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  “Don’t worry about me. Just don’t get bit.” Chloe whipped her ponytail around to see how close the other zombies were. She turned back. “You’ve got to hurry up though. They’re getting close.”

  That did not make Damon feel any better. The big zombie was close now. The mechanic could smell the death on him as he approached; squeezing the wrench he found on the roof Damon readied himself to strike. The first shot had to be a good one because he could not chance the thing getting a hold of him. The zombie reached at Damon with its gray hands, but its uncoordinated and stiff movements made it easy for Damon to maneuver around him. Damon kicked the back of the zombie’s knee, and it collapsed onto the rocky pavement. It clawed at him. He wasted no time. The wrench came crashing down on the big zombie’s head with a horrible crunch. Damon hit him again and again but stopped when he heard Chloe scream. She was running towards him being chased by a fast moving zombie. It was shorter than the lumbering giant, but just as deadly. Its abdomen had been ripped open allowing the intestines and organs to bounce and jiggle as the zombie ran.

  Another terrified shriek echoed off the restaurant wall as Chloe jumped into the Volkswagen. Damon charged at the zombie holding the wrench like a baseball bat. He was ready to hit a home run. Just then the zombie’s head exploded into hunks of meat. Damon stopped, closing his eyes and then slowly opened them. He was staring at the corpse lying at his feet and brain matter on his boots. He then looked up to see a blond marine jogging across the open street with a rifle in his hands.

  “Private Jameson.” Damon greeted the marine with a hand shake. “Thanks for that, but I had him.” He flashed a smile. “It’s Private First Class Riley Jameson, but just call me Riley.” The two jogged back to the tiny car making sure not to step over the fallen bodies. “And by the way. I wasn’t going to kill you back there and neither was the Sarge.” He cracked a small smile.

  Damon nodded and opened the door to the little orange beetle. He was happy to see that his machete was in the backseat. Before he got in he stopped. He was glad the lad had found his courage. “Where are the Sergeant and Corporal Harper?” He asked across the dome shaped roof.

  “They didn’t make it.” He bowed his head. “Sorry…” Damon ducked into the small car followed by Riley. He turned the key. RRR...RRR...RRR. He tried again. RRR...RRR...RRR. Damon stopped. Well shit!

  Chapter 16

  “Hurry Damon. They’re coming.” Chloe squeaked from the backseat not able to mask her fear. The alley was starting to fill with zombies.

  He tried again. This time there was success. The old engine of the beetle chugged, and a puff of black smoke exploded out of the muffler. Reluctantly it started to roll. The stuffed car pushed through the group of zombies…barely. They clawed at the windows as they passed. The beetle pulled out onto West Meadow Street and continued down passed the buildings they had jumped across. Damon found it easy to avoid all the debris in the road with the mini sized car. If he had his truck he would have plowed into each and every zombie, but he had to swerve. All they had to do was get by the church, across the river and the county road was there. The church, or what was left of the church, came into view. Bright orange flames had consumed it. The kill room was reduced to a pile of rubble, hellish flames rising from the remains. The three could feel the immense heat radiating from the pile. Scorched bodies lay scattered on the yard and steps. There were still zombies on the bell tower. It had not collapsed yet, but it would not be long. A zombie standing on the bell tower spotted the little car as they went by. It crawled over the railing and plummeted over sixty feet onto the concrete stairs below. It landed with a splat. Chloe cringed when she heard it hit. She sighed. She was absolutely happy they were back in a car even one as cramped as the Volkswagen. Soon the church was gone, and so was the once bustling ski resort town of Vail. Damon would not miss it. He thought silently as he drove.

  The road to his brother’s house was just over the hill. His stomach was in knots and Damon thought he may actually throw up. The nerves surged through him as the little orange blip came over the hill. There was a sign for County Road 40. That was it. It led up into the mountains. Stickily evergreen trees lined both sides of the winding road. Damon could tell the road was not maintained even before the zombies came because of the visible divots and boulders that littered the road. Damon turned the car onto the road and started up. The car sputtered. Something was grinding. He wasn’t sure if it ever was a road. He did not care. So close. The car was an inchworm making its way up the side of the Grand Canyon.

