Dying Days 6 Page 9

  Darlene opened the door, her Desert Eagle aiming in front of her. She turned on her flashlight, expecting something to jump out at her. Nothing moved in the dark stairwell.

  She walked to the third floor landing and stopped.

  There were zombies inside. Dozens of them, all ready to pounce if someone opened the door. Way more than would've been trapped on the floor when this started.

  Darlene concentrated and could figure out a few basic facts before her head began to hurt and she stopped concentrating. There was a room just off the door and the zombies couldn't actually enter it. A partition or gate had been erected. Whoever used this area knew what they were doing. They'd add zombies to the floor without getting bitten themselves but Darlene didn't know what for. Who would collect zombies?

  She could feel several more zombies on other floors, trapped and moving but not a threat unless you were foolish enough to open the door to the floor and release them.

  Darlene continued up, taking each step slowly so she didn't make any noise. The stairwell echoed with each scuffed slide of her foot and she didn't want to announce her approach to anyone that was listening.

  By the time she got to the right door, sure the human was on the other side, she took a deep breath.

  Human? I called him a human as if he was different from me, Darlene thought. What is wrong with me? Am I so far gone I don't even consider myself human anymore?

  Darlene cleared her mind of negative thoughts and focused on the path ahead.

  She could feel a second presence once she opened the stairwell door to the eleventh floor. Two living, breathing people close to one another.

  Darlene wanted to call out but decided not to. She could feel herself changing by the minute and didn't want to chance anyone else would notice a physical change now.

  The group of survivors she'd had to run away from had been clued in only because of zombies ignoring her. Darlene stopped and checked the floor for anyone other than the two survivors.

  No zombies on the floor. It was an office and it looked recently used and clean.

  Maybe she could fake her way through an encounter with people and see what their deal was. She decided calling out would get her shot, so she crept down the hall, closing the door quietly behind her.

  To her left was a break room, neat and clean. She saw a pile of canned vegetables stacked on the table and enough napkins, plates and paper towels to last a lifetime.

  A hallway to the bathrooms on her right was ignored because Darlene knew no one was down that way. She was starting to get good at using this power, whatever it really was, and she didn't need to concentrate so hard after even a few minutes of using it.

  When she entered the main area of the office, she saw the piles of clothing, jewelry and shoes in stacks on the secretary desk and the floor around it. Someone had been shopping.

  Darlene, still letting her power and her weapon lead the way, moved silently down the carpeted area and around the desk, checking the open offices as she moved.

  Moving forward she went down another short hallway, passing what must've been the copier room but was now overflowing with supplies.

  The door at the end of the hallway was slightly ajar, and she could hear muffled talking now.

  Darlene went to the door. Here were the two people, arguing.

  She threw caution to the wind and kicked open the door, ready to pull the trigger or at least act like she was going to.

  The scene before her was surreal and she didn't know what to make of it.

  A large black man with a busted lip and swollen right eye was standing over a bound white woman who looked like she'd been through a war.

  Both of them looked at Darlene.

  "Shoot him. He's going to kill me," the woman yelled.

  The man pointed at the bound woman. "She tried to kill me. I captured her before she fed me to the zombies."

  Darlene didn't know what to do.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The woman began to cry as she stared at the baby and Bri pulled him away, afraid of what the woman might do. What if she was a lunatic who killed children?

  “My daughter was this little,” the woman said in a whisper, almost to herself. She didn’t seem to notice Bri putting distance between them.

  The man stepped forward and took the woman gently by the shoulders, clearly understanding Bri was scared of the woman around the baby.

  “She’s fine. Her little girl is being held captive by the zombie, uh, lady, and we’ve been assigned the task of getting her toys and clothing or else,” he said. He was staring at Hayden as he talked.

  “This is a boy,” Bri said. She looked at Hayden. “He’s a zombie but he’s fine. He’s one of us. He wants to see the zombie lady dead, too.”

  “I do?” Hayden asked. “I don’t want to face off against a powerful one like her. I can sense how together she is. She’s figured out her skills. She has a head start on me, too.”

  “I need my daughter back,” the woman said.

  Hayden was staring at Bri, who didn’t understand what he was doing. She’d thought the idea to find these two people and see what they were doing was a way for him to sneak inside and kill the zombie or something. Had he suddenly gotten scared off?

  “I’m Stephanni,” the woman said, wiping her eyes. She looked at the man with her. “I don’t know your name.”

  The man started laughing and then so did the woman, even getting a smile out of Hayden. He relaxed. “I’m Hayden. This is Bri.”

  “I’m Del. I’ve been serving the zombie so she doesn’t eat me,” the man said.

  “Oh, she’s beyond eating her victims now. She’s evolved past needing the blood or the flesh. She’s just trying to scare you. Not like she couldn’t or wouldn’t rip you to pieces just for her own pleasure, but at least if she did it would be for fun for her,” Hayden said.

  “That doesn’t comfort me at all, especially when she has my daughter right now,” Stephanni said. “I need to find toys and kid stuff and get back before she wonders where we’ve been. I think she can read my thoughts and track us.”

  “She can,” Hayden said.

