Prequel to Summit The Zombie Hunter Series
Coming to Hellfire Publishing in 2012
Prequel- Zombies for Christmas
First installment- New World Order, Coming soon
Second Installment- The World Must End, Coming soon
Zombies for Christmas
By Keira Kroft
Part 5
“Raven”, he nudged her.
“Leave me alone.” She shoved his hand away from her.
“Raven—”
“Raven you don’t understand. Dammit, woman, look.” He gently lifted her head so that she could see the creature that had them trapped…
“Listen to me, I am going to count to three and then I want you to make a loud noise and run and lock yourself in the bathroom. Okay, can you do that for me,” he asked, his arms wrapped tightly around her forearms. He couldn’t help but picture her squeezing his forearms during the throws of passion.
“Okay.” Surprisingly, she didn’t argue with him.
Summit took off and found an ax on the wall in the hall and broke the glass, attracting the zombie from the bedroom. Summit whacked him the neck so hard the things head flew off and his body dropped to the floor.
*****
Raven sat on the bed next to Summit, her heart fluttered, when she was near him. She definitely wanted what happened last night to happen again. But somehow just being with him was enough.
“We never did get to why you wanted me?”
“Because you’re so damn fine,” he teased.
“I didn’t mean it that way.” She playfully hit him in the arm.
“Actually, it was Schmitty who insisted that we find you. You are one of the pieces to the puzzle of what’s going on here. I know this much, you cured cancer.”
“Oh, yes and I turn into a wolf at every full moon.”
“Do you?” he laughed.
“Yes. According to Schmitty not only did you cure cancer, but you did it by entering a single cell of some sort, into the human bloodstream and it would completely reversed it in one day with no pain, no radiation, no illness. Impressive really; I am a scientist and I can’t understand how you did it.”
“See that’s what I don’t get, that I did find a cure, but the other doctors, the chief of staff and the science department said that I didn’t.” Raven was so proud that she couldn’t contain her smile that was bubbling beneath her lips. Maybe I really did it.
He exhaled sharply running a hand through his hair. “As far as we figure it, the government apparently didn’t like the overpopulation statistics, so they tried to hide it from you and that they should start killing off people, to be safe.”
“Why do you keep saying government?”
“Well that’s too long of a story, but I was approached by some officials and once people started dying, Schmitty and I started looking into what might be going on and we found no answers. We were hoping if you could get us your files, maybe we could find some sort of clues, usually where something starts…is where it ends.”
“Okay I have to change the subject, let’s talk about Bailey. Some things don’t add up here. Tell me exactly what happened to my best friend.” Raven realized she must seem rude and uncaring, but she was trying to cope with all of this.
“She was apparently bitten, then turned and Schmitty had to shoot her. And he said that Mia didn’t know and he was bringing her back here because he figured you wanted her,” he shrugged.
“Is that all he said? I know he is your friend, but it all sounds weird. I just don’t get it. To die that quickly and…
She’s a black belt for chrissakes, and her daughter—she would fight for her daughter. And where was Mia, while he was shooting her mother and you can’t fire a gun with ‘them’ running around.” God, he killed my best friend, didn’t he?
“It’s the black-belt thing that has me stumped, why is such a tiny American girl…a mother, have a masters in karate?”
“Oh, that’s an easy question to answer, but very painful.” Raven shoulders slumped, her stomach soured at the thought. “Bailey was at a bar and somebody slipped something in her drink.”
“She was raped? How horrible.” His lips twisted in a scowl and the red pigmentation on his face, made him look angry.
“That’s not the half of it, so he slipped her something and had his way with her. I know that doesn’t sound life changing… Except the sick fuc—”
Raven couldn’t control the tears. “Oh god. Is it safe to get a Hershey bar?”
Summit laughed. “Yes it’s fine. I will follow you, to make sure you are safe,” he said rising from the bed and extending out an arm to help her up. “But tell me, what’s so extreme about something that’s already so god awful.”
“Whoever had his way with her beat her brutally. Bailey’s ribs were broken, he slashed her breast, and her private area had to be stitched. I could go on, but it was awful. She already knew karate somewhat.” Raven opened the ‘special’ pantry and took out a chocolate bar. “But after that she went on a quest to always be able to protect herself and her daughter. The worst part of it is what if Mia ever finds out. Can you imagine?” Raven tore open the wrapper and took a large bite.
“Mia is a child of rape?”
Raven put her hand up, she couldn’t talk her mouth was too full. But it was so good, that she felt better, just for that moment. “Yes, and we have no idea who her father is.”
Donny McGee, Raven thought. “Oh my god…I need my phone.”
“I am afraid to ask you this. But is your cellphone in the house?”
She nodded her head smiling.
