Zombie Games Book Five (End Zone) (14 page)

BOOK: Zombie Games Book Five (End Zone)
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I frowned.
Her ignorance of fresh food was unsettling.

Brushing it aside, I
crossed the street towards the mega mall’s parking lot, bracing for a different reaction from the others.

I’m nuts,
I thought, staring at the massive crowd of dead in my path. What was even crazier, however, was that they also appeared oblivious to my approach. I’d almost expected the entire group of zombies to stop what they were doing and charge after me, but not these zombies- they just kept wandering around with no particular destination in mind..

As I approached
the closest of the group, two males who were so emaciated that I could see the bones in their ribcages, stepped out of my path, ignoring me.

What in the hell is going on?
I wondered in disbelief as I stared at their retreating backs. Then, another zombie approached and before I could raise my ax, she changed course, also taking no interest.

Grunting, I picked up my pace,
zigzagging around dozens of them without interference. When I made it past the parking lot and to the main entrance of the mall, I turned around and stared at the crowd in disbelief, wondering if maybe I was truly losing my mind. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw headlights.

Crap.

It was the white truck, returning. As it drew closer to the mall exit, it slowed, as if searching for me.

“You made it, child.”

I whipped around and stared at an old man, holding the door open for me. He had white hair, blue eyes, and a friendly face. “Who are you?” I asked, in shock, staring at his priest garb.

He chuckled.
“Well, I’m a friend, here to help you.”

I
glanced over my shoulder one last time and noticed the pickup was still there. I could almost feel his eyes on me and felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

“Who is that?” asked the priest, as the truck took off.

“Some asshole. Oh,” I turned back around and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry.”

“It’s quite all right, child. I’m sure you have your reasons.”


You have no idea. Say, have you seen two girls and a baby around here?”

“Yes.
That’s why I’m here, actually. Are you the sister to one of the girls?”


Thank goodness. Yes, I’m Allie’s sister. Are they safe?”

“I am Father Brambati,” he replied.
“Why don’t’ you just come in and check for yourself.”

“Thanks,” I said, stepping past him. “
So, is there a man named Billie with them?”

His eyebrows furrowed.
“Billie? No, I don’t think so.”

“Really?”
I turned and caught him staring at my legs.

His eyes moved
back up to mine and he smiled. “My… my… that’s a very interesting outfit, young lady.”

I suddenly felt very subconscious of the skimpy shorts. “
I know. Not really my choice, but what can you do. Where are the girls?”

He started walking. “This way. They’ll b
e very excited to see you.”

I started walking next to him and noticed that there were zombies heading towards us from the opposite direction.
I raised my ax.  “Watch out, Father.”

He smiled. “
Oh… don’t worry. They’re harmless.”


Why do you say that?”

“Just watch.”

Sure enough, as we approached, the zombies ignored us and kept walking.

“Why are they ignoring us?” I asked, watching them.

“It’s his will,” said the priest.

I raised my eyebrows.
“You mean God’s?”

His eyes moved to my ax.

“Father?”

“You won’t be needing
weapons here,” he said, frowning. “In fact, why don’t you leave it behind and retrieve it later? To be honest, t’s making me quite uncomfortable.”

I stared at him in surprise. There was no way I’d give up the ax.
No way. “Well, I’m sorry that it’s making you feel that way, but I can’t give it up. It’s all I have and it’s too dangerous, even if the zombies are ignoring us.”

Just then, a woman and a man rounded the corner. When they noticed us
standing in the corridor they froze.

“Is everything okay?” asked the priest
.

“Yes,” said the man
, who appeared tense. He looked at my ax and his face darkened.

“Very good,” replied Father Brambati. “This is Cassie. She’s here to see the girls.”

They didn’t say anything, just continued to stare at me as we approached.


Everything okay?” I asked, studying the couple uneasily when we stopped in front of them.

The woman
smiled. “Of course.”

“Where are the girls
?” I said, watching another zombie stagger towards us.

“Follow me,” replied Father Brambati, stepping around the couple.

I did and when we turned the corner and began walking towards the center of the mall, I gasped in shock.

“What in the hell is that?” I asked, staring in disbelief at the monstrous black hole
in the floor.

The priest put his hand on my back. “
It’s a miracle. Something that words alone cannot describe. Come and see for yourself.”

Frightened, I took a step away from him.
There was no way I was going to get close to that thing. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie. “No, I’ll pass, thank you. Where are the girls?”

“Ah… she’s here.”

My head whipped around and I sighed in relief. “Billie, thank God. The priest said you weren’t here.”

He stepped out of the shadows. “
Here I am, alive and in the flesh.” He smiled. “I’m glad you’re here. I believe I’m going to need your help.”

“Uh, sure,” I replied. “Where’s my sister, Kylie, and Adria?”

“Oh, they’re around here somewhere,” he replied. “They’ve got the mall all to themselves. Every girl’s dream, right?”

“Under normal circumstances,” I replied, staring at a zombie
who was nearing the hole. “Right now, I’d say that it’s a little too dangerous for them to be having a ‘shopping spree’.”

He giggled eerily.
“I agree. Try telling girls that age though, huh?”

