A Zombie Awakening (Book 1): The Darkening Read online

  The night swallowed her up until her shape was highlighted by the glow through the motor home’s open door. She turned, glanced his way one more time, then stepped inside and shut him out. It wasn’t until the dark obscured everything again that he realized why he really followed the group of kids.

  Loneliness ate at him like a fat man attacking a buffet. He wrapped his arms around Buddy’s head and wet the dog’s fur with his tears. For just a minute, he’d let his emotions run. Then, he’d be strong again.

  ###

  Chalice lay in the bed she’d made by folding down the dinette table. Mychal snored from the bed next to Hanna and the two new members of their family, Junior and Sissy, shared the other bed. Colton was right. What had she been thinking to take on the responsibility of two more children, especially such young ones? But, she couldn’t leave them there. No telling who would’ve come upon them.

  They were dirty and had wolfed down peanut butter crackers like they hadn’t eaten in a week. Most likely that time frame wasn’t too far off the mark.

  She pulled a quilt tighter around her and tried to sleep instead of focusing on the chiseled features of Colton Morgan. His expression was hard, but his eyes showed that, deep inside a kindness, a tenderness, lurked.

  He looked strong, too. She struggled with the urge to approach him again and ask him to join their little band. It’d be nice to have an older boy around. One with a gun and a huge dog. She patted Lady who lay beside her. If one dog was good, two would be better, right? And Colton’s dog was huge! The dogs would be their first line of defense, warning them when something approached.

  She rolled to her side and stared through the parted curtains at the thick night. No moon cut through the gloom, no stars twinkled, no light from a home’s window welcomed. Surely, God would let the sun shine again someday, right?

  Chapter 6

  Buddy growled deep in his throat. Colton raised his seat enough to peer over the door frame. Lights bobbed along the road, past the lane they’d parked in. Specters of lost people traveling a highway devoid of hope. At least they had a light, showing they still breathed. He didn’t think zombies needed flashlights.

  He placed a hand on the scruff of Buddy’s neck. “Hush, boy. They’re moving past.”

  The line of strangers made barely a sound. Colton counted ten people, ranging from child size to adult. A peaceful group intent on making their way to wherever their destination happened to be. He relaxed and lay back down, praying the group would make it safely to their destination.

  For a second, he almost joined them. But that would leave the kids without him. Chalice seemed tough, but she wouldn’t be a match for evil non-breathers or the ones who still lived. No, he needed to stick around for a while.

  How many people survived the devastation from the sky? There’d been little left of his hometown except burned out buildings and craters where once there stood strip malls and restaurants. But maybe those in the country fared better. Not that the meteors landed in any particular place, just that people may have been able to escape the fires that raged afterward.

  Then, a month later he finds out there’s a zombie plague. There couldn’t be much of civilization, if any, left. But surely there were safe zones. The government insured that in situations of disaster, didn’t they? Places for people to go to insure the continuation of the human race?

  He crossed his arms in an attempt to hold back the night’s chill and eyed the Winnebago beside him. Chalice and the others were likely a lot more comfortable than he was. The vehicle was as large as a trailer. Thirty-three feet, he guessed. He smiled, remembering the first half hour of her maneuvering the monstrous thing down the road. Once, he thought she’d flip it, but she managed to keep it level.

  Soon, his eyelids grew heavy again, and he welcomed the much needed sleep. Another rap on the window sent him scrambling for his gun. He blinked against the grit in his eyes to see Chalice staring in at him.

  “Stop doing that.” He shook his head. “One of these days I’m going to shoot you.”

  ###

  “No need to get your pants in a wad.” Chalice crossed her arms. “I have a proposition for you.” She glanced in the back of the Suburban. From the amount of boxes stashed back there, he’d have more than his share of food and water to contribute. “I’d like to ask you to join us.”

  “Why?” His brow lowered. “You don’t know anything about me.”

