Z-Burbia 7: Sisters of the Apocalypse by Jake Bible Page A

be like a Doyle."
    "I get that," Antoinette says.
    "We'll see," Audrey says.
    She's right. We will see.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
    We're stripped to the essentials. Water, a little food, med kits, knives, long blades, rifles, pistols, as much ammo as we can stuff into our belt pouches, and a couple other things we'll need. I have the Barrett with me. Audrey offered to carry it, but I really don't mind. I like the weight of it strapped to my back and I don't have a rifle like the other sisters, just my two .45s.
    "Grab some sleep," Audrey says.
    "Sleep? You said they'd try and burn us out within an hour," Froggy Girl says, all shocked and shit.
    "Yeah, I did," Audrey says. "So we sleep until then."
    "How can you sleep?" Froggy Girl asks, looking from one of us to the next.
    "Easy," I shrug and lie down on the hot-ass roof, what's left of my pack tucked under my head. "You close your eyes and sleep happens."
    The others laugh and do the same as I close my eyes and let sleep happen.
    Internal clock says I get about twenty-five minutes of shut eye before the Doyles come for us. But when I open my eyes, the sun has set and it's nothing but dark sky and twinkly stars above me. I ain't happy with my internal clock.
    "What we got?" Audrey asks, stretching next to me as I get up and crack my back.
    "They're using the alley," Antoinette says. "Easier to control that way and there's still lots of Zs inside and out front. I think they figure we'll try to escape that way when the building really catches."
    "They're predictable, at least," Marcie says, still lying on the roof, her legs outstretched. "That works in our favor."
    "Don't assume," Audrey snaps.
    It's funny how much she sounds like Steph now. Being in charge, even though she's technically not in charge, makes a sister get all tough and snappy. I've mentioned it to Greta and she says it's the stress. I just think the sisters like to get their butch on when they take charge. It's fun. Sisters like fun.
    "We doing it their way or our way?" I ask.
    "What do you think?" Audrey replies, all happy smile and killer grin. "When do we ever do it someone else's way?"
    "When we've got a Froggy Girl," I say.
    "What?" Froggy Girl asks. She's huddled against the north edge of the roof, her knees tucked to her chin. "What about me?"
    "We have to do some things that aren't easy for normal folks," I say. "We're gonna have to climb down the wall fast and kill a bunch of Doyles before they know they're already dead. Easy for us, pretty much impossible for you."
    The smell of smoke hits us, but it's blown away by the breeze fast so we all know the flames aren't nearly at the get the fuck out of here level yet. Close, but not yet.
    "Are you gonna leave me?" Froggy Girl asks. She hugs her knees tighter. "You can. It's okay. All the Inezes are dead. I got nowhere to go."
    "You can come to the Stronghold with us," I say.
    "El," Audrey warns. "We have a mission."
    "I know," I say. "I was being kind. That's a thing, right? Being kind? Charlie says I should try it. I'm trying it."
    "Charlie says a lot of things," Marcie says. "He also stays back in the Stronghold while we go out into the wasteland and hunt for Kramer. Easy for him to talk."
    "Trouble with the boyfriend?" Antoinette asks.
    "Shut up," Marcie says. "I'm just saying it's easy for Charlie to be kind while he's behind that huge wall he's finishing. Out here we have to break heads and gut people. That's how it is."
    "Oh," Froggy Girl says. "You gonna gut me?"
    "Jesus," Audrey sighs. She moves fast and kneels down in front of Froggy Girl, making the girl jump a little. "You can come with us. That's not a problem. But we can't save you anymore. You keep up or you fall behind. That's the deal. No more hand holding."
    "You haven't been holding my hand," Froggy Girl says. "I led you to the courthouse, remember?"
    "Where our sister got killed," Audrey snarls.
    Froggy Girl yips and scoots her ass right against the small wall that rims the roof.
    "You haven't