Rise of the Undead (Book 6): Apocalypse Z Read online

  Rummaging in the cooler he’d packed earlier, he removed a bottle of water and a packet of peanuts. As he chewed on a handful of the nuts, he surveyed his handiwork. All in all, it was a solid morning’s work. He’d tidied the flowerbeds, raked up the dead vegetation, and trimmed the trees. He’d also readied a patch of earth for planting, and the seeds lay waiting on the kitchen table. His mouth watered at the thought of fresh peas, green beans, spinach, tomatoes, and lettuce. Anything that didn’t carry the metallic aftertaste of a can.

  “Wow, someone’s been busy,” a familiar voice called.

  He looked up into the beaming face of Amanda. “Hi, Amanda.”

  She waved at him from the front gate before pointing at the garden. “It’s looking good, I see.”

  Alex shrugged. “All in a day’s work.”

  “Fancy a walk? I’m on my way to the infirmary,” Amanda asked.

  “I’d love to, but I still need to bag those leaves,” Alex answered. “One stiff breeze, and all my efforts will be undone.”

  “I understand,” Amanda said with a rueful smile. “Maybe another time?”

  “Definitely.”

  At that moment, Amy rode up on her bike, followed by Jenny while George the puppy trailed in their wake. They stopped next to Amanda and exchanged cheerful greetings.

  “Hey, Amanda. Did you come to visit?” Amy asked, leaning her bicycle against the fence.

  “Not today,” Amanda replied. “I’m on my way to work.”

  “That’s too bad,” Amy said, reaching for the gate.

  Alex raised a hand. “Wait, don’t…”

  She unlatched the gate, and George pushed through the opening with a gleeful bark. Before Alex could stop him, he spotted the pile of dead leaves and plowed into it headfirst. An explosion of rich fall colors followed, and within seconds, hours of hard work was lost.

  Alex sighed, his shoulders drooping as he finished his sentence. “…open the gate.”

  Amy stared at him with wide eyes. “Oh, dear. I’m so sorry. I didn’t think.”

  “George, no,” Jenny cried over the fence, wagging her finger. “Bad dog!”

  George ignored both Jenny and Amy, chasing dead leaves around the yard with all the exuberance contained within his quivering body. He barked at everything and anything, his tail lashing the air like a whip.

  Alex rose to his feet with a shake of his head. “I think I’ll take you up on that walk, after all, Amanda.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Amanda said, trying to hide her grin behind a raised hand.

  “I’m sorry, Alex. I’ll clean it up, I promise,” Amy said, cringing as she watched George cavort in the garden.

  “You’d better,” Alex said, walking down the driveway. “It took me the whole morning to rake up those leaves. The plastic bags are on the porch.”

  “I’ll help,” Jenny said, dropping her bike to the ground. She darted past Alex and chased after George, a futile exercise as the puppy evaded her efforts with ease.

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Alex said with a somber expression. “And don’t forget to pick up his poop, either.”

  “His poop?” Jenny asked, wrinkling her nose.

  “You’re kidding, right?” Amy called after his retreating back.

  “You heard me,” Alex shouted back as he joined Amanda on the sidewalk. He extended his arm with exaggerated courtesy. “Shall we, Miss Hooper?”

  Amanda smothered a giggle as she looped her arm through his. They walked down the street for a spell before she said, “That was kind of mean.”

  “Mean? Try doing yard work in this heat with three gunshot wounds in your chest,” Alex said.

  Amanda snorted. “Now, you’re exaggerating.”

  “Only a little,” Alex admitted. “Besides, it will keep them out of trouble.”

  “Mm, trouble seems to follow you Donahue’s around like a shadow,” Amanda said. “Seriously, though. How are you feeling?”

  “Much better. It still hurts at times, but each day is better than the last,” Alex said, giving his chest an experimental stretch.

  “Will you be able to work again soon?” Amanda said.

  “I’m counting on it,” Alex said. “Sitting on the porch all day isn’t exactly my idea of fun.”

  “And neither is picking up dog poop,” Amanda said with a laugh.

