Authors: Armand Rosamilia
“I don’t think so, stupid bitch,” Tosha said, appearing from the crowd and driving a sharpened stake into Eve’s torso.
It came as such a surprise Eve didn’t have time to fight back and she was forced to the ground and pinned down.
Eve waved her hand and Tosha shot fifteen feet away from her, slamming into a couple of humans and collapsing to the ground.
“Is this your plan? Have a bunch of ragtag humans do your bidding? You can’t defeat me on your own?” Eve asked. She gripped the stake in both hands.
I have the shot
, Bernie said to Darlene.
Then take it. Damn. Take it
.
Darlene heard the rifle firing but Eve turned her head and swung her hand, which incredibly deflected the bullet.
The shot slammed into the head of a man nearby and he fell dead to the ground.
“Keep shooting. It will be easier to kill everyone,” Eve yelled and turned back to Darlene.
Bri was behind Eve with a chain in hand. Before Eve knew what was happening, Bri wrapped it around Eve’s neck and pulled as hard as she could.
Darlene charged but by the time she reached Eve the chain was snapped, links like butter, falling to the turf.
Eve swung around and grabbed Bri by the neck.
“Leave her be. It’s me you want to fight,” Darlene said.
“Very true.” Eve tossed Bri at least ten yards downfield.
Darlene punched at Eve, who caught her hand right before it connected with her face.
“Are we really going to battle with our physical bodies? Isn’t it much easier to get inside the other’s mind?” Eve asked.
The pair locked hands and set their feet but the real fight was going to be psionically.
You’re weaker than I thought
, Eve said inside Darlene’s head.
Darlene felt fear but did her best to push it down. This would be the last time she’d feel such an inferior feeling. If she survived this fight, she’d be completely gone to the other side.
You won’t survive
, Eve said.
Darlene shut her mind off briefly, blocking Eve but knowing by doing it she’d also be opening herself up to an easier attack if what she suddenly planned didn’t work.
Eve grinned when Darlene made her move, going in for the kill.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Darlene begged and pleaded her case and gave up more than she wanted to, but under the circumstances she had no choice.
She made a deal with a devil.
When she turned her mind back on and tried to brace for the attack, she had a second of clarity and surprised Eve by letting her fully inside.
You’ve made the ultimate mistake. Do you think your sacrifice will save anyone? I’m going to kill them all
, Eve said.
You can try
, Darlene said, fighting back.
One on one I might not be a match for you. I don’t have the discipline nor had the time to grow and learn my powers. You have at least a year of using your skills and updating them. Becoming familiar with what you’re working with. You’ve truly become one of the Alpha Zombies. I respect you for it
.
Why are you telling me all of this? Surrendering so soon?
Eve asked.
Darlene smiled despite the pain in her head.
Eve frowned and stared at Darlene, confused.
She was just wasting time until I could adjust into her head and combine her power with mine
, The Lich Lord said.
Eve was shocked mentally and physically.
Darlene concentrated on using the surprise and momentum to pull Eve closer to her and then head butted the bitch in the face.
She swept the legs out from under Eve but held on, driving a knee into her chest as Eve went down.
“Help me destroy the body before she recovers,” Darlene yelled to whoever was nearby. Eve needed to be taken down completely.
You can’t do this
, Eve said.
Yet… here we are. It’s Chosen Ones like you that give the rest of us a bad name
, The Lich Lord said.
You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to try this part of the power out. It’s easier than I thought. For instance… I can crush each little part of your brain all at once. Like this
.
Darlene held Eve down as she struggled.
Mimzie appeared next to Darlene with the stake and plunged it into the zombie’s chest.
Tosha put her .22 to Eve’s head and pulled the trigger until she was empty.
There goes the last of your brains
, The Lich Lord said.
Darlene, I’d step back now. Just one more thing to do
.
Darlene jumped up and pushed Mimzie away just as Bernie and Bri and others came over.
“Everyone run. Get away from Eve as fast as you can,” Darlene said.
Eve? You still in there somewhere? I’d hate to end you so completely without you feeling it. Remember when your heart stopped and you became a zombie? I’m going to restart your heart. Think your rotting body can handle it?
The Lich Lord asked.
“Run,” Darlene yelled. She was trying to move but her head hurt from being used as a conduit for The Lich Lord.
Everyone scattered.
Don’t go anywhere, Darlene. After this is over the fun will truly begin
, The Lich Lord said.
Eve managed to rise to one knee and pull the stake from her chest. She threw it on the ground and stared at Darlene, who’d stopped running.
“This isn’t over. You are not one of us. You’ll be hunted down and destroyed as the true monster,” Eve said.
How very dramatic. Bye bye
, The Lich Lord said.
One second Eve was attempting to stand and the next…
Darlene heard the single beat of Eve’s heart before it exploded.
Eve exploded.
Chunks of her flesh and a fountain of blood rose into the air, splashing onto the field and dousing everyone within twenty yards with gore.
