Zombie Games (Book 4): Road Kill (12 page)

“He’s right,” said Kristie. “Knowing Cassie, once she knows her grandparents are safe,
she’ll head back to Atlanta. You forget, she doesn’t even know about the girls missing.”

“Maybe they’ve already reunited,” said Tiny.

“No,” replied Bryce. “I doubt the kids made it to Minnesota before we did.”

“You’ve convinced me
,” said Tiny, throwing the keys to Bryce. “Leave us some food and water before you take off, though.”

“Sure
,” said Bryce.

“I’m coming with you guys,” said Paige.

“Absolutely
not
, young lady,” said Kristie.

She rolled her eyes.
“For God’s sake, mom! I’m not sitting here, watching you two play kissy-face while these guys go off to find Cassie. Besides, like I said earlier, I’m an adult now and should have the right to make my own decisions.”

“
You’re still my kid. Look, it’s too dangerous out there. You’re staying here with us and that’s final,” said Kristie.

Paige’s face fell.
“You never let me do anything. I mean, come on, haven’t I proved that I can protect myself against the zombies?”

“
Listen, it’s not just the zombies that I’m worried about, Paige. Look at what happened to you and Cassie in Atlanta. There are some dangerous people out there and I’m not taking any chances of you getting hurt. I mean, hell, we don’t even know where your sister is! I’m not about to lose you out there, too. So just chill out here with us and stop trying to take on everything.”

Paige stared at her for a minute and then nodded.
“Fine.”

Kristie
walked over and pulled her into her arms. “Thank you. Now, why don’t you help Tiny gather some food from the SUV before these two take off. Then, if I were you, I’d try and get some rest. I can’t even remember the last time you slept.”

“Okay. I am kind of tired.”

“I bet. I’m going to see if there are any candles around,” said Kristie, opening drawers in the kitchen. “It’s going to be dark soon and we’ll be walking into walls.”

Tiny handed her a flashlight.
“Take this and check the laundry room, too,” said Tiny. “That’s where I usually kept my candles.”

Paige followed t
he guys back out to the SUV where they grabbed a jug of water, some beef jerky, and a bag of popcorn.

“At least the rain stopped,” said Bryce, staring up into the sky.

“For now,” said Paige.

“
So, we should be back in a couple of hours,” said Billie, getting into passenger side of the SUV. “I would think all of that food would tide you guys over until then.”

“I’d use the bathroom here, if I were you, two
,” said Paige, leaning into the window. “Stillwater is almost an hour away.”

Billie
sighed and then got back out of the SUV. “Probably a good idea.”

“She’s right,” said Bryce. He smiled.
“For once.”

“You’re a barrel of laughs, Mr. Miyagi,” she said, with a smirk.

“Didn’t your mother tell you to go take a nap or something?”

“Yes she did and for once, I’m not going to argue.”

“Amazing,” he said, getting back out of the SUV.

When they walked back into the house, Paige told Kristie that she was going to lie down in one of the bedrooms.

“Okay, honey. I’ll wake you up if I hear anything.”

She kissed her mom on the cheek. “Love you, mom.”

Kristie smiled. “I love you too, Paige.”

Fifty minutes later, as Bryce maneuvered the SUV around a group of zombies in downtown
Stillwater, Kristie brought a candle into the bedroom Paige had disappeared into, only to find it empty.

“Paige?” she hollered, checking the other rooms in the house. “Paige!”

“What’s wrong?” asked Tiny, chewing on a piece of dried beef.

She rubbed her forehead in frustration.
“I think that Paige took off with the boys.”

“Oh.”

She sat down on one of the recliners and sighed. “I should have known something was wrong when she gave up so easily, earlier. When I told her she couldn’t go with them to Stillwater. She’s usually not so compliant. I should have known she was up to something.”

Tiny rubbed her back. “Don’
t worry about Paige, hon. I’m sure the boys will take good care of her.”

She looked up at him.
“They’d better because when she gets back, I swear, I’m going to tear into her harder than any freaken’ zombie, dammit.”

***

“Is that the boat?” asked Billie, thirty minutes later.

They’d parked on the Stillwater Bridge overloo
king the river and there was an older model, fifty-seven-foot Jefferson anchored in the water.

Bryce lowered the binoculars. “
Yep, that’s the one.
Her Escape
.”

“You see anyone?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s too dark. They could all be sleeping. It’s after ten.”

“Let’s hope that’s all it is.”

“You should park at the marina over there,” said Paige, over Billie’s shoulder.

“Jesus!”
he gasped, turning around.

“Paige!” barked Bryce. “You scared the hell out of us. What are you doing here?”

She smiled. “I’m here to help. Chill out.”

“Did you tell your mom
that you were coming?” asked Bryce.

She snorted.
“Hell no.”

“When did you sneak into the SUV?” asked Bryce.

“When you guys were relieving yourselves in the house.”

“Figures.”

“Kristie must be worried sick,” said Billie. “You shouldn’t have done this.”

“Look, there was no way I was going to stay behind picking my butt while you guys took off to go where the action is.
No way.”

“Is that what girls do when they’re bored?”
laughed Billie. “Pick their butts?”

She pushed his shoulder.
“Oh, shut up you nerd.”

“Paige, this is dangerous,”
said Bryce, motioning to a pack of zombies already moving towards them from across the bridge. “It’s not an adventure or a game. Its real life and death situations. Now, not only do we have to worry about finding the others, but we have to worry about you.”