  She studied him in the grey light, that according to her watch, signified dawn. His dark hair curled around his collar and flopped into eyes the color of rich mud, and he wore an Arkansas Razorback sweatshirt with grey sweatpants. A twenty-two rifle lay on the seat next to him. And then there was the dog that slobbered on the seats. Neither one looked very dangerous to her.

  “If you were going to kill us, you would’ve done it last night while we were sleeping.”

  He shoved open the door and slid out to tower over her. “True.” His gaze shifted to the motor home where the other kids peered from behind parted curtains. “Do you have room for two more?”

  “We’ll make room.” Chalice waved and within seconds her brother joined her. “This is my brother Mychal. My sister, Hanna is with us and two other kids we picked up. They’re Junior and Sissy. Haven’t gotten any more information out of them than their names. Mychal will help you load your stuff into your new home while I keep watch.”

  She turned and walked away before she could change her mind. The intensity of Colton’s stare made her nervous. He hadn’t actually said yes, but he would come with them. It made sense.

  Wow. She ran her hands over the dented front end of the Winnebago. It fared better than she thought it would, considering the amount of cars she moved yesterday. Eventually the road had to clear enough for them to travel a good distance. She watched as Colton hefted boxes in his arms and stashed them inside the motor home.

  A thrill coursed through her. Now, they could take turns keeping watch, and she could get a better night’s sleep. Lady wouldn’t let anything happen to her without barking a warning.

  While the others transferred supplies, she kept watch, the gun cradled in her arms, and sent Hanna to get together some sort of breakfast. The two dogs, after a few minutes of getting acquainted doggy style and walking in circles, sat on each side of her like hairy guards.

  A loud rumble filled the air. Grey dust hovered at the intersection of the road they camped on and the highway. Chalice raised her rifle. “You might want to hurry. I think we’ve got company.” The dogs growled as five motorcycles cruised in their direction.

  Chalice’s heart lodged in her throat. What could she do against five leather clad motorcycle riders if they weren’t friendly? Colton and Mychal joined her, both carrying weapons. Chalice squared her shoulders. She didn’t have to do this alone. The thought made her feel a hundred pounds lighter.

  The riders stopped twenty feet away. The man in front roared his bike one more time, then let the machine idle. The vibration coursed through Chalice’s body, and she fought to keep her gun steady. “State your business.”

  The man’s lips disappeared under his thick, grey, bushy beard. A stained bandanna covered greasy hair in a braid that hung down his back. “Well, now, little lady. We saw the cleared freeway, the tire tracks turning off here, and wanted to see who cleared the road for us. Looks like it was you.” He crossed his arms. “We don’t want anything more than to follow you a little farther up the road. It was a lot easier than maneuvering around the parked cars and walking dead.”

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  “We’re almost ready to leave.” She glanced at Colton who shrugged. “Wait for us on the highway.”

  “That’s a bit dangerous right now, what with all the dead walking around.”

  “Fine, but don’t come any closer.” They needed to study the map and find a less traveled route. No way did she want to become the leader of a convoy. Sooner or later, someone following them would have e
vil intentions and would leave them on the side of the road as zombie food.

  She motioned her head toward the motor home. “Let’s grab something to eat and hit the road.”

  “Do you mind me driving?” Colton asked.

  “Not at all.” She could curl up on one of the bunks and catch up on some much needed sleep. “It’s hard to drive this thing. You can do it all the time if you want.” With one last glance at the bikers, she climbed the steps into the Winnebago.

  One pop tart and a small Dixie cup of apple juice sat in front of each child. Hanna handed Chalice the same. She sighed, wishing for her mother’s buttermilk pancakes and maple syrup.

  ###

  After four hours of driving, Colton’s neck and shoulder muscles screamed for release. He took one hand off the wheel, flexed his fingers, then did the same with the other. How had Chalice kept it up for an entire day?

  She climbed into the passenger seat. “Thanks for the rest.”

