Four (Their Dead Lives,1) (56 page)

Below, Malone made his way to the dumpster, dropping clips and swinging two more into his guns. He looked like an action hero. But action heroes weren’t real, especially when fifty zombies were swarming from every direction. Three went down before Malone threw his body on the dumpster. Teeth sank into his arms, his legs, and his back. He kicked and fought, nailing one in the face. He shoved off a woman after her teeth broke his skull.
 

The VTF kept shooting, trying to save him. He pulled a grenade off his vest while being dragged down to grass. It never exploded, a dud, his body never seen again.
 

Zombies clambered for the roof, some using the dumpster. The helicopter lowered and Jeff and Evans pulled back from the edge. Slinger remained, unleashing her SMG.
 

“He’s gone, Chelsea,” said Evans. She ignored him.
 

“Sarge, let’s go!” Jeff moved for her but Evans stopped him.
 

Slinger backed, huffing, “Damn you, Malone!” She made her way to the helicopter.
 

The female Embracer rose to the roof so quickly, Slinger seemed to run in slow motion.
 

“Look out!” Evans knelt, raising his carbine.
 

Slinger spun. The Embracer swung a glass shard at her face. Two bullets flew over Jeff, both hitting the Embracer.
 

With his hand stretched out, Addison hung from the helicopter, holding Eddie’s massive Desert Eagle. His tie flapped around his face as he yelled, “Eat it, snatch!” He kept firing until either the Embracer was blasted off the roof, or she decided to flee on her own.
 

Evans helped the unscathed Slinger to her feet and Jeff pushed them both to the helicopter. He climbed in last.
 

Along with Addison and the pilot Eddie, only Kelsey was inside their escape boat. “Where’s Scot?”
 

“He—”
 

“We’re losing fuel fast,” Eddie yelled as the helicopter ascended from the swarmed clinic. “Something hit us.”

“
Where’s Scot?
” Jeff knelt to Kelsey’s legs.
 

“He’s on the roof, he— Kale.”
 

Jeff stood straight. “Get me back there!”
 

“I have to swing us to Numark. Now!”
 

Evans, leaning out of the helicopter, said, “Why is there a spear in our goddamn fuel tank?”
 

“Give me twenty more feet,” Jeff said to Eddie, staring at the roof of the apartment complex.
 

On the floor of the cabin, Evans grabbed Jeff’s leg. “Please don’t be thinking what I think you’re thinking.”
 

“Eddie, do it!”
 

There was no time to wait as Jeff witnessed the battle escalating across the roof.
 

Close enough.

SCOT
 

Kelsey’s head rested on his shoulder as they sat in the helicopter, waiting. Addison lay across from them.
 

I hope there’s privacy at this Camp Numark. I need her again. I want her—
 

Gunfire ripped through the night from below. Along with the others, Scot rushed out of the helicopter and stared off the complex’s roof, realizing he was an idiot for thinking they were safe.
 

A zombie horde flooded to the clinic. Bright flashes ignited from its entrance.
 

Eddie climbed into the cockpit saying, “Let’s go.”
 

They all got back in the helicopter but Scot froze as he stared out the cabin door.
 

Kale. On the roof. With one and a half arms.
What the?
 

“Hello, Scotty,” he said with that devilish grin of his. “Come out here and play.”
 

Helicopter blades rapidly whirred above and Scot yelled with a smile, “I’m leaving.” For good measure, Scot leaned out the helicopter as it began to lift, staring Kale down. “You look even prettier now!” He laughed, but it was cut short by the striking black cloak.
 

And although the Embracer crashed like black lightning, time froze for Scot. He’d believed he would never see that grey face and beard or those dark eyes and soulless stare again. He’d tricked his mind into accepting his luck. His safety. That well from during high school still haunted him; it always would, but all his nightmares came to fruition in seconds.
 

The Embracer pounced off the roof, flying to the helicopter. A steel spear impaled Scot’s shoulder, sending him to the floor. He slid toward the open doorway but Kelsey caught him in time.
 

