Four (Their Dead Lives,1) (30 page)

Dozing off, Scot refused to listen to his smaller self.
 

He choked and coughed awake. Outside, the sun rose, casting a dim blue glow inside the restaurant. He snuck out from under the sleeping bag. Kelsey was in exactly the same place she was when he’d fallen asleep. He made his way to the bathroom, passing the sleeping Jacky and Talon. CJ snored on the bar.
 

Oderly had fallen asleep on the ground, curled around his acoustic guitar.
I bet he fucks it,
Scot laughed inside. Lexington was fighting to stay awake by the front entrance, slumped in a chair, his head nodding.
 

The bathroom was near the back patio. Scot kicked the bathroom door open, then did a couple of jumping jacks, shaking his arms and releasing short breaths.
Well, I’m still drunk.
He giggled to himself as he unleashed a drunken pee. If he were sober, he wouldn’t have been swaying back and forth. He wouldn’t have kept giggling drunkenly. He finished, zipped up, and stumbled to the sink. He leaned over the counter and stared at himself in the mirror. A faint light came in through an open window that no person,
or no thing,
could fit through.
Maybe a zombie midget
, he mused.
 

Thoughts of Kelsey ran through his mind.
I should have cuddled with her. I still can. I should kiss her. No, only hold her. Feel her out. See what she wants. It’s about her, not you. Her. Her. Her—I’m crazy.
 

Scot fixed his wavy strawberry-blond hair in the mirror and moved for the door. It swung open.
Kelsey?

Jacky.
 

She approached him with a crooked step. Still drunk. “Want to know something?”
 

“Uh, no.”
 

“No, you have to know this.” She was as drunk as he was, he could tell. “That girl out there is crazy about you.” She fell on him and he caught her. Her chin pressed sharply against his chest. “No, she loves you.”
 

Scot looked up from Jacky and at the doorway.
Kelsey is going to walk in. Don’t fucking do it.
 

“
You should be with her.”
 

Jacky’s face was inches away. Her mouth hung temptingly open. He could see warm saliva filling it. His eyes wandered down her freckly neck to her low-cut shirt. It hung open, revealing the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra.
 

“We should really get back out there,” he muttered.
Kelsey will walk in.
 

Jacky pressed against him and, of their own accord, his arms wrapped tighter around her waist. She kissed his cheek and whispered wetly in his ear, “I want to taste what she tastes.”
 

Scot fought a stirring demon in his jeans. “Back out there. We really need to go back—”

Jacky dropped all her weight on him, ruining Scot’s precarious balancing act. His back cracked on tile floor but he wouldn’t feel the pain until later when the alcohol wore off. She fell on his chest and slid down his body.
Why is she sliding? No! Why?
Her face landed at his waist. She nipped at his leather belt. Scot pushed her shoulders, trying to shove her off. But to be honest, he didn’t try too hard. “Please stop. I can’t do this.”
 

“Why not? You’re not with her.”
 

“Like you said a second before, I
should
be
.
Why are you doing this?”
 

She answered by unbuckling the belt with her mouth
. Okay, screw it.
She unbuttoned his jeans. He put his face in his hands and leaned back.
What’s the worst that can happen? Let her please you, let her — no!
As his zipper lowered he pressed both hands to the floor and scrambled his legs out from under Jacky. He fought hard that time, hopping to his feet and hobbling away from her. His back faced the bathroom door.
 

Jacky rose to her knees as his jeans dropped to the ground. He took a last glance at her. She was teasing him with her lips, her tongue, and her wet mouth. He couldn’t believe it.
Is this a dream?
“You’re great but I can’t do this to Kelsey,” he muttered ineffectively, and his words hung in the air as the bathroom door opened behind him.
 

Kelsey.
 

She stood in the doorway, never looking at Jacky, never looking at Scot’s pants bunched around his ankles. She looked only directly in his eyes and said coldly,
“
Good.” Then she left, fading away, returning to the rest of the restaurant.
How I hate timing.
He rushed after her, leaving Jacky on her knees in the bathroom, alone.
 

He rushed after her, right into hell.
 

