Zombie Games (12 page)

I snorted. “This could almost be funny if it wasn’t really happening to us.”

“Holy crap,” she mumbled. “I think I’m going to puke.”

The smell of rotting skin
was
overwhelming. Resisting an urge to vomit myself, I slid the door closed and looked at Paige. “Wow, you didn’t invite me to your pool party. That hurts.”

Paige groaned. “All jokes aside, we’re screwed.”

“At least the sun’s starting to come out, they’re easier to see.”

She shivered. “And how’s that supposed to make it better for us?”

“Yeah, they aren’t pretty, especially the ones who’ve been dead for a while.”

Paige’s eyes lit up. “Hey, did you ever check the cabana?”

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t even think about checking that place, I just wanted to get inside the house.”

“We’d better check it out, now. How do we get passed those things?” she asked.

“Well, maybe we can create some kind of distraction in the front of the yard to draw them away from the pool?”

Just then we heard the faint sounds of gun shots. The zombies must have overheard as well, because they began moving idly towards the gate. When the last of them were no longer in sight, I nudged Paige.

              “Let’s go,” I said.

I slid the glass door open and we stepped outside. The cabana was on the other side of the pool and we could hear more gunshots as we made our way to the entrance. Paige pulled open the door and we crept inside. It was empty.

Paige took off her softball helmet and sat down. “I thought for sure…Oh, God…where in the hell are they?” she moaned, putting her head in her hands.

I knew her pain. All I could think of about in that moment was my little sister. A memory flashed through my mind of when she was three or four years old, how she would follow me everywhere in her beat-up pink cowgirl boots, that were usually on the wrong feet, begging me to sleep in her room. I’d eventually relent, then grumble the entire night about having to watch her princess movies and the way she’d toss and turn as she slept, kicking me in the back. But right now, I would do anything to go back to that time.

I released a breath and squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s go and find out where that gunfire was coming from.”

Paige nodded, brushing away the tears from her face.

We opened the cabana door and stared in horror; the zombies were back and they brought dates. We were trapped and surrounded.

“Okay, now what?” she whispered.

Just as I opened my mouth I saw a figure stepping through the sliding glass door. My heart leaped with joy when I recognized the loveable scowling face. Bryce! He’d actually come for me!

“It’s Bryce!” I shouted.

The shuffling and groaning of the zombies ceased; you couldn’t hear a bone drop. Everyone, including the zombies, turned towards us.

“Nice going,” said Paige dryly.

Bryce lifted his automatic rifle. “Get down!” he demanded.

Paige and I crouched down as he began shooting at the zombies. I pulled out my revolver and aimed at the ones nearest to us. Blood, mucous, and body parts were flying everywhere as we watched all of the carnage in a twisted kind of glory. The dead got deader and we lived another hour in this hideous nightmare.

Paige shuddered. “Okay, this is totally disgusting.”

“I can’t believe he’s actually here,” I said, reloading the Beretta. The butterflies were going crazy in my stomach again. I didn’t even care that I broke a third nail. I flicked it aside and decided the rest would come off immediately when I got home.

“Only you would fall in love during a zombie massacre,” said Paige.

I shook my head. “I’m not in love with him. I hardly even know him.”

“Face it! You’ve definitely got a thing for him.”

I took off the softball helmet. “He’s cute, sure, but he’s also a little annoying.”

She shrugged. “He’s a guy.”

When the last of the zombies lay twisted and broken on the ground, Bryce jogged over to us. He was still wearing what he’d had on the last time I’d seen him, but it was now covered with blood and gore. Part of me wanted Bryce to sweep me up into his arms and carry me to safety while another part wanted him to burn the disgusting shirt first.

“Are you girls okay?” he asked in his deep voice. I’d almost forgotten how amazingly blue his eyes were.

“We’re fine. Still haven’t found Allie or Paige’s mom and sister though,” I answered.

Bryce looked up at our helmets with the hint of a smile. “Nice touch.”

Paige’s eyes grew wide and she nodded. “It was my idea, so they can’t get to our brains.”

