“Not like I can,” Kayla replied. “Stay here with Harry and Maggie.”

  “I’m not a baby,” Benji said.

  Kayla knew Benji was only acting out because he wanted to be helpful. She walked over to him and dropped to a knee. “You’re not a baby,” Kayla said. “You’re one of the smartest people I know. Smarter than me. And right now, I need you to use that big brain of yours to ensure those two in the back room stay safe.”

  Benji softened. “But Mom said to stay here. She doesn’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Kayla said, smiling.

  Kayla stood and started to leave, but Benji stopped her one last time.

  “Wait!” Benji said, rushing toward her.

  “Benji, I told you—”

  “Check the bodies outside,” Benji said.

  Kayla arched her eyebrow. “You know The Walking Dead is only a television show, right? There aren’t any zombies.”

  “I know that, but I want you to check if they have radios on them,” Benji said.

  “Why?” Kayla asked.

  “Just do it, please?” Benji asked. “I’d go, but it’s…. we’ll it’s scary.”

  Kayla nodded. “All right, just hold on.” She walked outside and checked the nearby body, and Kayla confirmed there was a radio. She looked back to the open door where Benji waited. “Yeah, they have radios.”

  “Grab it for me,” Benji said.

  Kayla was about to ask why when she thought better of it. The last thing she wanted to do was make this linger longer than necessary. She retrieved the radio, doing her best not to think of the person she was currently moving as an actual person, but more of an insanely life-like dummy.

  Kayla returned to Benji with the radio in hand, and he took it from her. “What do you want with it?”

  “If I can hack into their signal, I might be able to distract them,” Benji said, already turning the radio over in his hands.

  “Distract them how?” Kayla asked.

  “I was thinking of a high-pitched frequency,” Benji answered. “But I haven’t decided yet.”

  Kayla took a breath. “Okay, well, good luck with that.” She kissed the top of his head. “Just don’t blow yourself up.”

  “And don’t get shot,” Benji said.

  “Will do.” Kayla grabbed her arrows and quiver and slung them over her shoulder. She shut the door on her way outside and heard the shooting happening on the other end of the island. By the sound of the gunfire, Kayla hoped Benji’s radio plan worked because they would need all the help they could get.

  27

  The harbor and town were crawling with enemy fighters when Shelly arrived. She saw them going door to door, checking houses. It was clear they were looking for something or someone, but Shelly didn’t know what or who it could be. From what she saw, most houses had been evacuated, but the few who hadn’t departed were gunned down and killed.

  “Doesn’t look good.”

  Shelly jumped and spun around, shocked to see Kayla standing behind her. “What are you doing?”

  “I came to help,” Kayla said. “From the looks of it, you guys need all the help you can get.”

  Shelly hated the fact that she knew her daughter was right. The enemy they were facing was a superior fighting force. If they wanted any chance to stop them from killing everyone on the island, they needed to assemble as many strong fighters as possible.

  “We should be able to make a defensible position in town,” Shelly said. “Sheriff Thompson has a stockpile of weapons we can hand out to anyone who can shoot.”

  “We need ear plugs,” Kayla said.

  “Ear plugs?” Shelly asked.

  “Benji’s working on something,” Kayla answered. “I don’t know what, but he said it could get loud. It has something to do with their radios.”

  “Well, whatever he’s planning on doing, he better do it quickly,” Shelly said and then pointed to a path along the water. “We’ll keep to the rocks below their eye line and circle around to the docks at the harbor. From there, we should be able to find a path to the sheriff’s station and regroup. Let’s go; stay close.”

  Shelly led her daughter toward the shore, moving quickly and quietly along the water. The fight was still happening throughout the island, but the gunfire had become less frequent, and Shelly didn’t know if that was good or bad.

  The pair moved discreetly toward the docks, and when they reached it, Shelly climbed up the rocky hillside first. Barnacles and algae made the surface dangerous, and she slipped once but caught herself quickly.