  Bri punched him in the arm. “You’re not really helping, idiot. You’re scaring her.” And he was scaring Bri, too. She felt like they were taking too big a chance standing around talking while the zombie could be coming for them.

  “I can help you to locate items and get you back safely,” Hayden said.

  “And then you’re going to kill the zombie?” Bri asked.

  Hayden shook his head. “She’ll know I’m coming. She’ll be ready for me. I… I’m not going to get involved just yet.” He turned to Bri and he looked scared. “Someone is coming who will be able to defeat the zombie. I can help then. I can start helping these people now by getting them the items they’re looking for and getting them back inside safely. It’s all I can do.”

  “Pussy,” Bri said under her breath.

  If anyone heard her, no one said anything.

  “Why are you going to help us?” Del asked.

  “Not all of us are evil or want world domination,” Hayden said.

  “It sure seems like it. I escaped from a monster near Orlando a few weeks ago. Almost got caught by another near Jax Beach. Thought I was good when I came into downtown to head north toward freedom. That’s when this latest one grabbed me and made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: serve her in the stadium or die,” Del said.

  “She’s collecting us like cattle. Letting us live in the inner working of the stadium under deplorable conditions.” Stephanni looked away. “Women are being abused. Men are fighting. I fear for my daughter, both from the zombie and the survivors.”

  Bri pointed at Hayden. “You need to do something.”

  “I will. I’m going to lead you to where there is still some kid’s toys and even old candy,” Hayden said. “Everyone follow me and stay close. If you see a zombie, don’t panic. I’ll lead it away or put it down. Nothing will harm you.”


  "How can we trust you?" the man said.

  Hayden stared at the couple. "You can't. You just need to trust me, though. If I wanted you both dead, you'd be dead already. You know it and I know it. We're wasting a lot of time. We need to get you back to the stadium before she starts looking for you with her mind, and catches me helping you. Understand?"

  The couple finally shut up and followed Hayden outside and up the street. Bri took up the rear, keeping her distance from the woman but near enough in case a zombie came too close.

  Hayden was moving quickly, almost in a jog, and Bri struggled to keep up with the baby in her arms.

  He put up a hand, motioning for everyone else to get against a building wall and keep quiet.

  Del leaned close to Bri, too close for comfort, and stared at the baby.

  "It doesn't cry?" Del asked.

  "Not an It, you asshole. You're an It." Bri took a few steps to get some distance between her and the man. She didn't understand why they were wasting time finding toys when they could be sneaking into the stadium and killing the zombie. She might be sitting pretty in there, surrounded by luxuries and food. People waiting on her hand and foot.

  Bri wondered why Hayden wasn't taking advantage of his celebrity status. If he marched in, killed the zombie and proclaimed himself their new ruler, they'd be more than thankful. He'd be a compassionate ruler and Bri his queen. They could raise the baby and gather more and more survivors to their cause, making sure no other zombies messed with them.

  "Come on in," Hayden said, from the doorway, with a grin.

  The people hesitated. They still didn't trust Hayden despite what he'd said so far.

  Idiots. Bri pushed past them and entered the dark building.

  Hayden led her to a back room, where a corner of the roof had collapsed, spilling light into the area.

  Bri smiled. It looked like a nursery or daycare, with toys scattered on the floor and cubbyholes filled with clothing, shoes and lunchboxes.

  The couple had finally grown a pair and followed and by the looks on their faces they were happy.

  Hayden sat down on a child's chair and put his hands on the small table, smiling.

  "Thank you," Stephanni said. She went to the wall and began to peruse.

  "We'll need something to carry this in," Del said. He opened a toy box and began pulling items out one by one, admiring each like he'd found buried treasure. "Most of this will be good. Right? You think she'll let the other kids play, too?"

  "I hope so," Stephanni said and went through the shoes, checking the sizes.

  "Grab all of them. The children can use shoes," Del said.

  "You're only here for Stephanni's child. If you bring a bunch of stuff not specifically for her, the zombie might be mad. She gave you instructions, right? I'm guessing she said stuff for Amber," Hayden said.

  Bri sat down on a small chair and placed the baby on the table.

  Stephanni looked at another pair of sneakers before she stopped, looking confused.

  "What?" Del asked her.

  Stephanni looked at Hayden, fear in her eyes. "Wait... how do you know my daughter's name? I never told you that."

  Hayden shrugged but Bri could see he'd screwed up and he knew it. "I think you told me. I'm sure of it."

  Stephanni was shaking her head.

  Del pointed a finger at Hayden. "How do you know what the zombie asked us to find, specifically? All we told you is we were here to find toys and clothing. Did you assume we weren't supposed to help the other kids? Well?"

  "Educated guess," Hayden said. He took a step back, putting himself between Bri and the couple. "Just get your toys and I'll escort you back to the stadium."

  "Thanks but no thanks. It's not far. We'll be fine," Del said.

  Stephanni picked up a dusty doll from a table and smiled.

  "I will lead you back," Hayden said.

  Del shook his head. "If she gets a whiff of you on us, we're both dead. We've probably already done too much with you. Please let us be."