  Alex shuddered. “Definitely not, but why do you ask about my working again soon?”

  “No reason, except that I know they could use you. Dylan complains about the state of the vehicles all the time. Trucks are breaking down left, right, and center, and I know everyone is worried about the coming of spring.”

  “Spring? It’s not coming, it’s already here,” Alex said, waving a hand around.

  “I know, and that’s what frightens me. Any day now, the zombies will come back,” Amanda said, her voice low.

  “Don’t worry about it too much. We’re safe here,” Alex said, not liking the bleak look in her eyes.

  “Are we?” Amanda asked. “We’ve had it easy this winter, except for King’s attack, and it’s been nice not being scared all the time.”

  “You scared? You don’t have it in you to be scared,” Alex said, bumping her shoulder.

  She punched him on the arm. “Shows you how little you know about me.”

  “A lack I intend to remedy,” Alex replied. “If you’ll let me.”

  Amanda flashed him an amused look. “Are you asking me out, Alex Donahue?”

  “Maybe. If you could get your boss to give you time off,” Alex quipped.

  “We’ll see about that,” Amanda answered. “But you’d better pull out all the stops. I aim to be impressed.”

  “Not a problem,” Alex said. “I know how to romance a girl.”

  Amanda laughed. “I’m sure you do. You must’ve been a hit with the ladies before all this began.”

  “What do you mean before all this?” Alex asked. “I still am. Haven’t you seen the queues lining up outside my house?”

  “Seems like I’ve got competition,” Amanda quipped as they approached the steps of the infirmary.

  Alex winked at her. “Never fear. I only have eyes for one girl, and she’s standing right here.”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet,” a voice called from the entrance of the hospital. “I didn’t know you felt that way about me, Alex.”

  Alex looked up into Dylan’s laughing gaze, and he shrugged. “Alas, here I am. Torn between two beautiful women. However, shall I choose?”

  Amanda snorted. “You’d better make up your mind fast, Casanova. This girl doesn’t take seconds.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Alex said, watching as she joined Dylan at the entrance. “Where’s Nick? I haven’t seen him in ages.”

  “Putting out fires,” Dylan replied. “Now that the winter is over, there are tons of stuff that needs to be done and not enough hands to do it.”

  “Sounds like he could use some help,” Alex mused.

  “I’m sure he could if you’re offering,” Dylan said.

  “Where can I find him?”

  “I don’t know. He could be anywhere,” Dylan said. “Maybe try the warehouses. I think he was due for an inspection today.”

  “Thanks,” Alex said before looking at Amanda once more. “Will I get to see you tonight?”

  “Maybe,” Amanda replied with a teasing grin. “If I get off early enough, I’ll stop by your house for a quick visit.”

  “It’s a deal,” Alex said, waiting while the two women entered the infirmary. Once they were out of sight, he set a course for the warehouses that housed all their supplies. “Time to get off my ass and do some real work for a change. I’m tired of sitting around, and it sure beats raking up dead leaves.”

  Chapter 2 - Dylan

  “So, you and Alex, huh?” Dylan teased as she walked down the infirmary’s hallway at Amanda’s side.

  Amanda affected a negligent shrug. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe.”

  Dylan didn’t miss t
he crimson blush that crept into her cheeks despite her casual attitude, and she laughed. “Oh, come on. No need to be shy about it. We’re all grownups here.”

  “Nothing has happened so far. It’s all talk,” Amanda said.

  “So? What are you waiting for?” Dylan asked. “Happiness is scarce these days. You should grab it while you can.”

  “Are you happy?” Amanda asked. “With Nick, I mean?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t be with him if I weren’t,” Dylan replied.

  “But do you love him? Like, really love him?” Amanda asked.

  Dylan nodded. “With all my heart.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. Because he makes me feel good,” Dylan said. “And, he accepts me for who I am. I don’t have to hide a part of myself when I’m with him.”

  “That’s pretty special,” Amanda said. “I hope to find something like that one day.”

  “I’m sure you will,” Dylan said before nudging Amanda with her shoulder. “Between you and me, Alex is a stand-up guy. You won’t find much better than him.”

