My heart pounds in my chest, and the rain is unrelenting, soaking me. It drips down my face and into my eyes and mouth.
Glancing behind me, I approach the edge of the woods, and behind that is a clearing between me and the fence of at least twenty feet.
I scan the area and find no one there, so I move fast with the deer and creatures.
Emerging from the woods, the sheet of rain pours buckets over me, slamming into me ferociously. I slide the deer over the muddy ground, one zombie still clinging on to its neck, eating, while the other staggers after us.
Fear pummels into me now. Those guards in the compound shoot on site, and I’m in open territory with their enemy.
My arms tremble with exhaustion, but I keep wrenching the damn deer over the bumpy ground and shrubs. I pivot and tow the meal closer to the edge of the settlement. Farther around the corner stands the main entrance, and well, I need to create a big enough diversion that draws attention to this end of the settlement.
After the last break-in Mad caused, I’m guessing most of the pack members will be hypersensitive to uncover a horde of zombies clustered together near their home.
On cue, the dozen monsters emerge from the woods, so now I have little time to waste.
Gritting my teeth, I fight the dead weight and two damn creatures eating the deer. I want to scream but keep my mouth shut. Those in the mob chasing after us are moaning enough to make a racket.
A shiver races down my spine, my body shaking over the thought that I’ll get caught.
My back hits the wall and I dump the animal to the ground, my muscles screaming with pain, my legs straining, and I wipe my hands down my soaking pants. Scraping the rain from my face, I peer around the corner. No trees or people. There’s a driveway at least fifteen feet away, leading to the main front gates. Peering up, I can’t make out anyone, but I know the guards are there.
Growls rise behind me, and I snap around, my pulse racing. The other zombies have arrived and all are pushing over one another to get to the carcass.
Goddammit.
Two Shadow Monsters are in a tug-o-war with part of the deer they tore free. I don’t even try to make sense of what part of the body they’re fighting over.
Instinct kicks in, and I lunge toward them. Like a crazy person, I snatch the long bone, still covered in meat and fur, and wrestle it away from the zombies.
They are so slow to react at first that they snap toward me with savagery. A shiver races down my spine at the hunger in their eyes, but I remind myself it’s the food they want, not me. They would have attacked me by now already if that were the case. The idea that I am still sick flutters over my mind, but I don’t have time for that.
I pivot and rush around the others in a wide sweep, carrying a damn deer leg, and now that I look down at the hoof, bile hits the back of my throat.
The moment I reach the corner of the fence, I hurl the leg as far toward the front gate as possible.
The thing lands with a thump about seven feet away, then rolls a few more, landing in a small puddle that splashes.
Undead shove past me, moaning, pushing me aside. At least half a dozen of them take the bait. I swing back around the corner and avoid being seen.
My heart booms in my chest, and I bolt toward the woods. This is my moment to escape and head up the hill.
But farther up the slope, four large gray wolves approach. I startle, tripping over my feet as my stomach drops through me. They are Ash Wolves, most likely Mad’s search party for me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I throw myself to the ground where the undead roam to reach their meal. The bastards walk over me, bony feet against my back and head. I wince at something kicking into my side, then a Shadow Monster trips over me. The shrubs around me whip wildly in the weather, rain battering into my back.
In the distance behind me, gunfire pops. I flinch. The guards are taking out the zombies. How long before they come to investigate this side where I’m hiding from the wolves?
Terror seizes me, and I don’t know what to do.
My hand flies forward and parts the greenery for a view. The wolves are running this way already, and I’m trembling. Have they seen me?
I shudder, and adrenaline shoves into me. My mind screams to run. Fucking run!
But I don’t move. Not an inch. My brain is on overdrive, sparking and every nerve snapping. I’m no stranger to danger, but this is me cornered with no way out.
Bang. Bang.
The shots come again, louder, closer. I jump in my skin with each shot.
I won’t allow myself to be caught.
When a feeding undead suddenly lurches upward from the deer in front of me, I jump into action.
Scrambling to my feet, I dart behind the creature, lowering my head to hide, fisting the torn shirt it wears. I stay close behind the putrid thing that has me gagging from the stench of rotting flesh.
I shove him sideways, shuffling to remain hidden. It moans, stumbling on its feet as it fights the direction I’m forcing it to go away from its meal and into the woods so I can hide from the wolves.
I keep looking over to the wall, expecting to find the guards popping up on the fence any second now. I suck in every rapid breath, terror raising the hair on my arms.
Peering over the shoulder of the undead man in my grasp, I see the wolves charging down the hill.
A whimper slips past my throat. I need to get into the woods. The high pitched howl pierces my ears. It sounds close and comes from somewhere back in the compound.
Panic buttons have been pressed and my distraction worked to get their attention, but I’m not meant to still be caught in the chaos.
A blinding light flashes over the land, followed by an earth-shattering boom of thunder. I shudder as the sound shakes me to the core. And as if it weren’t raining hard enough before, now the heavens split open and fall unrelentingly heavy, blurring my vision. Rain drums incessantly on the trees and grounds, dinging furiously as it hits the metal fence behind me.
I push the damn zombie to get moving as it attempts to turn around, but I won’t let go of him. Pushing my shoulder into his back, I drive him toward the woods as I keep concealing myself from the wolves, praying they haven’t seen me. Its moans of protest are lost beneath the storm ripping away all noises.
Suddenly, the stupid zombie trips and falls sideways, taking me with it. I cry out and fall.
I’m soaking, and the wolves are almost upon me, leaping down the hill, one of them sliding over and crashing into a tree. I’d love to laugh, but I’m too busy trying not to die. I clamber to my feet and dart right the last couple of steps into the woods just as a wall of Shadow Monsters emerge. There are dozens of them, careening right for the dead deer, some already reeling to where I tossed the leg. They hustle against me, driving me back at first.
Hell! I burst into the mass, fighting their shoving and shoulders knocking into me or them stamping on my feet. But I push my hands against them and carve a path for my escape.
I stumble into the woods from where more emerge, and I want to kiss them for just saving my ass.
All right, that’s a bit much. I will never lay my lips on these disgusting things. Freeing myself from the tangle of putrid bodies, elbowing and thrusting past me, I search for the wolves.
Growls flitter somewhere in the distance. I start making my way up the hill from within the woods. The back entry into the settlement is my goal.
A bloodcurdling cry shatters the silence, and I quiver, missing a step.
I keep going up the hill but can’t stop looking back to where a wolf is engulfed by the creatures, while the three other wolves lunge at the monsters.