Free DeadBorn by C.M. Stunich Page A

in both hands and fire off a random shot into the distance. The power of the gun is phenomenal, leaving me with a small surge of adrenaline.
    “ Take me instead,” Dawson says as I turn around and meet his eyes. “I'm a better shot.” He keeps his dark gaze on mine and then grumbles under his breath. “If that even matters.”
    “ It doesn't,” Holly tells him and I wonder if she knows that from her dream or if it's just something she's observed. “And I'm not going anywhere without Galen, so sit tight and protect Martin.” She kicks the bag of guns and points at the second baseball bat. “If we hear shots, we'll come right back. If you hear shots, get ready, just in case Galen and I are killed.” I swallow hard at this and stick the gun in the waistband of my pajama pants. It falls out and clatters on the pavement.
    “ Just in case?” Dawson says sarcastically as he picks up the revolver and hands it back to me. “You mean when, right?” Holly ignores him, gives the cat one last pat on the head and gestures for me to follow after her. She sticks her gun and a handful of bullets in the front pocket of her sweatshirt and takes the baseball bat from where it's tucked under my arm.
    “ Keep your gun ready, aim for the legs or the head and don't shoot unless I tell you to, okay?” I nod, but Holly stops us, makes me look at her and locks eyes with me. “Promise me.”
    “ I promise,” I say and we continue walking across the parking until we reach the gravel path that leads towards the trailer. Holly stops and gazes down at the silent surface of the lake. The hags are still there, but they've stopped moaning and are now standing still as statues. Their hair and clothes ruffle gently in the afternoon breeze as they keep their gazes locked on the water like it's a lifeline and maybe it is because I see that most of them are sopping wet.
    “ What are you doing?” I ask Holly as she continues to stare. She looks so vulnerable with her pink shorts and borrowed shoes, blood smeared around the edges of her face and a quiet desperation burning in her eyes. I want to hug her, squeeze her small body against mine and breathe in the scent of her hair. Instead, I turn my attention back to the hags and watch them as carefully as Holly is.
    “ I'm observing,” she says simply and in the way that Holly always gets me, I get her. It's a nice feeling. “Want to bet that Doug stumbled into one of these things?” She looks over at me, but I can't take my eyes off the hags. One of them has just stepped forward and is walking into the lake, disappearing beneath the blue waters with each careful step. After a moment, her head is the only thing visible. This is where she pauses and waits, cold, milky eyes staring blankly at nothing. “I don't see a body,” she continues. “So unless they dragged him into the lake, I'm guessing that he's become one of them.” I finally pull my eyes away from the bizarre scene in front of me and look at Holly. “A zombie, I mean,” she explains.
    “ How much do you know, Holly?” I ask and she looks away. The breeze tickles her hair and lifts it up in an arc, trying to tug the tips away from the crusted patch of blood that they're stuck in.
    “ I know that she's going to come for me,” Holly whispers and we both watch as the hag reemerges from the lake and walks right back to the spot it came from. Several moments later, another copies the motion and disappears into the water. “I know that you'll never be safe if you're with me, but that I'm too afraid to let you go.” I'm not entirely sure what she's talking about, but I can't help myself; I step forward and wrap my arms around Holly's neck.
    “ I love you,” I say and seconds later, a man stumbles out of the woods and straight into the arms of the enemy.

CHAPTER 8
    Melee

    Ten Hours and Forty-Nine Minutes After …

    My first instinct is to fire the pistol, but I know that I'm not good enough to take the shot. I could end up