Free The Orphans (Book 4): White Lie by Mike Evans

buddy. You need to teach me your trick.”
    Joey said, “Well that’s simple, I go to the weight room every day. I don’t like guns and don’t go to the range.”
    Greg said, “You probably ought to learn how to shoot bud or you might end up in some serious trouble.”
    Joey held up a metal baseball bat proudly. Clary had modified it and put an eight-inch spike on the end of it so that Joey would be able to put it through one of the Turned’s skull or swing it normally to break it open. Greg said, “Still, it might not be a bad idea buddy. I’d hate to see anything happen to you brother.”
    Joey gripped him in a bone crushing hug, lifting him off the ground and holding him tight for a moment until Greg patted him back. When he put him down the two finished strolling the aisle with Joey leading the way, grabbing items like it was the last chance he’d ever have to get the canned goods. Greg kept an eye open while walking through, not hearing Ellie and Shaun and wondered if they’d went to make out instead of trying to gather food. Joey ran up ahead of him to the end of the aisle and Greg had only a moment's notice when he saw a can rolling across the floor from an aisle that cut through the middle of the one they were in.
    Greg made the mistake of trying to grip his rifle when he should have gone for his sidearm, but he was already within reaching distance. One of the Turned, dressed in a store employee’s uniform, grasped his parka and roared at Greg as he lifted him off of the ground. Greg stayed quiet, not wanting Joey to come running back, and to give him a chance at getting out of there. He fumbled for his pistol but the Turned gripped his arm with its free one, squeezing until Greg thought that it was going to snap under the pressure. Joey spun around with a smile while holding up a can of raviolis. His smile melted and his lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears. He slowly shook his head ‘no’ and dropped the can of food on the floor and let it roll away. Joey, not hesitating for even a moment, sprinted towards the Turned. Joey screamed at the top of his lungs and said, “Put down Greg now!”
    Joey's war cry did little in the way of intimidating the dead. It held Greg in front and moved him to the side so that he could see Joey. Joey’s face was growing shades of red that Greg was unsure he’d seen before. Joey didn’t slow until he got within a foot of the one holding Greg, who was dangling inches off of the ground. His final step was almost a jump and he leapt as high as his short frame would take him and the look of determination on his face was all that Greg needed to see to completely trust his short friend.
    Joey rose into the air then came down with the bat above his head bringing it down with everything that a pro ball player would want in his swing. The bat connected and cracked, echoing across the aisle and the one next to it. Joey was breathing heavy and fighting back the tears from flowing. The immediate idea of one of his best friends getting killed by one of them like his sister did just feet from his eyes was more than he could emotionally handle at the moment. He stood there watching the Turned. A green ooze came down the front of its face and the legs began to wobble. The hand that was clenched around Greg’s throat went limp and Greg dropped to the ground gripping his neck as he sucked in a deep breath of cool air. It burned but it was the best burning sensation he’d ever felt.
    Greg and the Turned had both fallen to the ground. Greg was clenching his neck, doing his best to keep from hyperventilating. The Turned lay on the ground and the brains slowly started to slide out of its head. Joey knelt down and cradled Greg in his arms while rocking him back and forth and patting his arm. Joey asked, “Hey, hey are you ok Greg? Did he hurt you?”
    Greg whispered lightly under his breath, “You’re squeezing me Joey. I thought you were going to kill me.”
    Joey stopped squeezing