  “You’re a tough girl, Chalice Hart.”

  She flipped her hair a shade lighter than his own out of her face and gazed at him with the eyes the color the sky used to be. “How so?”

  “I’m exhausted after driving this monstrosity for only half a day.”

  She shrugged and took a swig from a water bottle she pulled from the pouch in her hoodie. “You do whatever it takes. Want me to drive for a while?”

  As if his pride could take that jab. “No. But a drink of that water would be wonderful.”

  “I’ll get you your own. We’re allowed one water bottle a day per person, including the dogs.” She climbed back over the seat.

  It all sounded good to him, although he hadn’t been a fan of the breakfast. A fistful of beef jerky would’ve tasted better, but he wasn’t going to complain. Not while sitting in a plush seat in a vehicle the size of one of the trailers he’d lived in a few years ago.

  Chalice returned with his water and sat cross-legged in the seat beside him. She removed the cap and handed him the bottle. “Have you noticed how the few people we run across move out of our way when they get a glimpse of the motorcycle gang behind us? And why haven’t we run across any more zombies? Do you think they’ve all passed us?”

  “I think the zombies are attracted to the cities for the obvious reasons. According to the movies, they’re also attracted to noise. But who knows? I doubt anyone expected anything like this to happen.” Funny how all they had as research was fiction novels.

  He took two sips of his drink and handed it back to her. “Thanks.” He glanced at the gas gauge. “We need to stop at the next station. Pray they have fuel.”

  Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into a self-serve station and were greeted by two men with guns. Colton stared at them through the large windshield then grinned when the motorcycle gang flanked him on each side. “Stay here.” He grabbed his rifle and climbed from the Winnebago.

  Chalice joined him, also carrying her weapon. “The bigger the show of force, the better. Don’t tell me to stand down just because I’m a girl.”

  Colton shook his head then stepped in front of the motor home. The leather jacket wearing cyclists pulled assorted hand guns from their saddle bags and aimed them at the two men beside the gas pumps.

  “All we want is gas,” Colton said.

  One of them puffed out their chest. “You and every other loser that comes through here. Well, we’ve taken over this station and ain’t sharing. Those hogs y’all ride are going to call every zombie for a mile around.”

  “I’ll give you a carton of cigarettes in order to fill up the motor home and the bikes.”

  The man laughed. “Got plenty of cigs in the store here. How about you leave that pretty little thing standing next to you, and we’ll call it even.” The man stepped back as the motorcyclists joined Colton and Chalice.

  “You leave these kids alone. Either give us the gas, or we’ll take it. If you want blood shed, I promise yours will be the first spilled. Maybe we’ll just shoot you in the leg and leave you for the Shamblers who have a taste for flesh.” The gang leader pulled back the hammer of his Magnum and aimed the gun at the man’s head. “We offered to pay and you refused. Your loss. Give us what we want, and we’ll move on.”

  Sweat beaded on Colton’s brow despite the chill in the air. The last thing he wanted was a gunfight, especially with a bunch of kids watching through the window. Chalice cocked her gun and stepped beside Leather Jacket. Within seconds, the others joined too.

  The two men lowered their guns and stepped back. “If we let everyone just take the gas, we won’t survive.”

  “We’ll give you two boxes of granola bars.” Chalice offered. “That’s the best we can do.”

  “We’ve got that stuff inside.”

  “Well, what do you need?” Colton took a deep breath. He should’ve taken charge, not Chalice. He couldn’t have a girl in control whether it was her vehicle he traveled in or not.

  “Right now we don’t need anything. Months down the road will be a different story.”

  “Months down the road, and it’s going to be different for everybody. Do the right thing and let us have the gas. We’re willing to barter or we can take by force. Your choice.” Colton slung his gun strap around his shoulders and held out his hands. “Come on before those things come.”

  The man sighed. “Fine. But don’t let the word get out that we buckled just because someone pulled a gun on us.”

