Chapter 17 Emery #2
“For fighting like idiots,” Miguel replied. “We both could have handled that better. So we’re sorry.”
“Apology accepted. We can’t fight each other.
It wastes time and energy and serves no purpose.
If we disagree, we need to talk about it.
Maybe the other person has a perspective you hadn’t considered.
Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s get these pedicabs and get back.
” As we neared Central Park, we noticed more zombie activity and had to take several down.
“It looks like the street is blocked ahead,” Nico stated from our hiding place behind a car.
“We can go down a block and come up from the other direction,” Miguel replied. “Come on.”
The detour was rougher than the rest of our trip from the tunnel had been.
The side streets were much more cluttered.
Suitcases and personal belongings were everywhere.
Evidence of people trying to escape with what they could carry, abandoning their belongings and running.
I noticed a trampled family album and bent to pick it up.
A family’s entire life was in those pages—countless memories and special occasions that were important enough to preserve.
“They don’t need the pictures to remember, Princess,” Nico said softly. “Memories live on in our hearts and our minds.”
“What if they didn’t make it? Who will remember them then?”
Miguel kissed my forehead and then took the album from my hands and tucked it into his bag. “We will.”
It was such a simple gesture, and only a little creepy.
We didn’t know these people. Keeping pictures of people we hadn’t known was weird, but the world had changed.
Knowing that in a small way, we could keep them from being completely forgotten meant a lot to me.
And for them to understand that, without needing an explanation, was everything.
When we got to the next block, we cut back over and finished the rest of the walk to the park. “Shit,” I said as we peeked around the corner and saw the large horde congregated in the street in front of the park. “What do we do?”
“You two get on top of the fire truck,” Miguel said as he started digging through his bag. “I’ll set up a distraction further down the block, circle around, and cut through the park. When the street is clear, you can head to the pedicab stand and wait for me. Just... stay silent.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
Miguel grinned and held up fistfuls of firecrackers. “It’s gonna get a little loud.”
“Be careful!” I grabbed the front of Miguel’s shirt and yanked him toward me, sealing my lips to his for a hard kiss. “I mean it. Stay the fuck alive.”
“I’ll always come back to you, Baby. You can count on that,” Miguel replied. He and Nico nodded to each other before Miguel took off.
“Ok, up you go, Princess.” Nico boosted me onto the truck and followed me to the top.
We flattened ourselves as best we could in the center to stay out of sight of any zombies.
The last thing we wanted was for them to set their sights on us rather than on Miguel’s distraction.
We waited quietly, but as the time stretched, I began to get nervous.
What if he didn’t make it to the first stage of his plan? He could have run into trouble.
Nico grabbed my hand and stroked it with his thumb. “Relax, Em. He’s fine.”
“You don’t—“
I was cut off by an explosion several blocks away. And not the kind caused by a bunch of firecrackers. This one was huge and shook the ground, causing the firetruck to shake as well.
“What the fuck?”
“Miguel must have found something bigger to blow up,” Nico chuckled.
The zombies between us and the park immediately started toward the explosion.
Whatever he exploded was burning, giving off a thick black smoke.
It would be a while before that fire went out, not that it mattered much with Operation Night Night on its way.
New York City was lost; if it burned, so be it.
“Come on,” Nico said when the street had cleared, and the horde had gotten far enough away that they wouldn’t notice us.
He helped me off the truck, and we ran across the street to the park and the first pedicab stand.
There were more throughout the park, but luckily, we wouldn’t need to find them.
This one had plenty of pedicabs to choose from.
I inspected the first one I came to and immediately pushed it aside.
The tires were cracked and on their last legs.
The last thing we wanted was a flat tire.
“This one looks good,” Nico said, pointing at the one beside it. I studied the pedicab in question and noticed the handlebars were slightly crooked—another not-so-good option.
“You know how we all have our strengths?” I asked Nico as I checked out another bike and deemed it worthy.
“Yeah?”
“Well, this one is mine. I know bikes and how to identify their wear and tear. You watch our backs and keep an eye out for Miguel.”
“You’re the boss.”
I smirked to myself as I continued looking over the bikes. Damn right I was the boss.