Free Chaos Theory: A Zombie Novel by Rich Restucci Page A

most assuredly had special needs when it came to putting on a shirt. The hole in my shoulder screamed at me to knock it off, but the kid was scared and I had had enough of the pain. Ship tossed me something that rattled, and it hit me in the forehead and fell on the cot. It was a pill bottle, but there was no label.
    “Pain pills?”
    Ship shook his head in the negative.
    “Antibiotics?”
    More stinkeye from the Shipster. Try as I might, I couldn’t open the damn bottle either. I couldn’t move my arm correctly and it was very weak. The only people that can open those child-proof bottles are children anyway, and as it would happen, we had one. She tentatively held her hand out and I passed the bottle to her with my good arm.
    She opened it in three seconds, passing the bottle back and then the cap, “I’m sorry I shot you,” she said staring at the floor. “I thought you were with those other…people. They killed my dad.”
    “We are not with those assholes. They’ve been trying to kill us too,” I shook my head in disgust. “You would think what with the end of the world, and humanity on the brink, we would be better to each other.”
    A small gasp, and a tiny voice: “End of the world? You mean it’s not just here?”
    Stinkeye, complete with follow-up eye roll. Guy could make me feel terrible on a whim. How was I supposed to know she didn’t know the extent of whatever was happening. Hell, I didn’t know either at that time, I was just making assumptions.
    “No kiddo, it looks like it’s all over. I came from Boston, and it was all kinds of awful there…what’s your name?”
    “Katrina. But everybody calls me Kat.”
    I sat down and rubbed my shoulder; it ached. “Well Kat, here’s the plan…actually, I have no idea what we’re going to do, but I’m sure Ship does.”
    She perked up. “There’s a ship? Is it safe?”
    “No, no,” I said, pointing at my large friend. “He’s Ship.”
    She looked confused, but perked up immediately when the first fist smacked against the side of the hanger. It was followed by many more. If I thought she had been scared before, she showed all new prowess in the scared-look area when the moans began. We had a crowd outside, and with the wind howling it was impossible to tell how many.
    I pulled my pistol, as there was no way I was going to be able to use my rifle. As an afterthought, I passed the rifle to Kat. She grabbed it, but I didn’t let go straightaway. “I’ll be wanting that back when this is over.”
    She nodded, wide-eyed, and I let go, “If you would kindly not shoot me again, I would be grateful.”
    I turned to look at the big guy, and he gave me the worst look yet. He really didn’t like the fact that I gave this girl a weapon. “What? She needs a gun if she’s going to help.” I shifted my gaze to the terrified girl. “You do want to live, right?”
    She nodded quickly.
    “Then shoot any that get past us.”
    Ship shook his head no, then pointed at himself, then to the door. He pointed at me and then to the cot.
    “Nope. Not letting you do it by yourself.” I jacked the slide on my Glock, and spears of agony lanced through my shoulder and into my neck. I tried my best not to show it, but it was tough. Ship scribbled something in his book and passed it to me. I used the flashlight to read it: You’re a liability out there. Watch her.
    He was right, and I knew he was right. The worst part of it was he knew I knew it. He stood there waiting, like a smug Sasquatch that had just won a bet. I walked past the girl and whispered in his ear, “The rifle I gave her isn’t loaded.” He nodded, slung his rifle and pulled his machete. He shushed us. He actually shushed us with his finger in front of his lips, then strode to the door and ran into the storm. I holstered my pistol, slamming the flimsy door.
    There were windows, more like skylights, in the top sides of the metal structure, and I stood on a desk and peeked outside. I couldn’t