Free Mostly Dead (Barely Alive #3) by Bonnie R. Paulson

give anything to throw up, relieve the constant nausea strangling my gut. Anxiety did that to a person. Gruesome reality did worse.
    Three cars stopped behind us.
    We waited a little longer. The woman climbed back in her car. Her kids watched us from the back window, tears streaking their cheeks. No more cars came.
    I slapped the back panel of her car and she lifted her head. The engine turned over. Four cars traveled with us to Sandpoint. According to a sign posted above a mile marker, we didn’t have far to go. Maybe three more hours.
    We’d have to make it through Moscow before reaching Coeur d’Alene. Moscow was already infested with zombies.
     
    ~~~
     
    The deep growl of the dirt bikes made conversation impossible. Heather slipped and slid on the seat behind me, probably falling asleep.
    I didn’t miss sleep. The act itself had been relaxing, but I had such limited time, it seemed like a waste to pass even a second with my eyes closed.
    Heather jerked on my waist and I think she mumbled sorry. I couldn’t shift her to my lap to sleep or I’d lose all steering capabilities.
    We’d been rolling forward for a good hour or so before the woman pulled over again. Hopefully not to throw up. The smell of the last one had finally been washed away by the smoky air.
    I stopped at her window. She lowered the glass and pointed in the back. “My kids need to go to the bathroom.”
    Moscow wasn’t far. I nodded. “Okay. We have to go as fast as we can through Moscow. I know they have the virus. I’m not sure how long or how many so far, but it doesn’t take long to spread.”
    She chewed on her lip and watched the empty road ahead of us. A finger tapped on the wheel. “You know, we could go the back way. It might be slower, but we won’t have to go through any towns.”
    “How is that?” Doubt screwed up the side of my mouth.
    “This whole area is riddled with logging roads. You can drive for miles and miles and never see a single soul.” She didn’t look extremely enthused about it.
    My excitement skyrocketed. “Really? ‘Cause the smaller the population the less likely we are to see any zombies.” Unless I looked in a mirror. Okay, I had to curb the joking. Honestly, I was starting to sound like a jackass.
    I ignored her startled expression, until she raised a hand and slowly spit out, “Zombies? You’re kidding me, right?”
    My jaw dropped. “What the hell did you think they were? Vampires? No. Zombies. They want to eat you. The virus is spread by biting through skin. You don’t have to be alive to get the virus, either. Believe it or not, but dead bodies are getting up and walking around hunting for food, too.”
    She covered her mouth and looked forward.
    “Can Heather and those girls ride with you? Heather hasn’t slept in a while and she’s slipping off my bike.” I wanted to keep Heather with me, but side logging roads didn’t sound like smooth travel. She’d slip off and damage more than just hair. Plus, her scent kept springing at me when I was the least prepared and my mouth would get wet. I wanted to eat so badly. A break from temptation would save some of my energy.
    The woman nodded and unlocked the doors.
    Heather didn’t argue as she slid from the back of the bike and rounded the car. She took the front seat. James’s two passengers joined the two kids in back.
    I murmured my thanks.
    W e left the freeway by the next exit and followed gravel roads north.
     
    ~~~
     
    Coeur d’Alene Lake spread out before us underneath a haze of white smoke. We’d passed fire patches and raging infernos as we’d traveled the logging roads. James and I hadn’t taken the chance of off-road trail riding to search for food. The call of the heat would be too much. As it was, a fever-like shaking rattled through me every few minutes or so.
    Thankfully, a doe and fawn had crossed the road an hour or so before, most likely fleeing from the fires. We’d taken them both down – baby meat not exactly my