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Chapter twenty-five

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“It’s Mikey.”

I froze. If he was kidding, I was going to rip his throat out.

“On the radio. I caught a signal. Come listen.”

I ran faster than he did on the way to his semi. Climbing into the passenger’s seat, I hit the button to start the radio.

“-continue to ignore our demands, and we won’t hesitate to kill the boy. We have given you two months to comply, and yet we’ve received no sign of change. Do you think we’re fucking around? Do you think this is all a joke?”

There was fumbling, a ripping noise, and then another person’s labored breathing.

“Do you think this is funny?” The voice asked.

There was silence.

“I asked you if you think this is funny!” There was the sound of an assault and then a grunt.

“Fuck you.”

Hell if I didn’t know that voice. My heart sped up.

“Wrong answer.”

For the next two minutes, all that could be heard were punches and kicks, and Mikey’s cries and yelps of pain. I lifted a hand to my mouth in helplessness.

“You have two days to initiate our demands, or we’ll kill him. Once you’ve complied, you can pick the boy up at 1944 Samhaine Street in San Antonio. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that if there’s any funny business, we have an army of the undead on our side. Remember, PPAZ’s way is the right way.”

The radio cut to static.

Ben and I sat there in contemplative silence. I grinned as happy tears slid down my cheeks, overwhelmed with relief.

“He’s alive.”

Ben frowned. “But for how long?”

I stepped out of the semi. Ben and I wandered back towards the group of people who were standing uncertainly near the medical tent.

“We have to go now.” I told them. “And I mean now. Mikey doesn’t have too long.”

“What are you talking about?” Boo asked me, raising an eyebrow.

I filled them in on the radio broadcast. After Dom and Boo both hugging me excitedly, and Dom shedding some tears at the news of his brother’s survival, Fiona interrupted.

“Good luck on your journey. Here;” she reached into Gavin’s pocket and pulled out a set of keys. She threw them to me. “Take the Volkswagen camper.”

I grinned. I loved that vehicle.

Then it dawned on me.

“You aren’t coming?” I frowned. Fiona shook her head.

“Nah. I think I’ll stay here. Start a militia. Find a new home.” She smiled at me again. “Raise a baby.”

Gavin shot her an adoring look. They intertwined hands. I looked over at Evan. “You too?”

Evan nodded. “The idea of traveling in a van for days on end with numerous other people doesn’t appeal to me.”

“Lilah,” my brother spoke up, “we really need to get to New Zealand. There’s a helicopter waiting for us in the next city over. They told me they’d wait for three days. After that, we’re on our own.”

I shook my head. “Sorry, Elle. I’m staying behind to find Mikey, and this time nobody is telling me otherwise.” I placed a hand on his shoulder. “But you go back, okay? I don’t want you hurt.”

He scoffed. “I’m not leaving you again.”

“Elle, you know that there’s a chance that we might not ever get to New Zealand.”

He shrugged. “I’ve got my little sister back. What else do I need?”

“Absolutely not.” I shook my head vehemently. “Elliot, I’m not risking your life because you feel some sort of obligation to stick with me. I want you to get on that helicopter and go back home, okay?”

He frowned. “Delilah, I’m older than you. You can’t order me around. I’m staying, and that’s that.” He grinned childishly. “Besides. Even if you don’t let me tag along, I’ll just join Fiona’s militia.”

“I’m not involved with this.”

I was getting angry now. “Elliot, you’ll be killed. I’m thinking of what’s best for you. I’ve been out here for over two months. You’ve been out here for a day. I’m a little more knowledgeable than you on this. Listen to me- there is a very high chance that most of us won’t live through this. So don’t be an idiot. Go home.”

“Okay, I love you and everything, but I’m going to have to politely reply- and I mean this in the nicest way possible- with a fuck you. I’m twenty. An adult. I don’t need my little sister giving me orders. You can’t force me to do anything.”

I shook with fury. “Fine. Come along. But when you’re being torn limb from limb by a herd of cannibals, I want you to remember this moment.”

I stomped away, sulking, and ventured over towards where Jack, Eden, and Vulcan were exterminating zombies. As Vulcan turned and caught my eye, I looked away. I hadn’t spoken to him since our conversation last week. I didn’t need a recap.

“Delilah, honey, you look sick. Are you okay?”