“Why your phone, you can use mine,” he asked, pulling the iPhone from his pocket.
“Because, I have problems with how Bailey died and I have counseled enough people during the grief process to know, that it’s normal to suspect foul play. But I really think she was murdered. We have a code, if either one of us in danger and we can’t call 911, we call and say I saw Donny McGee.”
“Why?” Summit asked, looking through the fridge for food.
“Because that was the name of the guy, that Bailey was talking too before the attack. But when they looked for him, it turned out to be a fake name.”
“They never found him?”
“No. We better get going soon.”
“Wait, one more thing,” He said pulling her close, kissing her passionately. “You’re right we better go,” he said pulling away.
“Can you cover me while I go to my room?”
“Okay but we need to find distractors, loud things to throw or maybe raw meat and a very tall ladder.” His nose crinkled whenever he thought really hard.
“I appreciate it MacGyver. But this underground mansion was made for me, so there is a passage way that leads to my room. I meant could you cover me if there were rotting corpses hanging in my room.”
Summit flushed. “Sure I can do that my…little taco.”
“Ummm no, try again, sweetie,” she explained leading him up the stairwell to her bedroom. “We won’t even go into what it means to call a girl a taco. Are you trying to think of a nick name for me?” How sweet.
“Yes I am…bran muffin.”
“So I taste grainy and constipate you?” Raven thumped the heel of her hand into head. He had such a way of frustrating her.
Raven and Summit opened the door at the top and stepped into her closet, she’d left the doors open. She took a deep breath and laced her fingers through Summit’s as they entered her, seemingly quiet room. It wasn’t quiet yesterday when she told her mother that she hated her or treated her sister bad, or scared her Papi with the thought of cancer, only for him to die anyway. Raven dug her hand into her purse and pulled out her Blackberry, turning it on with her thumb.
“I am so sorry, Summit. I know there are more important things at stake here, but if I don’t find out what happened to Bailey now, any signs of what happened will disappear and then I may never know.”
“Okay let’s find out.”
Damn was he sweet. The phone lit up, and the ‘battery low’ message flashed. “Darn, my phone needs to be charged.”
“Oh now, maybe we could…”
“Before you have me steal a car battery, let’s just take the cord out of the top drawer and plug it in,” Raven said, cutting Summit short.
“Sure if you always want to take the easy way out.”
Raven plugged in her phone and a message immediately popped up, her heart pounded.
First message: I saw Donny McGee at the “government facility”.
“Okay. We have a code, but this is a weird variant, she has government facility in quotation marks.” Raven took in a gulp of air. “Have you seen the place where he was taking her, because you know, I am getting a weird feeling about this guy.”
“Schmitty nah, I have known him for ten years. He is a little quirky, but he is not capable of killing someone,” Summit replied with sincerity in his eyes.
“Well let’s hope you are right. I need you to please do me a favor.” Raven continued on, “I need you to call Schmitty and tell him, it’s not safe here and you want to meet him and Mia somewhere else, anywhere else, and I will go to this government facility. Oh hey there a second message.”
Second message: He is Donny McGee.
“Oh god, she must be saying that Schmitty is bad, like I thought.”
“I am not sure, it was weird. Let’s go check out the zombie situation shall we?”
He took her arms in his and they sauntered out the upstairs hall overlooking the foyer, as if they were going to look out on a party. It was a party alright. “Do think that they climb the stairs? It reminds me of my mother’s book club,” Raven laughed.
*****
Raven arrived at the so called government facility. Damn that don’t look safe, she thought examining the old abandoned warehouse on the dirt road. Raven found some steel on the side and started banging it, making loud noises, but no vermin followed up. There didn’t seem to be any zombie’s around and definitely no government officials. It hadn’t even been a half hour since she left Summit, so that he could meet Schmitty and get Mia, but she was missing him already. God, it’s freakin’ cold in here. There was so much going on, that she hadn’t realized how cold it was outside, until now.
Taking a deep breath, Raven went inside. It was big and dark. You could only see where sunlight streamed through.
She pulled her phone from her jeans pocket. She had charged it in the car on the ride over, hopefully it was enough. She called the number that Summit programed in her phone, before she left. He answered on the first ring.
“Raven are you okay?”
“Freezing to death, but okay.”
He chuckled, “Yeah it is.”
“Did Schmitty say where he put Bailey’s body?”
“No, and he’s not there yet. But I told him 1pm and it’s not yet, it’s about 12:58.”’
“Okay, I am going to look around here a bit and I will call you if I find anything.”
“Please do. Hey Raven, I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” Raven professed and clicked off the phone.
God this is a needle in haystack. Looked around she saw there were rats everywhere, and the place certainly didn’t appear stable. Raven shook with fear, what if she did indeed find Bailey’s body, could she handle it?