  Amanda giggled. “We’ll see, but first, he has to work for it.”

  “Oh, I get it. You’re gonna make him sweat,” Dylan teased.

  “Exactly,” Amanda agreed. “By the way, what are you doing here?”

  “I came in for a check-up,” Dylan said, wiggling her arm.

  “Why? Is something wrong? Do you have an infection?” Amanda asked with a concerned look.

  “No, nothing like that. It seems fine to me, but Ethan insisted on taking one last look. He ambushed me outside my home this morning.” Dylan grimaced at the memory. Beyond awkward.

  “I see,” Amanda said.

  “To be honest, I find it kind of strange,” Dylan admitted, tucking her hands into her pockets and hunching her shoulders.

  “Find what strange? That he wants to take another look?” Amanda asked.

  “Yeah, it’s been three weeks since I got shot, give or take. Why does he need to see me again? It’s all healed up,” Dylan said.

  “I’m sure he means nothing funny by it. He just likes to be thorough. It’s the type of person he is.”

  “I get that, but I’d have thought the less he could see of me, the better,” Dylan explained. “I’m not exactly his favorite person.”

  “So, you two are still on the outs?” Amanda asked with a frown.

  “Last time I checked, yes,” Dylan replied.

  “That’s very out of character for Dr. Hayes. He’s usually so tolerant and forgiving. What happened between you, if I may ask?”

  “I told him the truth about me,” Dylan said. “I told him that I was a killer and not the perfect woman he imagined me to be.”

  “A killer? I know you’ve killed, but that doesn’t make you a bad person,” Amanda said. “You were defending yourself, that’s all.”

  “You don’t know the whole story,” Dylan said with a sigh. “Very few people do. Nick does, and so do Saul, Tara, Alex, and Amy. Nobody else.”

  “I’d like to hear the whole story,” Amanda said. “I consider myself a friend, and I hope you do too.”

  “Of course, I do, but I’m due for my check-up in five minutes, and I’m supposed to meet up with Rita. She’s coming in for an exam too,” Dylan said.

  “How about I meet you at the cafeteria in an hour? I haven’t had lunch yet,” Amanda asked. “Plus, it will give me time to do my rounds first.”

  “I could eat,” Dylan said. “Nick is forever saying I should take better care of myself, and that I don’t eat enough.”

  “Great, see you there,” Amanda said, taking her leave.

  Dylan watched Amanda go with mixed feelings, her thoughts winging back in time to the day she and Ethan had their big fight. The memory still hurt, and she wasn’t looking forward to seeing him again. The silent condemnation in his eyes whenever their paths crossed was enough to drive her mad, but she supposed she had no choice. “Let’s get this over with.”

  He was waiting for her in the exam room, exactly as he’d said he’d be, and she resisted the urge to say, “Punctual, as ever.” It was one of the things that made her choose Nick over him all those months ago. Ethan was too regimented for her taste. Too precise. It was an admirable quality in a surgeon, but not what she needed in her personal life. I wanted passion and excitement. Arguments and debates. Someone I could fight with and for. Someone like Nick.

  Still, it didn’t take away the twinge of regret she felt whenever she saw him. Whatever she’d wanted, Ethan was a good man, and she’d hurt him badly.

  He nodded when she entered the room, a curt greeting falling from his lips. “Dylan.”

  “Ethan,” she replied, equally brisk.

  “How are you feeling today?” he asked, pulling on a pair of gloves.

  “I feel fine, thanks,” she replied, shrugging off her jacket.

  He pushed up the short sleeve of her shirt and examined the scar left by the gunshot wound. “This looks good. The muscle has healed well, and there are no signs of infection. You should have full use of your arm by now.”

  “I do,” she said.

  “Does it hurt at all when you move?” he asked.

  “Nope, not in days,” she said.

  “Good,” he said, stepping away. “Just keep an eye on it.”

  “Thanks,” Dylan said, putting her jacket back on. While winter had passed, there was still a slight chill in the air, especially inside the shadowed confines of the infirmary. With its wall to wall tiles and minimum furniture, the place lacked warmth and comfort. “Can I go now?”

