Contagious (27 page)

“
Oh.” He laughed.

“
Are you sure they got everyone?”

“
We don’t leave anyone.”

I nodded. Hayden took the hat off and ran his hand over his short, brown hair. Several miles were put between us and the zombies when the truck slowed, turning off the country road and onto a broken paved drive. Rusty, metal gates limply hung on hinges. A large, gray, stone building loomed ahead of us. Our driver parked the truck near the front.

Jason, Sonja, and Argos were in the black truck I rode in. Lauren, Lisa, Padraic and Raeya got out of the bed of the other. Raeya rushed over and hugged me. Four soldiers dressed in camo, boots, helmets, and vests got out, surveying our surroundings. Hayden jumped out of the truck and took the skin vest off. He handled it like it was just any other piece of clothing. He tossed it and the rest of his zombie wardrobe in the bed of the truck and pulled the black shirt off. He had tribal tattoos on his right bicep, running up his arm and over his shoulder blade on his back. I watched him, wondering if it was wrong to be admiring his six pack and muscular arms when zombies, not all that far away, limped across the field in hopes of ripping our organs from our body and feasting on our flesh.

He got dressed in his combat ready attire, matching his comrades. Argos jumped up at me, trying to lick my face. I knelt down to pet him. I had to count my friends twice just to make sure everyone was really with me.

One of the soldiers clapped Hayden on the back. “Nice job fitting in with the zombies. See, I told you, all we had to do was pick someone whose intelligence rivaled their own and they’d never know.”

“
It’s a good thing we didn’t pick you then. They’d instantly kill someone dumber than they are,” Hayden countered.

The soldier—Brewster was his last name, as it was stitched into his jacket—laughed. “Oh, I got thirteen.”

“
You did not,” another soldier named Callias argued. “Machine gun takedowns don’t count.”

I looked at the guys curiously. Were they counting how many zombies they killed? I stood, looking them over.

"Hi," Callias said. "I'm Brock. You were incredible out there."

"Forgive him," Brewster said. "But it's not that often we find anyone who can take down zombies like that.”

"I know the feeling," I said with a slight smile. "Uh, thanks guys. For helping out back there.”

"Helping out?" Lauren snorted. "They
saved
us. And you'd be dead if it wasn't for them."

"I had a plan," I spat.

"Oh, sure. She always has a plan," Lauren said to Hayden, smiling coyly. I wanted to tell her that her attempts at flirting sucked ass even when she hadn't gone days without showering. Her hair was a greasy mess, but, so was mine so I kept my mouth shut.

Padraic stepped close to me, taking my hand in his. "Are you alright, Orissa? You didn't get hurt did you?"

"I'm fine. Really. Hayden-Hayden saved me." I didn't want to be a damsel in distress. I didn't want to admit that I needed saving, though in all honesty I knew we were in a situation beyond my control. Now, if I had weapons like the soldiers had, it would be a different story. Enviously, I examined the rifle mounted on the truck. Padraic squeezed my hand, his blue eyes drilling into mine. I was reminded of his kiss. I pulled my hand back, set on not giving him any mixed signals, not that I thought I had before.

"Thank you," he said, looking at Hayden. "For saving Orissa. And us," he added.

“
It’s what we do,” Hayden said. “Come in. We have a camp set up in there.”

Brock Callias went in first, rifle ready just in case. I knew where we were as soon as I entered the lobby. Of course we would come to a place like this. What’s a better hide out than an old sanitarium?

As we walked down a hall, up a flight of stairs, down another hall and into a large room, it made sense why the guys had picked this place. There were bars on the windows, the walls were cinderblock or cemented, and the doors were steel with multiple locks. Even though it was as creepy as all get out, it was designed for keeping violent, crazy people in. And, in our case, it would work perfectly for keeping them out.

