Live Another Day by Baileigh Higgins (finding audrey .txt) 📕

in every detail around him. A quick glance at his watch told him it was half past four in the afternoon. The sun had begun its descent toward the earth, its light washing the veldt in hues of yellow and gold. “Not long now.”

As if in answer to his words, a smudge of dust appeared on the horizon. With each second that passed, it grew in size and deepened in color. The horde was approaching.

“Is it them?” he asked Michael who stood next to him.

“It’s them.”

Earlier that day, Michael had gone on a solo reconnaissance of the area and the roads leading up to it. The news he brought back was sobering. Ke Tau had gathered a massive swarm of infected, and two of his men on dirt bikes were leading them straight to the main gates.

“Just like last time,” Max said.

“This time, though, they’ll follow up the attack themselves, and they'll be armed with guns,” Michael said.

“We’re ready for them.” Max lifted his hand and waved at the people assembled on the wall around him. The signal was taken up and passed around until everybody stood to arms at their posts. A tense silence fell.

The cloud of dust moved closer by the minute, drawing inexorably nearer. It was rust red and reminded Max of dried blood. A nervous tremor shivered through his right hand, and he clenched it into a fist. Not for the first time did he wish Breytenbach was there to advise him. But he's not, and it's up to us to defend ourselves.

The radio at his side crackled, and he started. “Max, come in. Max.”

He raised the mic to his lips and pressed the button. “Liezel? What is it?”

“Four vehicles are approaching the gates ahead of the horde.”

“Four?” He exchanged a perplexed look with Michael.

“That’s right.”

“Can you make out who they are?”

“Hold on.”

Max lowered the radio. “It can’t be Ke Tau. He wouldn’t be ahead of the infected, would he? I mean, he’d be trapped between them and the fence.”

“It doesn’t make sense,” Michael agreed.

“Unless…” A bright spark of hope flared in Max’s breast.

“Unless what?”

Liezel’s voice came on again, pitched high with excitement. “It’s one of ours in the front. It’s Breytenbach!”

“Really?” Max craned his head toward the far outer gates. As yet, he could see nothing but prayed Liezel was right.

“She said four vehicles, right? Breytenbach only had two,” Michael pointed out.

“I know.” Max considered this. “We’d better be on our guard. This could be a trap.”

“Right.” Michael turned and whispered instructions to Peter and Thembiso. They each shot in a different direction as they spread the latest news and orders to everyone assembled.

Together they watched and waited. At last, Max spotted movement. “There.”

“I see,” Michael replied.

A convoy of vehicles emerged from the tree line and sped toward the barriers blocking the gates. They braked in a flurry of dust as their wheels kicked up sand, and figures emerged from the opening doors. “Can you see anyone? Breytenbach? Kirstin?”

“No,” Michael replied.

“Shit,” Max swore while he suppressed his irritation with the man. One minute he can see in the dark, now he can’t make out one lousy person’s face.

Max longed for a pair of binoculars as he watched the figures drag the spiked contraption out of the way before unlatching the gates. Behind them, the first straggling line of undead appeared from the brush. “They’re not going to make it.”

Nervous tension coiled in Max’s breast as he watched the growing spectacle playing out in front of him. Two of the figures dragged apart the barred gates, while two more shot at the approaching infected. Hurry, hurry, hurry!

The last vehicle in line was swallowed up by the horde. Like ants over a pile of sugar, the infected covered it with their squirming bodies. The third truck suffered a likewise fate, and Max chewed on the inside of his cheek until he tasted blood. Meanwhile, the people outside the cars ran back to their doors and jumped inside with seconds to spare.

They raced through the entrance of the camp. To Max’s relief, the two swamped cars made it out as well, shedding their layer of decomposed bodies like an old skin. It was too late to close the gates or the barrier, however, and he considered the outside area lost. Not that he'd expected the fence or moat to hold them off for long anyway.

Max looked around him, mentally ticking off each person he came to. Because of their lack of numbers, he’d been forced to abandon the outer fences and concentrate on the inner walls, a decision he hoped wasn’t a mistake. Still, he knew he could count on each and everyone assembled. They were family, and family stood together.

He motioned to Abraham and Phillip. “Get ready to open.”

They nodded.

He looked at Michael. “If it’s not them, shoot.”

“Will do.”

He looked around. “Everybody ready?”

Yells of assent rose.

We’re ready.

The four vehicles raced up, and he held his breath as he waited. His eyes searched for Kirstin’s. Then he spotted her familiar blonde head, and his knees threatened to buckle. “It’s them, open up!”

The bars were flung aside, and the weighted metal sheets pushed open. Breytenbach and the mystery trucks pulled inside with a flourish. The dead followed them in a straight line up the road, their faces decayed and contorted. A low hum of groans rose from their unified throats.

“Close it now, hurry!” Max shouted at the ground unit even as he bounded down the ladder. He flung himself onto the left half of the gate and helped Abraham push the monstrosity shut with a clang. Together, they lifted the bars and slid it across.

With their defenses intact once more, Max allowed himself a brief second to relax. Behind him, the first zombies reached the walls and began clamoring to get inside. He ignored them and searched for his beloved. There.

“Kirstin!” He bounded forward and swooped her up in a crushing hold. His arms circled her waist as he lifted her slender body off the ground and spun her