hadnât been hiding under a rock could tell you that the only way to kill someone of the dead persuasion was to obliterate the brain stem. I needed a gun or at least something sharp enough to penetrate bone. Beating in the skull of a shuffler would take more time than I could spare.
Itâs incredible, the way the imagination can physically affect the body. My heart rate had doubled, and I was beginning to sweat. The more my fear crept up, the more I kept reminding myself that my girls needed me. They were probably scared to death, and no matter what happened or what state they were in, I wanted to be with them.
Nathan
ZOE INSTINCTIVELY KEPT HER HEAD down, or else she was mimicking me, as we hurried to the car. Gunshots rang out two houses over, and I looked over to see my neighbor Lyle Edson shooting someone approaching his front porch in the face. An ambulance raced by, the back doors open and waving around as it fishtailed with lights and sirens blaring down the street.
âDaddy?â Zoe said. The fear in her voice was real. Something I wanted to shield her from until the world wouldnât let me anymore. I couldnât shield her from this; hell was raining down all around us.
My hands shook as I tried to shove the key in the door to unlock it.
âDaddy?â Zoe said again.
âJust a second, baby,â I said, cursing at my trembling hands under my breath. Finally the key entered the slit and I turned it. In the same second, Zoe squeezed my hand.
âDaddy!â
I turned, seeing a police officer approach. He was shuffling slowly in our direction, his jaw relaxed, letting his mouth lie open. A low moan emanated from his throat. I picked up the bat that Iâd propped against the car while trying to unlock the door, and then I stepped in front of Zoe.
âStop right there,â I said. The police officer kept walking. I held the bat in front of me.
âIf you can understand what Iâm saying, please stop. I am going to hit you with this bat if you come closer.â
Zoe gripped the back of my pants, and I gripped the aluminum. âClose your eyes, Zoe.â
My daughterâs tiny hands left the fabric of my pants, and I pulled the bat back and to the side, in perfect position to swing. Before I could, a shot rang out. The police officer went down. I froze, and then saw Lyle Edson standing a few feet to my left.
âThank you,â I said with a nod.
âBetter grab his sidearm and get that little girl outta here,â Lyle said.
âYou want to come?â
Lyle shook his head. âMy wifeâs inside. Sheâs been bit. Iâm going to stay with her.â
I nodded and then leaned down, unsnapping the officerâs holster and removing his sidearm. I grabbed his radio, too, and then decided to take his whole belt.
Zoe opened the driverâs side door and crawled over the console to her side. We both buckled our seatbelts, and I started the car. The gas tank showed three quarters left. I wasnât sure how close to safety we could get on three-quarters of a tank, but we had to leave town.
Zoe reached up to lock her door.
âBetter lock the back door, too,â I said, doing the same. I backed out of the drive and went in the same direction as the ambulance. I figured I should get away from whatever they were escaping from in such a hurry.
Chapter Five
Scarlet
THE LAST RAYS OF SUN unceremoniously fell behind the horizon. Shaking with fear, I slowly stepped out of the Jeep. My tennis shoes, still a little wet from the morning rain, sunk into thick mud. Clutching the tire iron to my chest, I took a step into the woods. The night was quietâso quiet that every movement I made seemed like a boom echoing through the trees.
Every sound made my body freeze. Could they see in the dark? Did they rely on smell like an animal? Only when I thought of my girls waiting for me did I find enough courage to take another step.
About an hour later, a
Itâs incredible, the way the imagination can physically affect the body. My heart rate had doubled, and I was beginning to sweat. The more my fear crept up, the more I kept reminding myself that my girls needed me. They were probably scared to death, and no matter what happened or what state they were in, I wanted to be with them.
Nathan
ZOE INSTINCTIVELY KEPT HER HEAD down, or else she was mimicking me, as we hurried to the car. Gunshots rang out two houses over, and I looked over to see my neighbor Lyle Edson shooting someone approaching his front porch in the face. An ambulance raced by, the back doors open and waving around as it fishtailed with lights and sirens blaring down the street.
âDaddy?â Zoe said. The fear in her voice was real. Something I wanted to shield her from until the world wouldnât let me anymore. I couldnât shield her from this; hell was raining down all around us.
My hands shook as I tried to shove the key in the door to unlock it.
âDaddy?â Zoe said again.
âJust a second, baby,â I said, cursing at my trembling hands under my breath. Finally the key entered the slit and I turned it. In the same second, Zoe squeezed my hand.
âDaddy!â
I turned, seeing a police officer approach. He was shuffling slowly in our direction, his jaw relaxed, letting his mouth lie open. A low moan emanated from his throat. I picked up the bat that Iâd propped against the car while trying to unlock the door, and then I stepped in front of Zoe.
âStop right there,â I said. The police officer kept walking. I held the bat in front of me.
âIf you can understand what Iâm saying, please stop. I am going to hit you with this bat if you come closer.â
Zoe gripped the back of my pants, and I gripped the aluminum. âClose your eyes, Zoe.â
My daughterâs tiny hands left the fabric of my pants, and I pulled the bat back and to the side, in perfect position to swing. Before I could, a shot rang out. The police officer went down. I froze, and then saw Lyle Edson standing a few feet to my left.
âThank you,â I said with a nod.
âBetter grab his sidearm and get that little girl outta here,â Lyle said.
âYou want to come?â
Lyle shook his head. âMy wifeâs inside. Sheâs been bit. Iâm going to stay with her.â
I nodded and then leaned down, unsnapping the officerâs holster and removing his sidearm. I grabbed his radio, too, and then decided to take his whole belt.
Zoe opened the driverâs side door and crawled over the console to her side. We both buckled our seatbelts, and I started the car. The gas tank showed three quarters left. I wasnât sure how close to safety we could get on three-quarters of a tank, but we had to leave town.
Zoe reached up to lock her door.
âBetter lock the back door, too,â I said, doing the same. I backed out of the drive and went in the same direction as the ambulance. I figured I should get away from whatever they were escaping from in such a hurry.
Chapter Five
Scarlet
THE LAST RAYS OF SUN unceremoniously fell behind the horizon. Shaking with fear, I slowly stepped out of the Jeep. My tennis shoes, still a little wet from the morning rain, sunk into thick mud. Clutching the tire iron to my chest, I took a step into the woods. The night was quietâso quiet that every movement I made seemed like a boom echoing through the trees.
Every sound made my body freeze. Could they see in the dark? Did they rely on smell like an animal? Only when I thought of my girls waiting for me did I find enough courage to take another step.
About an hour later, a
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