Bryce, who I’ve learned thrives on gushing females, beamed her one of his dimpled smiles. “Someone’s got to take care of all you women.”
“Oh, puke,” muttered Paige as she slammed the door to the SUV.
“Is it safe to go in there?” asked Kristie as she grabbed the doorknob leading into my house.
“Better let me go in first,” replied Bryce, “just in case there are surprises waiting inside.”
Kristie looked at Bryce with amusement. “Fine by me, Bruce Lee.”
Bryce grabbed the bat, then opened the door and stepped inside. After about a minute he stuck his head back into the garage. “It’s clear.”
I walked in with Goldie, who took off immediately to wander throughout the house. “Looks like Goldie’s giving the ‘all clear’ sign, too.” Although, it seemed much too quiet in the house. “Hello? Anyone home?” I yelled.
Goldie bolted downstairs and I could hear the squeal of Megan’s laughter.
Sara raced upstairs, her face full of relief. “Oh, God!” she cried, wrapping her arms around me. “I’m so glad to see you guys!”
Bobby ran upstairs and flung himself at Bryce. “Yay, Bryce is home!”
Bryce picked up Bobby and held him tightly in his arms. “Told you I’d be back, Champ,” he said softly.
“Hi,” Megan said to me as she peeked around the corner of the basement door, “whose puppy?”
“Ours now,” I replied with a smile. “Her name’s Goldie,”
Eva was holding Chi Chi who whimpered to get down. She finally released her and Chi Chi trotted after Goldie.
“Two dogs?!” screamed Megan in delight.
“Err…well, the Chihuahua is mine,” said Eva. “But he’s a nice doggy and loves kids. You can play with him.”
I was surprised to see Eva acting like a civilized human being, especially after the way she treated most people at school. Then of course we’d just saved her life and she didn’t have anywhere else to go.
Kristie’s mouth dropped when she saw Hannah. “Oh, my God! I didn’t know you were here, Han. Where’s Paul?”
Hannah started crying and Kristie went over right away to console her. Then both women went downstairs to catch up and talk about the loss of their husbands. Apparently Kristie and Hannah knew each other well.
“Have you heard from my parents?” I asked Sara.
Sara looked at me sadly. “No, neither of them. I take it you didn’t find Allie either?”
I shook my head and sighed. “Look, I’m really tired. The energy drink didn’t do anything for me. Think I’m going to have a shower and then maybe take a nap,” I said. “We still have water, don’t we?”
“For now,” replied Sara.
I still wasn’t sure why the government had shut down the power so quickly. I couldn’t imagine that it would be easier to contain the zombies in the dark.
My hair was sticky in some places and I fought an urge to puke as I washed it away with shampoo. I’d never felt so incredibly dirty in my life. Although I had to admit, I hadn’t even thought about germs in the last couple of days. Being exposed to so much blood and guts had made me numb to everything, including my phobia.
When I got out of the shower, I cut the tips off the rest of my fingernails and sighed, wondering if Mae was safe. Then I pushed it away from my mind. It was too horrifying to think about all the victims caught up in this nightmare.
Where are you, mom? I wondered as I laid my head on my pillow and closed my eyes. It was bad enough not finding my sister and not knowing where my father was. But my mother…she’d promised to come back quickly, and hadn’t. I knew exactly what that meant, I wasn’t naïve or stupid. I just couldn’t allow myself to accept the fact that she was probably gone forever.
Chapter Nineteen
“Mom, where’ve you been? I was so worried about you,” I cried as she walked into the kitchen. I ran up to her and threw my arms around her.
Smiling, she stroked my cheek fondly. “I told you I had to take care of that soldier,” she replied. Her hair was a mess and there was blood splattered on her shirt.
“Are you okay?” I asked, pulling away. She looked pale and tired.
“I’m fine, honey,” she replied and took me into her arms again. “You know how much I love you, don’t you, my little Wild One?”
I closed my eyes and laid my head on her shoulder. “I love you, too, mom. God, I missed you so much.”
She squeezed me harder. “I need you, honey.”
I could hardly breathe she was squeezing me so tightly in her arms. “Sure, mom. Just don’t hold me so tight. I can…barely breathe.”