The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(82)

Fate had been cruel to so many, but spared others.

"Keep it short and sweet,” Bill said.

"We're going to stir up the captive natives again," Curtis sighed.

"Let them bust out. We'll shoot them and not have to deal with them later," Jenni said with a grin.

Bill shook his head. "Such a blood-thirsty woman. You PMSing again, Jenni?"

Pushing the door open to the mini-bus, Jenni turned to the two men.

"Yeah. Be afraid, be very afraid."

Curtis legitimately looked a little afraid, but Bill just laughed and lugged his girth up the stairs and into the driver's seat.

Warily, Curtis slid past Jenni and sat in the front seat. "Juan tells stories about you."

Jenni shut the doors and smiled back at Curtis. "Ah, really? I didn't know he still talked about me since his girlfriend showed up."

Curtis shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "Uh…well..,he calls you Loca."

Jenni wagged an eyebrow and held on, staying on the steps of the bus as it rolled forward.

Bill just chuckled good-naturedly. "Well, I think Jenni is a little girl who's a killer shot and if she's loca, I can deal with that."

Jenni smiled. "Thanks, Bill."

Bill was always nice to her. Ever since he had arrived with Katie and Travis, he had been somewhat low-key. He had gone through the same thing as she and Katie had. Being outsiders to the townsfolk who had known each other all their lives, it had been hard to find their niche. Only now were they starting to feel as if they were actually part of the community. Bill had started volunteering to get to know people better and now a lot of the fort's population knew him by name.

The mini-bus slowly crawled down the street toward one of the residential neighborhoods bordering the downtown area. It drove past a burned out gasoline station, abandoned restaurants, the old cinema that had closed its doors long ago, and a car lot that stood empty of cars. It turned at the first block of the neighborhood of small early 20th century homes. Most were in good repair, but a few had fallen to the elements and leaned dangerously to one side, or had collapsed altogether.

Bill drove very slowly; giving anyone whom was alive enough time to come to a window or doorway. Of course, this meant the undead were hearing the steady hum of the engine as well. A few appeared at windows.

Jenni had gone through this before. Sometimes the zombies broke out, sometimes they didn't. If they did break out, a bullet to the head settled the situation. So far the bus had never been swarmed.

"No one alive on this street, it looks like, "Curtis said softly.

"Yeah." Bill answered sadly. He turned a corner and they started down another street.

Jenni watched the shrubbery and the houses with equal interest. Once she had seen half a man stuck in a hedge. She had wondered if he had tried to hide and had been pulled out and eaten. So far, she didn't see any zombies outside of the houses, which was a relief. There was a great fear in the fort that more swarms of zombies would converge on them. Jenni listened to all the arguments, but had no opinion. Maybe zombies would just start moving in one direction and happen upon the town. Maybe there was a real danger of them migrating toward areas of the living. Did it really matter? In the end, they just had to be prepared.

"That looks like a situation," Curtis said suddenly. He pointed to a house up ahead. Two zombies were rushing across the street toward a house where four others were banging on windows. The front door was in shambles and it looked like a piece of furniture had been shoved up against it. The second floor window was open and a teenage girl was waving her arms.

Bill slowed to a stop and the bus idled as they all stared at the situation.

So far the zombies had not noticed them. They continued to assault the house, screeching up at the girl who was so desperate to signal the bus.

"Kill em all," Jenni said after a beat.

"No choice if we are going to rescue her," Bill agreed.

"Take the ones on the left," Jenni told Curtis. "I'll get the ones on the right."

"I'll cover you both," Bill added.

Curtis took a deep breath. "Okay." He nervously fingered his service revolver. He nodded grimly to himself and stood up. "Okay."

Jenni opened the door and stepped out cautiously. All the undead activity seemed to be centered at the house. Curtis walked beside her and they took up positions near the bus so they could retreat quickly. She looked out at Bill, who had the driver's side window open and his gun ready.

"Ready?"

"Sure," Curtis said softly.

Jenni lifted the rifle and sighted the most dangerous looking zombie. It was a fully intact male. She fired and made him headless. Immediately she swung toward the next one as she heard Curtis firing as well. A faceless woman was turning to head off the porch. The bullet Jenni fired slammed through the woman's forehead and sheered off the top of her head. Curtis was firing next to her, his shots a little too wild as his nerves got the best of him.

One of the zombies he shot, went down on a useless leg, but continued to crawl toward them.

"Shoot em in da head!" Jenni's finger closed on the trigger again and another zombie fell, its brain flopping out of its head onto the sidewalk.

Curtis took a deep breath, steadied his hands, and fired quickly. This time his aim was more sure and Jenni was relieved as his shots found their proper targets and the zombies fell.