24. Chapter 24
Chapter twenty-four
Shelby
When I wake the following morning, I sense the tension in the air almost immediately and look to Cason for an explanation. However, he’s not here and with a kernel of unease, I approach Larry, gathering some of the stuff spread across the room and shoving it in a bag.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my unease deepening when I note that neither Bo nor Bean are in the hall.
“We’re heading out,” Larry says and I rock back on my heels before glancing at the window to confirm that nothing has changed. The little monsters still linger beyond the gates, although they’re less ravenous with nothing in sight to inspire their hunger.
“But,” I say, waving outside.
Immune to my distress, Larry continues his cleanup process, and I open my mouth to demand answers when Jason says over my shoulder, “It’s okay, Shelby. Once Cason leads them away, it’ll be clear sailing.”
When Jason taps my shoulder, I frown and shrug him off, saying, “Where is he?”
“Out there,” Larry says and my heart sinks.
He went out there alone. What if something happens? What if he dies? Why would he leave without telling me where he’s going?
Spinning away, I walk to the window and gaze blindly outside, the sting of betrayal pinching my chest. No matter how many times I tell myself to stop thinking about the man, I still end up disappointed.
He didn’t tell you he was going because he doesn’t care, Shelby. Get it through your thick fucking skull.
Chuckling helplessly, I wipe my eyes before focusing on what matters. If Cason plans to distract the horde somehow then we better be ready to run when the time comes and as soon as Nora appears from the bisecting hall, I duck into the bathroom to pee and wash my face and teeth.
Afterwards, I pull my hair back and smooth the stray strands away, avoiding the bruise still healing under my eye.
When I reappear in the room, Zoey grabs my hand, her other arm wrapped around Bean. At the sight, something eases in my chest which I refuse to analyze because it doesn’t matter if Cason will definitely be coming back for his dog, he’s not coming back for me.
Once we’re all packed and ready to go, Larry disappears to somehow signal to Cason. The rest of us gather in the hall at the back door.
Amanda squeezes between Nate and Lance to stand next to Zoey, while Nora leans against the wall by the door, a crease between her brows. Jason and Elaine take up the rear and I avoid looking at Elaine because I don’t need to see her worry when I’m contending with my own terror.
The seconds tick by in silence while I chew my lip before the distant bam, bam of a firing gun makes me flinch and I turn to the door.
As soon as Larry steps back down the hall, I hear Jason and him confer in low tones before Jason says, “Go.”
I’m assuming this means the group out front has responded to Cason’s call, and I press my hand to my chest as we exit.
The cloudy sky echoes my thoughts, and I feel the first pattering of rain when Larry takes the lead. We follow him in the opposite direction of the opening we came through the other day.
Passing old oak trees, our soft footfalls trample the fresh green grass before we emerge at another section of the fence, facing a series of homes beyond.
Apparently, the guys were busy last night because a pew now rests before the fence with a wadded-up piece of clothing wrapped around the spires at the top.
Despite their preplanning, I eye the fence dubiously while Larry jumps onto the pew and pulls himself up to the top. His clothes may soften the blow, but it still has to hurt when the wrought iron brushes his package.
He doesn’t reveal any distress though and once he’s on the other side, Nora and Elaine follow.
When Zoey hands me the little chihuahua with a solemn smile, I nod to her encouragingly before Jason lifts her in the air and Larry reaches for her on the other side. Amanda, Nate and Lance are next.
When Jason turns to me, I hand off the dog and step up onto the pew.
My arms shake when I pull my body up and pause with my hoo-hah uncomfortably mashed against the spire before I slip to the other side and thankfully, Larry helps me down.
The dog is next, and Jason follows with an ease that I aspire to before we race down the street and then the next.
All too soon the skies open and the rain slams the earth like an angry god. The cool drops pelt my face and neck while I race to stay abreast of my companions.
Halfway down the following street, I pause and look back though when I realize we’re missing Jason and Elaine. He’s backtracking down the road toward Elaine who’s bent over with her hands on her knees.
The street was barren two seconds ago but that was all it took I’m guessing for one of those things to hear us and unfortunately, Elaine proves to be the easiest prey.