The spear slashed out of his flesh, and the Embracer looked ready to gut Scot from head to toe.
 

You were never going to let me go.
 

Addison rushed at the black cloak, trying to pin the spear back. It shot forward, missing Eddie’s head. The pilot turned, unholstered a gigantic silver pistol, and handed it to the passengers.
 

Scot grabbed his wound as Kelsey stepped over him, retrieving the handgun. She aimed at the Embracer as the spear struck for Addison’s face, nicking his cheek.
 

“Shoot it,” Addison cried.
 

Kelsey fired. The bullet ripped the cloak open, almost knocking the Embracer out of the helicopter. The blowback, which she was not ready for, hit her in the face. She dropped the pistol and stumbled to the doorway. Scot grabbed her before she fell, pushed her onto a seat, yanked the door shut, flipped around, and went for the pistol, but the Embracer grabbed him first.
 

Weightless, he spun into the night. Falling and falling. And somehow, he landed in Kale’s arms. Once more, he grinned at Scot. “Hello again.”
 

With his fear of heights, and after falling so far, Scot let the words slip from his mouth, “I think I shit myself.”

Another blast from the helicopter.
 

The black cloak fell, along with the spear. But the steel shot back for the helicopter, impaling the fuel tank. The Embracer disappeared below.
 

Kale dropped Scot and his chin hit the roof.
 

“You dick.” He coughed and rolled, staring at the helicopter as it went for the clinic. “Kelsey,” he reached.
 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Cloak took care of her.”
 

“Cloak? You named that fucking thing?”
 

“Yes, now get up. We need to chat.”
 

Scot stood, touching his bleeding shoulder. “I’ve been stabbed, bit, shot, and pushed around far too many times lately.”
 

“And yet you’re still here.” Kale circled around him. “Do you know why?”
 

“Obviously you were right all along. And you know what?” He looked at his bloody fingers.

“What?”
 

“Blow me.”
 

Kale lightly laughed. “You do like a good mouth.”
 

“Ugh, not yours. And why the hell do you look like a mutated beast?”
 

“Fate has brought me this far, Scot. Something you will never understand.”
 

Scot snorted. “What I understand is that you’re an idiot. And will you quit circling around me, you creepy bastard?”
 

“No!” At Kale’s shout, a blade ejected from his stub and he swung it at Scot, but he was too far to connect.
 

“Holy shit balls!” Scot fell to the floor before kicking his way to a stance. He leapt a few more times to get farther from Kale. “Fate has played a joke on you, man.”
 

A gargling growl broke from his lips. “I hate you, you know that?”
 

“You didn’t always.”
 

Kale shrugged. “No matter now. You die tonight.”
 

“By you? Ha!” Scot clenched a fist. “I’m too quick for you, you fat fuck.” Before Scot could react, Kale flashed to him, grabbing his throat and lifting him in the air.
 

“What were you saying?”
 

I instantly regret saying that.
He stared into Kale’s possessed, dark eyes. “They turned you...holy shit, Kale.”
 

“I’ve never felt better.” The grip tightened.
 

“Go ahead and kill me,” Scot choked. “You’ve always wanted to. That’s why you stabbed me back in high school.”
 

Loosening his grip, Kale decided to drop Scot. “No. I stabbed you in high school so you would realize your full potential.”
 

Scot struggled to stand, rubbing his neck.
 

“If you and Alec would’ve listened to me from the start, if you would’ve joined Jeff and I instead of pushing us away, none of this would’ve happened. You’ve turned me evil, Scot.” Kale spoke slowly for emphasis. “You. Did. This.”
 

He’s lost it.
“Kale, buddy, what have you done?”
 

He raised a dark eyebrow. “I’ve done what has been necessary all along.”
 

“Whatever.”
 

Kale lifted his blade. “Out of the three of you, I want to kill you the most.”
 

Scot laughed. “Well, considering I fucked your girlfriend—”

Kale charged again, slashing Scot’s arm open. Scot grabbed his limb and tripped over himself trying to escape. With one arm, he tried to stand, but Kale grabbed his wavy hair first. The blade pressed against his neck.
 

