Free Broken World (Book 3): Mad World by Kate L. Mary

looks back at us. “Everyone ready? It’s going to be rough.”
    I grab the duffel bag off the seat next to me and hop out without waitin’ for anybody else. We’re only ‘bout ten feet from the back door, but I doubt it’s unlocked. And it’s metal. It ain’t like we’re just gonna be able to break the glass or nothin’.
    I run up to the door, stabbin’ two zombies in the head as I pass ‘em. First I try the handle, but it don’t budge. “Fuck,” I mutter, tossin’ the duffel to the ground and rummagin’ ‘round ‘til I find the crowbar I brought. I can hear the others behind me, so I don’t even bother lookin’ over my shoulder. Angus’ll have my back.
    It only takes a few minutes of pryin’ at the door to get it open. It comes loose with a crack that vibrates through my body. I shove the crowbar back in the duffel and get to my feet.
    “Got it!”
    I don’t even look back before I rip the door open. Thankfully, I’m ready. A zombie with almost no skin on his face is just inside the door. Chunks of flesh are missin’ from its arms and legs, and most of its clothes have been ripped off. Looks like a lot of the damage was done when it was still human. It moves slow, draggin’ a broken ankle behind it. I slash my knife deep into its brain just as the others run inside.
    I move further in, motionin’ for everybody to follow. Never been in this part of the casino, so I ain’t sure where to go, but it don’t take me long to find the stairs that lead to the pool. The stairwell is empty, just like the last time I was here. So I charge up, not restin’ ‘til I’m out on the roof.
    I hafta stop and catch my breath when I reach the top. The sun’s bright on the roof, reflectin’ off the pool. The rocks in my stomach get heavier when I think ‘bout the last time I was here. With Vivian. Her naked body. Damn.
    I gotta get her back.
    I toss my duffel aside while I wait for the others. They’re all huffin’ and puffin’ when they reach the top. Angus looks pretty pissed off.
    “We gotta block the door,” I say, ignorin’ the dirty looks from my brother.
    He’s bent over tryin’ to catch his breath. Breathin’ harder than anybody else. He ain’t used to physical activity. I played football in high school and worked construction, so I’ve always been in shape. Angus ain’t done nothin’ but sit on his ass his whole life. Shoulda taken better care of himself.
    Trey recovers faster than the others, then helps me pull chairs and tables over to stack in front of the door. It ain’t much, but it’s all we got.
    “Now what?” Nathan asks.
    “We can see out onto the Strip from behind them cabanas. It’s a tight squeeze, but Vivian and me did it last time we was up here.”
    He nods and heads that way. “Let’s check it out.”
    I follow even though I ain’t real happy ‘bout workin’ with him. But he’s willin’, and I need an extra set of eyes. The Monte Carlo ain’t close, and with all the bodies walkin’ ‘round down on the Strip, it could be pretty hard to check things out.
    “You have those binoculars?” Nathan asks as he squeezes in between the cabanas.
    “Yup.”
    He glances back and frowns. “You ever going to stop hating me?”
    I shrug and find myself puckerin’ my lips. Just like Angus. I hate it when he does that. “Maybe, if you help me get Vivian back.”
    “I get it,” he says over his shoulder.
    There ain’t much room behind the cabanas, and it’s hard to get close to the edge with all the bushes planted back here. Nathan tries to push his way closer, but it don’t work. After a couple minutes strugglin’, he grabs a bush and jerks it up, then tosses it over the rail. He pulls a few more up ‘til there’s enough room for us to squeeze behind the building.
    I climb on back next to him and look through the binoculars, studyin’ the Strip ‘til I find the Monte Carlo. It don’t look no different from the other casinos. There are just as many of the dead