The Girl Who Kicked Ass (Death Fields 3)

“This place is giving me the creeps,” Parker says. “My grandmother lived in a house like that. It smelled like cigarette smoke and fried chicken.”

She’s got her weapons out and ready. I don’t blame her. My gun is two inches from my boot as I tug up my pants. Stupid bodily functions.

We round the corner and find Jude pressed against the wall. His finger is to his lips and we do the same. Loud voices carry from where we left Davis and Jude. Human voices.

“Fighters?” I whisper. It can’t be Hybrids. We’d all already be dead.

“No. Locals.”

“Great.”

We’ve done our best to steer clear of humans. They’re time consuming and dangerous. Eaters you can kill. Humans have to be reasoned with. It seems the longer people go without joining up with either the Resistance or Jane’s Army, the harder they become. If there’s anywhere else safe to be, I don’t know it.

I lean forward to get a peek but Jude yanks me back. I roll my eyes, “What do they want?”

“Our stuff? The car? Maybe to enslave us? God if I know.”

“How many?” I ask.

“Three. But there may be more. It’s hard to tell in this area. So many places to hide.”

We work out a quick plan. Parker and Jude will head around the other side of the building. I’ll stay here. Hopefully we can catch them off guard.

I scoot closer to the edge of the building and strain to hear.

“We’re just headed to the Vaccine Center. You’ve seen the signs, right?” Davis says, his voice is friendlier than I expect.

“Sorry, man. Ain’t nobody coming into this neighborhood to invite us to get vaccinated. Not even the monsters want to come in here.”

“Unfortunately, we’re on a schedule,” Davis says. “I’m going to have to ask you to nicely put down your gun and let us go.” I have to give whoever is talking to him props, because he must be intimidating as hell to get such a reaction. I have to assume they’re bigger or have more weapons.

I take a chance and peer around the corner. I spot Davis first and Paul is by his side. Both look alert but not tense. Of course, Paul could snap one of their necks in a blink but he doesn’t seem concerned. I lean around just a little more and my jaw drops at what I see.

Kids.

They’re just kids. Granted they’re carrying weapons, guns and a few that look homemade. They’re nearly as big as their bodies, and they sling them around like one misfire wouldn’t take a life, but still they’re kids.

“Davis!” I yell, shoving my own gun in the back of my pants.

“Yeah.”

“I’m coming out.”

I step around the side of the building and the two boys and one girl stare at me like a ghost. Their guns are raised but I keep my hands in the air. “Hey,” I say. “I’m Alex. What’s going on out here?”

“You friends with this guy?” the oldest asks. He has dark brown skin and unruly hair that doesn’t look like it’s been washed in a while. I guess he’s about twelve and the other two with him are a bit younger.

“Yes, we’re friends. And he’s right, we’ve got somewhere to be and need to move on. Is that okay with you?”

“You got any food in that bag?” He looks at the pack over my shoulder, ignoring my question.

“Some.”

“We need it. Give it over. Kori keeps giving her food to Garrett. I keep telling her not to but she doesn’t listen.”

I glace at Davis, who is stone faced, and then over to the girl Kori, who is thin as a rail and no, she doesn’t look like she’s eaten in days. Her skin has an ashy quality and I’m not even sure how she’s standing on her feet. “I can give you some of our food, but in exchange you’ve got to let us pass through. It’s important.”

“Let me see,” he says. He juts his chin in the air and I see he’s trying to act big for the others.