Harbor was only a few blocks away. No telling how many zombies and crazy fuckers with guns we'd encounter between here and there. It would be tough, but what choice was there? We had to try.
I ushered the kids even farther into the shadows and then I knelt down. The smoke was really getting bad, and when I spoke, my throat felt raw and dry.
"Listen," I croaked. "I have an idea, but you guys are going to have to stick close to me and do exactly as I say. We're going to try to get to a boat-"
Tasha interrupted. "What boat?"
"Any boat. There's hundreds of them at the harbor. All we have to do is get there."
"How?"
"Well, we're gonna have to make a run for it. That's why I'm-"
"Run?" Tasha looked stunned. "Out there? Into that mess? Are you crazy?"
"I know it's dangerous, but there's no other way. Everybody is fighting each other. If we're quick, the zombies might not even notice."
"I ain't afraid," Malik said-but his eyes said different.
"I am," Tasha admitted. "I don't want to go out there, Mr. Reed. Please don't make us."
I squeezed her hand, hoping to calm her down. Instead, she began to cry.
"I don't want to go. They'll get us. Just like everyone else. All our friends. Momma…"
Sobbing, Tasha flung herself against me, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. Malik started to sniffle, and then he began crying, too. I pulled him to us in a three-way hug. 1 held them while their tears and snot soaked into my already wet shirt. From the street came more shots and screams, followed by a volley of nearby machine gun-fire.
"Guys," I said softly, "I don't know what else to do. The city is on fire. Don't you see? It's reaching here already. We just can't stay put, and we can't fight them all. All I know to do is run. The water is our only chance. I promise-I promise you that I won't let those things get us. I'll die first."
I knew deep down inside that I meant it. I'm no hero. Earlier that night, I'd watched a woman get slaughtered outside my apartment and I'd done nothing to help her. A few moments before, when I'd shot the child zombie, it had been more out of instinct than any desire to help the creature's prey. But in the short time I'd known Malik and Tasha, I'd grown fond of them. They seemed like good kids. Brave. Resourceful. Didn't deserve the crappy hand life had given them. They deserved something better; a fighting chance at least. Besides, they'd saved my life. Figured I should return the favor.
I meant what I said. I'd die before I let the dead claim them. But my promise was a lie, because the minute I was dead, there'd be nothing I could do to protect them. Instead, I'd be hunting them, just like the other zombies.
Malik pulled away from me and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. Then he wiped that on his shirt. After a moment, Tasha stepped back as well.
"How many bullets we got left?"
I shrugged in defeat. "I don't know, Malik. I've lost count."
"Don't matter," he said. "I've still got my stick. If they come at us, I'll take them down while you two run."
Grinning, I stood up.
"Okay, here's the plan. We run out into the street and turn right. Stay on the sidewalk if possible and stick close together. Next street up, we're gonna go, left. That will take us out to the old Sylvan Learning Center building. There's a marina near it-some kind of private yacht club for rich folks. If the gates are locked, we'll have to climb. If I remember correctly, the fence is like twelve feet high. Are either one of you scared of heights?"
They shook their heads in unison.
"Can you climb?"
They nodded.
"Good." I nodded. "Once we're over the fence, we should be good to go."
"Smooth sailing?" Tasha asked.
For a second, I didn't realize she'd made a pun. Both of them began to giggle,
I ushered the kids even farther into the shadows and then I knelt down. The smoke was really getting bad, and when I spoke, my throat felt raw and dry.
"Listen," I croaked. "I have an idea, but you guys are going to have to stick close to me and do exactly as I say. We're going to try to get to a boat-"
Tasha interrupted. "What boat?"
"Any boat. There's hundreds of them at the harbor. All we have to do is get there."
"How?"
"Well, we're gonna have to make a run for it. That's why I'm-"
"Run?" Tasha looked stunned. "Out there? Into that mess? Are you crazy?"
"I know it's dangerous, but there's no other way. Everybody is fighting each other. If we're quick, the zombies might not even notice."
"I ain't afraid," Malik said-but his eyes said different.
"I am," Tasha admitted. "I don't want to go out there, Mr. Reed. Please don't make us."
I squeezed her hand, hoping to calm her down. Instead, she began to cry.
"I don't want to go. They'll get us. Just like everyone else. All our friends. Momma…"
Sobbing, Tasha flung herself against me, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. Malik started to sniffle, and then he began crying, too. I pulled him to us in a three-way hug. 1 held them while their tears and snot soaked into my already wet shirt. From the street came more shots and screams, followed by a volley of nearby machine gun-fire.
"Guys," I said softly, "I don't know what else to do. The city is on fire. Don't you see? It's reaching here already. We just can't stay put, and we can't fight them all. All I know to do is run. The water is our only chance. I promise-I promise you that I won't let those things get us. I'll die first."
I knew deep down inside that I meant it. I'm no hero. Earlier that night, I'd watched a woman get slaughtered outside my apartment and I'd done nothing to help her. A few moments before, when I'd shot the child zombie, it had been more out of instinct than any desire to help the creature's prey. But in the short time I'd known Malik and Tasha, I'd grown fond of them. They seemed like good kids. Brave. Resourceful. Didn't deserve the crappy hand life had given them. They deserved something better; a fighting chance at least. Besides, they'd saved my life. Figured I should return the favor.
I meant what I said. I'd die before I let the dead claim them. But my promise was a lie, because the minute I was dead, there'd be nothing I could do to protect them. Instead, I'd be hunting them, just like the other zombies.
Malik pulled away from me and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. Then he wiped that on his shirt. After a moment, Tasha stepped back as well.
"How many bullets we got left?"
I shrugged in defeat. "I don't know, Malik. I've lost count."
"Don't matter," he said. "I've still got my stick. If they come at us, I'll take them down while you two run."
Grinning, I stood up.
"Okay, here's the plan. We run out into the street and turn right. Stay on the sidewalk if possible and stick close together. Next street up, we're gonna go, left. That will take us out to the old Sylvan Learning Center building. There's a marina near it-some kind of private yacht club for rich folks. If the gates are locked, we'll have to climb. If I remember correctly, the fence is like twelve feet high. Are either one of you scared of heights?"
They shook their heads in unison.
"Can you climb?"
They nodded.
"Good." I nodded. "Once we're over the fence, we should be good to go."
"Smooth sailing?" Tasha asked.
For a second, I didn't realize she'd made a pun. Both of them began to giggle,
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