Eden’s caring voice brought me back to reality. I forced a smile for her.

“I’m fine. Thanks, though.” Jack strolled over, soaked in blood, which I was certain was not his own. “I actually came over to tell you guys something.”

“What is it? Nothing bad, I hope.” Eden inquired.

“It’s Mikey,” I began. At the mention of the name, Vulcan’s head shot towards us. Obviously not trying to conceal his eavesdropping. “He’s alive. There was a radio broadcast. They’re holding him in Texas. Some group called PPAZ.”

Jack grinned. “He’s alive! I told you, Delilah!” He turned to Eden. “Didn’t I tell her?”

“You told her, dear.”

“But he’s in a lot of danger. We can’t dawdle any longer.”

Jack nodded, serious now. “No, of course you can’t.”

“Exactly. Fiona gave us the Volkswagen, so-“ I cut off mid sentence. “Wait, ‘you can’t’?”

Jack sighed. “Look, this zombie invasion has been the best thing that’s happened to me since Vietnam.”

No comment.

“I love this, Lilah. I got my thrills back. And I met the girl of my dreams.” He wrapped an arm around Eden’s waist and sent her a blissful smile. “I don’t want to leave this. I’m going to stay with Fiona, Gavin, and Evan.” He turned back to Eden. “You in, babe?”

Eden beamed back at him. “Of course.”

I stood there, numb. “You…you aren’t coming?”

“I’m sorry, Lilah. It’s not that we don’t love you. I just don’t want to go back to a retirement home. In this forsaken land, I’m not just a useless elderly. Please. Try to understand.”

I gulped and nodded. “I can’t force you, I guess.” I looked to the ground and kicked at the gravel. “You two are like the grandparents I always wanted. It’s going to be…weird. I mean, it’ll take awhile to get used to not hearing your battle cries.”

Jack smiled warmly. “I wish you were my granddaughter all the time. I’m going to miss you.” He pulled me into a tight hug and then passed me over to Eden, who kissed my forehead and wrapped her frail little arms around me.

“We’ll send you postcards, dear.”

“Make sure you send me one of you killing zombies at Mount Rushmore.”

“Of course.”

I backed away from both of them.

“Bye.” I gave a tiny wave and smiled sadly.

“Don’t lose that spunk, girl.”

I turned away from them with a sick feeling in my stomach. They were my family, and I was leaving them.

Elliot was giving his apartment address to Fiona in case they needed to contact him, and then turned to me.

“Ready to go?” He asked.

“Ye-“ I hesitated, and then sighed. “No.” I answered him, turning back around. Because Vulcan had followed me.

Elliot, sensing an intense conversation, fled the scene. Vulcan took a nervous step towards me, testing my reaction. I stared blankly back at him.

“Delilah?” He asked shyly. I crossed my arms against my chest.

“That would be my name, yes.”

He frowned. “Look, Delilah, I’m an asshole. A top-notch douche bag. And even though I don’t deserve it, I’d really, really like to ask for your forgiveness, because I didn’t mean it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Didn’t mean it, or are you just taking back what you said because you overheard me say that Mikey’s alive?”

He paused.

“I thought so.”

I turned on my heel to storm off, but he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around forcefully.

“Listen, you don’t like me, and I don’t like you. But we’re both working towards a common goal: saving Mikey. We can benefit from each other.” He reasoned. I ripped my arm out of his grasp. His touch was poison to me now.

“I love him, Vulcan.” I blurted angrily. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “And you do too. We would only cause each other pain and anger. Why don’t you stay behind and help them with their militia?”

“I don’t fucking want to.” He sighed and gripped his hair out of frustration. “Just please let me come? Remember when we used to be best friends? Can’t we go back to that?”

“No, we can’t, because I found out that you’re a lying, scheming bastard.”

His facial expression softened. “I’m sorry, Delilah. There’s nothing more I can say besides please.”

I stood there, glaring at him with all the hatred I could muster.

But then I remembered Jack.

My family.

And even if I despised Vulcan with every fiber of my being, he was family too. And I would not be like Elliot. I would not abandon him.

“Get in the fucking van.”

His eyes lit up, and he opened his mouth. My threatening look silenced him, though. He nodded and walked over to the vehicle.

Draven, Boo, Zakk, Dom, Angelica, and Dan approached me even more cautiously then Vulcan had. I must have looked like I wanted to snap somebody’s neck.

