The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(32)

Katie couldn't help but smile at the thought of reaching the store.

"How's the gas?"

"Honestly, we're coming in on fumes. We..ah…forgot the back up canisters."

"Noticed. Well, stay yer course. Stay steady. You should make it back okay if you do. We'll be on the lookout for you."

"Thanks, Ralph. We'll see you soon," Katie said and handed the CB transceiver to Jenni, who promptly secured it back to the dashboard.

Glancing into her rear view mirror, Katie saw Jason rubbing his eyes and nose. Jack was pressed up against him, whimpering softly, licking at his face. That brought a small smile to the boy's face and he hugged the dog tightly.

"Listen, both of you. We need to keep our heads together the rest of this trip. We can't lose it now."

Jenni looked at Katie plaintively and sighed. "I know. I know. I blew it."

"We just got lucky. But it could have gone down so much worse. You even left your gun behind."

Jenni took a breath and let it out slowly. She ran her hands over her bedraggled ponytail. "I…I just wanted him to be alive."

"And I am," Jason said. "But I don't want to lose my only family member. My only Mom."

Jenni looked at him and gripped his hand over the back of her seat tightly. "I'll not lose it again. I'll be strong."

Katie pushed her sunglasses up on her nose and sighed with relief. "We just can't let our emotions rule us. We just can't. We have to keep calm."

She could see out of her peripheral vision that both of them were nodding. A little of the tightness in her belly lessened, but her hands still felt shaky inside.

Glancing at the fuel gauge she exhaled slowly. It was going to be tight.

No deviations.

No detours.

Straight on.

To safety.

To their new home.

And then…

The truck crested a hill and for a moment Katie couldn't draw a breath.

"Fuck," Jason blurted out.

"No," Jenni whispered in horror.

"Gawddammit!"

Katie slammed on the brakes.

Running full speed was the enormous crowd of zombies from Emorton flowing down the next hill, rushing toward them. It had to be the same crowd that had pursued them just hours before. Children, old people, young people, adults, all bloodied, all chewed up, all screaming, moaning, screeching as they raced down in an enormous crowd that filled the narrow farm road and spilled out into the trees.

Jenni began to sob. "No, no, no."

Katie pounded her fist on the steering wheel. "They f*cking followed us.

They f*cking followed us!"

"What are we going to do?" Jason asked, his voice edged with panic.

Jack began to bark.

Katie grabbed the CB. "Ralph, Nerit…we have a situation."

"What's wrong?" Nerit's voice said calmly, but tinged with worry.

"There was a shitload of zombies in Emorton. They pursued us when we went through the town. Evidently, they kept running after us in the direction we had gone. Right now, they are about a mile away and closing fast. They are filling the f*cking road all the way into the trees."

"Can you gun it and get through them?" Ralph's voice asked.

Katie looked at Jenni and Jason. They both looked afraid, they both looked desperate, but they all knew the truth.

"No. We can't. Too many. They might flip us." Katie rubbed the back of her hand over her mouth and tried to swallow. Her mouth was so dry. "We have to…we have to turn around."

"Katie…" Ralph's voice was soft.

"Sorry, Ralph," her voice caught, "we wanted to make it back."

"Turn around. Go to FM 1226. Keep out of their sight. They'll keep going straight on hopefully. Take FM 1226 to CR 1113. That'll bring you back here," another voice said.

Probably the cop.

There was some discussion over on the other end.

"…not enough gas…"

"…drive out to them…"

"…risky in Ashley Oaks…"

"We're doing it," Katie finally said, then handed off the mouthpiece to Jenni.

The zombies were closing fast. She could see they were desperate to get to the truck, roll it, break it apart, and eat what was within. A few in the front stumbled, fell, and were crushed beneath the onslaught of those behind.

Katie reversed, swung the truck around, and aimed back in the direction they had come, and floored it.

"Pray for us," Jenni said into the mouthpiece.

"Just keep moving…until you can't no more. We'll come get you," Ralph said.

Katie's eyes flicked to the rear view mirror and the enormous wave of zombies cresting the hill behind them. She pushed the gas pedal to the floor.

They had to keep calm. They had to keep strong. They had to survive.

It was as easy as that.





Chapter 7





1. By the Pricking Of Their Thumbs…





Jenni furrowed her brow and traced the farm road they were on with her finger. They were speeding away from the road that led to Emorton at top speed. Jason leaned over and pointed to a little dot on the map marked Ashley Oaks. Jenni frowned a little, then glanced over at the boy. She could see his eyes narrowing as he concentrated.