“
Let’s see that cut,” Brewster said to another soldier. A young looking red head yanked his pant leg up. He had a four inch gash on the back of his calf. It was dirty and jagged and looked near infected already. “I told you to watch that farm equipment,” he sighed and inspected the cut. “I think you need stitches. We can go back to the compound—”

“
No,” the young soldier argued. “We have orders—”

“—
orders to come back when wounded,” Brewster reminded him.

“
It’s not that bad,” he countered.

Padraic stepped up. “Maybe I can help,” he offered. The incredulous look ‘Ginger’ gave Padraic sparked something inside me.

“
He’s a doctor,” I bragged for Padraic.

“
Really?” Hayden asked, his eyes lighting up. “You’re a doctor? A
real
doctor?” Padraic nodded. Hayden’s excitement grew. “Thank God. Our medical staff consists of two veterinarians, a few nurses and a neurologist who never finished med school. And she’s crazy, not zombie virus crazy, but locks herself in her room writing scientific formulas on her wall crazy.”

“
Medical staff?” Padraic asked, bending down to tend to Ginger’s cut.

“
At the compound,” Hayden explained. “It’s where we, uh, live, so to speak. There are about three hundred people there. It’s safe from the hostiles—”

“
You mean zombies?” I inquired.

“
Yeah,” he agreed, giving me a look that let me know ‘hostile’ was the politically correct term to use. “Anyway, you can come back with us. We’re trying to find survivors. We haven’t come across a group this big since it first happened.” He looked out the window that faced the front. “You said you had cars?”

“
Yes,” I responded.

“
Are they in good condition?”

“
The Range Rover is. The truck is old,” I confessed. “And full of ammo,” I said bitterly to myself.

“
Really?” Hayden was suddenly interested. He turned to Brewster. “We should go back for them. We’re in need of good vehicles.”

Brewster initially nodded, stopping short and looking at the seven of us. “We can’t leave the civilians.”

“
It will only take two of us,” Hayden pointed out. “That leaves three to guard these guys.”

Brewster considered, then looked at Ginger. “Rider’s in no condition. He probably should keep weight off that leg, right Doctor?”

Padraic looked up, blood on his hands. “Yes. He does need stitches, you were right. So until then, he needs to take it easy.”

“
I’ll go,” Brock offered.

Brewster shook his head. “No, if you and Hayden go, that will leave me and Wade alone to guard. We’ll find another car…somewhere.”

“
I can go,” I said bluntly.

“
No,” Raeya, Padraic, and the soldiers said in unison.

“
Why not? Obviously, I’m capable of taking care of myself. And it’s my choice. It doesn’t seem like we are being held hostage here, so I think I can leave if I want.”

“
I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Brewster stated.

"Why not? It's my car."

"Actually, it’s mine," Padraic said. "Orissa, no."

"You can't tell me what to do. And if we just drive there, all I’ll have to do is jump from one car to another. It'll be easy." I looked at Hayden. He nodded.

"Fine with me," Brewster said. I couldn't figure out who was in charge. Maybe there were so few soldiers left that rankings didn't matter anymore. Hayden picked up a backpack and clipped a walkie-talkie to his belt. Padraic didn’t look at me when he fished the keys from his pocket. Raeya pulled me aside.

“
Can’t you leave the stupid bravery to the soldiers?” she pleaded.

“
It will be fine. I’m going to get into the Range Rover right away and speed back. I promise.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. “We are so close, Rissy. Close to really surviving at a real shelter. Please, please come back.”

“
I will.” I hugged her and followed Hayden outside, sitting shotgun in the black truck. Country music softly drifted from the speakers.

"You're not scared to go back there?" he asked, turning away from the passing field to look at me.

"No," I answered automatically.

"Not at all?"

"Are you?" I countered.

"No."

"See. That makes two of us."

"Yes but you're--"

"A girl? Ohmygod, don't even go there."

"You're not trained for stuff like this," he finished.

"Oh. Right. Not formally. But who really was formally trained for a zombie outbreak. Were you? Did the government know about this?"

"No, we had no idea," he promised me. "What kind of training did you have?"

"I told you, my grandpa used to take me shooting."