  When she reached the surface, Shelly had a better view of the harbor. She didn’t see any fighters in the area, but the gunfire was closer than she liked. Shelly motioned for Kayla to join her topside, and once they were both in position, they hurried through the small marina and toward the sheriff’s station.

  The gunshots reached a crescendo when they neared Main Street, and Shelly forced herself and Kayla to stop. She peered around the corner of a building, peaking out onto Main Street.

  The enemy fighters had clustered around the hardware store, which was at the center of Main Street. Someone had the good sense to move the cars into a kind of blockade, and there were some of the townspeople fighting back in the street, using the broken-down vehicles as cover. But they were slowly being pushed back, and Shelly knew they wouldn’t be able to hold the position for very long.

  Shelly looked back to her daughter, the intensity of the moment making her hyper-focused. “We must cross the street and get to the sheriff’s station. When I give the signal, you’ll run over, and I’ll help provide cover fire. You do not stop running until you’re inside, understand?”

  “Yeah,” Kayla answered.

  If her daughter had any nerves, she kept it hidden well.

  “Ready?” Shelly asked. “Go!”

  Kayla sprinted over, and Shelly emerged from cover, firing down the sidewalk, aiming for as many targets as she could bring into her crosshairs. When Kayla was safely across, Shelly sprinted for the same building.

  The enemy returned fire, the retaliatory response much harsher than Shelly’s assault, but she dove unscathed into the sheriff’s station.

  “Mom, are you okay?” Kayla asked, reaching for her mother.

  Shelly grabbed her daughter’s arm to help her up. “I’m fine. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m good,” Kayla answered and then peeked out the shattered glass of the sheriff’s station. “Jesus, those guys are relentless.”

  “They’re looking for something.” Sheriff Thompson stepped out of the back, looking ragged and tired. A cut ran along with his temple, fresh blood dripping down his cheek. “They’ve been performing search grids on their way downtown.”

  “Did people get out?” Kayla asked.

  “Anyone still alive is fighting in the streets, but we’re not going to last much longer with rifles and pistols,” Thompson said. “We need more firepower.”

  Shelly kicked herself for not bringing more guns with her from the cabin, but even that wouldn’t have been enough to arm anyone to turn the tide of the fight. “Do we have anything else?” Shelly asked. “Any other heavy weaponry on the island?”

  “We do,” Thompson answered. “But it’s not close. It’s back at my house, tucked away in the cellar. We’d have to find a way through their lines to get to it.”

  Shelly doubted they’d be able to overpower the enemy on the street, and if they were smart, they’d have fighters crawling along the backside of the buildings. But there was another option. “We get on the roof,” Shelly said. “The buildings are close enough to jump the gap.”

  “They’ll spot us on the roof,” Thompson said.

  “And we’ll have the high ground,” Shelly said. “It’ll be like shooting fish in a barrel. And at the very least, it’ll give our forces on the ground a fighting chance. What do we have to lose?”

  Thompson considered it, but the noise of gunfire outside growing ever closer to their position made the decision easier. “All right,” Thompson said. “We can get up top through the closet in the back. C” mon.”

  Shelly and Kayla followed Thompson to the rear of the building, forcing them to pass Weber in his cell.

  “Hey,” Weber said, reaching through the bars. “Put a gun in my hand, and I’ll be able to fight back!”

  “No chance,” Shelly said. “If we die, then you die.”

  Thompson was the first to climb the ladder, followed by Shelly, then Kayla. When they reached the top, all three stayed low initially, not wanting to reveal themselves until it was necessary.

  “Kayla,” Shelly said, whispering. “I need you to stay here.”

  Before it was unleashed, Shelly sensed her daughter’s fury, holding up her hand to silence the anger. “I need someone who’s a good shot to watch our backs,” Shelly said. “If we don’t make it to the gun cache, the island is lost.”