My heart jumps into my throat when it stumbles from between two cars, its pale fingers formed into claws. Unaware of the danger behind her, likely due to the barrage of rain blocking the sound, Elaine doesn’t move from her position crouched over and if I had to guess, catching her breath.
Rain repels off its shiny bald head as it stumbles toward her, canting its head. His once nice gray suit hangs in tatters with the red pocket square dangling from the torn fabric.
Intent on his prey, his jaws open and close and although I cry out, it’s drowned by Elaine’s shrill shrieks as the bastard grabs her shoulder and bends into her neck.
When she sags in the arms of her captor, I look away. I know it’s probably a shitty thing to do, but I can’t stay and watch as it tears her skin from the bone. I feel too brittle as it is.
However, guilt inspires me to turn back after a couple of steps and I find Jason standing over Elaine, slamming something into the undead’s head.
When he drops to his knees before her, my soul withers. How much can one person take before loss pulls them under?
“Shelby?” Nora calls and I meet her wide eyes before tipping my head.
“Go on,” I croak.
With my message received, Nora pushes Zoey and Amanda forward while Lance, Larry and Nate stand frozen. When Nate slowly backs away, Larry and Lance follow until it’s just Jason, Elaine and me.
Approaching cautiously because I know it’s just a matter of time before she turns, I stop beside Jason. His sobs tear at my heart while he holds her limp body close and when his desperate grey eyes meet mine, I look away and say, “We should go.”
A weird keening sound blows between his lips before he bows his head. With Elaine tucked gently into the crook of his elbow, he mouths something lost to the wind and rain while I shiver above him, my unease growing with each passing moment.
I glance over my shoulder while he finally places her onto the concrete before gently pressing her eyes closed.
Although an act of mercy, I still cover my revulsion with a grimace when he picks up the piece of wood lying beside her and proceeds to slam it against her head.
Thankfully she’s already gone but with no idea how quickly she might turn, I know time was of the essence. Still, he hit her so hard that it smashed through her skull and hit the ground on the other side.
Now that my stomach swirls with bile, I back away and say, “Let’s go.”
His red rimmed eyes blink before a single tear runs down his cheek and he stands, brushing past me. With a silent goodbye for the woman, I barely got the chance to know, I focus on the road because that’s all that lays before us . . . a never-ending fucking road to nowhere.
Cason
Under the cover of darkness, I make my way through the streets and as far from the funeral home as possible. I know it was a shitty thing to do but I left without telling the others, especially Shelby of our plans.
While I rationalize that I don’t owe anyone anything, I know that from Shelby’s perspective, we’re a team and the notion of her possible disappointment doesn’t sit well.
In any case, it’s too late now. I need to find a suitable place to draw away the horde before meeting back up with the group at the truck.
If I’m not there within fifteen minutes of sending the signal, Jason and Larry will go, and we can meet up at the cabin later if it comes down to it.
I’ve done my best to set aside the scene waiting for me when I get there but I know that it’s not going to be pretty. There’s never a right time to inform someone of the death of their loved one, but I owe them this information, knowing if I don’t, they’ll always wonder what happened.
What I’m not certain of is whether death by suicide is preferable to being eaten by these monsters. At this rate, I’ve got time to think about it though.
The streets are eerily quiet at this time of the morning, and I try to keep my footfalls equally silent as I traverse them. With at least a hundred of those suckers at the church, I need to go far enough to ensure they all move away.
From here, it’s hard to believe that this is our reality.
The moon shines bright overhead with a smattering of stars beyond.
I suppose with the power all but gone, they’re brighter than normal and I wonder if this wasn’t the earth's way of resetting itself. With the population so vast and continuing to grow, the natural resources can’t keep up.
It was inevitable although this is not quite how I would have envisioned it going down.
Passing house after house with Bo at my side, my spirits sink with each flailing form behind a window or abandoned car in the road. The occasional dead body lays in its final resting place, torn apart by the insanity of this new world.
With no way of knowing whether the group who attacked the funeral home moved on, I have to be extra vigilant because I’m not just avoiding the dead.
It stands to reason that if the ones Shelby killed never returned for their friends, eventually they're going to come looking. This was the other reason I was so intent on going, although I didn’t share my thoughts as I didn’t want to create more paranoia.