The Days Are Tired (Book #1 of the Dark Skies series) - A Zombie story

Chapter 34: Betrayal

Outside the Woodland Market, we were met with questioning looks from our group. Flin and Ava had already introduced themselves and told everyone about the situation. Will had been on his way to help us when we walked out the glass door of the building. The task had hardened his face with determination.

It honestly warmed my heart that he had been prepared to go in and save us.

Lacy ran over and threw herself at Cain. Her shaky hands cupped his face in a way that squished his cheeks. This scene was all too familiar. Will's reaction to our return was tamer. He stood a few feet away, unmoving. His gaze was swift as he examined us before nodding to himself as if to say 'good they're alright'.

Paul sneered, his steps jerky as he made a swift retreat to the car, slamming the door after he got in. Great, he was throwing a hissy fit. I rolled my eyes. It made sense why he and Frank got along so well.

I made my way forward, opting to give Cain and Lacy some privacy.

Sofia seemed to materialize out of thin air as she ran up to me, with Azula not far behind. The girl slung her arms around my neck, her body shaking as she clung to me. "I'm glad you're okay," she breathed. Azula seemed to bark in agreement, her doggy tail wagging vibrantly.

Leo jumped out of the rusty truck bed and bounced over to me, his eyes assessing. "You good Bri?"

I squeezed Sofia a little tighter, anchoring myself to the present, and nodded. "I'm fine, just a little shaken up. That Red in there was huge..."

"I heard." He said, his usually cheerful face wilted with a frown. "Cain should have just left him," he muttered, more to himself than to me.

"You know Cain would never do something like that. He feels responsible for all of us now," I said. The big guy's protective streak ran a mile high.

Leo forced a smile. "That's the problem."

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After our brief reunion, everyone got back inside the vehicles. The seating arrangements had grown more cramped with our recent additions to the group. The truck bed carried five people plus an energetic dog. I didn't know whether I was lucky or cursed since me and Will were still passengers in the sports car. Yeah, we got more room, but we were trapped with two idiots.

It was a lose-lose situation.

We had been driving for at least an hour, passing old wooden farmhouses that reminded me of the show Little House on the Prairie. The sun bathed the earth in an auburn golden haze that left me feeling thoughtful. The road we sped down was empty, with no cars in sight.

Trees surrounded us on both sides, their branches swaying roughly in the wind. We whizzed by a sign that said Fortworth City (16 miles). It would be best to pass that city completely. I had heard it was a tourist destination, so I thought it was bound to hold a lot of infected.

The Compound was only a couple of hours away now, maybe even less. I could feel my skin itching with anticipation. Getting there was the end goal. A promise of some sort of stability. Safety.

At that thought, I found myself shooting nervous glances at Paul. His fingers tapped involuntarily on the steering wheel. He was like some crazed pianist, except the melody he created seemed more involuntary than anything purposeful.

I could see part of his face through the rearview mirror. His eyes were unfocused, dark pits of nothing, as he stared at the road ahead.

During the drive, his skin had taken on a pale translucent tint that highlighted the veins in his face. The veins were dark and thin, reminding me of half-finished spiderwebs. He was sweating profusely, his shirt nearly soaked through. Flashbacks of his condition the night we met him assaulted me.