Forget The Zombies (Book 2): Forget Texas by R.J. Spears

out of there alive and what would have happened to women…I don’t even want to think about it.”
“Is that what I have to do? Make them evil?”
“You do whatever you have to do. This world isn’t going to make it easy on us. If you can find a way out, I say take it.”
“I’m tired of all this,” she said. “All the dying. All the running. What kind of effect is this having on my kids?” Something caught in her voice.
I sat up even though it shot a pain down my backside and tentatively reached a hand up to touch her shoulder. She collapsed in on herself and then into me as she choked back sobs, not wanting anyone else to hear.
I was out of my element. Way out. The last woman I had consoled was the one that broke up with me on my birthday a year ago. I was weak when it came to women crying, but also felt about as useful as a Dixie cup of cold water tossed on raging fire. The tears came and I wrapped my arms around her, trying to help her ride them out. Her body bucked with each wave of wracking sobs. A part of me wanted to join in, but that wouldn’t help her or anyone else, plus it would be breaking the man code.
The sobs lessened with each round until she finally got them under control. I gently patted her back for about a minute, stopping when I sensed that she was ready to pull away.
“Look at me,” she said. “I must look horrible.”
“The zombie apocalypse isn’t a beauty pageant, you know.”
“But still,” she said as she wiped at her eyes and pulled herself together. I thought she was about to get up when she reached and touched my face. “You cut your cheek.”
“When the cop was shooting at me, I caught some asphalt there,” I said.
She moved into take a closer look. “Do you want me to get something to clean it out?”
“No,” I said, “it will be fine.”
She pulled back, but not all the way, ending up with her face only inches from mine. Her hand stayed on my cheek gently caressing it and I sort of liked it. Her eyes locked onto mine and she looked at me as if she were seeing me the first time. Something passed between us and we stayed there for several seconds. I forgot about the pain and it was just the two of us.
She made the first move, pushing her hand back into my hair and gently pulling me towards her as she closed her eyes. I closed my eyes, too and our lips met.
It was nice as everything melted away, including the past few days. There were no people around us. No zombies ready to munch down on us. No menacing rednecks. No dead or dying friends. And, Toto, it seemed like we weren’t in Texas anymore.
I don’t know how long our kiss lasted, but it seemed like forever. It also felt like only a millisecond. A warm tingling started rising within me and that’s when the real fireworks started.
Well, not really fireworks. More like gunshots. Three shots to be exact.
“Zombies!” Someone shouted.
Dammit! Do zombies have to ruin everything?
We broke apart but despite whatever danger lurked out there, we sat still for another few seconds, just looking at each other.
She said, “Thank you.” It communicated more than just gratitude.
“No, thank you.” Two more shots were fired.
“Grant!” Rosalita shouted.
“It’s time to get moving,” I said.
“Another time,” she said.
“Yes, another time.” It was my turn to touch her face as I cupped her chin in my hand. I leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the forehead and stood up.
“What is it?” I shouted, trying to mask my annoyance.
“Mom?” Martin asked, a little twinge of fear in his voice.
“I’m here, honey,” Joni responded, sitting up.
I put out a hand and she grabbed it. Unlike the other times we had touched there was a deeper connection in this simple act and we both knew it. I helped her up and she went to her kids and I was on the move to whatever shitstorm was coming our way.
I got beside Sammy and saw three zombies on the ground. All three were missing different parts of their heads as Sammy had done