  Hayden was about to respond when Bri put a hand on his arm and looked Hayden in the eye.

  "Let them go back. You can follow to make sure they aren't attacked or open a path, but if you're seen with them... you might as well kill them yourself," Bri said. She still thought it might be a good idea, anyway, but she wasn't going to tell Hayden. He liked people too much. Wished he was still like her and these two.

  Hayden was staring at Bri and frowned. He looked down at the baby and grinned.

  The couple started gathering anything they could find to bring back.

  "Let me carry him for a bit. Your arms are probably tired. I want to help," Hayden said and took the baby from Bri.

  "Finally," Bri said. Hayden rarely helped with the baby. Not that he needed any attention. He was so damn quiet and didn't need to eat or sleep or have his diaper changed. Sometimes Bri forgot him in a room and had to go back.

  Hayden walked outside without another word.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The little girl was crying and her mother held her back, her head turned so she didn't see Tosha blow her husband's brains out on the roof.

  "Please don't kill me," Farley said. Tosha could see he was shaking. Not very manly at all.

  "Why not? You left me for dead. If you'd waited another twenty seconds, I'd be a zombie's play thing. I should return the favor, open the hatch and drop you down to fend for yourself. It would serve you right," Tosha said.

  "He let you up," the wife said quietly.

  The zombie was banging on the hatch and yelling obscenities but he sounded more amused than mad right now. Tosha didn't want him to get pissed and use his powers to get past the hatch.

  Tosha put down the gun and pushed Farley towards his family in disgust. She didn't want to waste a bullet on the guy. Besides, if the zombie got past the weight on the hatch, she could get behind Farley and get a head start to safety.

  "Please tell me there's a way off the roof," Tosha said.

  The family stared at her like she'd spoken French.

  "You have to be fucking kidding me," Tosha said.

  "Please... language in front of my daughter," the woman said.

  Tosha stopped and laughed.

  "You're joking, right? There's a motherfucking zombie trying to kill all of us, including your fucking daughter, you stupid bitch. You're worried about me saying fuck in front of her? Really? Maybe you should worry about teaching her to protect her lady parts so a zombie doesn't crawl up there," Tosha said. She had no time for these idiots. She needed to escape as quickly as possible. Her time at the mall had come to an end.

  She looked over the side but it was too far of a drop to make without breaking something. Tosha walked quickly to her left, hoping to see a ladder down or something to climb down onto.

  "It's no use. There isn't anything. I've looked over every side. I was going to find a ladder or maybe a rope at some point and use it in case we needed to get away quickly," Farley said.

  "Well, you fucked up then, buddy. Because that time is now." Tosha went to their tent and scattered items on the roof.

  "What are you doing? That's ours," the wife said but shut up when Tosha aimed the pistol at her head.

  "I need something to tie together," Tosha said and yanked the tent down, pulling her knife and slicing large strips, which she hoped would hold together.

  The zombie was still banging on the hatch and the weight was slowly shaking off and moving. Within a few minutes he'd be up on the roof and Tosha hoped she'd be long gone or at least have a good enough lead.

  "If you want to live and protect your little girl, I suggest you find every shirt, towel, rope and piece of cloth to tie together and help us escape down the side of the building," Tosha said.

  The wife looked like she was going to protest but her husband jumped in, pulling a bundle of blankets from a box.

  "Will these work?" he asked with fear in his eyes as the zombie began punching the hatch harder.


  "It will have to. Tie the ends together. We'll need at least twenty feet to get down. Wrap the towels to the middle so we have something to grip on the way down and to make it stronger," Tosha said, making it up as she went along. Right now they were running out of time.

  They worked in silence and all four got into the rhythm of tying everything together.

  Tosha walked with the end of the makeshift rope to the only place on the roof nearby she could see to tie off on, even though she was hesitant.

  "What are you doing?" the wife asked.

  The bitch asked too many questions. Tosha shot her a nasty look before getting to work: tying the end onto the metal bar on top of the hatch. It would have to do. She walked the blankets and towels to the nearest side of the roof.

  "We're still a few feet short. Let's hurry up," Farley said, thinking he was being helpful by stating the obvious.

  The hatch shook with a loud bang. Tosha was grateful the angle from below was all wrong and, even with the zombie's strength, he was having a hard time getting enough leverage to open the hatch, but he'd get it soon enough.

  "Is there anything else heavy we can put on the hatch?" Tosha asked.

  "No. There were lots of clothing racks downstairs but I never got around to getting them to the roof," Farley said, shrugging like it was no big deal.

  It was a matter of life and death right now. Anything they could use to keep the zombie at bay was going to be helpful.

  Tosha tied another sheet to the end of the line and judged she might need a couple more before it would be long enough to get her within six feet of the ground, where she could drop down and land without breaking anything. She hoped. She also hoped it would hold her weight.

  "I'll finish this. Grab everything you can find on the roof and put it on the hatch. That means all of your food and junk you thought was so important," Tosha said.

  When the family stopped and stared at Tosha, she got pissed.

  "Don't you want to live, you stupid fucks? Do as I say or we're all going to die." Tosha went back to work, tying the next sheet as quickly as possible and praying it would work.