Apartment 905 by Ned Sahin (best summer books txt) 📕

She read my mind. I am glad that her grandmother has a vegetable garden. It would be disappointing to see a whole range of flowers that we can’t do anything with.

“I am totally fine eating the salad without almonds,” I say.

Kathleen chuckles while glancing at me.

“Does she know how to bake chocolate cookies?” Toshi asks.

It wasn’t the best idea to bring up cookies right now.

“Oh, man… I used to wait in front of the oven watching the sugar cookies bake!” Kathleen says.

I remember the ready-to-bake cookies I ate at home. I can feel the taste of the chocolate chips in my mouth.

“It’s time for lunch, I think?” I say. They both nod without a doubt.

After lunch, we walk about two more hours. There’s a road sign ahead of us: Wildernest 12.

We should be able to find a house or cabin outside of that small town to spend the night.

I hear rustling coming from the road. I raise my hand to stop Kathleen and Toshi. We stay quiet to pick up any non-natural sound.

Footsteps are coming from different directions.

“Slowly…” I whisper and wave my hand for them to follow me. Taking small steps, we get closer to the road. There is a sedan on the road with two Ricas slowly walking around it in circles with blood on their faces and hands.

There is a kid in the backseat. He looks scared. I think I also see a guy in the driver seat. We crouch and share looks with each other.

I lower my voice to a whisper “Take them down?”

Toshi and Kathleen look back to the car and Ricas.

“Let’s do it,” Kathleen says.

“I will get their attention and draw them to me. You guys hide on both sides and—”

The kid sees us and screams before I finish my sentence. Both Ricas turn their heads to our direction. It takes only a second before they see us too. They start running toward us.

“Toshi!” I yell.

He moves a few yards away from me. He stretches the bow and waits for them to get closer. I hold the shotgun from its edge to hit them with the handgrip. Kathleen stands behind me holding her knife.

Toshi shoots one of the two arrows. It misses. He places the second one, but it’s too late. The Rica running in front makes a move to jump on me. I hit his forehead with the back of the shotgun. He falls. Toshi shoots the last arrow right into his head.

The other Rica pushes me with both hands. I grab one of his arms to keep my balance, but we both stumble to the ground. He gets on my chest and widens his mouth to reveal dark yellow, sharpened teeth. I wrinkle my nose as the foul scent of his breath creeps through my mask. I try to keep his face away from mine, but he fights back and tries to lock my hands to bite my cheek. My heart races as his face gets closer.

A knife enters his head above his left ear. His blood splashes all over my face.

I throw him off of me and move to the other side. I keep my eyes and mouth closed as water flows above my head.

“Stay still!” Toshi says. He continues spilling the water bottle.

I use the bottom of my t-shirt to dry my face before I open my eyes.

“You okay?” Kathleen asks while cleaning her knife.

“I… hope so… Thanks...” I say. I look at the Ricas. Their miserable lives are over. I turn my head to the car. Both the kid and man are watching us.

Toshi collects both arrows. I pick up the shotgun. Toshi approaches the car from the side while I walk toward the rear of the car with Kathleen. The guy opens his door and steps out of the car.

“Thank you!” he says and lets out a long breath. “We got stuck here last night…” He looks too young for a man who has a kid around ten years old.

“Only two of you?” I ask, looking around. I don’t see anyone else.

“Yes. Me and my nephew. We were on our way to Salt Lake City before we ran out of gas,” he says.

“So were we…” Kathleen says with a shrug.

“Do you guys mind if we tag along?” he asks. We look at each other.

“Yes, it’s fine,” I say. We can’t leave a kid behind. Even if we don’t want them to follow us, we can’t stop them coming after us anyway.

“Thank you… I am Neman. This is Elijah.”

After we introduce ourselves, we all start walking in the same direction. Even though Neman doesn’t look like a threat, we let him walk in front of us.

The “welcome” sign for the town finally comes into view. The problem is, there is nothing other than the sign. The entire town seems to be burned down. Not even a single building stands. They are all in rubble. It looks like a bomb destroyed the town. After completing their mission in Denver, the Air Force must have visited this town.

We keep scanning the area for any sign of life or shelter.

“Oh, shit!” Kathleen says. I look at the direction she is starting at. There is a Rica with blazing hateful eyes among the rubbles. He sprints toward us.

Another one shows up behind him. Two more join them shortly after. As they scream out, more Ricas come out of the debris.

“Run!” Kathleen yells. We turn back and run into the jungle. Neman pulls up Elijah to carry him in his arms. We run as fast as we can, but the Ricas get closer.

Neman falls behind with the weight of holding Elijah. I go back to help him and get the boy from him. Neman picks up my shotgun. He runs faster now but still can’t catch up with the rest of us.

“This way!” Toshi yells, glancing back at us. He is leading the way to a trail. We follow him.

The trail ends in a fenced area. There is an open iron gate.