Moms Against Zombies Read online

  hour.

  “We are still investigating the strange events at a

  doctor’s office this morning. The witnesses who are still

  alive and weren’t harmed have told us exactly what

  happened. Marcia, do you have the report?”

  “Yes, Bill. Standing in front of me are the witnesses.

  They’re saying the doctor was taking a smoke break by the

  back door when suddenly, he was attacked by a man

  walking by. The man used his fingers to scratch at the

  doctor, and then proceeded to bite him. Before he could

  harm anyone else, a bystander who was carrying a gun shot

  him. The paramedics arrived to help the wounded man, but

  he attacked them as well.”

  “Marcia, how many were wounded in total?”

  “Bill, we don’t actually know what the total is because

  we had to relocate into the van and drive a few streets over.

  Those who found safety with us were able to give us some

  insight into what happened, but so far, most of it is just

  conjecture at this point. We should be able to have the full

  story by the evening news…excuse me, Bill. We were just

  told to caution people in the area to refrain from helping

  anyone who seems to be injured or sick. Dial 9-1-1 and let the professionals handle the situation until we know how

  these individuals have become sick.”

  “Be careful out there. Well, ladies and gentleman, you

  heard it here. Some kind of incident that sounds, well,

  almost too crazy to be true. Stay tuned for updates as our

  investigative team finds out more about the situation.”

  The station resumes playing music.

  I honestly don’t know which is more disturbing: the

  fact that my baby was near this illness, or that they don’t

  know what exactly is happening to people.

  Considering Brad had called me, this isn’t just a single

  case. It has to be happening overseas as well, or they had

  gotten orders, but couldn’t say because it’s top secret.

  He wouldn’t have been able to call if it was classified,

  but knowing my husband, if it would save mine and baby

  Pierce’s life, then he would break any rules necessary.

  There’s only about an hour and a half left until I make it

  to Nana and Pop’s.

  “Oh, crap. I forgot to call them and let them know I’m

  coming.”

  Not that they really need to be warned we’re on the

  way, but a heads-up would be a nice gesture.

  “Dial Nana.” The van fills with the tones of the phone

  dialing, but it goes straight to a busy tone.

  I hit the disconnect button on the phone more forcefully

  than I intended. “Dial Nana’s cell.”

  “All circuits are busy at the moment. Please try your call again later.”

  “Well, baby, I guess we made it out of the city just in

  time. We’ll try them again when we get a little closer.”

  The towers nearer to Nana’s might not have the city’s

  overflow, and we might be able to use that the further into

  the mountains we go.

  I try to comfort myself with the thought that they’re still

  playing music and not an emergency alert. Maybe things

  aren’t that terrible yet.

  Chapter 2

  Trish

  “Mom, did I do good at the dentist?” Six-year-old

  Nicole asks, hoping she’ll get a treat.

  “Yes, dear. Everyone gets a treat this evening at

  dinner.”

  “Even Trevor? He screamed when they were cleaning

  his teeth.” Nicole asks, concerned he might get something

  he doesn’t deserve.

  “Sweetie, Trevor is only two. It was his first visit to the

  dentist.” I smile in the rearview mirror at my little guy. “He will do much better next time since he knows what to

  expect. Won’t you, Trev?”

  He simply nods his head around his sippy cup of Kool-

  Aid.

  The doctor’s complex isn’t hard to navigate, but

  suddenly, there seems to be a traffic jam leading out of the

  area.

  Nicole chooses that moment to shove her sister, Joy.

  “Mom!” Joy exclaims, holding her elbow. “She pushed

  me into the car seat again.”

  I try to ignore the situation, but with the SUV sitting

  still in a line waiting to exit, I turn slightly.

  “Nicole, keep your hands in your lap and don’t touch

  your sister.” Holding up a finger to ward off Joy’s protests,

  I continue. “Nicole, you need to apologize to your sister for hurting her. Girls, we have too much traffic—”

  A shrill scream erupts from Nicole’s side of the car. I

  twist around to see a face pressed against the window.

  I start to lower my window to speak to the person, until

  I notice the blood covering the side of him…or her. Oh, it’s

  definitely a her. I can see the big hoop earring on the

  normal side of her face.

  I hate to leave someone in need, but I can’t take a

  chance that whoever did such a thing to her would find us.

  My protective nature takes over and I throw the SUV

  into gear and pull out into the incoming lane, screeching

  my tires, leaving the poor woman stumbling after us in a

  crazy, weaving manner.

  Carson, my son, is speechless because I never drive like

  this. I always caution him to drive safely to avoid accidents.

  At the moment, I don’t care who or what is in my way; I

  need to get us out of the complex in a hurry.