  “Yes, of course,” Ethan said with a quick nod.

  She jumped off the bed and was about to leave when Ethan cleared his throat. She turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “Anything else, Doc?”

  “Yes, actually there is,” Ethan said. “I know things haven’t been great between us—”

  Dylan snorted. “Great? That’s an understatement. Ever since I told you my story, you’ve treated me like a leper.”

  Ethan gazed at her, his expression enigmatic. “Perhaps, I’ve been too harsh in my treatment of you. You were influenced by the Vita virus, after all.”

  “No shit, Sherlock. When did you come to that stunning conclusion?” Dylan asked, allowing her pain to flare into anger.

  Ethan sighed and dropped his eyes. “Look, Dylan. I don’t want to fight with you. Not anymore.”

  “What do you want then?” Dylan asked, a tiny seed of hope blossoming in her chest. Maybe, he wanted to make peace. Maybe, they could even be friends.

  “I want us to put all this ugliness and hatred behind us,” Ethan said. “It’s in the past, and I’d like us to move forward. If you’re willing.”

  “Of course, I’m willing,” Dylan said. “I never wanted any of this in the first place.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Ethan said, reaching out a hand. “Truce?”

  Dylan shook on it. “Truce.”

  “Before you go, I’d like to ask you a favor,” Ethan continued.

  “A favor?” Dylan repeated. “What kind of favor?”

  “It’s about Rita,” Ethan said. “She’s having a rough time of it, and I’m afraid she might do something stupid.”

  “Rita?” Dylan asked.

  “Yes, I was hoping you could talk to her. She won’t listen to me, but she might listen to you. She respects you.”

  Dylan stared at him, her hopes dashed. “Oh, I see. You don’t want to be friends, do you? Not really. This is all about Rita.”

  Ethan frowned. “I never said I wanted to be friends, Dylan. I simply wanted to make peace.”

  “To what end? Asking me favors?” Dylan said.

  “Perhaps.”

  “So, nothing has changed, has it? You still think I’m a monster,” Dylan said. When Ethan didn’t reply, she sighed. “You know what the worst of all is?”

  “What?” he asked, his expression guarded.

  “You don’t need to prete
nd to like me, or even tolerate me, to ask a favor. Especially for Rita. She’s my friend, and I’d do anything for her.”

  “I’m glad to hear that,” Ethan said.

  Dylan headed toward the door. “I’ll talk to her, I promise but don’t play games with me. We’re not children, after all.”

  “I’ll remember that,” Ethan said. “Just one more thing.”

  “What?”

  “Even if I could get past what you’ve done, we could never be friends,” he said.

  Dylan paused. “Why is that?”

  “Because I loved you too much.”

  Dylan sucked in a deep breath. “You never said you loved me that way.”

  “I tried. You didn’t listen, and you chose Nick.”

  “I can’t help who I love, Ethan. It doesn’t work that way,” Dylan protested.

  “No, it doesn’t, and there’s no point talking about it anymore,” Ethan said, turning his back on her. “What’s done is done.”

  “You’re right,” Dylan said, fleeing from the room. Her chest ached, and she longed to scream with frustrated rage. Why does everything have to be so complicated? “Stupid men with their stupid pride.”

  She couldn’t sustain her anger for long, though. She had hurt him, and it would take time for his wounds to heal. I only hope he can find the same happiness I did with Nick. He deserves that much.

  Pushing aside these thoughts, she waited at the entrance for Rita to show up. It wasn’t long before her friend arrived, her wounded arm hanging from a sling around her neck.

  “Rita, you made it,” Dylan said with a broad smile.

  Rita smiled back, but without real warmth. “I always do.”

  “How do you feel?” Dylan asked.

  “Just peachy,” came the quick reply.

  Dylan fell in next to her, and together they walked toward the exam room where Ethan waited. This time, she didn’t go inside, but said, “I’ll wait out here. Good luck.”

  “Thanks,” Rita said, stepping into the room. The door swung shut with a firm click, and Dylan was left pacing the narrow hallway.