A pile of bloody meat was left in Eve’s place.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Darlene felt like every atom in her body had been assaulted. She knew if she were still mortal she’d be dead. She fell to the turf and wiped the blood off of her arms and face.
The survivors were milling about not knowing what to do.
The energy field had died with Eve but no one was in a rush to leave.
Mimzie put her hands up and addressed the survivors. “We need to stay together. If we scatter, the zombies outside will pick us off.”
“It’s bad out there,” Tosha said as she approached Darlene.
Bernie and Bri had recovered as well.
“What’s the plan?” Tosha asked Darlene.
Darlene put up a finger. “Give me a second to figure it out. No one leaves just yet.”
I haven’t had that much fun in years
, The Lich Lord said to Darlene.
We should do this more often
.
I need you to get out of my head. You’re no longer welcome. This was a once in a lifetime event and only because I needed your help
, Darlene thought.
First things first before you kick me out. We struck a deal. I honored my end of the bargain. Now it is your turn
, The Lich Lord said.
Darlene took a deep breath and sighed. She’d really need to sell this; although, she didn’t think The Lich Lord was anything but genuine in wanting to do this.
“I have a safe haven for everyone to get to but it is a long journey,” Darlene said.
“Where?” Tosha asked.
“Daytona Beach. With The Lich Lord,” Darlene said.
“No fucking way. That dude is worse than this bitch,” Bri said.
Darlene shook her head. “He’s the one who helped me defeat Eve. He’s… changed. I can’t explain it. I’ve been inside his head and he sees the big picture now. He’s been expanding the compound and setting up housing and food. The Lich Lord is protecting everyone down there. Please trust me.”
“I’m not going back,” Bri said.
Mimzie stepped forward. “I’ll go. Were you messing around when you said my family was there?”
Darlene smiled. “No. They are safe. I can let The Lich Lord know you’re coming and let them know you’re alive.”
“I’d like that,” Mimzie said and picked up her backpack.
“What about your baby?” Tosha asked, reloading her .22 and glancing at Bri. “Don’t tell me you’re giving up finding him.”
“Never. I’ll go find him,” Darlene said and turned to Bri. “Where are your zombie boyfriend and my baby?”
“I don’t know. He left and took him,” Bri said.
Darlene read her thoughts. She wasn’t lying.
“You’re telling the truth but Hayden talked about heading back to Canada. That’s where I’m heading. Alone,” Darlene said.
“I’ll go with you,” Bernie said.
Darlene shook her head. “I can’t have anyone with me. I’m changing and it isn’t for the better. I’m starting to feel less human each day. I have strong urges I will not be able to control much longer. If you were with me, you’d become my slave. I can’t have it. I still need to learn how to control these powers but I need to do it alone so no one else gets hurt.”
“What do you want us to do then?” Bri asked.
Darlene looked at Tosha. “I want everyone to lead these people to Daytona Beach. The Lich Lord knows you’re coming and some of his people will meet you and give safe passage back. Leave as soon as it is light out. I will be back soon enough with my baby.”
“Darlene… I’m, uh, really sorry,” Bri said.
“You stole my baby. Set all of this into motion because you followed a zombie like a sheep. You got many people killed and put my baby in absolute danger. I can never forgive you,” Darlene said.
Tosha aimed the weapon at Bri’s head. “You want to do this or you want me to?”
Bernie waved her hands. “You can’t just kill her.”
“I can if Darlene wants me to. This little bitch is a liability to all of us. She’ll sell us out again the second she gets the chance,” Tosha said.
“Don’t let her do it,” Bernie said.
Darlene shook her head. “Give me the gun, Tosha. You’re not going to be my executioner.”
Tosha handed Darlene the pistol.
“Everyone gather your belongings and we’ll set up in the tunnels at the top of the stadium so we can leave together in the morning. I’ll lead everyone out of the city but then I need to turn north. I can send the zombies away in another direction. That will give you a good head start,” Darlene said.
Mimzie clapped and started herding everyone towards the side of the stadium to lead them to higher ground.
“I’m really, really sorry,” Bri said to Darlene.
“Let’s keep moving,” Darlene said, hanging back to make sure everyone was leaving the field and following into the stands and into the nearest tunnel.
Tosha was also hanging back with Bernie. Bri was standing next to Darlene.
When the last of the survivors disappeared into the tunnel, Darlene lifted the .22 and pointed it at Bri.
“Please don’t,” Bri said.
“You can’t do this,” Bernie said and went to grab Darlene but Tosha held her back.
Bri started to cry.
“I’ll meet you in Daytona Beach. Soon. There are things now in motion none of us can control,” Darlene said and pulled the trigger.
Epilogue
Hayden wasn’t tired – he couldn’t ever be tired again – but he still got bored walking in a straight line, up through the hills and the desolate areas.
There were few zombies left this far north. Vermont was beautiful but they didn’t have time to sit and watch the seasons change.
He’d walked nearly thirteen hundred miles with the baby on his back.