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The First Days (As the World Dies 1)

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Fred lifted his binoculars and peered through them. "I only see a woman and she looks pissed. "

"Nerit," Katie whispered.

The truck lurched forward again and made a run toward the gate.

2. Death by Red Truck

The truck vanished as it raced around the block toward the street that led to the gate. It swung back into view and headed toward where the zombies still stood beating against the closed metal gates.

Katie ran along the top of the roof, her eyes watching the truck and its fierce run toward the entrance to the fort. She got into a better position to watch, and held a hand to her brow to shield her eyes.

The red truck slammed into the outer fringe of zombies, wiping out a slew of them in one fell swoop. The brakes were slammed down on and the truck came to a hard stop right before the gate. Nerit reversed and backed up drawing the surviving zombies away from the gate. She drove slowly backward allowing the zombies to nearly catch up before she hit the accelerator and the truck lurched out of their grasp. The truck reversed up the road quite some distance and Katie had a good idea what came next. The red vehicle charged forward straight toward the dead and slammed into crowd. Zombies flew in every direction, bodies bursting apart, pieces of bodies flying across the street as the impact split them apart.

"Shit," was all Travis could manage.

The truck backed up slowly again, the few still staggering zombies trying to follow. The truck sat idling, seeming to wait and when they were within a few feet of its front grill, it leaped forward and knocked them flat. Then the truck reversed hard and ran over the bodies. Then forward again. The zombies were crushed beneath the tires.

The truck backed up, the door opened, and Nerit appeared, standing up on the edge of the cab, leaning one elbow on the door. Her rifle came into view and the last four zombies, stuck in the gate, waved their free limbs at her, growling hungrily. One by one, their heads popped and they collapsed.

Nerit slid back into the truck and slammed the door shut.

Travis drew his walkie-talkie. "Open the gate. It's clear now. We have a visitor. "

The red truck drove slowly up the carnage covered road and idled outside the gate as some of the workers hurried to get it open.

Juan stared out at the dead bodies and the gore splattered truck. "Wow. "

Katie and Jenni headed toward the stairs. They both knew something was horribly

wrong.

Juan looked over at Travis. "Wow. "

Travis smiled slightly. "Tough women are sexy, huh?"

Juan looked back. "Shit. I think I want to marry her. "

Nerit had arrived.

3. Nerit’s Story

Travis ran behind Jenni and Katie. Both of them were hurrying at top speed. Down the stairs, out the back door, across the site, up onto the platform, across the bridge and down the ladder into the new entry: it was a mad dash the whole way.

The red truck slowly slipped through the gates. Armed guards made sure no zombies managed to get in with it, but Nerit had done a good job clearing the street. The truck's deer guard was slathered in blood and gore and the tires left grimy reddish/black tracks behind it.

Travis watched Katie's expression. It was desperate, sad, fearful, and wary. Katie felt fragile to him now and it terrified him. Though he could see her outward strength, he feared her internal strength was failing her. What was happening or not happening between them seemed minor compared to the haunted look in her eyes.

Jenni clung to Katie's hand, looking scared. Her long black hair caught the morning breeze and streamed behind her. She really was lovely and he was glad Juan had found comfort with her. Belinda was just bad news for him. She was his eternal crush all the way back in kindergarten and Travis had watched Juan be lured in only to be spurned.

Where was he in all this though? Travis wasn't sure. He had a job to do.

He planned to get it done.

He had slid out of bed in the middle of the night to work on some modifications to the new gate system and felt satisfied he had worked out the problems. That work had made him feel solid and good inside, but one look at Katie and that feeling slipped away. He was mad for her and he knew it.

Never had he been in love with any woman as he was in love with her. But at the same time, he wanted just to make sure she was okay. He did not want to cause her anymore pain than she was in, but she had given him hope. Given him more hope than he had dared to dream of.

But now, seeing Nerit's expression as she slid out of her truck, clutching her sniper rifle in one hand and the collar of her dog in the other, Travis could see just how devastating love could be.



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