fingers closed tightly around my throat, and a zombie tried to take a humongous bite out of my shoulder. Instead, I fed it a bullet when I shoved my gun in its open mouth and pulled the trigger. I shoved the pitiful creature away from me as black gore sprayed everywhere.
“Dean!” Val said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, sis.”
Coughing and gagging, I could hardly breathe the dust-filled air. More plaster fell from the ceiling, and everything crumbled around us. The building creaked and groaned and even started to sway. As if we were caught in an earthquake of biblical proportions, the floor started to shift. I stumbled again, almost losing my balance. The ceiling started to give way, and more giant chunks crashed to the floor around us. I sucked in a trembling breath, fearing the worst, but then I saw it, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. “Up there!” I said excitedly. “I see daylight!”
“Come on!” Jackie shouted, grabbing my hand.
We ran as the ceiling crumbled, chunk by chunk. A piece of plaster slammed into my shoulder, but I ignored the pain and forced my legs to keep moving as fast as they could. We bolted out the door with the others in tow.
I looked around behind me to make sure everyone else made it out, and I sighed in relief when I saw my friends’ dirty faces. The building had hung on for as long as it could and finally collapsed. Little pelting stones hit my back as we fled to safety through the dust and crumbling mortar. When we were far enough away, I looked at the field of rubble and couldn’t believe we’d made it out unscathed. Kate had a little knot on her head, but she was conscious. Val hugged each and every one of us. I did the same, because I’d never been so happy and relieved. Nick held Claire tight, and Val, Lucas, and Asia kept guard while the rest of us had our guard down.
I wiped a layer of dust off my face. “Boy, that was a close one.”
“You’re telling me,” Buddy said, rubbing his head. “I still say we shoulda—”
Val cut him off. “Frankly, Buddy. You’re out, you’re safe, so please shut up about it. Mission complete.”
He nodded, then went over to sit on the grass.
Jackie jumped in my arms, and I spun her around. No words were needed between us. We just clung to each other, happy that we’d escaped death, beaten the odds yet again. We dropped to the grass and lay on our backs, gasping for breath. The sun and fresh air had never felt so good.
Jackie turned her head to look at me. “Never a dull moment, huh?”
“Never,” I answered, brushing the hair out of her face. “I can’t believe you went in there.”
“I had to. If there’s even the slightest chance we might get our world back, it was worth it, unstable building or not.”
“You’re amazing,” I said.
She cupped my face. “So are you.”
“We’ve got company!” Lucas said, pointing and breaking up our reverie. “I don’t recognize the vehicle.”
“Take cover,” Nick ordered.
Jackie and I quickly ducked behind a red pickup, and Asia hid behind a blue Mazda and pointed her weapon.
“Could be the gang,” Buddy whispered. “This might be the perfect chance to take ‘em out.”
We all aimed, pointing our guns at the car from our respective vantage points.
“Wait! It’s just Max!” Val shouted. “They musta snagged a new car.”
Max hopped out, and my sister ran over to give him a hug. He wiped the dust off her face, then cupped her cheeks. “What the heck happened here?” he asked in a worried tone.
“The place caved in, but we got out.”
“You’re a true survivor.” He hugged her tightly and let out a long sigh. “What were you thinking, Val? You were supposed to be with Team Four.”
“I know, but I switched when you left. I couldn’t let my brothers go in there without me.”
“I told them just to check out the perimeter,” Max said. “I never ordered anyone inside that hellish place.”
Val squeezed his hand. “You know
“Dean!” Val said. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, sis.”
Coughing and gagging, I could hardly breathe the dust-filled air. More plaster fell from the ceiling, and everything crumbled around us. The building creaked and groaned and even started to sway. As if we were caught in an earthquake of biblical proportions, the floor started to shift. I stumbled again, almost losing my balance. The ceiling started to give way, and more giant chunks crashed to the floor around us. I sucked in a trembling breath, fearing the worst, but then I saw it, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. “Up there!” I said excitedly. “I see daylight!”
“Come on!” Jackie shouted, grabbing my hand.
We ran as the ceiling crumbled, chunk by chunk. A piece of plaster slammed into my shoulder, but I ignored the pain and forced my legs to keep moving as fast as they could. We bolted out the door with the others in tow.
I looked around behind me to make sure everyone else made it out, and I sighed in relief when I saw my friends’ dirty faces. The building had hung on for as long as it could and finally collapsed. Little pelting stones hit my back as we fled to safety through the dust and crumbling mortar. When we were far enough away, I looked at the field of rubble and couldn’t believe we’d made it out unscathed. Kate had a little knot on her head, but she was conscious. Val hugged each and every one of us. I did the same, because I’d never been so happy and relieved. Nick held Claire tight, and Val, Lucas, and Asia kept guard while the rest of us had our guard down.
I wiped a layer of dust off my face. “Boy, that was a close one.”
“You’re telling me,” Buddy said, rubbing his head. “I still say we shoulda—”
Val cut him off. “Frankly, Buddy. You’re out, you’re safe, so please shut up about it. Mission complete.”
He nodded, then went over to sit on the grass.
Jackie jumped in my arms, and I spun her around. No words were needed between us. We just clung to each other, happy that we’d escaped death, beaten the odds yet again. We dropped to the grass and lay on our backs, gasping for breath. The sun and fresh air had never felt so good.
Jackie turned her head to look at me. “Never a dull moment, huh?”
“Never,” I answered, brushing the hair out of her face. “I can’t believe you went in there.”
“I had to. If there’s even the slightest chance we might get our world back, it was worth it, unstable building or not.”
“You’re amazing,” I said.
She cupped my face. “So are you.”
“We’ve got company!” Lucas said, pointing and breaking up our reverie. “I don’t recognize the vehicle.”
“Take cover,” Nick ordered.
Jackie and I quickly ducked behind a red pickup, and Asia hid behind a blue Mazda and pointed her weapon.
“Could be the gang,” Buddy whispered. “This might be the perfect chance to take ‘em out.”
We all aimed, pointing our guns at the car from our respective vantage points.
“Wait! It’s just Max!” Val shouted. “They musta snagged a new car.”
Max hopped out, and my sister ran over to give him a hug. He wiped the dust off her face, then cupped her cheeks. “What the heck happened here?” he asked in a worried tone.
“The place caved in, but we got out.”
“You’re a true survivor.” He hugged her tightly and let out a long sigh. “What were you thinking, Val? You were supposed to be with Team Four.”
“I know, but I switched when you left. I couldn’t let my brothers go in there without me.”
“I told them just to check out the perimeter,” Max said. “I never ordered anyone inside that hellish place.”
Val squeezed his hand. “You know
Similar Books
