this was the old world, and start to accept these two girls had become women by default. Age was no longer an issue, only survival.
They walked another three blocks before Bri found a spot, behind a fence on the side of a dilapidated home, to rest. Russ liked how she'd made the call herself.
"What's the plan?" Bri asked once they'd each found a suitable spot, making sure they could watch all around them.
Russ pointed at Bri. "You tell me. You're the one who seems to be taking charge." He frowned when he noticed Taylor was already snoring softly on the ground.
"I just don’t want to go back or get caught and forced to go back," Bri said. "And it isn't because of the zombie. It's because of that asshole Jeff."
Russ was about to correct her on her language but thought it would be stupid. They were well past it now. "It is weird how the worst thing out here is still the living. Even after everything we've been through. You’d think people would lighten up and work together. But most of them would rather fight and take what the other person has, like nothing has changed."
"This is God getting back at us for being so horrible. Like The Lich Lord said. We're the bad people. We'll never get to heaven. Eventually we'll all die and become zombies," Taylor said.
"I don't believe it for a second," Russ said, but he definitely had his doubts. None of this made any sense. When he'd first met Darlene he was so enthralled with the practical applications of what made the zombie tick. Their healing process, and if it could be duplicated in a human. In theory, you could turn it all around and use it for good. They were also immune to disease as well, right? Russ thought he could use this knowledge to cure diseases.
Now he was just trying to survive. He was sure his lab at the high school was long gone, but it might be a long-term destination to get back to. He still had his research. Maybe he'd have time to pick up where he had left off and find more clues to what happened.
"I think we'll never know what's going on. We just need to survive. I'd like to die of old age, if it's alright with you," Bri said defiantly.
Russ smiled. "That would be the best game plan I've heard all day. Hell, all month."
Something banged in the house they were leaning against and everyone stiffened. Russ pulled out his pistol and slowly lifted into a standing position using the sharpened spear he'd been carrying. At least all three were heavily armed, since Russ had made sure he took his secret cache of weapons when he left.
He could definitely hear someone walking around inside.
"Is the front door open?" he whispered to Bri. He couldn't remember.
She shrugged.
"Alright, here's what were going to do. We're going to sneak through this yard and go to the next street."
"I want to go home," Taylor said.
Russ ignored her. What did the girl consider home right now? Wherever she'd come from, or Main Street? It didn't matter, because neither was in reach or realistic.
The three skirted around the house, careful where they were stepping. With the grass so overgrown, it was hard to see what debris was lying in wait for a bad footstep.
Across the backyard was a wooden fence, most of the slats rotting and several gaps they could easily slip through without much sound.
Russ watched as Bri once again took point, moving quickly through the tall weeds and getting to the fence in seconds.
"Where ya headed?"
Russ froze at the booming voice from behind him. He turned slowly.
"Drop the weapons or you'll never see who killed you. And take another step, honey, and I'll shoot your fucking head off."
Russ saw the man, sitting on a rocking chair on the back porch, holding two .357's with a sawed-off shotgun propped against the railing. He was smiling.
"Nice day for a walk. Except this is private property, and us Floridians don't take kindly to Yankees traipsing through our vegetable gardens. I'm sure you understand."
Russ tried to act casual. "I was born in
They walked another three blocks before Bri found a spot, behind a fence on the side of a dilapidated home, to rest. Russ liked how she'd made the call herself.
"What's the plan?" Bri asked once they'd each found a suitable spot, making sure they could watch all around them.
Russ pointed at Bri. "You tell me. You're the one who seems to be taking charge." He frowned when he noticed Taylor was already snoring softly on the ground.
"I just don’t want to go back or get caught and forced to go back," Bri said. "And it isn't because of the zombie. It's because of that asshole Jeff."
Russ was about to correct her on her language but thought it would be stupid. They were well past it now. "It is weird how the worst thing out here is still the living. Even after everything we've been through. You’d think people would lighten up and work together. But most of them would rather fight and take what the other person has, like nothing has changed."
"This is God getting back at us for being so horrible. Like The Lich Lord said. We're the bad people. We'll never get to heaven. Eventually we'll all die and become zombies," Taylor said.
"I don't believe it for a second," Russ said, but he definitely had his doubts. None of this made any sense. When he'd first met Darlene he was so enthralled with the practical applications of what made the zombie tick. Their healing process, and if it could be duplicated in a human. In theory, you could turn it all around and use it for good. They were also immune to disease as well, right? Russ thought he could use this knowledge to cure diseases.
Now he was just trying to survive. He was sure his lab at the high school was long gone, but it might be a long-term destination to get back to. He still had his research. Maybe he'd have time to pick up where he had left off and find more clues to what happened.
"I think we'll never know what's going on. We just need to survive. I'd like to die of old age, if it's alright with you," Bri said defiantly.
Russ smiled. "That would be the best game plan I've heard all day. Hell, all month."
Something banged in the house they were leaning against and everyone stiffened. Russ pulled out his pistol and slowly lifted into a standing position using the sharpened spear he'd been carrying. At least all three were heavily armed, since Russ had made sure he took his secret cache of weapons when he left.
He could definitely hear someone walking around inside.
"Is the front door open?" he whispered to Bri. He couldn't remember.
She shrugged.
"Alright, here's what were going to do. We're going to sneak through this yard and go to the next street."
"I want to go home," Taylor said.
Russ ignored her. What did the girl consider home right now? Wherever she'd come from, or Main Street? It didn't matter, because neither was in reach or realistic.
The three skirted around the house, careful where they were stepping. With the grass so overgrown, it was hard to see what debris was lying in wait for a bad footstep.
Across the backyard was a wooden fence, most of the slats rotting and several gaps they could easily slip through without much sound.
Russ watched as Bri once again took point, moving quickly through the tall weeds and getting to the fence in seconds.
"Where ya headed?"
Russ froze at the booming voice from behind him. He turned slowly.
"Drop the weapons or you'll never see who killed you. And take another step, honey, and I'll shoot your fucking head off."
Russ saw the man, sitting on a rocking chair on the back porch, holding two .357's with a sawed-off shotgun propped against the railing. He was smiling.
"Nice day for a walk. Except this is private property, and us Floridians don't take kindly to Yankees traipsing through our vegetable gardens. I'm sure you understand."
Russ tried to act casual. "I was born in
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