  He and his partner stepped aside while Colton filled the tank and the bikers pulled up to the other pumps. How long would the country’s gas last? Once the pumps were empty, where could they go to get more? They’d need another mode of transportation. His gaze fell on his bicycle strapped to the top of the Winnebago. Where could he get more of those? The stores were most likely looted by now, and a bike wouldn’t do much good against a horde of zombies.

  The weight of responsibility left him discouraged. They could live in the motor home indefinitely but food and water would run out. They needed a plan. They couldn’t head west aimlessly and hope to find something better than what they had. He glanced at the soot-colored sky.

  Someday the sun would shine again. They needed to be ready. He looked to the station owner. “Hey, is there a department store around here? A Wal-Mart or something?”

  “Wal-Mart’s been wiped out by fire and looters. Your best bet might be the country store down by the lake. Take your next right and drive about five miles down the dirt road. Highway’s pretty clear from here on out. Don’t get your hopes up too high though, but if there’s anything left, Ma and Pa Hastings will barter with you.”

  “Thanks.” Obviously the gas-station guy could learn a lesson or two from Ma and Pa Hastings as far as courtesy went. Colton closed the gas cap on the Winnebago. For another couple of days, they had fuel. They’d stop at every station along the way and top off the tank until there was no more to be had or the pumps stopped working.

  Then, they’d figure out what to do next.

  Chapter 7

  Chalice was more than happy to let Colton take the wheel again. Driving the Winnebago stressed her muscles almost to the point she felt she couldn’t return from the pain. She curled up in the passenger seat and let him steer them from the gas station. She could take some Tylenol, but wanted to save what medication they had for a time when they really needed it. Oh, what she wouldn’t give for a hot bath.

  The motorcycle gang tooted their horns and sped past. She’d miss the added sense of security their presence gave her, but agreed that larger crowds were more detectable and they could move faster on the bikes.

  “So, what’s your story, Colton?”

  He glance at her from the corner of his eyes. “Same as yours, I suppose. Fire fell from the sky, I fled, here I am.”

  “What about your family?”

  “What about your family?”

  She folded her arms around her middle. “I watched my mother die when a meteor set her on fire.” She blinked against the ever present thr
eat of tears.

  “I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath and expelled it hard enough to flutter his bangs. “I lived with foster parents. I’m not sure what happened to them. I’d been watching the meteor for months through my telescope and figured they couldn’t blow it up enough to prevent damage to us, so I hid supplies in a cave and spent the last month there. The town I lived in pretty much burned to the ground.”

  “My mom stocked our root cellar with enough supplies to last us six months.” Chalice glanced out the side window. “We’ve been frugal so it should last longer than that.” She prayed they wouldn’t have to test the limit of their food and water. Surely they’d find a place where damage was minimal and life continued with its wonderful day-to-day routine.

  “It won’t last as long if you continue picking up strays.”

  “You brought in more food than one person needs. Besides, I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t help someone who would starve without my help, and I can’t leave anyone out there to be chewed on.” She studied his profile. The strong chin. The long lashes. A good looking boy that was almost too pretty, but his toughness showed a different side of a handsome boy. She smiled. Wth his six foot football build, she doubted anyone ever told him how good looking he was.

  He stared at her and frowned. “What?”

  She shook her head and transferred her attention out the window. “Nothing. I’d just like to get to know you since we’ll be spending a lot of time together in this boat.”

  “Then there’s plenty of time.” He turned the wheel to take them down a dirt road. “There’s supposed to be a store down here. Probably a tackle store, but they might have some things we can use.”

  “Are you planning on going fishing?”

  “No, but the sky will clear someday. We need things for when it does. Seeds, a shovel. Stuff like that.”

  “So, you’re an optimist.”

  “Aren’t you? Zombies have to die sometime, right? Their bodies deteriorate to the point they can no longer hunt for food. Then, the surviving people kill them off and start all over.”