You and Me against the World: The Creepers Saga Book 1 by Raymond Esposito Page A

Better that they come to us than we accidently step on one of those mounds. At night, if you’re careful, the Creepers are pretty apathetic unless you get too close to them. Like right now, we’re okay here for a while, but if we stay too long, the ones up the street will come out for a bite to eat.”
    Thorn looked down the street. There was no movement … yet.
    “That song you were playing seemed a little classic rock for this young group.”
    “Yeah.” He gave a small laugh, but Thorn saw the stress in it. “It’s sort of a retrospective for my dad.”
    “Yeah, every night is a damn retrospective for Ray,” Connor said.
    The quiet girl’s gun came up quick, and Thorn and Susan stepped back. Goldie aimed it directly at Connor’s face. She didn’t say a word. Her eyes were deadpan, blue shark eyes.
    She will pull that trigger without blinking and then return the gun to her side as if nothing happened while the Connor kid lies dead on the driveway. And Connor is standing there, hoping she pulls the trigger.
    Thorn looked at Devin and then Brandon. The good-natured casualness was gone. Their faces showed stress lines, and their eyes were heavy and tired. Regardless of their bravery, these were a bunch of kids just as scared as he and carrying a boatload of responsibility—and a lot of weapons.
    Nick defused the situation. He seemed to have some connection with Goldie. He didn’t touch the gun but instead whispered something to her. She stayed steady and targeted on Connor, who stood waiting. Nick talked but it was unclear if she listened. Then she let her gun arm slide down to her side. She turned, went to the lead SUV, and climbed in.
    “Not fucking cool, dude,” Devin said.
    “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
    “You’re losing your shit,” Devin said.
    I think his shit is already lost , Thorn thought
    “Come on, Connor, let’s get the next house,” Nick said.
    Nick is the peacemaker in the group.
    “I’m going to go sit with her,” Susan said and walked to the SUV.
    The tension was high, and Thorn hoped a change in focus would help.
    “How did you guys know we were here?” he asked.
    “Oh, we didn’t. We do these recons every other night. We hit supplies on one night and then look for survivors the next. You got lucky, I guess,” Devin said.
    “How many of you are there?”
    “A few, but mostly children and elderly,” Brandon answered.
    “Any other groups like this?”
    “Not that we’ve seen, but the military took out most everything north of Gulf Coast Hospital.”
    Austin, Annie, and Chris came out of the house next door. They each carried a box overflowing with food and household supplies. Annie reached into her box and threw Devin a can of Coke. He caught it.
    “How many of these?”
    The three of them belched in unison and then laughed.
    “That’s the last one,” Annie said and smiled.
    Devin handed it to Brandon and said, “Goldie.”
    “Look, Dr. Thorn, I know you have like a thousand questions,” Devin said, “but we are far from safe here, and we need to get some work done before sunrise. I don’t have to tell you it’s not safe at daylight.”
    “No, I’ve seen that.”
    “Brandon will take you back to South. We’re pretty safe there, and he can answer a lot of your questions.”
    “Okay, and thanks, Devin. You saved our lives.”
    Devin laughed, but it had a sad sound to it. “No, we haven’t, but we’ve bought you a little more time.”
    Thorn nodded and followed Brandon to the black Escalade. Behind him, a volley of gunshots rang out. He turned and saw the team had reformed their V just in time to meet a horde of infected.
    To be that close, Thorn thought, those things must have been sneaking up on us—they are Creepers .
    Quite the sense of humor
     
    Brandon turned the SUV around and drove away from the group.
    “Will they be okay?” Susan asked from the back. She sat in the middle of the leather bench seat next to Goldie. The quiet girl drank her