Disdainful eyes stared at Kale. “That’s it, Kale, fulfill your destiny. I’m ready.”
 

Kale tightened a hand around Scot’s face to keep it still. Nails dug into his chin. “You’re pathetic.”
 

“I know. Just, just let me say one thing. One thing, Kale.”
 

“Better make it good.”
 

Scot smirked. “You must have the limpest cock in the world because Brittany was the tightest thing I’ve ever plowed into.”

Kale shrieked in fury. “I’m gonna slice that stupid smirk off your face!” The blade rose high, shimmering beneath the moon. “Say hi to Alec in hell.”
 

Scot’s eyes widened. “You killed Alec?”
 

“Yes.” Kale halted his swing, savoring the moment. “Spoiler alert, you’re next, you piece of—”

Scot slammed his shoulder into Kale’s gut, followed by a quick fist to the beast’s face. He sprinted a few steps away. “Never talk, only kill, you idiot.” He knew he would lose the fight, but he at least wanted to make Kale work for it.
 

Two quick stabs to Scot’s stomach sent him to the floor again. He thrust an elbow but Kale smacked it out of the way. The blade shot into Scot’s lower back, sliced up through his chest, and broke out of his breastbone. He stared in weak surprise at the blood dripping off the tip of the blade. He dangled helplessly. Impaled. “Kale...”
 

An evil mouth hovered by Scot’s ear and whispered, “I’m going to remove your head, then give it to Kelsey before I fuck her again.”
 

“If you touch her—”

“You’ll what?” He kicked the blade out of Scot, who fell face first to the roof. “You’re already dead.”
 

His cheek pressing against the rough floor of the roof, Scot tasted blood.
 

Kale circled around him again. “You know, I was hoping for at least one good fight. Maybe Homer will be it. You and Alec, man, simply pathetic.”
 

Neither words nor movement from Scot. All he thought about was what Kale had just said.
“—before I fuck her AGAIN.”
Did Kale and Kelsey actually fuck while Scot was away at college?
No
, he told himself.
Kale is simply torturing my mind before he kills me.
And if Scot was about to be killed, whatever happened in the past soon wouldn’t matter.
 

“What? Don’t have one of your witty comebacks?” Kale mockingly skipped. “Look at me, I’m Scot, I’m a clever smartass. Woopty-doo!”
 

Kale slammed his foot into Scot’s back. The blade lowered to his neck again. He twitched at its touch but it dug deeper, lightly breaking his skin.
 

“Hate to bring the bad news, but you were never that clever, Scotty.” A little giggle left Kale’s psychotic lips. “Come to think of it, we only hung out with you cause you had the best house to chill at.”
 

Why does he keep talking? Kill me already. End this.

“All right, all right. I know, I’m talking too much. I’m being one of those stupid villains who runs their mouth instead of killing.” Kale snagged Scot’s hair, dragging his face up, forcing him to stay on his knees. “I’ll see you and Alec at our next reunion.”
 

The blade teased, readying for Scot’s decapitation.
 

Let me see her green eyes once more. In the light or in the dark, let me see—

A familiar voice struck both their ears. “Get your hands off him, you son-of-a-bitch.”
 

They turned.
 

Scot thought he was hallucinating from loss of blood, so he blinked multiple times to make sure his eyes were working properly.
No. Fucking. Way.
 

Light shone through Alec’s arms, pulsating inside his veins, glowing around his neck. White shields glossed over his eyes, engulfing them to the opposite of Kale’s black.

“I killed you,” Kale started, voice drifting as he dropped Scot to the floor.
 

With a heaving chest, Alec readied his fists. “Next time, do more than slice my throat.”
 

“I knew it, I knew it!” Kale crouched and gleefully slapped Scot. “Look, see him in all his glory. I made him. I resurrected him. I did a marvelous thing, Scot, a marvelous thing.”
 

“No,” said Alec. “All you did was piss me off.”

The illuminated Alec leaned forward, preparing to charge. The darkened Kale readied a sprinting stance.