Talon fell, grabbing at his mangled throat. His eyes broke wide, lips trembling, gurgling. Blood poured down his fingers and he had no chance at slowing the fatal flow. His hands dropped and a stream of blood squirted on Scot’s boxers.
Holy shit!
He tripped over his pants still looped around his ankles. He squirmed on the ground, pulling his jeans back up to his waist. The red puddle of Talon’s blood lapped at his shoes. He leapt away and grabbed Kelsey at his side. “What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know!” Kelsey shrieked, watching the carnage. Talon convulsed in the spreading pool of blood and died. The red puddle kept crawling slowly toward them.
 

Jacky flew out the bathroom door, cheering, “I need a shot!” She stopped dead when she saw Talon on the ground. Behind her, the patio doors broke open under the weight of a decayed corpse wearing a leather jacket and sporting a handlebar mustache.
Zombie Biker!
A drunken giggle bounced from Scot’s lips.
 

Zombie biker latched onto Talon’s body, digging in the dead surfer’s stomach, ripping out his steaming intestines.
 

“Help!” Jacky screamed and rushed past Scot and Kelsey to the others. She landed in CJ’s arms. Everyone was awake and panicking.
 

The zombie biker shredded Talon’s body as Jacky screamed for CJ, for anyone, to do something. The teen grabbed his bat, Bashing Betty, and rushed forward. He swung the bat around a couple of times before smashing it into the zombie biker’s head. Three blows before the skull snapped open. He kept swinging until it was a pulp.
 

Scot’s stomach rose and he had to turn away. Kelsey grabbed him, pulling him to the others. They huddled in the center of the restaurant with Sadie, Lexington, and Oderly.
 

CJ stumbled away from the zombie biker and the dead Talon. He wiped his mouth with a shaking hand and looked at the others. “We have to break Talon’s head open before he turns.”
 

Jacky’s eyes widened, her back pressing against a window. “You can’t do that,” she hissed frantically.
 

CJ turned to her, his face serious. “He will turn and kill us all. We have to smash his skull.”
 

Lexington offered first. “I’ll do it.”
 

Kelsey spun around. “Where the hell is Nasir?”
 

Before anyone could answer, Jacky pushed away from the window and grabbed CJ’s bat. “Leave my Talon alone!” she wailed.
 

CJ tugged back on the bat. They circled around like a couple of kids arguing. “Give it back, Jacky!” He yanked hard and flew back, crashing against the window Jacky had been standing at. He looked at her, his eyes sympathetic. “I’m sorry but I have to do this.”
 

Hands struck through glass and grabbed CJ. Another zombie biker plunged its head through the window. CJ was unable to act quickly enough and teeth sunk deep in his back. He squealed and Bashing Betty fell from his hand, rolling on the floor.
 

“CJ!” Lexington dove for the bat and drove it like a spear into the second zombie biker’s face. The zombie fell away from the window, clawing at its face.
 

CJ broke free, falling to all fours, gasping. He whimpered, grabbing the bite wound on his back. Staring at Jacky with tears in his eyes, he reached for his hat. “I—”
 

Lexington yanked him to his feet. “Forget it for now, kid.” He pulled him to the others and tossed the bat to Scot, who fumbled to catch it. “Watch them. I’ll find Nasir.”
 

Why the hell me?
Scot nodded.
And why the hell is everyone concerned with Nasir now? Oh yeah, his rifle.
 

The second zombie biker launched through the window again. Two more followed right behind it.
 

“Out to the patio!” Oderly screamed, rushing to the doors with his acoustic guitar.
 

Sadie looked at the other survivors, milling aimlessly. “Let’s go out with him.”
 

“No, stay,” snapped Scot. “We don’t know how many are out there.”
 

“Come on, everyone!” Oderly hollered and waved by the doors.
 

The zombie bikers were clambering into the restaurant through the window where CJ had stood seconds before.
 

Sadie jittered indecisively in place. She was freaking out, Scot knew.
So am I, but I’m not moving yet.
He tried to grab her but she yanked her arm away and ran for Oderly.
 

“Sadie, wait!” Kelsey chased after her.
 

