Z Children (Book 2): The Surge by Eli Constant, B.V. Barr

monster, I realized that my breathing
was labored. In all my experience with war and killing, I had not been prepared
for this—for siblings, joined in life and death, to be ended by my hand. Not
alive though. Not human any more. Two sides of me, always at odds—my humanity
versus the ugliness of my training and trade. This just keeps getting better
and better. I’m going to need my fucking meds tonight.
    I
could hear more of them coming; there was no time to recover mentally or
physically. Securing all my weapons to me, I leapt into the chute like I was
performing some Hollywood stunt rather than a controlled descent for minimal
injury. The impact was harsh and painful. Cuts all over, but I could tell that
none were deep, at least not so deep as to keep me from moving forward, and
that was all that mattered. Lucky, considering I’d been forced to jump like
Evel Knievel. Chris was huddled in the corner of the Dumpster, watching me
quickly assess the damage.
    “You’re
all cut up, you idiot,” she stammered, starting to crawl to me slowly, trying
to avoid all the sharp shit in the bin.
    “And
you’re still in the fucking Dumpster,” I shot back, pissed that she was just
sitting on her ass waiting while I’d just battled a double-headed zombie kid— twice
the bite, twice the bullets.
    “I
wasn’t going out there without protection.”
    “There’s
nothing down here right n—”
    Screeches
from above shut us both up.
     “Move. Now ,” I shouted, working my way to the Dumpster’s edge and swinging a
leg over.
    I
jumped out of the dumpster and noticed blood running down my arm. So at least
one cut wasn’t just superficial. Doesn’t matter now. Ignore it. Gotta
move. I grabbed the doc by the sleeve and ran. There was no time for
hiding, stealth or decision-making. My blood was going to attract the Z’s like
flies to honey. Chris dropped out of the dumpster beside me and brushed off her
hands reflexively. If the Doc doesn’t slow me down, we might just make it
back to the hotel in one piece.
    From
where we stood, I could get enough bearing to know that we were around the side
of the building from where I entered. Smoke was still rising from my makeshift
explosion.
    “Move
your ass, Doc.” I yelled, as I bolted down the length of the hospital, turned
the corner around the building, and began angling around the fenced-in
generator yard. Behind me I could hear the first of the little monsters hitting
the garbage bin and screaming for help in their hunt. Fuck, they came down
too quick. I knew we could only keep this pace up for a while, mile at the
most, maybe less. The blood still leaking from my arm injury was going to
eventually slow me down even more.
    It was
going to come down to another fight for life.
    “Pick
it the hell up, Doc!” Ahead, there was a Brinks armored truck—I remembered
seeing it earlier when I was scanning the area. It would give us some tactical
advantage. The rear door was open.
    “I’m
running as fast as I can,” Chris shouted from a few feet behind me.
    “If
that’s full-tilt then start writing your fucking obituary,” I yelled back to
her. My words were enough—in seconds, she was beside me rather than behind. The
armored vehicle was an arm’s length away now. We could make it.
    Jerking
my head for a quick glance back, I saw three of the Z kids closing ground fast.
Twenty seconds max and that would have to be enough time. Whipping the rifle
around on its sling, I flipped the switch to semi-auto.
    “Get
inside!” Pushing Chris into the relative protection of the truck, I faced the
enemy and brought the rifle to bear.
    Three
rounds.
    Three
clean kills. Don’t waste ammo. Not if you can help it. Aim true. I shook
my head vigorously, brought myself back to the moment.
    The
third monster fell just a mere yard from me; it’s head came to rest only inches
from my boot. I knew it wasn’t finished—not by a long shot. I couldn’t see the
chute and Dumpster anymore, but I had