Dead Endz (23 page)

“Bye Goldie,” I whispered, hugging her tightly. “Take care of Allie, okay?”

She stared at me with her puppy grin and I kissed the top of her yellow head.

The hotel was quiet as I made my way down to the kitchen. I knew there’d by survivors guarding the doors against zombies or other dangers and had already started thinking of an excuse for leaving the building.

“You made it,” said Nora as I met her in the kitchen. “I have to admit, though, I thought you’d stay here.”

“It certainly wasn’t an easy decision.”

She sighed and grabbed her backpack. “I know what you mean.”

“Because of Billie?”

She shrugged.

“You can admit that you like him Nora. He adores you.”

Her eyes lit up. “Did he tell you that?”

“Yes he did as a matter of fact. Just before he gave me a birthday hug yesterday.”

She blushed. “Sorry about that. I walked in on you guys and  thought you were making out or something.”

I lifted my left hand. “I’m
engaged
to the man I love. Billie’s nice but we’re just friends.”

“Congratulations,” she said. “I’m truly happy for you guys.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

“So, you still want to do this even though your sister is here and you’re engaged to stud muffin?”

“Not really. But it’s something I have to.”

“I hear you. Okay, let’s hit it. I found us a ride.”

I followed her to the hotel’s underground garage which nobody usually ventured to, so I knew it wouldn’t be secure. The chance of their being zombies around was very high. 

“Our driver has a ride and keys. He insisted on coming with us when he heard the rumor that we were going, practically begged me.”

“Who is it?” I asked, very intrigued.

“You’re just going to have to find out,” she said with grin. “He should be waiting for us.”

“Okay.”

Nora opened the door slowly and then slammed it back shut. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“Zombies, what else? You ready?”

I pulled out the ax I’d taken from one of the hallways in the hotel. “Yeah.”

She nodded and then opened the door.

There were over twenty zombies wandering around this part of garage.

“A few?!” I hollered at her.

“Okay, maybe a lot. Shit, I hope he made it to his truck.”

“Me, too Nora. It’s hard to believe that anyone got through this mess alone.”

The zombies began noticing us arguing in the doorway and two of them charged us.

“I got it,” I mumbled taking a step towards the nearest zombie. I raised the ax and swung it, hitting the zombie right in his neck. Its gaunt rotted face stared at me for a minute and then fell backwards, rolling across the floor.

“Shit, I knew I should have grabbed an ax,” said Nora rushing towards another zombie. She was yielding a baseball bat and caught a young male zombie right in the forehead.

“I don’t know,” I said, swinging the ax towards a female zombie with a floppy green Mohawk. One of her eyebrows appeared to be missing, torn away from her face. From the piercings on her other eyebrow, I figured someone ripped out the matching ones. “Bats seemed to do the trick pretty well.”

“Dude,” laughed Nora when an old naked man zombie shuffled towards her, his noodle flopping around and a big zombie grin on his face. “That is gnarly!”

I burst out laughing as he chased her around. It was so disturbing it was comical. “Come on!” I yelled. “Quit playing with the zombie. Put us all out of our misery and get rid of at least one of his dead-heads!”

She snorted and then cracked his noggin with the bat. He fell to the floor and this time, everything on him was limp.

I heard a truck engine roar to life and then a white pickup screeched to a halt next to us as we were trying to kill the remaining zombies.

“About time,” breathed Nora, who’d just swung and taken out two teenaged zombies at once.

I watched as the driver rolled down the window. He spit out a wad of chew and grinned. “You girls coming or what?”

“Seriously? Henry, you’re coming with?”

“Damn tootin’,” he said. “Someone’s got to keep you two girls safe.”

“Get in, Wild,” hollered Nora as more zombies stumbled out of the darkness towards us with hope.

We scrambled towards the truck and once inside, Henry chuckled. “Say, saw you with the old timer back there, Nora. Looked like you were playing tag with that feller.”

Nora laughed. “Yeah, he kind of resembled you. I almost thought the zombies had gotten a hold of you, Henry.”

“Well, that’d be the way to go,” he said. “Naked with a big fat grin on my face.”

“Oh, Henry,” I sighed.

“Everyone ready?” he asked.

“Let’s go before I change my mind,” I said, thinking back to Bryce and his gorgeous body probably still warming up the bed. I already missed him and we hadn’t even left the garage yet.

