. I really hate kids. This is the reason why I don't have any kids.”

              The teens smiled, proud they could push someone who was suppose to be hard as nails to the near brink of wanting to strangle each and everyone one of them singlehandedly. Shaun shrugged. “Fine, we do it your way.”

              Kristy shut the window to the truck, biting back a smile. Aslin pulled up by the alleyway, focusing on the task ahead of him and what was going on. Shaun slammed on the roof, doing an over dramatic drum roll on it. Ellie looked up, laughing. “You know there is a really good chance that Aslin is going to kill you if you don’t stop screwing with him.”

              “Well, I don’t want them to think they get to just come aboard and be the bosses.”

              “Yeah, we wouldn’t want to do anything stupid like acknowledging the fact that we need some serious help if we want to make it. Cut them a break; you might even learn a thing or two.”

              Greg and Clary sprinted up the alleyway, throwing their gear into the back of the truck and climbing in. Shaun said, “You two okay? Did you run into any of… you know… the Turned?”

              Greg nodded. “Yeah, Clary smashed one upside the head with a two-by-four, and then when it jumped back up, ready to literally tear our damn heads off, he used the broken piece and jammed it through the thing’s skull, killing it. There were some in the restaurant too, but I don’t think you want to know the details about it.”

              “I don’t know if you can kill those things, Greg. I mean, I’m pretty sure they are already dead. There’s something that keeps them going, and I hope to God the government is smart enough to figure it out.”

              Ellie whispered, “I’d be happy if they just come up with something that keeps us from turning if one of those freaks bites us.”

              Shaun rubbed her shoulder. “Nothing is going to get you, Ellie. Not as long as I am around to stop it.”

              Clary mistook the kind words for comradery, not realizing that this was the start of a love that would last, at least in some way, forever. Aslin drove down the street, where the majority of the horde was, and pulled a U-turn. Clary took the rag that had the fresh blood on it, spread the wound, and let the handkerchief soak up more blood. Clary hit the top of the cab, letting Aslin know to start the truck moving. The wind blew across the handkerchief, taking the scent of his fresh blood down the street. Slowly, one by one, the Turned started to notice it and looked at the truck.

              Kristy opened the window, and Aslin yelled, “You got that building ready to blow?”

              “Once that back door opens, we’ve got five seconds to get down that alleyway before the devil’s fireball comes roaring down and pours into the street.”

              Ellie said, “So what do we do now? You going to lure them to the building and then pull the bomb?”

              Clary said, “Yeah, you got a problem with that, princess?”

              Greg and Shaun laughed at that. Greg said, “Oh, good god, do you have our group misunderstood, Clary.”

              Shaun spoke up, “She’s anything but a princess.”

              Ellie said, “What I meant was… how do I say this nicely? You are fat and old and you smoke. One of us needs to run through and stay ahead of those things. I don’t think you stand a chance if a horde of them is on your sizeable ass.”

              Clary rubbed his chin, feeling the start of a second one and tried to think of any sprints he’d done lately. He did not have one come to mind. “You know, that might not actually be the worst idea.”

              Greg rose a hand, standing up. “I’ll go; I know where I’m going.”

              Shaun slid his pack off. “I’ll go with you. At least if they catch up, as slow as you are, I’ll be safe.”

              “You wish I was. You stay here. You’ve risked enough today.”

              Shaun pointed at Greg. “Apparently, you haven’t looked in a mirror any time recently. You stay. I’m perfectly capable of doing this on my own.”

              Ellie laughed. “You hit your head, right? I mean, that’s why you’re talking like such a dumbass. Did that zombie earlier throw you into something and you hurt yourself?”

              “You aren’t going, Ellie.”

              Ellie stood to protest and Shaun yelled, “Sit down, Ellie, you aren’t going. I can’t take care of you if those things come.”

              Ellie opened her mouth, ready to explain to him in a very detailed conversation that she didn’t need anyone taking care of her, no matter how much she appreciated the thoughtful gesture.

              Kristy said, “I’ll go; I got this.”             

              Ellie shot her a look she would not soon forget. “Why in the hell is you going a better idea than me?”