  Others seeing my quick exit have followed my

  example, and suddenly the road is filled on both sides with

  people trying to leave.

  I manage to pull out into a slightly empty space, but

  realize the holdup is from the cars out on the main roads,

  managing to bring everyone to a standstill.

  There’s no way I’ll get stuck again with three children

  crying and one scared silent, so I cross over into the turn

  area and nudge my way right into the neighborhood across

  the way.

  Every neighborhood has a front entrance, and at least one back entrance to them. I’m betting there will be less

  traffic on the other side. I don’t bother with stop signs or

  going only thirty miles an hour. This is an emergency.

  “Mom?” Carson questions in fear. “What’s going on?”

  “I’m not sure, honey, but we need to get home quick.”

  The back seat has gone quiet as the seriousness of the

  situation sinks in, and the children watch in amazement as

  their mother tears through the neighborhood toward their

  home.

  -----------

  “Listen to what I’m going to tell you, kids, it’s very

  important. When we arrive home in a minute, I want you

  get out of the car and go straight to your rooms. Joy,

  unbuckle Trevor and make sure he gets to his room. Does

  everyone understand?”

  Four heads nod in unison.

  “All right. Once I get us in the house, I’ll make a few

  phone calls. I need you to find a backpack and fill it with

  clothes. Sturdy clothes, Joy.” Knowing how she always

  tries to wear flip flops to the gym, it needs to be said as a

  reminder. “I’m going to call your fat
her and see what he

  thinks is going on and what we should do.”

  I pull into the drive and stop quickly. All four children

  get out and hurry into the house while I try to calm my

  nerves.

  Maybe I just imagined the person was injured, and my

  overworked brain was simply seeing things.

  Prying my fingers from the steering wheel, I glance up to see Carson standing in the doorway, waiting to make

  sure I make it inside okay. He’s going to grow up to be

  such a gentleman.

  Psyching myself up, I get out and close the door, only

  to find the handle covered in blood from the person

  smearing it all over my car.

  I walk into the house and Carson shuts the door behind

  me as I head for the sink.

  “Carson, could you please bring me the bleach from the

  laundry room and pour it over my hands?” I manage to ask

  calmly.

  Blood doesn’t normally bother me, but this is from

  someone who’s not related to me, and I’m still a little

  freaked out.

  “Should I just pour it over your hands?” Carson asks

  cautiously.

  “Yes, and turn the water on as hot as it will go.”

  I rinse my hands. “Honey, you can stop. Now, take the

  soap bottle and cover my hands with it.” Seeing his evil

  grin slip into place, I say, “Only my hands and nothing else,

  young man.”

  “Aw, Mom. How did you know?” Carson grins.

  “I’m the mom.” I grin back. “Go outside and hose down

  the car so the younger kids don’t see that, okay?”

  “Sure thing.” Whistling, he goes toward the door, but

  stops to look back. “Do you think that was just an isolated

  incident?” Shaking my head at him, I try to keep my fears

  from showing through. “Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of.

  I’ll be careful out there, and if I see anything I’ll run

  inside.” The door closes behind him, and before I can

  gather my wits, Joy and Nicole come into the kitchen.

  “Hey, Mom?”

  “Yes, sweetie?”

  “We’re both packed and Trevor’s asleep. I packed him

  a bag of clothes as well. Do you know where we’re going?”

  “Not yet, honey. I still have to call your dad and see

  what the news has to say about what happened. Why don’t

  you both take a soda into the playroom and watch

  something until I find out if we need to go?”

  Subdued, both girls quietly go to the playroom without

  any argument.

  Astonished, I think the world must have just ended

  because that never happens.

  As I try to figure out where Carson would have put my

  purse, the phone starts ringing with the Imperial March, my

  hubby’s own tone. “Hey, Honey—” I begin, but I’m cut off

  by a high-pitched voice that can’t possibly be my husband.

  “Umm…I’m headed home as quick as I can. I’m not

  sure what you’ve heard, but downtown is in rush hour

  traffic as the entire workforce is trying to leave all at once.”

  “Why on earth would everyone come home in the

  middle of the day?” I question, but I have a feeling that the

  situation at the doctor’s complex isn’t the only one in our

  area.

  “There was an incident, and everyone is in a panic because while there’s only one here, they think it will

  spread all over the country in the next twenty-four hours.”

  “Are we going to stay here, or should we try to make it

  out to the farm?” I don’t want to make the trip, but it’s

  better to be safe than sorry.

  “Babe, I’ve gotta go, but pack up the house and kids.

  I’ll call you back in a few.”

  Looking at the phone in my hand as it goes silent, I

  slide to the floor in frustration as the situation sinks in.

