Zombie Road: The Second Omnibus | Books 4-6 | Jessie+Scarlet Simpson, A. (pride and prejudice read txt) 📖

He would kill for her.

He would die for her.

He would camp on top of Jefferson’s head for her.

119

Jessie + Scarlet

Jessie drove into the sun, the bright morning glow of orange nearly blinding as they made their way across the plains. He tore off a piece of tape and placed it on the windshield, right where the sun was trying to burn out his eyes, and kept driving. Scarlet slept fitfully, her head curled in his lap, blankets stuffed between the bucket seats to make a bed. He could see the runners on her face and arms, could almost see them move. The black lines were like a centipede’s legs spreading away from the scars. The whole side of her face was turning darker, the lines ran up into her eye and the lid had the spidery veins starting to cover it.

Jessie drove.

They had laughed long into the night with Charlie Safari and Ting Wei. Perched atop the granite heads of great men and staring at the brilliant sky, they talked of many things. Hopes and dreams. New beginnings and old endings. Would they be remembered in history or forgotten by the next generation. Would they ever travel to the stars? Would some other epidemic come along and wipe out the rest of mankind? Who should be the new president or run for office? What great treasure hunt would they embark on next? Why did Scratch play such godawful music during his radio shows? Who had gotten married and who was expecting a baby.

It was a strange feeling to realize that you probably knew almost everybody in America. If not personally, then by reputation or sight. Even stranger was if they didn’t know everyone, everyone knew them. The Road Angel had a reputation even though he tried to avoid the spotlight. Charlie had one because he was always in the spotlight.

It had been a memorable evening, one of the best he’d ever had with friends but when they woke, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, he could tell she wasn’t feeling well. She was much worse. The runners had spread.

Jessie drove.

The best medicine the tower had wasn’t stopping it. He mulled over it and he would turn the car around right now to go back but it wouldn’t do any good. Doctor Samed had been clear, there was nothing they could do without the bloodwork being completed and that simply couldn’t be rushed. He was afraid to give her more medicine, it seemed to make the spread go faster but he was afraid not to. What if it was the only thing slowing it down? What if she didn’t take it and the black started accelerating?

Jessie drove.

His best hope now was the scientist at the Anubis compound. The Doctor Stevens she talked about. Maybe he knew more than the Tower doctors did. Maybe he would know how to stop it. If he could get him to cooperate, that is. Scarlet was the enemy after all. He was formulating a plan of sorts. She knew the layout and if they could sneak in and not be seen, if they could somehow convince him to help, if he knew more than the other doctors, if he didn’t poison her intentionally or sound the alarm…

The list of what ifs was too long. Jessie knew he couldn’t force the man to do anything. He had to want to help. If he didn’t, no matter what they did, he could simply lie and waste time until the infection reached her brain and started changing who she was. Started turning her into one of the undead. They would seek his help. If he wouldn’t, then they were back to plan A. Kill the chain of command, end the war, drive back to the tower by the time the bloodwork was ready. Simple, brutish and unexpected. They could be in and out in a matter of hours if Stevens wouldn’t do anything for them. If he would, they could remain hidden until he reversed the disease.

Jessie drove.

It was the only plan they had and he didn’t like it. He didn’t like to have her life in the hands of one man who may or may not be inclined to help. He traced the dark runners on her arm with his finger and his heart hurt. He would trade places with her if he could. Give her all of his own blood in a transfusion if he could. Die so she might live if he could. The miles rolled by, the zombies few and far between in the isolation of the high plain’s states. The little villages he blasted through were either deserted or haunted by the undead who turned rotting faces toward the sound of his machine. They stumbled after him but most couldn’t find their way out of town and returned to their aimless wandering. An empty, aching hunger driving them on and wearing them down. Husks of humans whose skin was brittle and broke easily. Dried out remnants who were baking in the late summer heat and would soon be frozen in place again, their rotting brains the only thing left alive and generating enough heat not to freeze solid. Deadly snowmen unable to move but able to bite if you got too close.

Jessie drove.

The music was low, the windows were down, the tires hummed on the asphalt and Scarlet slept. She was sweating and her forehead was hot to the touch. The old fever that had started it all, that nearly killed her while they recovered in the farmhouse, was coming back. Jessie didn’t regret their summer together, not one bit. From the rocky and distrustful beginning to the absolute insanely giddy high he’d felt since he discovered where her heart lay, since the day they met the children from the safari. Since he’d realized she was true and special and they were alike. That they were meant to be together. That he loved