“This way,” her friend insisted.
 

The front door burst open.

Nasir, motherfuckers.
Nasir fired a shot and blasted the second zombie biker’s head open. Its body flew onto the bar, knocking over half-empty glasses of whiskey.
 

“Everyone out!” he ordered and motioned for them to exit through the front door. Then he froze, staring at Oderly and Sadie heading out on the patio. His lips vibrated to a scream, “No!”
 

Oderly stepped on the patio first, in time for another zombie biker to sideswipe him and tumble to the ground. Sadie tripped over them, slamming down on a table, which broke under her weight. Moonjava flew from Oderly’s hands. He kicked futilely on the ground as teeth lunged for his throat.
 

Sadie struggled to her feet. She spun around and the last thing Scot saw of her was her frozen, horrified gaze. He would never forget the terror that possessed her face.
 

No.

“Sadie!” Kelsey continued running toward them as the patio door swung shut. But Scot grabbed her and tugged her back. They heard their friends screaming outside. Sadie. Oderly. Sadie. Oderly. The screams were drowned out by the hungry moans of zombies. Dozens of them.
 

“Help her!” Kelsey screamed and fought to get away from Scot. “We have to help her!”
 

Scot maintained his tight grip on her arms, trying to reason with her. “She’s dead, Kelsey. Damn it, she’s dead!”
 

The patio doors broke open and the zombie biker gang stumbled in. No sign of Sadie or Oderly.
 

Nasir fired two more times, holding the zombie bikers at bay. “Everyone out!”
 

Lexington left first with CJ. Kelsey ran out next, forced along by Scot. He was about to follow but then spun back to the bar. A whiskey bottle stared at him, calling for him.
God, screw it.
He rushed back and grabbed the bottle, and in the process found Jacky cowering behind the bar. “Come with us, now!”
 

She whimpered.
 

Nasir killed another zombie biker that came through the patio. And another. He retreated to the front door. He looked at Scot and Jacky. “Go, now.” With those words, he let go of the doors and disappeared outside with the others.
 

“I can’t. It’s no use. We’re all dead.” Jacky keened as she rocked back and forth.
 

Scot reached for her. “No, all of us are survivors.”
 

Jacky didn’t respond.

Screw it.
Scot ran out of Neptune’s Retreat, baseball bat in one hand, whiskey bottle in the other. He leapt off the patio and chased after the group.
 

Lexington carried the wounded CJ with Kelsey and Nasir right behind him. They were a good distance ahead of Scot on the highway. Kelsey spun back and yelled for him to hurry.
 

Zombies moaned close behind him. Six zombie bikers stormed up the highway. They were sprinters, not the shambling stumblers that had attacked the patio.
So, many, bikers. It just isn’t funny anymore.
As he raced for his group, he heard a cry for help.
 

“Wait for me!” Jacky rushed out of the restaurant. Her feet tripped over one another and she slammed face first on the cement.
 

The zombie bikers closed in on her.
 

Scot skidded to a stop. Jacky’s nose had broken from the fall, and her face was covered in blood. The other survivors, having no idea she was there, kept running. The road was clear their way. Safe. He took a step toward them, wanting to leave Jacky behind.
 

Jacky cried again, only yards away from Scot, reaching up from the cement and dragging her legs. The chance to save her presented itself.
Act now or flee.
Her hand strained in his direction, reaching for him. His fingers clenched around Bashing Betty.
Act or flee.
He swigged from the whiskey bottle, and he fled.

The two fastest bikers tugged at Jacky, lifting her in the air. More bikers latched on. She kicked and screamed, flailing, pulled in opposite directions.
 

The last thing Scot saw of Jacky was her body rip in half, her insides spilling across the highway. Vomit rose in his gut, but he wasn’t sure whether it was the alcohol or revulsion.
Probably both.
 

The others survivors were a good distance ahead of him. Nasir found a six-foot ledge leading up to a tree line. They debated over something for only seconds, then Lexington heaved Nasir up the ledge first. The old man stood and aimed Scot’s way. Scot’s eyes widened as he flinched, but he kept running for his group.
Please shoot the zombies and not me.