Life After The Undead (Book 2): Death to the Undead (74 page)

We
decided
to make
our
base
of
operations
in North
Platte.
The
city
was being
rebuilt as
a
homage
to
those
who
fought
against
tyranny,
and
it was just a
logical
place.
It
was the stronghold the
zombies didn’t
want
to
cross,
and
it
was
more
or
less centrally
located.
It
was
the
perfect
location.

After
we
loaded
two Hummers,
we climbed
in and
headed
down the
mountain. Pam took the
lead.
I
rolled
down
my
window
and
stared
at
the
trees.
Dust from the
road
blew
in, coating
me
and
the
interior
in white
powder.
Still, I
couldn’t
get
over
the
smell.
It
was
clean,
crisp, and
cool.
Not stifling
like
the
air
in
Florida.
I
drew
in
a
deep
breath.

“I
really
do love
it out
here,”
I
told Quinn.

“You
and
me both, hon.” He
glanced
over
at
me
and
smiled.
“It
won’t be
long
now.
As
soon
as
we get the
people
trained,
we’ll
disappear
to
my
ranch.
Then,
we’ll
kick those
families
out and
spend
some
time
alone.”
He
raised
and
lowered
his
eyebrows
in a
suggestive
manner.

I
sighed.
“I
can’t
wait.” I
averted
my
gaze
back
out
the
window.

We
bumped
and
wound
our way
through
the
mountain
roads. After
a
few
hours,
we
made
it to
asphalt
and
a
main
highway.
I
rolled
my
window up
and
cranked
up the
vents.
Dust swirled
around
the
interior.
I
sneezed.

We
rode
in
silence
for about twenty
minutes. Quinn
adjusted
in his
seat,
leaning
forward
over
the
steering
wheel.

“Yeah,
baby!”

He
pushed
the
gas
pedal
to the
floor
and
zoomed
around Pam’s
vehicle.
On the
horizon
was
a
dark
blob of
writhing
bodies.
We
ran
through
the horde
at
close
to
seventy
miles
an
hour.
Bodies slammed
and
bounced off
the
vehicle,
blood coated
the
windshield
and
the side
windows.
The
stench
of
death
filtered
through the
vents.
A body
flipped
over
the hood
and
smacked
into the
windshield,
his
face flattened
against the
glass
for a
few
seconds
before
his
body
slid off
onto
my
side of
the
Hummer.
His lip
caught
on the
windshield
wiper.
He
pawed
at
us, trying
to
get
through
the invisible
barrier.
Eventually,
his skin ripped
and
he
fell
off the
truck,
leaving
behind his top lip
and
part
of
his nose.
My
stomach
cramped.

“Sorry. That
was a bit
more
than
I
wanted to
see,
too.”

Quinn
turned
on the wipers to
get
rid
of
some of
the
ichor.
His side
was
clean, but mine
streaked
where
the
zombie
flesh
clung
to the
arm.
I
gagged.

“Just like old
times,
huh?”
He
pushed
against
my
knee.

“Yeah.
Woo hoo.”

“Oh,
don’t
act
like
you
don’t like
it. I
know
you’re
having
fun.”

He
was
right.
I
did
enjoy
slamming
through
a
horde
of
zombies.
There
was
nothing
more
satisfying
than
watching
undead
bodies explode
around
you
while
you
were
safe
inside.
It
was
definitely
better
than
confronting
them
face
to
face. Although
there
was
something
wonderful
about shooting
a
creature
or
whacking
its
head
off. Call
me sick
and
twisted, but it
was
nice
to destroy
the
things
that
destroyed
the
world.
Vengeance
was a
beautiful
thing.
Still,
you
never
got
used to the
stench of
rotten
flesh.

We
approached
North
Platte in early
afternoon.
A
new
fence
with
guard
posts
had
been
constructed. Safety
was
our
number
one
priority.
Mobile
homes
and
RVs
housed
the
workers
until more
permanent
structures
were
finished.
Construction
equipment
ran
from
sunrise
until
sunset to complete
the town.
Weapons
and
vehicles
were
strewn
about
in the
open
fields.

We
stopped
at
the
gate.
Abby
was in the
tower.
She
frowned
as
Quinn rolled
down his window.

“You
just
couldn’t
help
yourself,
could
ya?
Like
we
don’t
have
enough
going
on, we
have
to wash
your
vehicle,
too?”

He
shrugged,
looking
slightly
sheepish.
“It’s
a
small
price
to
pay
for me
taking
out a
few
of
our
enemy.”

She
narrowed
her
eyes. “Bill
and
Kyle
are
expecting
you
by
the
river.”

Quinn put the
Hummer
in
gear. “Thanks.”

He
pulled
through
and
found a
place
to park the
vehicle
near the
cleaning
station. We
climbed
out,
and
several
people approached with
hoses
and
shovels.
I
smiled
inwardly
as
I
watched
them
get
to
work.

The
three
of
us
headed
toward the river.
Bill
lounged
by
the bank,
and
Kyle
had his
arms
wrapped
around
someone,
showing
them how to line the
gun
sights up.
It
looked
cozy,
and
I
almost
felt
bad
for
interrupting.
Quinn
called
out to the
brothers.
When they
turned,
I
noticed it
was
Pearl
Kyle
instructed. I
ran
to her
and
embraced
her
tightly.