My eyes settled back on
to him. He’d shaved and was now dressed in an expensive-looking black suit, which was odd considering the situation. “You look good.”

He put his hands in his pockets. “I make the suit look good.”

I smiled.

“You look pretty good yourself,” he said, his eyes flickering to my
uniform.

I blushed. “Obviously this isn’t mine.”

“Well, you have an entire mall of clothing at your disposal, pick out something else if you’d like. I’d lose the ax, though, it’s not working with your outfit.”

I looked down at my weapon. “No, someone special gave me this and I’m not letting it go.”

“Suit yourself.”

I wanted to ask
why he’d taken the girls, but decided to wait. If he had the zombie virus, then he could be volatile and I didn’t want to antagonize him.


So… are you really doing okay, Billie?” I asked, stepping closer. I wanted to touch his forehead, to see if he was feverish, although, admittedly, he looked pretty darn healthy. “You feeling sick or anything?”

“Actually, I’ve never been better.”

I looked into his eyes and there was something I didn’t recognize. A coldness.
“Well… that’s a relief,” I said, feeling uneasy. 

“Shall we find the girls?” he asked
, glancing at the hole again. He smiled. “I’m sure you’re anxious to see them.”


Very.”

“Get away from there!
” hollered the priest. “You stupid idiot.”

I turned back towards the hole again
and noticed a zombie near the edge.

“Dai!
” shouted Billie.

The zombie
turned around and walked away.

I raised my eyebrows. “
Uh, what just happened?”

“Let’s go this way,”
replied Billie, ignoring the question. He turned around and began walking towards the shops. “You should start calling for the girls, so they can hear your voice. They could be anywhere in this place.”

I
followed him. “Billie, so… um… what’s going on with that hole? How did it get there?”

He smiled
back at me. “It’s truly amazing, isn’t it?”

I felt the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
“Amazing? More like freaky scary. I’ve never seen anything that deep in my life.”


You’ve got that right.” He stopped walking and cocked his ear. “Hmm… Why don’t you call for your sister.”

I cleared my throat. “Allie!”

We waited. The mall was eerily quiet without the usual music or people noise.

“Keep calling,” he
said.

“Kylie!” I yelled
louder.

“Let’s go this way,” he said, pointing towards another corridor.

“Okay.”

We neared
a clothing store that my sister adored. “Hold on,” I said, sticking my head inside of the dark entrance.  “Allie!?”

“She’s not in there
.”

“How do you know?” I asked, looking back
at him.

He shrugged. “She would have answered you, right?”

I sighed. “Yeah, I suppose.”

We continued down the corridor.

“Allie!” I hollered again.

No
answer.

“Are you sure they’re safe with all of these zombies walking around?” I asked, as two more rounded the corner.

“The zombies aren’t interested in them. Don’t worry.”

“But why?” I asked.
“Why would they suddenly not give a damn about us? We’re their food supply, right?”

“It appears that way
,” he replied, sniffing the air. “They’re close. I can sense them.”

Sense them?

He turned to me. “Keep calling.”

“Allie! Kylie!”
I screamed.

“Cassie!”
hollered Allie. “Get away from him!”

I turned
around and found my sister standing at the end of the hallway next to a toy store. Relieved, I grinned. “Allie!”

“Get away from
Billie
!” she yelled, looking panic-stricken.

I glanced at Billie
. “What did you do to piss her off so much?”

“Nothing.”

“He’s trying to kill Adria!” hollered Allie.

He
looked down at his nails and frowned. “What a little drama queen. God, she’s really starting to piss me off.”

I narrowed my eyes.
He’d
done nothing but piss
me
off in the last few hours. “Okay, you stay here. I think I need to talk to her alone.”


Dammit, time is running out. Where is the baby you little bitch?!” growled Billie.

I stared at him in shock.
“Billie?”

“Run Cassie!” hollered Allie.


Run Cassie
,” he mimicked. “Like you can really escape.”

I started backing away from him. “I… I’m going to talk to her, okay Billie? I’m sure she’s just upset and
scared after everything that’s been happening.”

“Stay where you are
,” he ordered, the rings of his eyes beginning to glow.

I paused.

He smiled and held up his right hand. “Allie,” he hollered. “If you want to see your sister’s beautiful face again, you’ll come here.
Now.”

He’s threatening me?!

I glared at him. “You stay there right there, Allie! Don’t you dare move a muscle.”

Billie’s hand
s began to glow. “Remember this?” he asked, looking into my eyes.

I stared back at him in horror.

“Yes,” he replied, answering the question jumbling around in my mind. “It’s really me.”

“Travis?”

He grinned wickedly. “Would you like to see how quickly skin melts from the bone, Allie?”

My sister began to cry. “No!”

Fire flowed out of his hand, forming a small ball. It hovered in the air next to his face. “Last chance.”

“Run Allie!” I screamed and began running towards her.

“Cassie!” she
cried.

I’
m not sure what exactly I tripped over, but my foot caught something on the linoleum and I fell forward just before the ball of fire shot past me and hit a wall. Staring at the flames in horror, I quickly got back to my feet and began running again.

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