Free After The End by Melissa Gibbo

stutter-step back. Realizing the
potential outcomes, I took a gamble and drew the tiny bottle I’d
located from my pocket. As the hand sanitizer somersaulted through
the darkness towards the vampire, I saw the first of the blundering
Dead traipsing between the driveways.
    A blood-streaked hand caught the little
plastic container; he looked down at the contents. The gentle
breeze circulating did nothing to relieve the stillness trapped in
the apex of truck lights. The departed edged closer, their
movements slow and jerky, but steady nonetheless. Daemon closed his
eyes and took a deep breath, his fangs receding into his gums.
    “Thanks, Squirrel.”
    His usual upbeat tone and innocent smile
returned as he cleaned the sanguine fluid from his hands and rubbed
his chin clean on the inside of his shirt collar.
    Eyes went wide in confusion and blades were
lowered insignificantly; only Sunny squinted with distrust. The
young Undead looked around and blushed – although he may have
simply been flush from the blood he’d consumed.
    “Sorry guys, just lost myself for a second
there.” He stared at the weapons still aimed in his direction. “I’m
going to work on this with Cal when we get back and I’ll keep it
together for the rest of the raid.”
    Silent looks passed from person to
person.
    “Um, shouldn’t we relocate someplace a little
less unfriendly?”
    Daemon gestured at the growing swarm of
cadavers in varying stages of decay. He was right, Dane’s killer
may not have been alone and these zombies were already too many to
make a stand. I wiped the splatter from Dane’s cranium goop off my
cheek and barked out orders.
    “Someone grab the gear off those two bodies
and let’s get to an elsewhere while we can. This place is too
dangerous.”
    Randolph and Ellen’s Father lightened the
corpses of all things useful and our troop receded into the truck
beds. We set out in search of a haven for the coming day. Dawn
would arrive in a few hours and we were already down one person on
the first night. Ellen’s Father sat across from me, clenching the
rabbit’s foot as Sunny drove over fleshies while making our
retreat.
    At least there was no one back home to grieve
Dane’s demise.
    We drove five miles in search of an adequate
place to barricade ourselves for the daylight hours. Randolph
spotted it first; it was a tan house with the blue windows boarded
up and the garage door half open. Both trucks would easily fit
inside.
    Our drivers stopped in front. Daemon and I
leapt to the ground, preparing to check the potential sanctuary. I
looked back and found everyone else hanging back; they stared at
the young vamp with unease. Fear crossed his face as he gazed at
our companions. Watching this wordless conversation, I decided to
act like the leader they seemed to think I was.
    “Daemon and I will clear the house for
enemies: living or otherwise. When we’re finished, I’ll come out
and we will all secure the building for the day. From here out
we’re also going to buddy-up so everyone has someone to cover their
backs.”
    The pack started pairing off with whomever
they trusted.
    “I call dibs on the guy who’s been watching
all of our asses; you know, the one who killed the douchebag with a
shotgun who murdered a member of our community. That asshole that
tried to rob us and carry off Sunny for God-knows-what. You guys
consider all that while Daemon and I are inside.”
    I turned on my heel, drew my sword, and
stormed up to the door. The vampire followed. The home was empty of
anything but furnishings. We turned back to the door outside and I
took a deep breath. I steeled myself to face the probable backlash
of my earlier rant. With my hand on the doorknob, I felt fingertips
softly run up my forearm and grasp my hand.
    “Thanks for what you did back there. You’re
the only person they would’ve listened to. I owe you major and I’ll
make it up to you.”
    Tendrils of warmth and red climbed my face. I
returned Daemon’s