  “What’s that smell?” Chloe sniffed the air. “It’s not going to make it.” Riley read Damon’s thoughts. “As much as I don’t want to walk the rest of the way up this giant hill, but I think that’s the only way were making it.”

  Damon shifted the tiny car into park and waited. Nothing came barreling out of the trees. No moans. “Let’s move while there is still daylight.” He had scarcely noticed that the sun was setting. The orange light shone down on the rocks making them glow like hot coals. Chloe put her purple backpack on one strap at a time. The trip had taken its toll on her. Her shoulders slumped a little, her ponytail was not as bouncy, and her brilliant green eyes were dull. “Come on, Chloe.” He put his hand on her back. “We’re almost there. Just up the hill.”

  “Just a really big hill.” She sighed pushing air between her closed lips making an immature sound. Damon smiled. He motioned for Riley, and they started up the hill keeping as quiet and close as possible. If they heard anything they would stop and hide behind boulders. Once they were convinced there was nothing out there they moved again.

  “Your brother must not like civilization too much.” Riley wondered out loud.

  Damon nodded. “Yeah…He never did like people really.” Then he added. “Or the military…”

  “Great. Can’t wait to meet him...” “I hope he has food.” Chloe rubbed her growling stomach. She tripped over a rock and fell into the dirt. She could feel the dirt in her mouth. She coughed and stuck her tongue out. She wiped her tongue off and spit. Damon helped her up. “Yuck!” Back on her feet, she dusted off her dirty Hannah Montana T-shirt. She sighed. It was her favorite shirt, but not anymore. The dirt and blood had ruined it.

  The county road opened up into an endless forest filled with fir and pine trees. A narrow path with two tire tracks deviated from the road. The three followed the tire tracks. The path twisted and turned going deeper into the maze of trees. Tension filled Damon’s chest. He was a mere quarter mile from the end of his journey. His hand went to his chest. Not realizing what would happen next Damon dashed down the path leaving Chloe and Riley in the dust, anxiety propelling his knees.

  “Damon!” Chloe shrieked and took off after him. “Chloe…Damon! Wait up!” Panic set in, and Riley dashed after them clinging to his assault rifle. He stumbled over a twisted tree branch, but did not slow down. When the marine finally caught up with Damon and Chloe they were standing in front of a ten foot high chain-link fence. On the inside of the fence there was a log cabin. The cabin was small with a crumbling smoking brick chimney positioned in the middle of the roof. The lights were off but the Private saw a green Jeep Cherokee parked next to the cabin. The lawn was unkempt with the grass growing tall around the cabin. On the far side of the cabin Riley noticed a large garden. His empty stomach grumbled. He approached Damon and Chloe who were huddled around what looked like a TV.

  “Keith!” Damon grabbed the monitor with both hands. “It’s me!”

  Nothing.

  “Keith!” Damon dropped to his knees in front of the monitor and put his face in his hands.

  Chloe threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him. “Maybe he’s sleeping.” She smiled weakly. Riley paced next to them. “We just can’t stay out here.” His boots crunched on fallen pinecones. It was only a matter of time before something found them, and the marine had a good feeling it wasn’t going to be a fluffy bunny.

  Chapter 17

  There was a snap i
n the woods. Damon and Chloe shot upright, their skin prickling. On a normal day in a normal world they would have thought it was a deer or raccoon, but this was far from a normal world. Damon had not seen one animal throughout his entire quest, except the crows. Something was getting close. There was another snap followed by a hallow moan. The sound of rustling foliage got louder. Riley went down to one knee and fired the rifle. A female zombie collapsed out of the undergrowth. There was more rustling. There were more of them coming. “Climb!” Damon shouted as he grabbed Chloe and put her on the chain-link. “I said climb! Damnit!”

  Chloe gripped the chain-link in her delicate fingers. She fit her small feet into the spaces and scaled the fence like a spider monkey. Riley put down three more zombies before his rifle made a clicking sound. “Fuck! I’m out!” He smashed the butt of his gun into the face of a zombie that had appeared on the other side of him. It fell back, and Riley jumped onto the fence, empty rifle swinging around his waist.

