The First Days (As the World Dies 1)

Unable to look into his face anymore, Katie walked into the kitchen and found a man and a woman locked in a tight embrace in one corner. Already, he was not looking very well. He was sweating hard and his face looked grayish-green. He had multiple bites on his neck and shoulder. Blood was streaming down his chest. He was fading faster than his son who just had one little bite.

The woman looked up at Katie with glassy eyes and said, "You need to help us. "

Katie walked over and looked at the man. He looked at Katie's gun, then at his wife.

"Take my wife with you. Do me and the boy a favor," he said softly. "You better go soon. "

Katie hesitated, her brain feeling numb and overwhelmed, then nodded.

"I will. "

"I'm not leaving them! I'm not leaving them," the woman shrieked. She was the classic soccer Mom of this area. Blond, short bob haircut, slightly pudgy, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.

Katie ignored her and walked over to the big stainless steel sinks. If she was correct, she could see the outside door from the high window over sinks.

Hoisting herself up, she peered out. To her relief, just one zombie was banging on the door. But that didn't mean there weren't more out there.

Jumping down she moved over to Jason and Jenni.

"Listen. Now. " Her voice was so authoritative she sounded like her father for a moment. "We're leaving. I need both of you to stop crying right fucking now!"

They both blinked rapidly at her words and she could see that Jason immediately understood and wiped his tears away. Jenni reluctantly let go of her stepson and stood trembling.

"Okay. Now. Jason's friend is bit. So is the Dad. The mother is fine.

Those who are not bitten, we're leaving now. Before more arrive and the zombie football player busts through those doors. " Katie pulled her revolver out of her holster and turned around to look at the man who was looking more and more dead with every second. "I'll take your wife. "

He nodded, his fingers pressed tight to his bleeding throat. "Finish me.

And my son. Don't let us…don't let us…Take my wife with you, please. "

Katie nodded.

The man kissed his wife and his son threw his arms around his neck.

They all three clung together as Katie approached.

She felt sick. She felt shaken. She felt anger. She felt sadness. But she didn't want this self-sacrificing man to die like the man back in that town.

Like Lydia had.

The wife's head was buried in the man's shoulder, her body heaving.

The man closed his eyes and Katie fired a single shot.

Blood spray didn't affect her anymore, she realized dully.

The son looked up at her, crying, covered in fresh blood, but nodding…ready.

The mother, though, launched herself at Katie, screaming,

"MURDERER!" and almost sank a knife she had been holding the whole time into Katie's chest. It was only her son tackling her and driving her to the ground that stopped her.

"Shit!" Katie said, her eyes wide, watching the struggle on the floor.

The boy rolled off his Mom, the knife buried in his side. The mother rose screaming and charged at Katie again.

Jenni stepped forward and slammed her upside the head with a pan and sent the crazed woman sprawling.