“Sure about this?” asked Henry.

“Yes,” I said. “Let’s go Henry.”

“Full speed ahead,” said Nora.

He opened the window and spit out another wad of chew at one of the zombies. He then looked at us and smiled “All righty then.”

He put it in gear and turned the truck around as zombies tried holding on to our vehicle, reaching for us in a last ditch effort for a meal. Henry grunted and then stomped on the gas. After a few thumps of bodies under the tires, we were off.

“Congratulations again on your engagement,” said Henry. “I trust you had a romantic dinner with Bryce?”

“It was...awesome,” I said.

He nodded. “I like that boy. He’s going to do well by you. I can tell.”

As we barreled out of the hotel parking lot, past crowds of zombies loitering the streets, I stared back with heartache and longing.  I was leaving Bryce, my sister, and all my friends. I could only hope that it wasn’t in vain. 

Chapter Forty-One

“Damnit Wild!” hollered Bryce as he crumpled up the note and threw it across the room. “What in the hell are you thinking!”

Bobby peeked out of his bedroom. “Bryce?”

He sighed. “Hey buddy, it’s okay. Come here.”

Bobby smiled and then ran into Bryce’s arms. “I love you, Bryce.”

“I love you, too,” answered Bryce, closing his eyes. 

Besides Bobby, the only other person he’d risk his life for was Cassie. Now he had to decide whether or not to risk the chance of losing one or the other. No matter what he did, the risk would be great. Even if he left Bobby in the hotel with friends, there was no guarantee something horrible wouldn’t happen.

“Listen,” he said, staring into his brother’s eyes. “I have to go on a little trip again, Bud.”

Bobby, who didn’t understand the horror of the world around him, only smiled and nodded.

He hugged the boy tightly again. “I’ll be back though, okay? And then we’ll always be together, okay?”

Bobby nodded. “Okay Bryce.”

“I think I’m going to have you stay with Tiny and Kristie, okay?”

Bobby’s eyebrows furrowed. “What about Dave?”

“He can’t be with you. He’s in Heaven. Remember, we talked about it?”

“No, I think he’s somewhere else.”

Bryce sighed. “No, Bobby, but I wish he was.”

Bobby shook his head vehemently. “No, he told the zombies he’d see them in Hell. I heard him say that. Especially the one that tried to bite his hand.”

Bryce tried not to laugh. “Okay, Bobby. But I’m guessing he never made it to Hell. Fortunately, for the zombies.”

Bobby nodded. “Yeah, they probably were tired of playing our game. They kept losing.

***

“They actually left, huh?” groaned Kristie. “Dammit. I was afraid of that.”

“We have to go find them,” said Paige. “I’m coming with too, and don’t try to argue with me, mother.”

“Listen,” said Bryce. “It’s too dangerous. I’m going alone to find them. When I do I’ll bring both girls back; at least Cassie. I doubt anyone can talk Nora into anything.”

“You need me to come with, brother?” asked Tiny. “I’ll have your back.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it. I’d rather have you stay here and keep an eye on everyone, though. I have this uneasy feeling our hotel stay might not last as long as we think.”

Tiny nodded. “It’s too good to last, that’s kind of how I feel.”

“Bryce,” said Paige. “You
have
to let me come with. She’s my best friend. Please!”

“Paige…” warned Kristie.

“I know you want to help but it might make things harder for me if I have to worry about you as well. I’d rather have you stay back with these guys and keep an eye on Allie. She’s going to be freaking out when she finds out Cassie’s gone.”

Paige sighed. “Fine. But you find her and drag her ass back here so I can bitch her out for not taking me with.”

“For the love of God,” snapped Kristie. “It’s not like she was going on spring break to Mexico and left you behind! This is a very dangerous situation she’s in. I still can’t believe she just left without thinking it through.”

They were in the restaurant and Bryce still couldn’t believe that less than twelve hours ago he’d asked Cassie to marry him and now she was gone. It was maddening.

The door to the restaurant burst open and Billie stormed in. “I heard what happened. I’m coming with,” he said.

Bryce stared at him for a minute and then nodded. “Okay.” Cassie had told him about Nora and Billie’s budding relationship and it made perfect sense for him to come with. He’d actually been thinking about asking him, anyway.

“Good,” said Billie. “Let’s go before they get too far.”