He bit the side of his lip to keep from cracking up then looked at the house. “So, you’ve checked everywhere, the entire house; basement; garage?”

Paige and I looked at each other.

“Garage,” we said in unison. Neither of has had even considered the garage.

“Missed the garage? Okay, stay behind me and do exactly what I tell you.”

Bryce started walking towards the side door to the garage, which was next to the cabana.

Paige checked out his rear and gave me a “thumbs up
”
approval.

I smiled and shoved her forward.

Bryce twisted the door knob to the garage. “It’s locked. Stand back,” he said. He then lifted his rifle and blasted a hole into it.

“Sorry, I’ll pay you back for that,” he said with a cocky grin. He then kicked the door open and the smell of decay hit us like a sledgehammer. It was also dark, so he grabbed his flashlight and raised the gun.

“Oh, my God, it’s Dan!” screamed Paige.

Zombie Dan was hovering around a new black Escalade. His gray face was sunken and his skin was beginning to rot. He started shuffling slowly towards us, his dried up lips pulled back in a death grin.

Bryce aimed the gun at Dan, wiping away the creepy smile. He toppled to the ground, hard.

“I never liked him,” muttered Paige. “He was really a pompous jerk.”

“Looks like he was alone,” I said, looking around.

“No, someone’s in the SUV,” Bryce replied, stepping towards the vehicle. “Yep, a couple of females.”

Paige and I rushed over; it was Kristie and Kylie! The windows were up and they were lounging in the front seats. There wasn’t any sign of Allie.

“Mom! Wake up!” Paige cried removing her helmet. She began pounding on the window but neither of them budged.

“Hold on,” said Bryce. He went to the back window and broke the glass. Unlocking the door he climbed in and shook Kristie’s shoulder.

Kristie’s eyes flew open and she screamed at Bryce, who probably looked like a mad serial killer in his bloody shirt.

Bryce chuckled as he climbed back out of the SUV. “Wow, I’ve never had that reaction from a female before.”

Kristie’s face lit up when she noticed Paige through the window. She removed the iPod earphones she wore, shook Kylie, who was also listening to music, until she was awake. Then she got out. Drawing her arms around Paige, she cried, “Oh thank
God
you’re okay!”

“Um, where’s Allie?” I asked in a strangled voice.

“We don’t know,” Kristie said letting go of Paige. “Dan attacked us and she took off running.”

I heaved a sigh. “Alone?”

“Yeah, I don’t know where she went. I ran after Kylie who ran towards the garage. That’s when Paige disappeared, as well as your sister.”

I turned away and the damn broke. The pain of losing my sister was so great that I couldn’t stop the tears. I knew it would be nearly impossible for Allie to survive on her own in this nightmare. There were so many zombies in the neighborhood and Allie was no match for them. She couldn’t fire a gun or fight them one on one. She definitely wasn’t strong enough.

Bryce pulled me into his arms and held me while I cried. When I finally ran out of tears, I remembered that everyone standing before me had lost someone within the last few hours, maybe even Bryce. I’d never even asked about Bobby.

“I’m sorry,” I hiccupped, pushing Bryce away. “I didn’t even ask about your brother. We’re all going through this, not just me. I’m really sorry.”

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently. “Bobby’s fine and so was everyone else when I left them at your house.”

              “What about my parents? Where they home?” Deep down I already knew that answer. They were both lost somewhere in this nightmare.

He sighed. “I’m sorry Cassie; they weren’t around when I got back there. But they’re very capable people from what I’ve heard. Don’t give up on them, okay?”

              I nodded slowly.

Kristie walked over and wrapped her arms around me. “I’m so sorry honey. Dan just went nuts and chased us into the garage. I had to lock him out of the SUV so he wouldn’t hurt me or Kylie.”

“It’s not your fault,” I sighed.

“
Yes
it is,” Kristie stated and threw up her hands. “You know, I just have the worst luck with men. The first one I married was a jerk and this one turned out to be a psychotic maniac. Anyway, we’ll find her. She got away from Dan. He’s been here the entire time so he couldn’t have hurt her.”

She looked so optimistic that it hit me; she had no idea what was happening in the outside world. “Oh…you don’t know,” I said breathlessly.