“Hey,” Zakk greeted. “You ready to go now?”

I shook my head. “Where’s Elijah?”

“He’s inside, exterminating.” Draven told me. “We can’t wait for him. He’s fine. And I’m ninety-percent sure he’d want to stay here. He loves killing zombies.”

“But I have to talk to him.” I insisted. “It’s really, really important that I do.”

“I can pass him a message.” Fiona spoke, approaching us. She had obviously overheard. I turned to her to speak. What was I supposed to say to him? I’d had so many things to hell him, but none came to mind.

“Tell him…” I began, stalling. “Tell him thanks. Tell him that I know we’ll see each other again, but that I understand if he doesn’t want to.”

Fiona nodded and gave me a small smile. “I’ll miss you, Delilah.”

“No goodbyes.” I scolded, pulling her into a hug. “I will see you again.”

She shook her head sadly. “Tomorrow is not a promise anymore.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just be sure to name your kid after me, okay?”

She giggled. “Right, because ‘Delilah’ is such a fitting name for a boy.”

I shrugged. “Maybe not, but Del’s a pretty sweet name.”

She rolled her eyes. “Good luck, kid.”

I nodded. “You too.”

I turned back towards the group. “Okay, I’m ready to go now.”

--

If I thought it was awkward in the vehicle when Vulcan and Mikey sat on opposite ends of me, it was even more awkward with a now-hated Vulcan and Draven in the same car. Not that they were at each other’s throats, but the forced small talk…

We drove for two and a half days. I didn’t sleep. Not for a second.

“Zombie!” I screamed, snapping out of a daze and pointing out the window. Zakk slammed on the brakes, which sent everyone in the back crashing into the seats. Zakk slammed his fists into the steering wheel out of anger.

“For the love of god, Delilah! That’s the fifth time you’ve done this! For the last time, it’s just a green sign.”

I blinked. “It was moving.”

He sighed. “No, we’re moving.”

I paused. “Oh.”

“Okay, I think it’s time you got some rest. Dom’ll take over navigational duties. You go lie down in the back.”

“But what if I’m sleeping and you guys pass the building and Mikey gets eaten or killed because you guys told me to sleep and-“

“Deep breaths, Delilah.”

I inhaled. Everybody watched me as the minutes passed by. The color drained from my face.

“Exhale!”

I wheezed and coughed.

“Get in the back.”

Pouting, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed into the back of the Volkswagen camper. I crawled over towards Draven and Elliot and collapsed onto the floor in front of them.

“Hey guys.” I mumbled.

“You don’t look too good.” Eli commented with concern. I frowned at him.

“And you look less like Eli. Where’s the boas and the skirts and the eye shadow?”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah, because in a zombie crisis, a skirt and a boa are the best articles of clothing to wear.” He adjusted himself on the floor beside me. “Besides. My school doesn’t allow boa’s in class, so I gave them to my best friend, who ignores this rule.”

I grinned and clapped. “You made friends! I’m so proud!”

He shrugged. “You’d like her. She’s bat-shit crazy. Like you.”

I didn’t reply, and a glazed look clouded my eyes.

“Delilah? You okay?”

I remained silent.

“D…Delilah?”

“Zombie!”

Zakk turned around in the front seat. “Shut the fuck up!”

--

“What’s the address?”

“1944 Samhaine avenue. Why? Where are we?”

“Here.”

I shot up from the backseat. We were parked in front of a huge warehouse that had been turned into some kind of military base. Guards stood by the gates, sporting shirts with the words PPAZ drawn on with sharpie and shotguns. I gulped.

“How are we getting in?”

Vulcan, who had been deep in thought, looked up.

“I’ve got an idea.”

--

Oh my god. I am such an asshole. I am so sorry for not updating in like, what, two weeks? I hope I didn’t lose you guys.

Things have, obviously, been really busy over here. Otherwise I would have updated. Our first term just ended, and I failed English. You know why? I quote: MY PARAGRAPHS WERE TOO LONG. WHAT THE HELL KIND OF REASON IS THAT? DAMN YOU, RESTRICTIONS!

I don’t really like this chapter, but I was trying to get one out this week, so sorry if it sucks. It’s better than nothing, right?

Oh, and how was everyone’s Halloween? Mine sucked.