Zombie Dawn II: A Zombie Apocalypse Sequel by J.A. Crowley

was a horrible sight, shrieking audibly and
blasting the room with her telepathic energy.  I simply could not raise my
gun.  I was in some type of fugue.
    It was only reflex, not conscious effort,
that made me fall back and keep her swing from cutting my head off, but she
sliced deeply into my cheek from my jaw line all the way to my eye.  It burned
with a hot coldness.  It felt like it might match Ian’s dueling scar.  I lay on
my back, waiting for the end, as Mariana raised the blade for a final cut.  I’d
dreamed of killing this evil bitch, and now she was going to end me.
    When I went down, though, Ian was
finally able to get a shot.  He was carrying a Mossberg 12 gauge pump loaded
with 000 buck.  It was the one he’d taken off Jack’s idiot friend.  He quickly
pumped 4 shots into Mariana but his angle was bad and he could not get a good headshot. 
He was able to sever her sword arm though, and both the sword and the arm fell
to the floor.  The buckshot blew other large chunks of Mariana off, including
her jaw and a bunch of her teeth, but she kept coming.
    Mariana shrieked and raced at Ian,
trying to scratch him with her left hand and its filthy claws.  He missed with
his fifth and last shot , turned the Mossberg around and butted Mariana between
the eyes with it, buying a half- second.  I had come out of my fugue a bit, but
had no shot.  I tossed Ian my Beretta and, after dodging a few of her claw
swipes, he was able to drop Mariana with three well-placed headshots.  One in
each eye, one right in between.
    “Back to Mom,” I screamed.  Or
thought I screamed.  My entire face was opened up, pumping blood.  Ian later
told me he had no idea what I’d said, since I only blew blood, spit, teeth and
air out the side of my face, but he also knew we had to get back and save
Kate.  He stuck my Beretta back in my belt, reloaded his Mossberg, threw me over
his shoulder, and we headed to Santos’ compound.
    In the excitement, we forgot all
about Mariana’s spawn and the rest of the zombie babies.  Call it the fog of
war.  Bad call, though.

 
    Chapter 33:    Kate’s
Diary—An Unpleasant Encounter
    Santos approached, actually trying to
kiss me.  What kind of fucking sicko thinks that a rape victim would kiss
them?  I turned my head and brought my hand to my mouth, removing the razor
blade as he paddled at my breasts with his ice cold little boy hands.  This kid
had a lot to learn, but I hoped that he’d never have the chance.
    It was almost funny how Lehman and
Darius looked away.  I wonder if that was some type of reticence, or simply
fear of Santos?  Sadie looked away, repelled.
    In any event, only Bonnie was really
watching as I pushed Santos’ head back with my left hand, nuzzling his neck
with my almost-puking mouth, while I manipulated the blade with my right.  Once
I had  a decent grip. I drew the blade across his neck, right above his Adam ’s
apple, then cut him again and again, as fast as I could. I could hear a loud
noise; later I realized it was me screaming “Die motherfucker die” over and
over again.  I was seeing lots of blood, but I could tell my cut was not deep
enough.  The blood was not the deep crimson of arterial blood and it was not
spraying out, just pattering on the floor.
    Santos, with a look of betrayal and
shock, smashed me in the face with his head while Lehman pried my blade out of
my hand.  Happy to say I cut him pretty good, too.

 
    Chapter 34:    Jack’s
Journey—Almost the End
    I raced deeper and deeper into the
bowels of the Armory.  Finally, I heard Kate, screaming like a banshee.  Others
were yelling and squealing as well.  I swung around a final corner and raced
into a small chamber crowded with bodies.  I passed a big Mexican looking guy
lying injured or dead on the ground outside the door.  Looked like the gorilla guy
I shot outside the Bat Cave.  I could see Kate, Santos and a few other people
in the room.
    Santos was bleeding like