              “I’m not better, but I’m smaller, and I’m in freshman track. I’m quick.” She crawled out the window, diving into the back of the truck. “I can squeeze in anywhere.”

              Greg said, “I’ll bet.”

              Kristy smacked him hard in the chest. “Shut up, Greg. God, you’re so
immature.”

              They stared at the group of Turned. They were walking toward the truck slowly at first. Aslin gave the truck a little gas, moving down the street more quickly as their pace of pursuit was getting faster by the moment. Aslin sped down the street. The Turned started screaming guttural growls, fighting over one another, and tripping in the street, jumping while beginning a blood and flesh-induced state of mind. Clary said, “We’ll drop you off halfway down the street. You get in there and go out the back. We’ll circle the block so you can get in there and down the alleyway.”

The truck slowed down and the two hopped out, running. Aslin sped off and down the block to meet them again in the alleyway. Shaun and Kristy pumped their arms and legs hard, flying down the street. Within seconds, the Turned had made up the distance and were mere body lengths from grasping the teens.

Shaun pushed her ahead of him, letting her go first. The two sprinted through the entrance of the shop, leaving the door open behind them. The Turned came in, filling the place like a disease. Those that fought to get through the door were first in, those too impatient to wait exploded in, shattering the shop’s window with their faces and spilling into the room, turning it into a warzone in seconds. Shaun and Kristy never stopped moving.

As they rounded the corner for the back of the restaurant, Kristy slipped and landed on her stomach. She pushed herself up, only stopping for a second. One of the Turned reached out a hand covered with dried blood and intestines. It gripped Kristy's hooded sweatshirt, pulling her back a moment. Shaun fired off two rounds over her shoulder, shooting it and the one next to it squarely in the skull.

Shaun reached out for her hand, pulling her to keep going into the rear of the kitchen. They pushed through the door, seeing the grenade lying on the floor. It was strung up between the door and the food prep bench. They pushed hard as they saw the pin come out of the small, round device. They pushed even harder down the alleyway and made it a quarter of the way when a fireball erupted behind them. Pieces of the steel door shot past them. A black fireball engulfed the sky and shook the street beneath their feet. Shaun could see the truck ahead and pushed even harder. He ran with a smile of victory on his face. He knew something was wrong instantly when he saw the look of concern on Ellie’s and Greg’s faces. He pulled his pistol again, looking over his shoulder, ready to shoot. Kristy was standing, not running, in the alleyway. He stopped and looked at her; she had a small line of blood coming from her mouth. He ran up to her, screaming, “Kristy, we have to go! Come on! Some of those things will still be after us! Come on… Kristy?” She stared at him without answering, growing paler by the second.

              It was then that Shaun saw the piece of jagged steel sticking out of her thin chest. The black shirt she wore made it hard to see, but he could see a wet line of blood running down it, just a little darker than the shirt itself. As he started to run to her, the Turned came out of the flames, burning and smoldering but still hungry. They were missing legs and arms and doing their best to get to their prey. Kristy smiled at Shaun, her lip trembling. She wavered in place, trying to keep her balance. She dropped to her knees and fell down face first. The turned that were left jumped, pouncing on her.

Shaun raised his pistol to fire. He could hear Greg and Ellie screaming for him to run and to get in the truck. He knew that there was nothing he could do to save her, but it did not make anything better. He ran sideways, watching her and finally started running again. The Turned tore into her like a feast of kings was to be had. Ripping at her neck, her back, her legs. She screamed in pain, a scream that would haunt all of them for the rest of their lives. Shaun stopped when he got to the truck, grabbed Greg’s rifle from him, and turned around, taking a knee. He fired one shot into the top of Kristy’s skull. The screaming subsided and he climbed into the truck, collapsing on the bed of it.

              Greg watched in horror as they devoured what was left of the girl he thought he could have had something great with. Ellie squeezed his shoulder, trying to pull him down to sit. Greg shouldered the rifle, screaming and firing off every round of the thirty his rifle held. He dropped the rifle, collapsing on the truck bed, staring with broken eyes at the space where Kristy had been and at the thirty Turned who had their head’s blown off, lying in the alleyway. Clary stared at Greg, approving of his rifle skills and seeing more and more of a soldier in the young man. Clary screamed, “Punch it.”