In The End Box Set | Books 1-3 Stevens, GJ (story books to read TXT) 📖

My punches curled to its face, but it gave no reaction as my knuckles dug into its loose skin. The volley forced on, weakening as my resolve ebbed, until a warm hand encircled one fist and then the other to hold them back.

The creature slumped to the side, its hideous, bent features replaced by Toni’s pained face peering upside down over the top of my head. She leant down, her lips landing soft on my cheek, but I couldn’t calm, twitching around to check the coast was clear and the other creatures hadn’t made it into our haven.

There we stayed, held tight as our breathing slowed, until a shot echoed in the distance.

The wake-up call lifted us to our feet, taking in our surroundings as if for the first time, the moans, the soft snarl of the dead ever in the background.

As I stood, the creature’s thick blood slipped down my front on a slow treacle-like journey, dripping to my feet. As my arm encircled Toni, she handed over the gun pulled from her waistband, its weight too much as she limped at my side.

Somehow we climbed the fence, with Toni being the first to the top, wincing as she fell, not able to make the last few links. She was on her feet by the time I finished leaving a bloody trail over the metal.

We padded into the car park, my gaze turning this way and that, searching for the next battle as we headed toward the news van.

The few creatures who’d made it this far ignored our slow walk as we kept low, using the cars, trucks and SUVs for cover.

With surprise, I found the van unlocked and I helped Toni up the tall step and into the rear, half expecting Dan still to be hidden, hoping his appearance would push this reality back into a dream.

I let my gaze drop and I gave a shallow sigh as I helped Toni settle to the director’s seat fixed to the carpeted floor and took her hands in mine as I stood in her warmth. With her breath settling, I pulled the back door closed, wincing with the click of the lock engaging.

Toni pulled the rucksack from her back in slow motion as I watched the drip of liquid trailing from the canvas.

After searching by fingertip, she drew out two unbroken vials of the red liquid.

“The cigarettes?” I blurted out when I didn’t see her pull them from the bag.

She shook her head with a solemn look to the floor of the van.

“You won’t need them now,” she said, swallowing hard as she clutched the vials tight in her fist.

We didn’t speak for what seemed like an age, neither of us able to put words to what we’d just gone through.

The first to move, I pulled away, opening the long cupboard to find it empty. Time flashed back to Christmas Day when, unsure how long had passed and for the cost of pizza, I’d convinced Dan and Mike to come here to die.

Holding back the pain in my chest, the physical form of my guilt, I stared into the empty wardrobe which, had this been an assignment, would have been full of my outfits. I would have to remain blanketed in the creature’s drying blood for the duration.

“What next?” I said, turning to Toni.

She stared at the doors as if they had windows in the centre. When she didn’t reply, I moved over towards her, but held myself out of her reach.

“If we leave here, we'll get picked up when we hit the perimeter. They’ll have people covering the perimeter, won’t they?” I said, looking to her for answers. “Unless they're still in shock, overwhelmed, waiting for reinforcements. What do you think?”

Still, she gave no movement, no hint of a reply, just continued to stare through the non-existent window.

“If we stay, eventually they'll round me up. You, too, and do whatever they were going to do anyway. Right? Do you think?” I let the words hang in the air, trying not to raise my voice as I spoke again. “You know these people better than me.”

She gave no reply.

“Toni?” I snapped and watched as her head turned away.

Taking a step, I knelt to force myself back into her view. “What next?” I said again, raising my hands to cup her chin as I stared into her vacant eyes.

“We have to find her,” she said, her words low.

“Who?” I said, letting my hands down from her face.

“The woman who did this,” she replied. “The woman who did this to you.”

“Why?” I said, brushing the front of my hand against her undamaged cheek, drawing back with a sudden discomfort at the intimacy as I remembered the promises I’d made to myself.

“There's not enough…” she said, but stuttered to silence. “There's not enough…” she said again, this time taking care of the words. “There’s not enough to give us time.”

“Time for what?”

“For your immune system to have its best shot.”

“Of beating this thing?” I said.

Toni nodded.

“I feel fine,” I said, doing my best to raise a smile and it wasn’t a lie; apart from the aches and pains from our escape and a hunger which felt like I hadn’t eaten for days.

“For now,” she replied.

“What can this woman do?” I said, standing, my gaze fixed on her face. I wanted to rest her head against my stomach. I wanted to comfort her, but it would be no great comfort to rest against the blood flaking to the floor as it dried and I didn’t want to give her the wrong impression.

For a second time I looked around the contents of the van, trying to find something I could change in to.

“Everything,” she said, and turned back away from my searching look. “She can