Zombie Theorem (Book 2): The Siege by James Wallace

dug down deeper inside myself, pulling more strength then I knew I had. I made it to my chest and then swung a leg up and made it the ledge Apache was on.
    I sat there, breathing hard and trying to make sure I don’t lose my grip and fall. “Good job, Dan. I knew you could do it. Now follow me. We have a little further to go before we can rest.”
    I dropped my head in defeat and worked my way to my feet on the ledge. I hugged the wall and followed Apache over to a window ledge slightly above us. She reached up, grabbed the window frame above, and stepped onto the lower part of the frame, giving herself a step up to reach the roof. She grabbed the edge of the roof and pushed her feet against the frame to help with getting her to the top. She slid out of my sight, then reappeared a second later.
    I reached up, grabbed the higher part of the frame as she did, and made my way up to the lower part with my boot. I looked up and found Apache lowering her arms and hands over the edge down toward me. “Take my wrists, Dan. I’ll help you climb up here.”
    I reached higher and grasped onto one of her wrists, then the other. She started to pull as I got my foot on the outside of the frame and started to pull and push myself higher. The glass below shattered and a hand shot out, grabbing onto my left ankle in a vice grip. My eyes went big as I looked up to Apache for help. “Don’t let go of me!” Somehow I was able to keep myself from yelling, but just barely. I let go with my left hand, and she grabbed my right wrist with both of hers. I moved my sweaty hand down to my belt and tried to pull the baton free. The hand on my ankle pulled it closer to the window and whatever was inside. I kept trying to grip the baton, but my hand was too sweaty to grip tight enough. I quickly wiped it on my pant leg and then gripped the baton, freeing it from its holster. I snapped my wrist out, causing the baton to pop out. I swung with all I could at the wrist attached to the hand gripping onto my ankle. I heard bone break, but the hand was still pulling me in. I looked up, and I saw Apache pulling with all she had. She was losing the battle to keep ahold of my wrist. I kept at the hand breaking fingers. I kicked my foot hard and suddenly was free. I kicked the frame hard, gaining purchase, and slid my baton back into its holster. I reached up with my free hand and gripped Apache’s hands tight. We both put the last of our energy into our effort and pulled me onto the roof. I lay there on my side, panting from the effort expended. I looked over and saw that Apache was also close to her limit and was taking a little time to lie on that roof and rest. My ankle, back, arms, hands, and head hurt. Hell, even my new, stubby hair hurt.
    “Okay, stud, time to get to work. Get up, and let’s go set up.”
    I rolled onto my stomach and tried getting to my knees, but my left knee wouldn’t bend. I started to get worried when I remembered I had put the baton back into its holster without collapsing it first. I removed it and left it on the roof as I got to my feet. I stretched back and tried to release cramps that had set up camp in my back. After I finished my stretching routine, I picked up the baton and collapsed it to its proper size and holstered it.
    I looked around and found Apache on the far end of the roof on her knees, using her glasses to check out the small village below. I made my way over to her slowly and removed my pack, placing it next to hers. I went to my knee and waited to be told what to do next. She continued to look around, then stopped, and handed the glasses to me. “Look over there by the crossroads. See that building there?” I nodded my head yes. It looked like a restaurant perhaps. “Over near the entrance, do you see the truck in the parking lot?” I found the truck pretty quickly, since it was the only vehicle in the parking lot. “Watch the driver’s side for a bit.”
    I focused in on the windshield and watched for