ZOMB-POCALYPSE BOOK 2

Chapter Eighteen

Silas and I make a push against the zombies, madly shooting our way towards our rapidly closing escape route. My stomach hurts; I'm so afraid of a ripping, tearing death. I try not to think about it and just focus on trying to survive and not get bit, but it isn't an easy task. There must be fifty zombies gathered here, all of their attention riveted on us, and more zombies wander in with each passing minute.

The zombies in front of us close rank quickly, more popping up to fill the empty spaces made by those we take down. There is nothing left to do but retreat, which would be a great plan if there weren't zombies behind us too. They form a tight circle around us, and that circle keeps getting smaller as they stagger closer.

"I have two bullets left!" Silas yells to be heard above the raucous of the dead, and I nod grimly. His meaning is crystal clear. Even though we've never talked about this outcome before, I don't want to be ripped apart, and I don't want to come back as one of those things either.

"Do it!" I yell back as tears fall freely down my cheeks.

Silas pulls me into his arms and holds me tightly against his body for a second before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my tear-soaked lips. He lingers there, much longer than a simple goodbye kiss might warrant, and I'm thoroughly shocked. I don't kiss him back at first, but then after a couple of seconds I find my lips moving against his. He pulls away from me, his dark eyes burning with something I can't even begin to name.

"I always liked you, Blondie," he murmurs in my ear as he presses his pistol to my temple. I try to give him a half smile to make this easier on him, and completely fail. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

His words hurt my heart, and I wish that I was strong enough to do this so Silas doesn't have to. "It wasn't your fault," I tell him, and it's true. I would have been dead long before today if it hadn't been for Silas.

The zombies blocking our path suddenly go flying to the side like pins at the bowling alley as the nose of the Ford forces its way into our midst.

"Holy shit!" Silas shouts as he snatches his pistol away from my head, looking sick about what almost happened. "Get in the back!" he yells as he pushes me hard, urging me towards the truck. He picks me up and manually throws me into the back of the truck just as he's tackled to the ground from behind by a zombie.

"No!" The scream is torn from my throat as I watch the zombie latch onto Silas's arm and begin to gnaw.

"Just go, Jane!" Silas yells at me, his eyes pleading with me to listen. His words are almost the exact same thing I'd said to him a few minutes ago, and he hadn't left me for dead.

I jump out of the back of the truck, stumbling when I hit the ground hard, and slam my gun into the back of the zombie's head point blank, pulling the trigger. Silas is showered with little bits of blood, bone, and brain matter as the zombie slumps down on top of him. The other zombies are so close that it won't be more than another couple steps before they reach us. I start firing into the crowd as Silas jumps to his feet and joins me, firing until his magazine runs dry and we've knocked the zombies back enough to allow us to climb into the back of the truck.

I climb up on my own this time to be sure Silas will have enough time to get in. I can hear Ryan firing out his window too, but my whole world is focused on surviving right now. As soon as we are in the back, Ryan jams the truck in drive and takes off like a shot, mowing down zombies left and right.

"Hold on to the tie down straps!" Silas yells out, showing me where to grab the rope and wind my wrist through so I won't get thrown from the truck. I shift uncomfortably on the top of the boxes and bags we have loaded in here, and I pray that we will be alright, but I know for certain that one of us won't be.