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

by the little girl. “And you, too.” I tapped the dog on the head. “It's not safe here.”

“The zombies,” the boy said, with no emotion in his voice.

I paused for a moment, then nodded. Still, he looked unsure but I couldn't wait for a decision. We were all in danger and so were our friends. I hoped they were together, weren't scattered. Weren't alone.

I followed the boy's gaze down to the gun and bent, nearly screaming as pain lit across my chest, but broken ribs were okay. Doctors couldn't do anything but take away the pain.

Letting the empty magazine slip to the ground, I fished the full one and slid the loaded gun into my pocket.

The boy's gaze followed me all the while.

Cassie stepped toward the boy, kneeling at his feet, placing her hands on his upper arms.

“I have a sister, too. She’s just a little older than you. I know what it means to want to look after her. To keep her safe. If you come with us,” she said, turning her head to the toddler, “we can help look after you both.”

Cassie waited, watching the boy’s eyes as he looked up at me, then down to the pocket where the gun bulged before turning back to Cassie.

The uncertainty hung clear in his stare until a rustle in the bushes at our backs turned each of our heads in the same direction. Spinning back around, I saw his nod was more obvious than any other movement he’d made so far.

I walked, heading the way we'd been running. Cassie held back. I heard the dog's paws padding beside me and turned; the girl was following the dog. The boy set off after. He was slow at first, but his speed built with Cassie behind. Her head, like mine, scoured along the tree line.

Our pace was measured, but movement in the bushes, or the sounds in my head, wouldn't let me keep it that way for long.

I turned to Cassie and she understood. So did the boy and he went to pick up the girl, but Cassie moved her hands towards her, leaning down, hovering as she waited for his permission. He nodded and she took her in her arms. The pace picked up, the dog still trotting at my side.

As we ran, the trees left our side as we came to the edge of the forest. Scouring the horizon, I spotted a figure running, then two. They were at the height of a hill a little way off in the distance, one in front of the other. Whoever it was, they were being chased.

I ran faster, looking back to Cassie who'd slowed to urge the boy to stay back.

Ignoring the pain, I ran. It was Naomi.

I watched as she stumbled, disappearing over the brow of a hill as she fell. What chased her had been a middle-aged man with balding hair and fat collecting around his middle, tattered clothes barely left to cover. It pounced after her like an Olympic gymnast. The dog stayed at my side and, trying my best to ignore the pull of the pain, I gave it everything. Taking the gun from my pocket I was minutes away, praying she could hold off long enough for me to do what I could.

I wasn't too late as I arrived over the hill. Her hands around its throat, its mouth snapping forward; déjà vu, but from a different perspective.

I let a shot ring off into the air, hoping it would distract the crazed monster enough for Naomi to get the upper hand. It didn't flinch. Its humanity gone.

The shot rang off and her grip gave way. The beast lurched forward and bit down on the side of her face.

42

Without command, the dog jumped at the beast and, grabbing a patch of exposed skin, he bit deep into its haunches. Still, whatever this thing was, it didn't budge as the hound shook its head with its mouth clamped down hard.

I pushed the gun square to the creature’s temple. It only went limp as I blew what was left of its brains out the other side in an explosion of colour.

Rolling the body off, a clump of Naomi's loose flesh fell from his mouth and hit her with a wet slap against her face. She tried to scream, but had no breath, her arms frantic, blood pumping in spurts from the fist-size hole in her face.

Dropping to my knees I pulled off my coat, ripped open my shirt, the buttons flying as the cold bit into my skin. I tore the sleeves off, one by one, tying each length around her face. The white cotton went red as quick as I could pad out the wound with the remains.

“Where's Zoe?” I asked, my head darting to each of the trees, the only features on the gentle flow of hills, twitching from where we'd come, despite knowing there was nowhere to hide but the tree line and the place where we'd all been running from.

“Where is she?” I said, before looking at my hands, thick with Naomi's blood.

She'd settled down, her fight slowing as her skin greyed. She wouldn't answer. She was already going the same way as Chloe.

“Ellie,” Cassie screamed, arriving at my side. She hadn't forgotten the last time we'd seen Naomi had been with Ellie fighting to get free from her arms.

“Andrew,” I added to the call, then shook my head. “We need to move her,” I said, not looking back. I picked Naomi up in my arms and, cradling her like a baby, I pushed the makeshift bandages against my chest. Her lack of weight scared me.

Cassie continued to call at the top of her voice, the tiny kid still in her arms. The boy said something as he picked up my coat and offered it out,