The Virus Within: The Road Ahead (Book 1 - SERIES COMPLETED!)

Chapter 12

Nicky wiped the sweat off her forehead again and scowled at the forest. "We've been walking for over four hours. Are you sure it was in this direction?"

Even though we were walking in the shade of the trees, the heat and humidity were taking their toll on the plodding humans. They'd been making inroads on the water I was carrying, and we'd been stopping frequently for short breaks, but most of them were sweating heavily enough that I was worried about heatstroke. I was not carrying them.

"Yes. The smell is much stronger. We should reach it within twenty minutes, even at this pace." I could smell several regular zombies as well but didn't bother mentioning them just yet.

The news didn't improve her grouchy mood. She took another big drink of water and continued grumbling under her breath.

It took us about half an hour before we finally spotted the buildings.

"Really? They classified this as a rest stop?" Nicky demanded. "We could stick all six of those buildings in a Walmart with room for a bonfire!"

"It beats sleeping under a tree," Ben countered tiredly.

"Yeah, but I ain't sleeping with those two zombies."

With a resigned sigh, I put the two duffle bags down. "Wait here. If anything shows up, give me a holler, but unless something is hiding upwind, I'm only picking up the scent of four zombies."

I jogged toward one of the two small houses. Predictably, the zombies swiftly noticed me and gave chase. I opened the door and barged past the zombie already inside, quickly exiting the back door and slamming it shut behind me.

By the time I came back around to the front, the other two had gone in and were visiting the resident zombie. I closed the front door, sealing the new prisoners inside. There weren't any large windows on this house, so they probably wouldn't be able to break out.

I located the fourth zombie in the small restaurant, and it seemed to be sufficiently contained. As I walked past the corner store, I glanced inside. The damaged door had been left open by other looters, proof that we weren't the first ones to drive on this road. Judging by the scent, the lone male had passed through just a couple of days ago. The store was tiny, and the shelves were fairly empty, but there were still some supplies left.

I returned to the waiting group and picked up the duffle bags. "All clear. Just avoid the restaurant and the house I lured the zombies into. Not much in the corner store, and the door won't stay shut."

Ben followed me out of the trees. "Could you please check if the motel is safe to sleep in while we scavenge through the corner store?"

"Sure."

I carried the duffle bags to the small motel. I opened the unlocked door to reveal a grand total of six rooms along the hallway. The narrow staircase at the far end made me pause since this building wasn't tall enough for a second floor.

With my curiosity piqued, I climbed up the stairs and opened the door. The flat roof boasted lawn chairs, a raised firepit, hotdog sticks, and a dozen empty beer bottles. The waist-high parapet had prevented me from noticing them from the ground.

Down by the corner store, Nicky waved at me to catch my attention. I waved back and vaulted off the motel roof, bending my knees to absorb the impact as I landed on the grass. Dropping off a one-story building was well within my Nightstalker abilities, although I wouldn't attempt it from the roof of a two-story building.

Nicky shook her head as I got closer. "Show off. This place is basically empty. What did you find over there?"

"Six rooms and no zombies. There is a patio and firepit on the roof."