"That's it?"

“
More or less.”

“
Hmm.” He turned on the heater. “Is that Irish guy your boyfriend?”

I laughed. “No.”

“
He seems protective of you.”

“
He tries to be. Really, it’s just annoying.”

“
You don’t like someone looking out for you?”

“
No, well, yeah, it’s nice. But I don’t need it.”

“
Obviously,” Hayden said with a grin. I didn’t know if he was joking or being serious. Neither of us spoke until we were back by the barn.

A zombie lay dead—or deader—a few feet from me. An arrow stuck out from his face. I put my foot on his chest and yanked it out, wiping the goo on the zombie’s shirt. I looked around in the fading light and located another arrow.

“
I never got into archery,” Hayden said as he handed me two arrows. “Always wanted to, though.”

“
I like it,” I told him and easily pulled an arrow from a gummy’s head. “My grandpa preferred it when hunting because it’s basically silent. “Where is my bow?” I didn’t remember dropping it. Hayden walked with me back to the barn, retracing my steps. “Where did they all go?” I asked, looking around for the zombies.

“
I have no idea. I’ve wondered about it too. Sometimes I think it would be interesting to follow them, you know, like those people that observe animals. And then I remember what they really are and I want to blow their fucking brains out.”

“
My friend, Raeya, made this list of all—” My words died in my chest as the wind got knocked out of me. Something lunged, landing on my back and pushing me to the ground. Hayden pulled her off before I knew what was happening.

Another crazy screamed and limped at me, her ankle obviously broken. I picked up an arrow and went after her. A shot rang out and the first crazy collapsed. Hayden fired at the second before I was even close.

“
You alright?” he asked.

“
Fine,” I answered automatically. I saw them just as Hayden heard them. Responding to the sounds of gunfire and screaming and now the scent human blood, the herd of zombies marched out of the trees and weeds at us.

The barn was closer. We scrambled up the hay loft ladder, laying flat on the rotten hay covered boards. If we died, it would be my fault. My fault I wanted to get my stupid arrows. Hayden said it was an ‘in and out’ mission and it would have been.

Dammit.

The zombies passed us, busily eating the two fresh bodies that lay at their disposal like hand delivered Happy Meals. I scrunched my eyes as if that would help me see better through the settling darkness.

“
I think we’re safe,” he whispered.

“
Yeah. They’re too distracted with the bodies.”

“
Good thing they attacked us,” Hayden joked. “Seriously.”

“
And I guess it answers my question. They never really left.”

“
But at least there’s not as many.”

“
True. Do you have enough ammo to take them all?”

Hayden frowned. “Back at camp, yes. I have enough to keep us safe, don’t worry.”

“
If I can find my bow, I have arrows.”

“
It’s dark. You don’t know where it is. That’s suicide.”

“
So you just want to hide here forever?”

“No, just wait until morning,” he said as if it was obvious.
“Oh.”

Hayden turned the volume down on the walkie-talkie and explained our situation. He had to insist more than once that we didn’t need backup. The zombies didn’t know we were up here. Since they were still distracted by fighting over the bodies, Hayden used the time to shine his flashlight around our little loft. It was windy and cold. He moved a few of the rain dampened hay bales to the side, creating a barrier to stop the wind. He unzipped his backpack and pulled something out.

“
I didn’t know anyone would be with me, so I only have enough for one person,” he said, opening a small bag with food inside. I took it as his polite way of saying he wasn’t sharing, which was fair enough. It took me by surprise when he pushed it in front of me. “I’m going to go off on a limb and say you haven’t eaten in awhile.”

“
No,” I admitted, my mouth already salivating at the thought of the unseen food. He handed me the bag. Inside was a sandwich, a banana, sweet potato chips, beef jerky, and chocolate chip cookies. “We can share. This is plenty.” Though the soft bread on the sandwich was tempting, I hadn’t had fresh fruit in so long. I ripped the banana open and took a bite. It was so good. I must have looked like a pig but I didn’t care.