  Damon pushed the button one more time. “Damnit Keith! Open the fucking gate!”

  The TV monitor remained blank. Damon screamed at the monitor and jumped onto the fence. His ribs and shoulder protested with every move, but rage propelled him up the fence. The zombies below reached for him. Riley and Chloe had made it down and waited for Damon. By the time Damon was down there was at least five zombies clawing at the fence. They tried shoving their fingers and mouths through the tiny spaces in the metallic grid.

  In the next minute an older man with a shaggy gray beard sauntered out of the cabin with a double shotgun in his hands followed by a floppy-eared bloodhound. “Now stop right there! Ya’ll can just go right back over that fence, ya hear!” He held the gun up to his shoulder aiming it at the three. Riley immediately went for his rifle even knowing it was out of ammo. Chloe hoisted her skinny arms into the air. Even with his anger boiling over Damon jumped in front of his companions. “Wait! Don’t you recognize me?” The mechanic shouted standing tall with his chest puffing in and out.

  The man stopped and lowered the weapon slightly. He squinted his eyes, and then his face brightened. “Brother! I can’t believe you aren’t a zombie by now!!” Damon’s brother stood with open arms. He was a short, plump man with reddish cheek and looked nothing like Damon. Damon obviously got the looks. Chloe thought silently. The red and black dog brushed up against her legs and licked her hand. She had not seen a dog in so long that she laughed out loud and cuddled the dog’s neck. The bloodhound licked her face with its long slobbery tongue. She buried her face in his soft fur.

  Damon charged the porch. He should have wanted to hug his brother, but instead he met him with a powerful fist to the chin. Keith spat out a drop of blood. “What was that for?” He asked as he stretched his jaw with his hand.

  “I was out there screaming at that fucking monitor to open the gate with zombies on our asses!” Damon hit him again. This time it was less forceful.

  “Feel better?” Keith half smiled. “That monitor has been broken for months. I never really saw a reason to fix it, until now I ‘spose.”

  “Oh...” Then Damon thought for a second. “Yeah actually I do…” Damon relaxed a little He hugged his brother with all the might he had left. “I can’t believe you’re alive.” Keith wanted to tell his brother that I told you so, but he bit his tongue.

  Keith nodded. “Who are these two?” He motioned at Chloe and the marine, who were approaching slowly. He lifted his lip in disgust at the marine, but his face changed. His bushy gray brows came together. “Where are Amy and Michael?” Keith had a feeling he knew the answer before he had asked it.

  Chloe and Riley just reached the wooden porch with the dog trailing behind licking enthusiastically at Chloe’s hand when Damon broke down. She dropped the heavy duffle bag in the long grass watching Damon. Tears streamed freely down Damon’s dirty face leaving streaks. He collapsed onto the porch steps choking on sobs. Chloe looked on with tears in her eyes. She thought about her parents. She loved them so much, but they were gone. Her tears went unchecked as she hugged Damon. She squeezed him hard, pressing her face in his chest. Even though Keith was not an affectionate person he knelt by the two and put his arms around them rather awkwardly. Damon grunted when Keith squeezed a little too hard.

  Riley sat uncomfortably at the edge of the porch feeling alone. He did not have much of a family even before the zombies came. His parents died in a car accident when he was six after which he moved in with his grandmother. He never married, never even had a girlfriend. Well there was this one girl freshman year, but that was sad story for another time. After the zombies came, Riley knew he had a very slim chance finding anyone to love. He twirled his filthy thumbs, waiting patiently for the cry fest to end.

  A woman dressed in a long denim sundress emerged from the dark cabin surprising Damon and Chloe. Her skin was pasty white. Blue varicose veins raced around her ankles. Damon wiped his blood shot eyes with the back of his hand and sniffed to clear his nose. Chloe stood behind Damon. “Keith, who are your guests?” She could not hide her excitement. It was obvious she had not seen anyone except Keith in a long time.

  Damon raised an eyebrow to his brother. Keith finally spoke up. “This is my brother, Damon and I still don’t know who these two are.”

