Free Lost in the Apocalypse by L.C. Mortimer

containment, were slow and ordinary. She considered them to be “normal” zombies, the type you read about in books or watched on your favorite television shows. The other type included the ones who had been bitten or exchanged bodily fluids with someone who was a carrier. They were faster and more alert.
    They still couldn’t match a human speed for speed, but they were fast enough that they worried Emily. They made her nervous and itchy. They were the ones that filled her nightmares, that made her freak out when nothing else did.
    They were the stuff of legend.
    When Kari returned, she left the front door open. The night breeze blew through the house, relieving some of the smell, but not eliminating it. They would probably have to burn the damn house down to be rid of the smell of death. Luckily, they were only going to stay one night.
    Hopefully.
    Robert disposed of the bodies on his own. He said he’d handle it and Emily expected Neil to insist on helping, gentleman that he was, but he didn’t. He had simply shrugged and headed inside, allowing Robert to do whatever he wanted with the corpses.
    They all had pent up aggression and emotions to deal with. Maybe Robert was trying to get the creatures out of his head by beating them up. She wasn’t sure and was too tired to care.
    Neil and Cody searched the first floor for Infected while Kari and Emily looked through the cupboards for food and supplies. Kari found a box of tampons she shoved in her backpack. Emily found heart medication, fever reducers, and bandages. There were several bottles of water and although neither one of them wanted to open up the fridge, they were glad they decided to because they found a 12-pack of soda.
    Kari almost screamed as she pulled the case from the fridge. She slipped one can from the pack and put it in her backpack.
    Emily pretended not to notice.
    If Kari didn’t want to share all of the soda with the guys, that was her prerogative. She had nothing else left in the world. Was hogging a freaking can of pop really worth arguing over? Emily knew it was the kind of thing that could destroy a group. Jealousy, lying, secrets: these things had no place in the new world order, yet they were things you couldn’t completely eliminate.
    Robert returned and closed the front door. He was covered in blood, but no one commented on it. He helped the men search the first floor and after ensuring it was clear and Infected-free, they locked the front door, moved a sofa in front of it, and headed upstairs.
    “This is what I’m talking about,” Kari squealed, running into the master bedroom and bouncing on the bed. The bed was perfectly clean and tidy, as if someone had made the bed that morning. Aside from a thin layer of dust, you’d never know it belonged to a dead person.
    “Dibs,” Cody said, and went into the room with Kari. He closed the door behind them and Emily heard an audible locking sound.
    “See you in the morning, guys,” Kari called out. Neil and Emily exchanged glances.
    “Are they…?” She asked.
    “Fucking?” Robert filled in the blank.             
    “I was going to say ‘seeing each other,’ but sure. Fucking. Why not?”
    “Be a grownup, princess,” Robert smiled. Emily thought it was the first time she had seen a real, genuine smile from him. “Nobody dates in the apocalypse.” He opened the next door in the hallway. It appeared to be a guest room. He walked in, looked around, and closed the door. That left two more doors.
    One was a bathroom that had obviously been empty since the infection began because unlike most post-apocalyptic houses, this one was clean and tidy. No Infected had been rambling around in there, vomiting or bleeding on things.
    Butter pushed the last door open. Emily held her breath, hoping it would be a guest room or even better: a kid’s room with bunk beds. How great would it be if they could all actually spread out comfortably? Her heart sank when she saw what type of