Rise of the Undead Box Set | Books 1-3 | Apocalypse Z

Robinson nodded. “You must come with us, dear. We’ll take care of you.”
Amy stared at the couple, tears still streaming down her face. They were good people. Honest, hardworking, and God-fearing. Her kind of people. While they’d never been house friends, they were a known quantity. Familiar. She longed to take them up on their offer. It would be a relief not to be alone anymore. Alone and scared. They’d look after her like she was their own, that she knew for sure.
“Amy?” Mrs. Robinson said when the silence stretched on too long. “You can trust us, my dear. We won’t hurt you.”
“I know that Mrs, Robinson, and thank you,” Amy said, brushing the tears away. “But I can’t.”
“Why not?” Mr. Robinson asked with a frown. “You’ll be safe with us.”
“I’m waiting for my brother. He’s on his way,” Amy said.
“How long has it been since you heard from him?” Mr. Robinson asked.
“A few days, that’s all,” Amy said, her tone defiant as if she dared him to disagree.
“Why not leave him a message? That way he’ll know where to find you when he gets here,” Mr. Robinson answered in a neutral voice.
“But…what about the chickens? The house? I can’t just leave it all behind,” Amy protested, realizing she was clutching at straws.
“Of course, you can. Take what you want and lock up the rest. The house will be fine, I promise,” Mr. Robinson said with an expression of infinite patience on his weathered face.
“I don’t know.” Amy’s mind was in a whirl, twisting one way then the next like a weather vane in a stiff breeze.
“You can bring the chickens too, my dear. We’ve got space at our farm,” Mrs. Robinson said, wringing her hands together.
Amy hesitated. She desperately wanted to accept, but something stopped her. What if Alex never got the message? She’d never see him again, and he was all she had left — the last of her family.
“I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson. I appreciate the offer, but I’d like to wait a few more days. If Alex still hasn’t shown up by then, I’ll go with you,” Amy said.
Mr. Robinson regarded her for a moment before nodding. “Alright. I’ll swing by in a week with the truck. If he hasn’t come back, we’ll load your stuff. Deal?”
“Deal,” Amy answered, relieved that he wasn’t trying to force her into anything yet. She knew he thought her brother was dead, but she couldn’t accept that fact. Not yet. He’s still alive. I know it.
“Ted! We can’t leave her here like this,” Mrs. Robinson protested.
“She’s old enough to make her own decisions, May,” Ted replied. “Besides, she’s done well enough on her own so far. A few more days won’t make a difference.”
Mrs. Robinson chewed on her bottom lip. “Won’t you change your mind, Amy? I hate the thought of you being here all alone. What if those things come here?”
“I’ll be okay, Mrs. Robinson. It’s only a week, and I’ve got this,” Amy said, indicating the shotgun. She didn’t mention that she’d already killed her first zombie. Mr. Robinson might change his mind if he heard that little bit of information.
“We’ll leave you to it then,” Mr. Robinson said, ushering his wife back to the truck. “Lie low, and stay hidden, okay? And keep away from town. Louisville is a madhouse. If anything happens, anything at all, you come to us.”
“Will do, Mr. Robinson,” Amy replied, watching with sad eyes as the couple departed, the truck rumbling back the way it came.
Once the dust settled, she resumed fixing the hole in the fence. The entire time, she couldn’t help but wonder if she hadn’t made the biggest mistake of her life. But her mind was made up. It’s only been four days. I have to give him longer than that.
She’d stay one more week, waiting for Alex. It had to be enough. Besides, it would grant her the chance to say goodbye to everything she’d ever known. Her home. Her parents. Her childhood.
***
Amy stared at the plate of food in front of her, picking at it without enthusiasm. She wasn’t hungry. All day long, she kept wondering if she’d made a mistake turning away the Robinson couple. After they left, she’d completed her chores and kept busy until nightfall. Now she had nothing left to occupy her thoughts, and they were torturing her.
Should she have gone?
Shouldn’t she have gone?
What would her mom or dad have said? She wished she knew, wished they were still there with her, beside her. Wished they weren’t dead.
Amy ground her teeth in frustration. “If wishes were fishes.”
Finally, she wrapped her food and put it in the fridge, determined to get some sleep. She was tired, after all. The past few nights had not been kind to her. She was about to walk up the stairs when a noise caused her to pause. It was the sound of an engine, and she quickly grabbed the shotgun.
With shaking hands, she unlocked the front door and peered outside. A faint light shone up the driveway, and she guessed whoever it was had parked in front of the locked gate. Who could it be? The Robinson’s? Alex? Strangers?
Hope rose in Amy’s chest, tempered by caution. Maybe it was Alex, and maybe it wasn’t. She tucked the gate keys into her pocket just in case.
Stepping lightly, she ran down the porch to get a closer look, taking care not to reveal her presence. When she had a good view of the gate, she paused. It was a bike, and nobody she knew of rode a motorcycle. Unless…
Again hope rose at the thought that it might be Alex, and she carefully moved closer. Pausing a few feet away, she raised the shotgun and aimed it at the rider sitting on the back of the bike.
In a loud voice, she shouted out a challenge, trying to sound calm and confident. Not at all like the blubbery mess she was on the inside. “Who’s there? This is private property, and