creature’s chest and shoved it as hard as it could. It tumbled away into the high grass as the ATV turned onto the dirt road that led into the wooded hills.
"He made it," she gasped with relief. "He made it!"
Eric kept his gaze steady on the road ahead of them. He wasn't sure if he felt relief or not. His body was tight with fear and frustration. He felt Pepe squirming around in his jacket and took a deep breath to steady his nerves and his hands. The dog poked his head out of the collar of the jacket and Eric felt the comforting softness of the dog's fur underneath his chin.
Stacey laid her head against the back of his shoulder and he could feel her body shuddering with her sobs. In the rear view mirrors, Eric saw the more fleet footed zombies trying to chase after them, but slowly, they began to drop away as the ATV rode faster up the dirt road and away from the bed and breakfast that had been his safe haven. Behind them, on the trailer, Sean curled up in a tight ball, exhausted and overwhelmed.
"Where are we going," Stacey asked.
"I don't know," Eric answered.
Chapter Fifteen
War Stories
As the ATV grumbled up the dirt road dragging the overloaded flat trailer behind it, Eric took deep breaths trying to soothe his frazzled nerves and bring his heart rate down so it wouldn’t feel like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Stacey clung to him, her head still on his shoulder, her sobs fading as she gained control. They were both soaked in sweat and the warm breeze did nothing to soothe their hot flesh. Pepe adjusted himself so he could rest his chin on the edge of Eric's jacket collar and snuggle against Eric. His little heart had been racing, too, and Eric could feel the small dog slowly relaxing.
"I don't see any following," Stacey said in his ear. Her voice sounded ragged with emotion.
Eric checked his mirrors again. The roof of bed and breakfast was dropping away from view beneath the treetops as they climbed the hill. He still couldn't believe it was over. His safe haven had been destroyed so quickly it did not seem real. How he could have ever believed that he could stay in relative comfort until the rescue team arrived? In this world, nothing was truly safe anymore or stable.
"Can we stop? My brother is in a lot of pain." Stacey's voice was very strained.
Eric shook his head. "Not until we crest the hill. Not until we're out of sight of them for sure. I don't want to risk us, okay?"
He glanced into the rearview mirror on his right side to see that she had turned to look back on the form on the trailer. Looking forward, she caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Their gaze met in the reflective glass and she nodded slowly.
"I understand," she answered and her voice was full of despair.
Eric could see that her brother, Sean, was lying in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position on the blue plastic tarp Eric had used to cover his boxed up supplies. He quickly returned his gaze forward as they climbed higher up the bumpy dirt road. The trees thinned out as they traveled and one side dropped away to reveal the colorful carpet of wildflowers in the pasture far below.
Again, Eric was struck by how beautiful the day was and yet so deadly. At last they crested the hill and the amazing panorama of the Texas Hill Country came into view.
Pulling over to the side of the road, Eric shifted gears and the ATV grumbled low as it idled. Stacey immediately slid off the back of the vehicle and ran back to the trailer. Eric followed, unzipping his jacket and pulling Pepe free. The Jack Russell Terrier looked around with interest but did not fall into a barking fit. Eric took it as a good sign. He set
"He made it," she gasped with relief. "He made it!"
Eric kept his gaze steady on the road ahead of them. He wasn't sure if he felt relief or not. His body was tight with fear and frustration. He felt Pepe squirming around in his jacket and took a deep breath to steady his nerves and his hands. The dog poked his head out of the collar of the jacket and Eric felt the comforting softness of the dog's fur underneath his chin.
Stacey laid her head against the back of his shoulder and he could feel her body shuddering with her sobs. In the rear view mirrors, Eric saw the more fleet footed zombies trying to chase after them, but slowly, they began to drop away as the ATV rode faster up the dirt road and away from the bed and breakfast that had been his safe haven. Behind them, on the trailer, Sean curled up in a tight ball, exhausted and overwhelmed.
"Where are we going," Stacey asked.
"I don't know," Eric answered.
Chapter Fifteen
War Stories
As the ATV grumbled up the dirt road dragging the overloaded flat trailer behind it, Eric took deep breaths trying to soothe his frazzled nerves and bring his heart rate down so it wouldn’t feel like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Stacey clung to him, her head still on his shoulder, her sobs fading as she gained control. They were both soaked in sweat and the warm breeze did nothing to soothe their hot flesh. Pepe adjusted himself so he could rest his chin on the edge of Eric's jacket collar and snuggle against Eric. His little heart had been racing, too, and Eric could feel the small dog slowly relaxing.
"I don't see any following," Stacey said in his ear. Her voice sounded ragged with emotion.
Eric checked his mirrors again. The roof of bed and breakfast was dropping away from view beneath the treetops as they climbed the hill. He still couldn't believe it was over. His safe haven had been destroyed so quickly it did not seem real. How he could have ever believed that he could stay in relative comfort until the rescue team arrived? In this world, nothing was truly safe anymore or stable.
"Can we stop? My brother is in a lot of pain." Stacey's voice was very strained.
Eric shook his head. "Not until we crest the hill. Not until we're out of sight of them for sure. I don't want to risk us, okay?"
He glanced into the rearview mirror on his right side to see that she had turned to look back on the form on the trailer. Looking forward, she caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. Their gaze met in the reflective glass and she nodded slowly.
"I understand," she answered and her voice was full of despair.
Eric could see that her brother, Sean, was lying in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position on the blue plastic tarp Eric had used to cover his boxed up supplies. He quickly returned his gaze forward as they climbed higher up the bumpy dirt road. The trees thinned out as they traveled and one side dropped away to reveal the colorful carpet of wildflowers in the pasture far below.
Again, Eric was struck by how beautiful the day was and yet so deadly. At last they crested the hill and the amazing panorama of the Texas Hill Country came into view.
Pulling over to the side of the road, Eric shifted gears and the ATV grumbled low as it idled. Stacey immediately slid off the back of the vehicle and ran back to the trailer. Eric followed, unzipping his jacket and pulling Pepe free. The Jack Russell Terrier looked around with interest but did not fall into a barking fit. Eric took it as a good sign. He set
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