Raven headed toward the back door. Maybe, Schmitty buried her somewhere back here. Her hands rubbing her folded arms to keep warm. Thump! Raven’s heart raced and her chest ached, from the noise that startled her. Then she heard it again, and then again. Like a thumping sound coming from upstairs. What if Schmitty was there? But what if it was someone that was too hurt to cry out and they needed medical attention. She couldn’t walk away, no doctor would.
She searched for something heavy, to protect herself with. She couldn’t find anything. Raven fled to her car and fumbled with her keys. Why did I lock the car in the middle of nowhere? Finally she got her door open and grabbed her Mag-lite out of the car, hoping that would do the trick.
Back inside, she found the metal stairs that led to an office. Clutching the Mag-lite in one hand, she used the other to cling to the railing that felt, like it, along with the stairs, was going to collapse any minute.
Somehow she made it to the top. The thumping grew louder. She lifted the flashlight high in the air and grabbed the nob and flung the door open.
The Mag-lite fell from her hand. She clutched her chest, immobile. Baily…
The tiny thing look so sad tied up, but at least she wasn’t dead and she didn’t look hurt. “Oh, my god! Schmitty said you were dead.”
The duct tape kept Bailey’s sounds muffled.
Raven found strength and moved toward her best friend. Seeing Bailey alive almost knocked her off her feet. She quickly removed the duct tape and untied her.
She rubbed her red, chaffed wrists. “He’s not a killer, I guess,” she blurted, breathing heavily and shaking uncontrollably.
Raven pulled her off the chair and into a corner. Scanning the room for some kind of cloth, she spotted an old rain coat hanging from a hook. She yanked it down and wrapped it around her friend and held her tight in her arms to warm her. A familiar feeling brushed against her legs, "Meow". Her head shot downward. Catman, thank God. "Hey buddy, Mama will take you somewhere warm in a bit, okay?" he stood up rubbing his precious paws on her leg. She wanted to pet him, but she had to take care of Bailey first.
“It wasn’t you that he wanted. What Schmitty wanted was Mia.” Bailey sobbed, pressing her head against Raven’s chest.
“It wasn’t you that he wanted. What Schmitty wanted was Mia.” Bailey sobbed, pressing her head against Raven’s chest.
“What? Oh god, why?” Raven shifted up.
Bailey sucked back her tears, clutching the raincoat tight. “He said he needed his daughter.”
Daughter? “What do you mean sweetie? Schmitty is Mia’s father?” Raven stood up pulling Bailey with her. “You know we need to get you to the car, where there’s heat.”
Bailey held up a hand. “I have to tell you this.” Her face was swollen from crying. “Schmitty said that it was time to get all his kids. He made perfect children, half genius like him and half stupid whore like me.” She convulsed with sadness.
“Why? Did he say?” Raven asked concerned, a bad feeling twisting in her gut.
“He said, kids from stupid sluts were obedient and compliant, smart children would make perfect soldiers.
Raven felt sweat beading on her forehead. Mia, she could never let anything happen to that little girl and what if Schmitty was up to something awful. She knew Summit was a good guy she could feel it, but she worried for his safety.
Mia! Raven tore her phone from her pants pocket. The phone rang three times before he answered. “Please tell me you have Mia, please.” Bailey clung to Raven’s arm and examined her face closely while Raven spoke.
“Schmitty and Mia didn’t show. What did you find out?” Summit asked.
The end
Continue to follow Bailey, while she hunts for Mia, Raven on her quest for answers, and Summit as he kicks zombie ass until he and Schmitty meet again…
Coming 2012, could this by why the Mayan calendar ended?
If you enjoyed this story you may like Keira Kroft’s other works
Glow in the Dark
Bad Moon Rising Over Oz
Coming soon, Inamorata
Everyone that comments will get a free download of Bad Moon Rising Over Oz the horror take on the classic tale, Wizard of Oz and one lucky commenter will also win a free EBook of the smok’in hot romantic suspense novel, Glow in the Dark.
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Thank you for following, Summit, Raven, Bailey and the gang. I sure hope you enjoyed reading this, as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Happy
Holidays!
Hugs,Keira Kroft
Wooooo....I am so hooked! Can I PLEASE be your Beta reader for the work to come...PLEASE! I flippin laughed out loud at the 'little Taco and Raven not digging that...that was great!!! Poor Mia and how she became Bailey's child....I want to kill that damn bastard myself!
ReplyDeleteKeira, we are going to have to write a book together one day. I truly love how your minds works. I think you, Savannah and I could put out one hell of a book...just saying. ; )
Okay, I will be waiting to see what happens...but I won't be happy about it..LOL It's like a worm hanging from a hook just inches above the water where the starving little fish is just hoping the line will drop. ;)