Zombie Overload (Book 3): Learning To Live Read online

  Learning To Live

  Third Book In The Zombie Overload Series

  C. M. Wright

  Copyright © 2012 C.M. Wright

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover copyright © 2012 by Trisha Wilko

  Cover Model Trisha Wilko

  Edited By Roxane Przygoda

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The author has taken great liberties with locales including the creation of fictional towns. Some large cities and their names, streets, highways, and interstate names are true and as close to accurate, as possible. Any mistakes are entirely the fault of the author.

  Product names, brands, and other trademarks referred to within this book are the property of their respective trademark holders. Unless otherwise specified, no association between the author and any trademark holder is expressed or implied. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark, registered trademark, or service mark.Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited. The author greatly appreciates you for taking the time to read their work.

  Please consider leaving a review wherever you bought the book, or tell your friends or blog readers about the Zombie Overload Series, to help spread the word.

  Thank you for your support.

  This book is for Stasha-my little zombie expert.

  And for all my fans-thanks for making my dream come true.

  Table Of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Who's Who

  Chapters

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven-Will's Point of View

  Thirty-Eight

  Thirty-Nine

  Forty

  Forty-One

  Forty-Two

  Forty-Three

  Forty-Four

  Forty-Five

  Forty-Six

  Forty-Seven

  Forty-Eight

  Forty-Nine

  Fifty

  Fifty-One

  Fifty-Two

  From the Author

  Special Thanks and Acknowledgments

  About The Author

  Who's Who

  Characters from Book One and Book Two that are either mentioned often or are still active in whole or in part of Book Three.

  * "( )" indicates which book the character first actively appeared.

  Canada-Main character-Wife of Will. Mom of Bo and Ash. Homeschool Mom. (Bk 1)

  Will-Maintenance of elementary school. Husband to Canada. Father to Bo and Ash. (Bk 1)

  Bo-14-year-old son of Will and Canada. (Bk 1)

  Ash-11-year-old son of Will and Canada. (Bk 1)

  Marie-Nurse. Mother to Canada, Ricky, Andy, Ryder, and Rose. Wife to Ben. (Bk 1)

  Ben-Truck Driver. Husband to Marie. Dad to Canada and siblings. (Bk 1)

  Grace-Infant baby in the care of Canada and family. Baby sister to Kaleb. (Bk 2)

  Kaleb-Two year-old older brother to Grace. In the care of Marie and family. (Bk 2)

  Jake-Sergeant Major in military. Older brother of Greg. (Bk 2)

  Greg-Cancer patient. Younger brother to Jake. (Bk 2)

  Sam-Red-headed Irish man, also very short. Group saved from zombies surrounding his truck. (Bk 2)

  Sara-Backstabbing bitch found in second armory. Should have left her there. (Bk 2)

  Ma-Mother of Marie, Ma (grandma) of Canada. (Bk 2)

  Rose-Nurse. Baby sister of Canada. Engaged and living with Kurt. (Bk 2)

  Kurt-Electrician. Engaged to Rose. (Bk 2, although not formally introduced until Bk 3)

  Ricky-Canada's oldest younger brother. Successful Businessman/Computer Expert. Married to Kally. Father to MaLayna and Alec. (Bk 2)

  Kally-Married to Ricky. Farmer's daughter. Mother to MaLayna and Alec. (Bk 2)

  MaLayna and Alec-Children of Ricky and Kally. (Bk 2)

  Andy-High-profile cop. Married to Lindey. Father of Avery, Laney, and Lyndsey. (Bk 2)

  Lindey-DFS Child Services Caseworker. Also was attending classes to be an Ultrasound Technician. Wife of Andy. Mother of Avery, Laney, and Lyndsey. (Bk 2)

  Avery, Laney, and Lyndsey-Children of Andy and Lindey. (Bk 2)

  Ryder-Successful Business owner/Computer Expert. Married to Coco. Father of Joel and Gage. (Bk 2)

  Coco-Nurse. Wife of Ryder. Mother of Joel and Gage. (Bk 2)

  Joel-CDC Doctor. Oldest son of Ryder and Coco. Brother to Gage. (Bk 2)

  Gage-Governmental Bomb Squad Leader. Youngest son of Ryder and Coco. Brother to Joel. (Bk 2)

  WARNING! Reading books one and two in the Zombie Overload Series is highly recommended.

  This book is not a stand-alone.

  Chapter One

  Jake and I walk back to my sister's house together, saying nothing. When the house comes into view, I slow my steps, hesitating.

  "Hey, what's wrong?" Jake asks me softly.

  "I'm just remembering the last time I was here. We had Christmas in July with my family." I duck my head and fight back the tears. "Do you really think he's dead, Jake?" Even I can hear the desperate hope in my voice.

  "He could still be alive," Jake offers, unconvincingly.