Her eyes flashed angrily. “Why does everyone assume that I can’t take care of myself?”

“I’m sure you can, to a point. But when you’re surrounded by zombies and neither of us can get to you, what are you going to do? Swing the bat and hope for the best? I don’t want to sound sexist, but you’re a girl and not even a very big one,” said Bryce.

“I
’m five-ten, so I’m not that small and definitely not stupid. For God’s sake, I’m not just going to put myself in a dangerous situation.”

Bryce threw up his hands. “What do you think you’re doing now?!”

“Calm down,” said Billie. “What’s done is done and we have to move forward. Let’s find a place to park at that marina. Paige can wait in the SUV while we walk to the river’s edge and try to get their attention.”

“I’m not waiting in the SUV,” said Paige. “I’m coming with you guys.”

“Oh no,” said Bryce.

“I have to agree with Bryce. That’s where we draw the line.”

Paige sighed. “Fine.”

“We’
re serious, Paige. Stay in the vehicle,” warned Bryce.

“
Heard you the first time,” she yawned.

“Good,” he replied, turning on the engine.
“Because I’m not going to save your ass if you disobey. Seriously. I don’t care if Kristie kills me because of it. I have too many other people to worry about these days.”

“I get it.”

Knowing how unruly Paige’s best friend was, Bryce wasn’t so sure.

“Shit,” said Justice, tapping on the gas gauge
, thirty minutes out of Rockford. “I think we’re running out of gas, already.”

Allie leaned over and looked at the gauge
. “Why does it say that it’s half-full, then?”

“Must be broken.”

“Are we going to make it to the next town?” asked Kylie, staring into darkness, which held nothing but
fields, trees, and the walking dead.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think we’re screwed.”

“How far is it to the next town?” asked Allie.

“Janesville is another thirty miles, but we should be able to find an abandoned vehicle along the way. A farmstead or
something
,” he replied.

“We have to walk?” squeaked Kylie, in horror.
“In the darkness, all alone?”

He shrugged. “Well, you can wait in the truck until I come back with something more suitable.”

“Oh no,” she said. “Been there, done that. We’re coming with you.”

Within minutes the truck
began to coast on the fumes alone. When it finally stalled, they got out of the truck and started walking.

“Pace
yourself,” he said, staring forward into the darkness. “We probably have a very long walk a head of us.”

“It’s so dark,” said Kyle
, biting her lower lip. “And there are so… many trees. Anything could be lurking in there, waiting for the right time to attack us.”

“
True, so keep your eyes open,” he replied, “and your voices down.”

“At least it’s not raining anymore,”
whispered Allie.

“
True, but it left us with the smell of dead fish,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Hell, the smells on this planet just keep getting better and better every day.”

“And copper,” said Kylie.
“It smells like copper, too.”

Justice sighed. “You’re not going to start with that bloody water thing again, are you?”

“Why can’t you open your mind along with your eyes?” she said. “This is only the beginning of what’s going to happen. A beginning to an end.”

“Dun, dun, dun…” chuckled Justice.

“You really think this is the end of the world?” whispered Allie, a knot forming in her stomach. She was exhausted and Kylie’s fanatical predictions were starting to really get to her.

Kylie’s
eyes glittered in the darkness. “Well, I believe that it’s the end of
something
and that the zombies are just the prequel. Soon we’re going to be in the middle of something so profound, that it’s going to change the rest of humanity, forever. For some, it’s going to be exhilarating and beautiful, for others, it’s going to be devastating.” 

Allie stopped in her tracks. “Okay, you’re beginning to really freak me out. I’v
e never heard you talk like that. You sound so…prophetic. Is that even a word?”

She smiled. “
Yes.”

“So, this is all of the stuff you watched on the History channel?” asked Justice.

“Um, well… a little.
But, I know you’re both going to think I’m crazy…”

“What?” asked
Allie.

“
I’ve been having these dreams,” she said. “Crazy wild dreams, about war and death.”

“War
and death?” frowned Allie. “Seriously? That sounds so morbid.”

She nodded. “
I know, right? I’ve had several these last couple of weeks. I’ve dreamt about, now don’t laugh, but angels fighting demons. Demons that are being led by Satan.”

Justice’s eyebrows shot up.
“Satan? Oh boy. Look, I’m going to be honest with you- I’m an atheist. A firm atheist. So, obviously, I’m going to tell you that your mind is playing tricks on you. That there is no such thing as the Devil, demons, or even
God
.”

“Seriously?” asked Allie, turning to him. “You really believe that?”

“Of course.  If there was a God, why would he have allowed so many people to die? Innocent people.  And don’t tell me that only the really wicked ones were killed, because my little sister was as sweet and virtuous as they come,” he said, his eyes moistening up. “She didn’t deserve to die the way she did, with her throat and insides ripped out.”

“
I’m sorry,” said Kylie, touching his arm. “You know that we’ve all lost people we loved. But you have to believe that it was part of a plan. One bigger than all of us.”

“No,” he said, his voice thick. “I’m sorry, I can’t.
We’re all alone… and when we die, we die. Everything about us dies and those are the facts.”

Kylie frowned.
“But-.”

“No more talk, please,”
he said, moving ahead of them. He looked back. “Just, please, respect my beliefs by keeping yours to yourself.”