Zoey and the Zombies (A Mondamin Court Adventure)

Chapter Ten #6

Danielle Smith rocked herself anxiously, a book on her lap, but she wasn't reading. She knew her husband had an important job, but why couldn't he be here with her? She needed him too.

The phone rang, startling her. She fished it from her purse and answered quickly. "Justin? Where are you? When are you getting off tonight?" The questions tumbled out of her before she could stop them.

"Listen, I can't talk long," he replied sharply. "I'm not even supposed to be contacting you, technically."

"Why not?"

"New orders. I couldn't not though. I had to contact you. I needed to let you know I'm not coming home."

"You have to work overnight?"

"I am not coming home again, not till this is over. Twenty-four-hour duty. It's part of the latest emergency orders."

"They can't do that," she said.

"They can and they have. They have to, or so they say. It's not just us either. The police everywhere—county, state and locals too. We've all been conscripted."

"Conscripted?"

"To the joint command. National Guard, active duty military, police, a half dozen private security companies, basically anyone with a gun and training are now part of the Unified Command. We are all in till the end. We can't leave our post, not even for family."

"But—"

"But nothing," he said. "Look I have to go, I'm not even supposed to be calling. I just wanted to say I love you, and Barry too. And tell Jack . . . tell him it's a lot uglier than they're saying on the news. He knows, I'm sure. But tell him, tell him it would mean the world if he were to look out for you and Barry. I'll pay him back, if there is ever a chance."

Danielle took a breath to start another question, but the line was dead. She stood, in an intense state of panic. Her first thought was to go to Maggie Hillcrest. She'd understand; her husband was gone already. She got as far as the front door. It was already dark. She froze. She was not leaving the house, not now. In the morning she'd go to Maggie, to Lydia, to someone. Tonight, she was trapped here. She tested the deadbolt again, just in case. She returned to the couch, rocking again.

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