  I stare hard at him for a few moments. "Come on, Jake. I trust you, of all people, to be honest with me. He's dead. Possibly-hell!-probably undead. Sure, he had his gun. But how long will the bullets last? He gets lost easily, so there is a very slim chance he could make it here on his own, even if he did live. Hell! He even got lost a couple times trying to come home from the store! So, if he actually is still alive-and I know he's not-he'll be in more and more danger every second he spends being lost. He's smart and strong enough, but he's only one man. We've had a bitch of a time trying to stay alive with the entire group fighting, so what are his odds? As I've said before, not everyone is going to live, no matter how much we love them. That was true even before all hell broke loose, but even more so now."

  Jake studies me, no doubt searching for the right words to say. I just shake my head. There are no right words he can say to me to make me feel better. I walk around him, squeezing his arm to show I'm not upset with him, and enter the house-straight into an insane world of chaos.

  Noise, movement, voices...laughter! My family has no idea how much I need this, especially right now. The fact that my family can laugh and enjoy each others company is something that makes my family special to me. We always have a good time together, even when we argue and fight. It's family-the largest group of people who love you in spite of all your faults, yet aren't afraid to tell you exactly what your faults are.

  Ricky is talking to my other brothers, Ryder and Andy. All three are in a debate over what start
ed this "zombie bullshit". I chuckle as it turns heated within seconds. Typical. Familiar.

  Rose, Mom, and Kally are making food for everyone, while Coco is helping Lindey with all the babies. Dad and Rose's fiancé, Kurt, are sitting at the table writing up plans to make the home and property more secure. Ma is sitting across the table from them, eating. Jake is helping a very pale and weak Greg up the stairs, most likely to find a bedroom for Greg to rest in. Sara and Sam are sitting on a sofa in the living room, seeming to be dazed and uncomfortable at all the commotion, and they both look more than a little terrified, as well.

  I'm very happy to see Sara tied and restrained again. I notice the kids give her a wide berth, so I have to assume they were warned to stay away from her. Or it could be the nasty looks she keeps throwing at them if they even look in her direction.

  I hope that cloth tied over her mouth is tight enough not only to keep her from biting, but to also keep her from saying any-damn-thing. Maybe I should make sure it's as tight as possible and, hmm, duct tape anyone? Needle and thread? Staples!

  I notice Mom has clean clothes on, so I bet the first thing she did was jump in the tub. Maybe I should, too.

  I let Mom know that I'm going to shower and she promises to put a plate back for me. I go back outside to the Hummer and open the back storage compartment. Taking out bag after bag, I finally find my suitcase. Automatically, I grab a set of fatigues, but after holding them for a minute, I stuff them back in my bag and pull out a pair of jeans, underwear, sweatshirt, and the bag of toiletries.

  As I'm tossing the last bag back inside the truck, I hear a phone ring. I stop for a moment and look around, wondering where the hell it's coming from. Then I realize it's inside this very vehicle and my first thought is, WILL!

  I run around to the passenger door and pull out Will's cell. But the name that shows is Bianca's, a teacher from the same school Will worked at, and also a very good friend of ours. Disappointment and irritation rush through me, but I push it back, reminding myself it's not Bianca's fault.

  "Hello?"

  "Canada, can I talk to Will?" She asks in a rushed, frantic voice.

  "Bianca, he...he's gone. What's wrong?"

  "He's gone? As in dead? Oh my God, Canada! I'm so sorry!" Bianca lets out a sob, "I need help. I couldn’t stay alone at home anymore. There are too many of these things. I got out of there, and I'm near Springfield now, but I have nowhere to go. Then I thought of you guys. Are you at home? Are you staying there?"

  "No, Bianca. We left a couple days ago. We're in Missouri now. You're welcome to join us. Let me take the phone to my dad so he can tell you the route we had to take and you can try it. A lot of roads are blocked. One sec." I'm in the house by this time and explain to Dad what's going on. I ask him to instruct her how to get here and he takes the phone.

  I make my way through all the kids and toys and enter the bathroom, shutting and locking the door. I stare at the face looking back at me, unrecognizable with all the bruises, cuts, and scrapes. I'm different from the woman I was just a few days ago. I had always fantasized what I would do if zombies should become real and try to destroy the world, but I never really expected it to happen.

  I'm still alive, but things aren't going the way I had always planned it would. I never expected to lose someone important to me-someone I love so much, but after only a few days into this mess, I lost one of the most important people to me.

  I want my husband back! I don't want to lose anyone else. I can't lose anyone else!

  As for feeling guilty over hurting Will, deliberately or not, I do feel guilty. I feel so damn guilty. And it's guilt that will live with me for the rest of my life, however short or long that may be.

  Sighing, I turn from the mirror and undress. Stepping under the almost too hot shower, I let the water wash all the dirt away. It always seems, to me anyway, that the shower is the place where your thoughts come out and you can't put them away. Your mind is going to replay everything it possibly can, bring up all the things that are causing you hell. It brought Will to the front and replayed all the times we spent together, with and without the boys. All the laughter, hugs, kisses, tears, arguments, fights, and our most private intimate times. The pain the memories bring are excruciating!