Kristie shrugged. “Know what?”

“Show her,” said Paige.

Bryce grabbed his gun and walked back to where we’d come in. He opened the door and motioned for Kristie.

Kristie walked over and had her first glimpse of the carnage that was left from the zombie pool party massacre. She placed a hand over her mouth in horror. “Holy shit!”

Chapter Fifteen

Bryce and I locked the gate this time to keep any other new zombies from wandering in.

“I wonder how they happen to know we’re here,” I said to him as we watched more begin to navigate towards the house.

He shrugged. “Not sure, but I think we should get going soon. It’s too dangerous staying here.”

I nodded, trying not to breath in the horrible smell. The smell of the rotting flesh was so pungent that I decided to ask Kristie for some Vicks to rub under my nose. I’d heard it was great for masking raunchy smells.

We returned to the house and closed the blinds so we wouldn’t have to view all the corpses outside. It was getting warmer outside and now the flies were beginning to hover around the dead.

“Nothing on television yet,” mumbled Paige throwing the remote control. Bryce had been able to locate the house’s main generator, so there was power again.

“Anyone hungry?” asked Kristie as she opened up the fridge. “I’m starving. Even those nasty zombie bodies outside can’t ruin this appetite.”

I wasn’t really hungry but needed the energy from the food. “Sure,” I said.

“Well, the ham still looks good,” she commented as she sniffed it. She placed it on the counter and took out some bread. “I can make sandwiches? Sorry Wild, I’m out of pickles.”

I smiled. “That’s fine.”

Kristie made sandwiches for everyone while I gave her a recap of what I understood about the zombies. They were insatiable cadavers who would anything for a good meal. And we were definitely the main course. At least that was my version.

Bryce’s reasoning was a little more scientific and straight from one of his military buddies. Those millions of people who received the flu vaccine were given a death sentence. The theory was that the vaccine caused some type of severe neurological damage; destroying what is the
humane
part of the brain. Eventually it begins to destroy tissue in other parts of the body including muscle and other major organs; basically, creating a walking vegetable. One with a ravenous appetite for protein, lots of it. He wasn’t sure if they were really considered zombies, but they were definitely something out of a horror movie.  

“Is the military going to be able to contain these things?” asked Kristie.

“Most of the military are zombies by now, they were pretty much required to have them. The few remaining soldiers who didn’t get the vaccine have their hands full as it is. The point is we’re pretty much on our own.”

“How long does it take for someone to turn into a zombie?” whispered Kylie. It was the first time she’d spoken since we’d found them. Kristie put her arm around her.

“Not sure although I think everyone is different, depending on their body mass. My aunt received the vaccine and it took only twenty-four hours for her to change, she’s pretty small. I’ve heard that others took much longer.”

“Wasn’t your aunt caring for your mom?” I asked Bryce.

His lips grew thin and he nodded.

“Did you see your aunt when she was a zombie?” asked Kristie.

“Unfortunately, I did. After work, I went to check on my mother to see if she was doing any better. She’d refused any medication at the clinic, including the vaccine. She never believed in the flu vaccinations, that’s why Bobby and I have never had shots either. Personally I think she just avoided any kind of medical attention because of her drinking problem. Anyway, when I got home, let’s just say they were both gone, but for different reasons.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied softly.

He shrugged then got up from the table to grab a bottle of water. His eyes were misty and he gazed out the window while the rest of us finished our sandwiches.

“So, can the zombies infect others?” asked Paige, breaking the silence.

Bryce cleared his throat and looked over. “The military believes that they can infect others. So try not to get bitten.”

“God, I’d give anything for a cigarette right now,” mumbled Kristie as she rubbed her chin.

Paige’s jaw dropped. “Mom, you quit two years ago. Control yourself.”

“Well, I think there’s a better chance of getting killed by a zombie right now then dying of lung cancer,” she replied dryly.

I pushed myself up from the table. “I need to use your bathroom. Do you have any Vicks vapor rub?”

Kristie looked at me strangely. “Go ahead. There’s some in the vanity.”