  The end of the world is here, and not all of us are going

  to make it.

  -----------

  Cooper

  The idea of getting out of here seems to diminish by the

  minute. Another car forces its way into line as everyone

  creeps along toward the exit from the five levels of cars, all in a hurry to leave.

  I don’t see this going anywhere, and once I hit the street

  level, the chaos will be worse as the entire downtown tries

  to squeeze onto the already narrow streets.

  Yanking the idling car from the line going nowhere, I

  head back up to the roof where no one is at.

  Sitting here, I consider the dumb move I just made by

  leaving the line. Already the air smells better, though, and I can think without the enclosed honking of horns echoing in

  my ears.

  I have an overnight bag in my trunk, and the

  refrigerator in the lunchroom will have enough food to last

  me the night. While I hate the idea of leaving my wife and

  children to fend for themselves, they have a much better

  chance of leaving town now, and I can catch up with them

  later.

  Not seeing much choice at the moment, I climb out of

  the car and head back downstairs, knowing the elevators

  will still be full of people trying to leave. There were

  always the last ones who were determined to finish their

  paperwork before the world ended.

  I work for a company that develops programs. Some for

  data entry, being the simplest programs, and then more

  complex programs that are classified. If the world is truly

  over, then we’ll only have computer access for a short

  while.

  I cross through the now empty cubicles strewn with

  meaningless papers and reports, waiting for their owners to

  return. The silence is completely deafening in a place that

  rarely sleeps, which only intensifies the fact that it’s over—

  the world has ended.

  Resisting the urge to right overturned chairs, I head

  straight for my office in the corner. It’s one of the few

  enclosed spaces on the entire floor, so that those in charge

  can see who isn’t working hard enough.

  A door slams behind me. I’ve just come from there and

  I crouch down, not really understanding the instinct to hide.

  I can hear the words they are speaking as they get a

  little closer to where I’m hidden from view beside the water

  cooler. As the footsteps approach, I scramble to move

  further back into the corner where the older file cabinets collect dust, but provide a better cover.

  “I’m glad that everyone believed those reports we

  fabricated. Now the entire downtown will be empty and the

  police will be busy running to answer all the calls about

  possible zombie sightings instead of securing the buildings.

  “I know, dude. I can’t believe our good fortune. All

  these classified documents just waiting to be uploaded, and

  we walk out of here free men.

  “I hope the other groups are having the same kind of

  luck. Otherwise, it will all be for nothing.”

  My phone starts to vibrate and I reach in my pocket to

  silence it.

  Bypassing my office, they move into my boss’s office

  and turn on his computer.

  I can barely see into the other room, but both guys have
<
br />   machine guns and are wearing ninja suits, so there won’t be

  a way to identify them.

  Holding my breath and staying quiet seems to be the

  best course of action until they get what they’re here for. I

  don’t have any weapons nearby.

  If I could get to my office, there’s a gun hidden at the

  bottom of my files, but these guys move like they’ve had

  military training, and I wouldn’t be able to do anything

  against them. Probably wearing Kevlar material under their

  ninja suits, I try to convince myself not to act as our secrets are stolen right in front of me.

  “Ugh! Coward. Why couldn’t I be one of those guys

  that race into danger instead of away from it?” I groan out

  loud, then clap a hand over my mouth. “Of course I’m the idiot that gets caught and dies as well.”

  Thankfully, they didn’t hear me, or if they did, they’re

  too engrossed in stealing to care.

  I peek out from my hiding place to see them both bent

  over my boss’s desk, gesturing to each other. The taller one

  grabs the USB and makes for the door as I duck back

  behind the file cabinet.

  “Gary, there’s no need to cover our tracks. They won’t

  even know what hit them when they realize the world isn’t

  ending.”

  “I get that, but there will be a huge investigation, and I

  don’t want to take a chance of that coming back to haunt

  us. After all the work we did this morning, putting the

  makeup on those guys to be realistic zombies, the only

  thing haunting us will be the videos of the chaos embedded

  in history.”

  “Still, can you wipe the keyboard down again?”

  “Steven, you are such a worrier. We’re wearing gloves

  for God’s sake. Let’s go. We still have another building to

  hit up.”

  “I have the urge to leave something behind. You know,

  when you steal from one house, then leave it at the next in

  place of what you stole?” Gary is interrupted when a loud

  noise erupts from the break room.

  “What the hell is that?” Both men take off running

  toward the source of the sound.

  Deciding to take advantage of their distraction, I crawl the few feet to my office door and around the desk before I

  stop to listen for sounds that either man had seen me.

  The sound of a gunshot rings out and I slowly slide the

  drawer out and reach below my files for the pistol at the