  Kayla softened, realizing the importance of the role. “Yeah, okay.”

  “Watch my back, all right?” Shelly asked.

  Kayla nodded, and Shelly turned to Thompson.

  “You ready?” Shelly asked, unsure if Thompson was up for the high acrobatics of roof jumping.

  The man wasn’t as agile as Shelly and was older.

  “Let’s go,” Thompson said.

  The pair crawled back to the far edge of the rooftop, giving them a chance to have a head start to make the jump. They stayed below the roofline, ensuring the enemy couldn’t see them until they revealed themselves.

  Shelly looked to her daughter for confirmation that she was ready. Kayla was laser-focused, and Shelly prayed their plan would work. She also knew what she was asking of her daughter: kill more people after nearly losing her life the day before. But Kayla was strong, ready to perform her duties without trouble.

  Shelly looked to Thompson, both of them knowing they’d only get one shot at this, and if they were killed, the chances of repelling the invaders dropped to zero. “Now,” Shelly said, and she and the sheriff sprinted across the roof, heading for the gap where they’d jump.

  They made it over the first gap without any problems, but the enemy below had noticed when they landed on the second building. Nearly every gun was turned on them, but with their focus shifted toward the roofline, the fighters in the street had clear shots of them.

  The first barrage of bullets came just as Shelly and Thompson leaped over the second gap and landed on the third building. Shelly knew this was dangerous, but she and Thompson continued moving forward.

  Eventually, the forces on the ground could cause enough distraction for Shelly and Thompson to slip away, but neither of them stopped running once they were past the bulk of the fighting. They jumped three more buildings on their path down the main street, and once the gunfight was behind them, Thompson pointed toward a ladder.

  “This is the only place I know where we can get down,” Thompson said. “But we need to hurry. I don’t know how many more fighters are in the area. It could come up short if we’re not careful.”

  The pair descended from the roof, and when they reached the bottom, they moved along the backside of the last few buildings along the main street before the residential homes began. Thompson held up his finger when they approached the threshold and signaled for quiet and stillness.

  Shelly didn’t know what he saw, but she kept thinking of her children. She knew Kayla was a good shot, and the roof would provide protection, but if the sheriff’s station were breached, it would only be a matter of time before they got to her on the top. And not to mention Benji at the cabin with the other two children. They were virtually unprotected. If the island fell, they would all fall. Shelly refused to let that happen.

  Thomson finally glanced back to Shelly after a few minutes of silence and nodded. “My house is down the second street. 218. It has a blue garage door. I don’t know if they have more of their men checking houses, but we should act as if they do. We stay low, stay close, and move quickly. We don’t engage with any fighters unless we have no choice. Getting the weapons back into the hands of the town people fighting is the only way we win this.”

  “I understand,” Shelly said.

  The pair moved forward quickly and silently through the darkness. Any gust of wind or twig snap caused Shelly and Thompson to jump. They were on edge, and rightfully so.

  When they neared the neighborhood, Shelly tapped Thompson on the shoulder, and the pair dropped to a knee. She had thought she’d seen movement up ahead, and she was right, but it was one of the townspeople.

  The sheriff approached first, and the pair convened between two houses. The man was Barlow Finley, one of the local fishermen on the island. Shelly didn’t know much about him, but he was either brilliant or lucky, considering he was still alive, and Shelly knew either would be helpful.

  “What the hell is going on, Sheriff?” Finely asked. “Damned people are terrified right now.”

  “We’re trying to stop the threat,” Thompson answered. “How many people are left here in the houses?”

  “I’ve got three back at my place and another two over at Terry’s house,” Finley answered, finally looking at Shelly with accusing eyes. “We were fine until your family showed up.”

  “Hey,” Thompson said, intervening. “We’re all on the same side. Her family’s fighting for us, so we fight together. Do I make myself clear?”

  Finley hadn’t anticipated Thompson’s vigorous defense of Shelly and her family, and Finley sheepishly apologized.