“Grab some clothes, food, and water,” said Bryce. “Don’t forget a weapon or two.”

“I’ve got rifle,” said Billie. “And a new set of golf clubs.”

“I don’t know if we’ll have time for a game, but you’re welcome to bring them with. Meet me back here in twenty minutes and we’ll go.”

The door opened again and this time Belinda hurried in. “Have you seen Henry or Luke?”

Bryce frowned. “No, I haven’t.”

“Luke might be with Allie and Kylie,” said Paige. “They’ve been hanging out a lot lately.”

“We stayed in Bryce’s suite last night and I don’t think I even heard Luke get up this morning. He went to bed late and just assumed he’d sleep in. And Henry, he usually doesn’t venture far from my side when it’s yoga hour. I found this dvd in the store and he loves watching me do “Downward Dog.”

Bryce sighed. “Go check Allie’s room and see if they’re having some kind of powwow or something.”

“I’ll go,” hollered Paige as she scurried away.

“I’ll help you find Henry,” said Kristie. “I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”

Belinda sighed. “I just get so worried about that old timer.”

“Henry’s as tough as nails,” said Tiny. “Don’t worry about gramps.”

A knot started forming in the pit of Bryce’s stomach. Too many people were missing and something was up. A half hour later his gut feeling became a reality when he found Kristie freaking out in the lobby. Tiny was trying to calm her down but it wasn’t working.

“Shit, shit, shit!” hollered Kristie. “Those little shits!”

“What is it?” asked Bryce, setting down his rifle.

“They left,” she cried, on the verge of tears.

“Who?”

Tiny sighed. “We found a note from Allie. I guess Luke is taking both her and Kylie to Minnesota. To find Cassie.”

“How is that even possible?” asked Bryce. “Luke is only fourteen. They don’t have a car and he certainly doesn’t have his license.”

Kristie rubbed her forehead and then stared at him with tears in her eyes. “No but we do. Our van is missing and I don’t think they’re worried about getting busted by the cops for underage driving.”

Bryce groaned. “Your van is missing?”

“It is. So are the girl’s clothing,” said Kristie. “All of the new outfits they collected are gone. They’d never leave them behind if they weren’t in it for the long haul.”

“Goodbye whirlpool tub,” muttered Tiny, knowing their stay in Atlanta was soon ending.

“So, Henry’s driving?” asked Bryce.

“I can’t imagine Henry taking those kids to Minnesota,” said Tiny. “He’d never do that.”

“Maybe he left with Nora and Cassie?” said Bryce.

“That would be more feasible,” said Tiny.

Kristie scowled. “Looks like Paige is getting that road trip she wanted. Dammit.”

“It’ll be okay,” said Tiny, rubbing her back. “We’ll find all of them, hon.”

“I hope so,” she muttered as reached under her shirt and ripped off her nicotine patch. “Because this isn’t helping my Z.S.S. Someone had better find me a damn cigarette before I lose it completely.”

Belinda held out a pack of smokes. “Here you go, hon.  I suffer from that shit too and these really do seem to help.”

Kristie put her hands over her heart. “Then you know my pain.”

“If these kids don’t drive us crazy, and the zombies don’t eat our brains, then Z.S.S. will surely be the end of us. Keep that pack, I have many more cartons upstairs.”

“I think I love you,” choked Kristie, hugging Belinda.

“Good Lord…” muttered Paige.

***

“Do you know how to get to Minnesota?” asked Allie who was sitting shotgun next to Luke.

He smiled. “Does a bear shit in the woods?”

“That’s gross,” she replied, but was still smiling.

“My dad used to say that all the time,” said Luke.

Allie laughed. “Mine did too.”

“Actually, he has a map,” said Kylie from the backseat. “Tiny left the map in the glove compartment.”

“Well, anyway, thanks again for driving us,” said Allie.

“No problem. Maybe after we leave the city and find a place not so crowded with zombies, I can teach you how to drive this beast.”

Allie nodded. “That’d be great. How long have you been driving?”

Luke straightened up. “Oh, today was the first day. But it’s not that difficult.”

Kylie started laughing. “That explains a lot.”

They’d had a rough start. Luke had put the key in the ignition started the van and thrown it into reverse where they’d crashed into a wall. Fortunately, they’d also taken out a couple of zombies.

“What did you girls bring for food?” asked Luke.