The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(83)

"Watch out! Behind you!"

Jenni whirled around to see an old woman, shambling toward her. To her amusement and horror, the woman had a strangle hold on a living cat.

The cat had been systematically eating the woman's arm probably since she had died. It looked skinny and bedraggled. She almost burst out laughing, but instead took aim and took out the dead cat lady. It dropped to the street, still twitching, the cat squealing and trying to get free. Jenni walked over and leaned down. As she pried the old woman's dead and decaying fingers off the cat, the cat gave her a few swats with its claws, but managed only to get her jacket. The fingers finally released the angry feline and it rushed off with an angry little house cat roar.

"Now that was f*cked up," Jenni said to Curtis with a grin. Her expression grew grim as she saw what emerged from the house.

The teenage girl was first, followed by a man that was apparently her father. He was carrying a little girl in his arms, heavily wrapped up in a blanket. A young boy followed his mother. The mother was pale, gray and sickly looking.

"Thank God! Thank God," the man exclaimed. "We were hoping someone would find us! We ran out of food two days ago!"

The mother stumbled a little and her little boy helped her stand up straight.

"My wife and daughter need immediate medical attention," the man continued.

Curtis looked at Jenni and they both sighed.

"When were they bitten?" Jenni asked.

"What?" The man didn't register her words. "What?"

"When were they bitten," Curtis asked. "They aren't doing too well. We can tell they were bitten."

"Yesterday. The front door was broke into and two got into the house.

Daddy killed them, but they got Mom and Angie before we stop them. But it's just small bites. It was a little kid who jumped on both of them. Nothing major. Just little teeth marks," the oldest daughter said.

Curtis sighed softly and Jenni looked down at her boots for a moment.

"Well, that was enough," she said finally. "And they are both as good as dead. We can't take them with us."

"What do you mean? You can't leave them here!" The man's face flushed red and fierce. "They need a doctor!"

"There are no doctors alive in this town," Curtis said softly. "And there is no cure for the bite. They're as good as dead and we can't take them with us.

It's dangerous for all of us."

The little boy began to cry and cling to his mother. She looked down at him sadly. Her eyes were sunken and her cheeks hollow. Her color was very bad and Jenni was sure she didn't have much time left. The father backed away from them, clutching his ailing youngster in his arms.

"We just can't leave them behind," he protested.

"You have to if you want to come with us. We have a safe place were many survivors are staying. If you want to come and be with us you will have to leave them behind," Curtis said in his best police officer "everyone stay calm" voice.

Jenni considered just killing the mother outright, but it seemed too cruel. But they couldn't just stand here and argue.

"Let's go," she said simply.

Curtis hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."

The teenager looked at her father desperately. "Daddy? We can't stay here."

The Father was holding tightly to his youngest and backing toward his wife. "We're not leaving."

"Yes, you are," his wife said firmly. "I can feel it burning inside of me.

Cold and hot. I'm going to die here and I will be one of those things. Give me our daughter, Douglas."

Douglas turned and looked at his wife with a desperate expression on his face. "Catherine, I'm not leaving you here."

"Give me Angie and take our kids to a safe place."

He shook his head and looked down at his daughter. Her breathing was ragged and she looked worse than the mother did.

"Give me Angie, Douglas!" The wife held out her arms to him.

The teenage girl grabbed hold of her brother and pulled him back away from their parents.

"Mom…Mom…"

"Ricky, go with your sister," she answered firmly. "Douglas, give me Angie."

The man began to weep as he neared his wife. She looked as good as dead, looking worse by the moment. Reluctantly, he held out the small, precious bundle to her.

"Now, go with our other kids to safety. Go!" Catherine held her daughter tightly to her, cradling her head against her shoulder. "Go!"

Jenni motioned to the kids to get on the bus and they obeyed. They looked shell-shocked and terrified, but they obeyed. Curtis took hold of Douglas' arm and guided him to the bus. The man could not take his eyes off his wife and child.

"If we can get them to a doctor…" he mumbled.

Curtis shoved him up into the bus and climbed in after him.

Catherine stared at Jenni sadly and her grip tightened on her daughter as the small form began to thrash and growl. Blood splattered across her cheek and lips as she gripped the child close.

Jenni raised the rifle and the woman looked down at her undead child that was tearing away at her breast. She nodded tears on her cheeks.

"Catherine! Catherine!"

Jenni could hear the woman's husband and children screaming.