  “It’s okay,” Shelly said. “Times like these, it’s hard to trust people. But you can trust my family and me. We’re only here to help.”

  “We’re going back to my place for the guns,” Thompson said. “Gather everyone and meet us there. We’ll head back and surprise those bastards from behind.”

  Finley nodded and then scurried away. Thompson and Shelly returned on their course to Thompson’s house, and when they arrived inside, Shelly watched the door while Thompson retrieved the weapons from the basement. He quickly brought them up, most of them in bags.

  “How the hell did you have all of these?” Shelly asked.

  “About six months ago, we helped the coast guard raid a smuggling operation,” Thompson said, setting down ammunition for the assault rifles. “Jurisdiction about who should get what was still up in the air at the time, so everyone decided to give me the guns. I guess they figured I wouldn’t pick favorites, and since I had a good post here, they assumed I wouldn’t put up too much of a fight. But I guess they were right. They never came to collect the guns, so I kept them here.”

  “And no one else knew about this?” Shelly asked.

  “No,” Thompson answered, and then she eyed Shelly. “No one is going to turn on us, Deputy. Relax.”

  Shelly nodded, and before the others arrived, Shelly needed to clear the air. “Thank you for having my back, by the way. You didn’t have to do that.”

  “Yes, I did,” Thompson said. “You are wearing that badge, and it needs to mean something on this island if we want any semblance of order in the coming days. We are one united front. That’s the only way this works. No chinks in the armor.”

  It was a solid plan, and Shelly nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

  When the others returned, they armed as many of them as possible, and the rest would be shuttled to the fighters on the other end of Main Street by the sheriff’s office.

  “The plan’s simple,” Thompson said. “We surprise them with the weapons, and we don’t stop pulling the trigger until they’re dead or gone. There's no rest until they’re either in the ground or completely off the island. Everyone understand?”

  Despite the nods, Shelly knew everyone was nervous. These people might have learned how to shoot and hunt, but they weren’t soldiers.

  “Don’t think of them as people,” Shelly said. “It can be harder than you think to pull the trigger, so tell yourself whatever you need to in order to see this through. Our survival depends on it.”

  The comment seemed to help ease some of their worries, but it would be difficult to know how far they’d get until the fighting started.

  “Okay, let’s move out,” Thompson said.

  They headed for the door, and Finley was the first one outside. He was also the first one dead. Gunfire peppered the house, and everyone hit the floor. Thompson and Shelly scrambled toward the windows, and Shelly saw half a dozen fighters in the street, pummeling Thompson’s house with enough lead to raze the house to the ground.

  “We can’t stay here!” Shelly shouted. “We need to get out of here and back to Main Street!”

  Thompson nodded. “Take them out the back along with the guns. I’ll stay here and hold them off!”

  Shelly knew what Thompson suggested was suicide, but he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “Go!” Thompson got to his knees and fired shots outside before ducking back down.

  Shelly knew now wasn’t the time to argue, but she found it difficult to leave the sheriff after what he’d just done for her family. Still, if they couldn’t escape here, Kayla and the rest of her family were dead.

  28

  When Kayla positioned herself on the roof, aiming at the enemy below, she made sure to make every shot count. She only released the arrow when she was sure of a direct hit.

  The enemy in the streets didn’t realize what was happening at first. Because Kayla’s bow was so silent and dark, no one could see where the arrows were coming from. But after a half dozen shots, the enemy realized what was happening.

  Gunfire forced Kayla behind the edge of the roof’s wall for cover. She lay flat, the rough rocks that comprised the gravel on the top digging into her stomach, knees, and palms. Flecks of dust flew over her head and sprinkled along her backside.

  The barrage was intended to keep her down. She had already killed three fighters and wounded another two, effectively taking out a quarter of their fighting men in the streets. They didn’t want to risk losing any more of their soldiers to the sniper on the roof.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22