bridge. I
had every intention of smashing his brains in with my bare hands. It took him a
minute before Joel finally realized he'd gone too far. I don't know if he
thought the rest of John's crew was going to protect him or that I wouldn't
respond to his jeers, but he looked truly caught off guard. His eyes dashed to
his weapon on the desk then back to me, as if he was considering fending me off
at gunpoint.
I hope he tries, I thought. I'll have that thing
out of his hands and shoved down his own throat before he knows what hit him!
There was panic in Joel's eyes, but he forced himself past
that. He puffed his chest and prepared for my first blow as I rounded the
corner.
“What?” Joel shouted as I came within striking distance of
him.
“We're going to settle this once and for all, Parker,” I
said in a calm, even voice. I thought I noticed a slight tremor move through
him, but it could have been my mind playing tricks on me.
“Come at me, bro!”
“You ready or what?” I turned to see John standing in the
door. Bruiser and Tank were behind him, smiling.
“Where are we going now?” I asked.
“To the border,” John replied dryly. “You wanted to see the
blockade for yourself, first hand. This is your chance.” He turned and walked
back toward the parking lot without waiting for an answer.
“This isn't over,” I muttered under my breath to Joel.
“You can count on that,” Joel replied, making a big show out
of picking up his gun.
“Come on, girls,” Tank yelled. “Pull on your dresses and
let's get moving.”
I waited for Tom and Joel to go first, then followed behind
Benji, Bruiser, and Tank.
“Looks like you're equally popular with all the cool kids,”
Tank muttered to me. “You make quite an impression.”
“I made quite an impression on your jaw, didn't I?” I said
defiantly.
“You did,” he said without malice. “It's still sore now that
you mention it. Hell of a kick.”
“You planning on retaliating later as well?” I asked. “I'd
like to know how many eyes I need in the back of my head to watch my back.”
“Worry about the zoms, kid,” he shrugged. “I got my eyes on
something way more important.”
“What's that?”
“The big picture.”
John stopped at the Jeep and turned to address us.
“Listen up,” he shouted. “We're going to save a little
petrol by taking one vehicle.”
“How are we all going to fit in there?” Joel asked. John
looked irritated at the interruption. I fought back a laugh as the rest of our
group gave Joel the stink eye.
“Tank will ride up front with me,” John explained. “Bruiser
is going to ride the tailgate and keep lookout as spotter. The rest of you can
cram into the backseat. Worst case scenario if something goes down, the small
one can sit on someone's lap.”
Benji frowned at the suggestion.
“I guess I don't mind,” he said a bit selfishly.
“That's a relief,” John retorted sarcastically. “Gentlemen,
we are heading into what is for all intents and purposes a fully active war
zone. We can be attacked at any moment without warning or just cause. I am only
going to warn you one time to do exactly what I tell you to do. We got that?”
Everyone murmured their agreement.
“Keep your wits about you and you will make it out alive,”
John dramatically warned us. “Now get in.”
Everyone climbed into the Jeep in the order he suggested,
except me. I stopped John before he could get in the driver's side.
“I need a weapon,” I begged. I was feeling really
uncomfortable with the idea of heading into a combat zone unarmed.
“That's understandable,” John agreed. He reached into his
holster and handed me one of his firearms. I took it, letting the weight of it
sink in. “Safety is on,” he warned. “You know how to shoot one of these?”
“I do,” I assured him. “I'm better with my sword though.”
“Give it a rest, Xander!” John hit the roof. I thought
flames were going to shoot out of his eyes. I
had every intention of smashing his brains in with my bare hands. It took him a
minute before Joel finally realized he'd gone too far. I don't know if he
thought the rest of John's crew was going to protect him or that I wouldn't
respond to his jeers, but he looked truly caught off guard. His eyes dashed to
his weapon on the desk then back to me, as if he was considering fending me off
at gunpoint.
I hope he tries, I thought. I'll have that thing
out of his hands and shoved down his own throat before he knows what hit him!
There was panic in Joel's eyes, but he forced himself past
that. He puffed his chest and prepared for my first blow as I rounded the
corner.
“What?” Joel shouted as I came within striking distance of
him.
“We're going to settle this once and for all, Parker,” I
said in a calm, even voice. I thought I noticed a slight tremor move through
him, but it could have been my mind playing tricks on me.
“Come at me, bro!”
“You ready or what?” I turned to see John standing in the
door. Bruiser and Tank were behind him, smiling.
“Where are we going now?” I asked.
“To the border,” John replied dryly. “You wanted to see the
blockade for yourself, first hand. This is your chance.” He turned and walked
back toward the parking lot without waiting for an answer.
“This isn't over,” I muttered under my breath to Joel.
“You can count on that,” Joel replied, making a big show out
of picking up his gun.
“Come on, girls,” Tank yelled. “Pull on your dresses and
let's get moving.”
I waited for Tom and Joel to go first, then followed behind
Benji, Bruiser, and Tank.
“Looks like you're equally popular with all the cool kids,”
Tank muttered to me. “You make quite an impression.”
“I made quite an impression on your jaw, didn't I?” I said
defiantly.
“You did,” he said without malice. “It's still sore now that
you mention it. Hell of a kick.”
“You planning on retaliating later as well?” I asked. “I'd
like to know how many eyes I need in the back of my head to watch my back.”
“Worry about the zoms, kid,” he shrugged. “I got my eyes on
something way more important.”
“What's that?”
“The big picture.”
John stopped at the Jeep and turned to address us.
“Listen up,” he shouted. “We're going to save a little
petrol by taking one vehicle.”
“How are we all going to fit in there?” Joel asked. John
looked irritated at the interruption. I fought back a laugh as the rest of our
group gave Joel the stink eye.
“Tank will ride up front with me,” John explained. “Bruiser
is going to ride the tailgate and keep lookout as spotter. The rest of you can
cram into the backseat. Worst case scenario if something goes down, the small
one can sit on someone's lap.”
Benji frowned at the suggestion.
“I guess I don't mind,” he said a bit selfishly.
“That's a relief,” John retorted sarcastically. “Gentlemen,
we are heading into what is for all intents and purposes a fully active war
zone. We can be attacked at any moment without warning or just cause. I am only
going to warn you one time to do exactly what I tell you to do. We got that?”
Everyone murmured their agreement.
“Keep your wits about you and you will make it out alive,”
John dramatically warned us. “Now get in.”
Everyone climbed into the Jeep in the order he suggested,
except me. I stopped John before he could get in the driver's side.
“I need a weapon,” I begged. I was feeling really
uncomfortable with the idea of heading into a combat zone unarmed.
“That's understandable,” John agreed. He reached into his
holster and handed me one of his firearms. I took it, letting the weight of it
sink in. “Safety is on,” he warned. “You know how to shoot one of these?”
“I do,” I assured him. “I'm better with my sword though.”
“Give it a rest, Xander!” John hit the roof. I thought
flames were going to shoot out of his eyes. I
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