they’re pushing us back. Closer to the wall. Something bumps into my back, and I let out a yelp of surprise even though I know it’s just one of the kids. I look over my shoulder and find only a foot of space between me and the rock wall at our backs.
Lila screams, and Al swears, making me spin their way. A zombie is gripping the kid’s arm, pulling Al forward, his mouth chomping frantically as he tries to take a bite. Winston lurches toward the dead man, and his knife slams into the zombie’s skull.
Just then a gunshot cuts through the moans of the dead, and the creature furthest from me drops to the water with a splash. I freeze with my knife halfway to a zombie, my heart pounding harder than ever before. Where did that gunshot come from? I scan the group, but no one has magically produced a gun, and they all look as confused as I feel.
A second gunshot draws my attention toward dry land, and a shout of joy rips its way out of me when Angus comes charging down the stairs in the distance. Darla comes next with Parvarti right behind her. She stops at the bottom of the steps, raising her bow, and a split second later an arrow flies through the air, taking out a zombie to my left.
Some of the dead turn and head toward the people on land, but most stay focused on us. We’re still in danger, but we’re better off now that Angus and the others have arrived.
Angus and Darla fire their guns into the horde while Parvarti takes them out with her bow. Those of us stuck in the water continue to hack away at the dead. Every time one falls my heart jumps a little higher until it’s lodged in my throat again.
We’re going to make it! We’re going to be okay!
“Push!” Axl yells, moving forward. Taking the bodies bobbing on the surface of the water with him.
I follow his lead, putting all my strength into pushing the dead in front of us. The wall of bodies we created presses against the advancing zombies, forcing them into deeper water. The zombies still on their feet stumble back. One loses his footing and goes down. He splashes in front of us, trying to get up, but the bodies bobbing in front of him and the dead pushing at his back make it impossible. Winston leans forward and slams his knife into the rotting skull, and the bastard finally stops splashing.
Angus wades out so he has better aim. He fires, and the head of the zombie in front of me explodes. A second shot makes the one behind him drop. Only three left!
Axl reaches across the rotting wall in front of us and grabs hold of the nearest zombie. The thing screams and claws at Axl’s arm, and even though he doesn’t have any exposed skin, my heart almost stops. Axl slams his knife into the zombie’s temple, and the rotting body drops to the water.
Seconds later the last two zombies fall, and the night goes deathly silent. My chest is tight, and my heart pounds so hard I can hardly catch my breath. Tears fill my eyes as I’m able to take in the full weight of the situation. We almost didn’t make it this time.
One of these days, our luck is going to run out.
7
THE SOBS OF THE CHILDREN bring me back to reality. The once welcoming hot spring is now littered with the dead. Their black blood has mixed with the water, making it dark and murky. We need to get out of this infected water, and fast. Who knows how dangerous it is for us to be in here?
I push my way through the bodies floating around us, heading back toward the kids.
“We need to get them out,” I say when my eyes meet Anne’s.
She nods as she hoists Jake up. He coughs, and even in the darkness of the night I can tell how ill he really is. He’s so weak he can barely hold on to Anne, making it tough for the small woman to carry him.
“Keep your head up,” she tells Jake, “out of the water.”
The kid nods, and Anne moves forward, pushing her way through the mass of rotten bodies. Only she’s so short I’m not sure she’s going to be able to keep her own head up, let alone
Lila screams, and Al swears, making me spin their way. A zombie is gripping the kid’s arm, pulling Al forward, his mouth chomping frantically as he tries to take a bite. Winston lurches toward the dead man, and his knife slams into the zombie’s skull.
Just then a gunshot cuts through the moans of the dead, and the creature furthest from me drops to the water with a splash. I freeze with my knife halfway to a zombie, my heart pounding harder than ever before. Where did that gunshot come from? I scan the group, but no one has magically produced a gun, and they all look as confused as I feel.
A second gunshot draws my attention toward dry land, and a shout of joy rips its way out of me when Angus comes charging down the stairs in the distance. Darla comes next with Parvarti right behind her. She stops at the bottom of the steps, raising her bow, and a split second later an arrow flies through the air, taking out a zombie to my left.
Some of the dead turn and head toward the people on land, but most stay focused on us. We’re still in danger, but we’re better off now that Angus and the others have arrived.
Angus and Darla fire their guns into the horde while Parvarti takes them out with her bow. Those of us stuck in the water continue to hack away at the dead. Every time one falls my heart jumps a little higher until it’s lodged in my throat again.
We’re going to make it! We’re going to be okay!
“Push!” Axl yells, moving forward. Taking the bodies bobbing on the surface of the water with him.
I follow his lead, putting all my strength into pushing the dead in front of us. The wall of bodies we created presses against the advancing zombies, forcing them into deeper water. The zombies still on their feet stumble back. One loses his footing and goes down. He splashes in front of us, trying to get up, but the bodies bobbing in front of him and the dead pushing at his back make it impossible. Winston leans forward and slams his knife into the rotting skull, and the bastard finally stops splashing.
Angus wades out so he has better aim. He fires, and the head of the zombie in front of me explodes. A second shot makes the one behind him drop. Only three left!
Axl reaches across the rotting wall in front of us and grabs hold of the nearest zombie. The thing screams and claws at Axl’s arm, and even though he doesn’t have any exposed skin, my heart almost stops. Axl slams his knife into the zombie’s temple, and the rotting body drops to the water.
Seconds later the last two zombies fall, and the night goes deathly silent. My chest is tight, and my heart pounds so hard I can hardly catch my breath. Tears fill my eyes as I’m able to take in the full weight of the situation. We almost didn’t make it this time.
One of these days, our luck is going to run out.
7
THE SOBS OF THE CHILDREN bring me back to reality. The once welcoming hot spring is now littered with the dead. Their black blood has mixed with the water, making it dark and murky. We need to get out of this infected water, and fast. Who knows how dangerous it is for us to be in here?
I push my way through the bodies floating around us, heading back toward the kids.
“We need to get them out,” I say when my eyes meet Anne’s.
She nods as she hoists Jake up. He coughs, and even in the darkness of the night I can tell how ill he really is. He’s so weak he can barely hold on to Anne, making it tough for the small woman to carry him.
“Keep your head up,” she tells Jake, “out of the water.”
The kid nods, and Anne moves forward, pushing her way through the mass of rotten bodies. Only she’s so short I’m not sure she’s going to be able to keep her own head up, let alone
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