  “How nice to meet you, Damon.” The woman bowed and batted her long spidery eyelashes at Damon. She wore bright pink lipstick and heavy blue eyes shadow. The makeup could not cover up the age spots or the fine lines. Her flaming hair was pulled back into a messy bun. She extended her hand to him. He shook it only briefly, much to her disappointment.

  “This is Chloe and that over there is Private First Class Riley Jameson of the United States Marines. I met both of them on my way here.”

  He nodded offhandedly at the marine. “Well, I see ya’ll met Boomer here.” He dropped a hand to pat the drooling bloodhound. “You’ll have to tell us all about your trip inside.” Keith led them into the house but right before he entered the door he stopped at a switch on the wall. “But before you do, I have to deal with your tag-alongs.” Keith was talking about the group of zombies that were still attempting to squeeze through the fence. His brother flipped the red switch that was labeled power. Damon watched as 50,000 volts surged through the hungry zombies. The zombies went rigid and shook uncontrollably. Smoke floated out of their dead ears and one by one they fell. Keith flipped the switch off. He nodded in satisfaction and walked inside. Now Damon understood how his brother survived this long. He followed his brother inside.

  “Oh, before I forget. Where’s your truck?”

  Damon bowed his head a little, “She didn’t make it…”

  Keith chuckled. “That’s why I’mma Jeep man.”

  Damon made a humpf noise at his brother.

  “You hungry?” Keith asked the group. The loud growl from his stomach answered for him. Chloe jumped up and down clapping her hands together impatiently. “Anything you have would be great. I’m just happy to be here.” He slumped into his brother’s small couch with Chloe right next to him with Boomer lying at her feet. His droopy red eyes never left the tween. Damon closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He inhaled the smell of cedar and smoky hickory wood. His body melted into the couch. There were no zombies to watch out for. Chloe was safe. His brother was alive. He could finally relax.

  Chapter 18

  “Juleen get these guys something to eat.” Keith ordered, and the woman bounced happily into the kitchen to fix them up a meal. He sat himself down in the leather chair across from his brother. “She makes herself pretty useful.” He said filling the emptiness. Damon felt his brother’s eyes on him. He opened his eyes to find that his brother was staring at him. Keith knew there was so much on his brother’s mind, but he had to say it. “Damon…I’m sorry about Amy and Michael.”

  Damon stopped him. “Not tonight.” It would be a long time before he would be able to re-live that night. He missed his wife and son so badly. Oddly at the same time, he felt at peace. The
anger he felt towards the zombies was somehow lessened. It was time now for him to rebuild his life. His family would always be in his heart.

  Chloe snuggled up against Damon on the plaid couch bringing him back to reality. He looked down at her and brushed the short pale curls that had fallen out of her ponytail away from her face. He looked at Riley leaning against the small cobblestone fireplace who held his gaze. The marine nodded curtly. Damon had a different type of family now. Damon nodded off, allowing his body to sink deep into the soft couch. He was awakened by Juleen sometime later. He jumped a little when the cadaverous woman shook his shoulder. “Dinner’s on the table.”

  Damon sat at the head of the table with his brother on the other end. Riley and Chloe sat next to one another across from the always smiling Juleen. Chloe stuffed her mouth full with chicken and seasoned potatoes ignoring everyone else. Boomer was begging at her feet with his soft fur brushing against her legs. His wagging tail stuck out from under the tablecloth. Keith smiled at his dog’s antics and then looked at his brother. “There’s a hot shower waiting for you and your friends when you’re finished. Then we will look at your wounds.”

  He had almost forgotten about his arm. His Grateful Dead shirt was ruined like the white one before. The shirt was caked with black and flaking blood. The wound started to ooze milky looking pus. “That would be great.” Damon nodded in appreciation, hoping he would not lose his arm. His side hurt and his right hand was bleeding again. Damon looked on at his two companions. Chloe’s soft skin was nearly brown with dirt, and her shirt was unrecognizable. Riley looked worse than any of them. The blood had dried in his blond hair causing it to stick out from his head at awkward angles. His wiry frame slumped a little with fatigue as he ate. His ashen skin was slick with sweat. Damon chuckled at himself. Together they all looked like a bunch of zombies.