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

Relief filled me with joy as I swivelled around, but it wasn't long before the world fell out from under me. Cassie stared back with a forced smile on her lips, her hand clamped tight on her arm and blood seeping between her pale fingers.

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Somehow, I switched off the sorrow and cleared the emotion from my view. With a wipe of my hand against stubbled skin, I numbed the fear and pushed back the pain.

My hand found the scruff of Cassie’s jacket and I pulled her hard through the slick of blood. Pulling her up into my arms, I shuffled through the back door. With a kiss to her forehead, I lay her on a patch of bloodless tarmac.

Lane was out with his pack open in his hands, the first aid kit already split in two and its contents spreading across the road.

Cassie didn't moan or wince at the pain as Lane cleaned out the wound, but I had to look away.

Standing, I scooped dressings from the floor and, ripping open the pack of QuikClot, I stumbled over to Andrew. The old woman’s tourniquet had slowed his bleed, but his arm was going pale and I pushed the dressing into her outstretched hand.

With my palm over my mouth, I took in a full view, drew a deep breath and watched for movement; the road littered with death and destruction, both with bodies which had died for the second time and those for whom it would be their one and only.

The thought struck a reminder in my head, but my step back to the Land Rover paused as I caught a strange noise. My ears were attuned to the terrifying scream those horrific creatures gave off, but this was so different.

Shaking off the contemplation, I delved in the rucksack and pulled two magazines from the ammo bag before retrieving the hand gun from the road next to the rifle. I pushed a magazine home and climbed into the back of the Land Rover.

The smell was already surfacing.

I pulled Zoe's arm and she followed like a doll. Gritting my teeth with her in my arms, I could already feel the ice-cold body reacting as the last of her energy sent her muscles twitching.

I took her past the children, smiling through my clench and kicked the door of the old man’s cottage wide before laying her to the sofa, holding my left hand firm on her chest, with the other pushing the barrel against her forehead.

“Goodbye,” I said, and with a deep breath I pulled the trigger.

Back out in the open, the air was thick with decay and the stench of blood blowing in my face with every gust of wind.

I'd been right; this was a new beginning. Just not for all of us.

“Back in the truck,” I said to Ellie, my words free of emotion. “Back in the truck,” I repeated to Lane, ignoring Cassie's outreached hand.

Instead, I strode towards the house where we'd stayed the night, walking at a stiff pace towards the whimper, all the while knowing what I would find.

The sound grew louder and told me I was right; the black body in the garden curled in a ball soon confirming.

Shadow's head raised as high as he could manage, his gaze locking to mine as I approached. He lay on his side and breath caught in my throat as my gaze fell on a great rend of flesh matting down the fur of his chest.

Whimpering as I picked him up, tears ran down my face as his long tongue slapped at my cheek. He'd gone ahead, slipped out of the sight; rushed off to attack the creature in a pre-emptive strike to save the misery of its attack.

The walk seemed so much longer on the return journey as I hoped I wouldn’t have to say goodbye to another friend by my hand today.

Arriving back, the Land Rover was loaded; just the bloody remains, liquid slick, the discarded dressing packs and antiseptic bottles left to litter the road.

I placed Shadow just behind the rear door and Cassie's voice came back quiet.

“I'm okay,” she said, and I turned to Andrew, his cheeks bunched.

I noted his silence. I couldn't reply. I couldn't voice my anger and give words to the despair when a small hand came up from out of sight.

“It'll be okay,” the small boy said, and I turned in his direction. Taking his hand, he squeezed.

“She told me last night. I can help,” Jack said and I saw his bright face, his sister's too, as she sat between his legs. Ellie's hand came out and I took it in my left.

“She'll be okay,” she said. “She's the strongest person I've ever known,” she added, and I gave a nod, turning to Lane and the gun in his fist.

“Watch Shadow too,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice even before slamming the doors as I let go. I couldn't twist away too soon, couldn't turn from their faces any quicker. Ellie was right, but I knew even if Jack held the key to the cure, it wouldn't be in time to save Cassie, no matter her strength.

We had the chance to save other people's lives, but I couldn't stop the tears rolling down my cheeks. I wasn't blubbing. I wasn't losing control, but I couldn't help letting the emotion pour out.

I took longer than I should to collect up the discarded weapons and pile them back on the passenger seat.

The journey was the most solitude I'd had in ages and I pushed bullets into magazines and chambers while I let the Land Rover amble along, knowing the lead had names on them I never wanted to write.

Although I kept my eyes wide open and