  Sobbing hard, I lean forward with my hands on the shower wall. I drop my head, close my eyes, and just let the pain take over. I cry for him. Us. The boys. I cry with shame and disgust at myself. I cry because I know I have to "get over" losing Will, my husband, my best friend. I have to do it for my boys. I have to do it to survive and keep them alive. Somehow.

  Finally, the sobs cease and I finish washing up. Getting out of the shower, I dry off, dress, and again stand in front of the mirror. Clearing my mind and going on autopilot, I pull out my toothbrush and toothpaste, brush my teeth, put on deodorant, and brush my hair.

  Oh...my...GOD!

  The torture of the brush pulling the hair on my way-too-sensitive head sends waves of pain through me, making my eyes roll into the back of my head and causing me to sway a bit unsteadily on my feet. So much for clearing my mind! Now it's filled with every swear word I ever heard and even a dozen I just made up!

  When my vision clears and my balance returns, I put some antibacterial cream and bandages on the worst of my wounds. Finally, I leave my hideaway and return to the chaos.

  Chapter Two

  I walk over to Dad, who is off the phone and back to making plans. He informs me that Bianca was heading this way and would check in every two hours "unless she hits a dead zone and her phone won't work. There's a couple of 'em between here and there."

  You don't say! Dead zones? What isn't a dead zone now?

  My mouth twitches. I bite my lip and then cough to cover up the laugh. I slide Will's phone into the back pocket of my jeans, and then pull my own phone out of the opposite pocket and check it. Nothing. I sit at the table across from the men and listen to their plans. They all sound good and reasonable to me.

  I look around Rose's home and, although it's a big home, it's still not big enough for all of us for very long. Short-term, most of us can sleep on the floor, but long-term, we will have to figure out something else. I mention it to the guys and they snap at me because, apparently, that isn't a "priority".

  Sorry! I didn't realize that ten-page paper you've already made is only for priorities. And you're both going to be putting my suggestion at the top of your priorities when I have an episode of bipolar rage and you are stuck in this house with me.

  But we all know the real reason they snapped at me, now don't we? I thought of something they hadn't and it pissed them off. They are men. Women should never have ideas and they should never, ever, be good ones. Ten minutes later, they are discussing building housing as if they'd thought of it themselves. I shake my head and roll my eyes. MEN!

  Leaving the table, I go outside to the large porch that wraps around the front half of the house and take a seat on an old rocking chair. Crossing my arms against the chill, I look out over the front part of Rose and Kurt's property. It's a good half mile from the bottom of their porch step to the front gate leading to the old dirt road. Trees canopy the driveway on both sides and dot the area all the way to the front fenced boundary.

  On the left side of the house is a fairly decent-sized pond, which Kurt keeps stocked with edible fish. To the right is a large garden. The only thing left this late in the year, as far as I can tell, are the pumpkins. Rising from the chair, I walk around the porch to the side steps and go down them. Then I make my way to the back of the house. Moving to the small back porch steps, I sit and look out over the back of the property.

  The first thing that catches my eye-how could it not-is a huge barn that, last I knew, housed a few milk cows. The rest of the barn Kurt uses as a garage and storage. Beside the barn is a chicken coop with at least a dozen chickens and one rooster. I see the goat in its own pen behind and to the right of the coop.

  I smile, thinking about all the phone calls and texts I
received from my very irritated sister over the things that goat has done. They also have a pen with a couple pigs and next to that are a few fruit trees. Aside from all that, the rest of the property is woods and clearings. From the back of their house to the end of their property is about a mile. Plenty of room. All in all, this is the best place for us to stay and make a new life for ourselves. It'll be a lot of hard work, but we can do it.

  I notice movement to my right and quickly turn to see what it is. I smile as my sister, Rose, walks over to me.

  "Hey. How you doin'?" she asks, sitting on the step beside me.

  "I'm alright. Trying to keep it together and keep my kids alive, but I’d really rather not talk about...anything else. I just want to pretend it's all ok. I know that's wrong, but I really need to do that right now."

  Rose nods, letting me know she understands.

  "So where's Dad?" I ask her, not having to specify which dad-since Dad Ben came here with me, I obviously know that he's in the house.

  "In the house."

  Have I ever said my sister is incredibly smart but has very little common sense? No? Well, exhibit A.

  "Ok. Thanks. And do you know where Dad Rex is?"

  "I just talked to him a couple minutes ago. He's being stubborn and wanting to stay with his business. I guess he plans to stay in his apartment over the shop. He's by himself, though. I wish he'd just come here. He did say he would call if he needs to leave. I just hope it's not too late for him to get here or us to help him get out."

  "I can't believe how stubborn that man is!" I exclaim.

  My sister looks at me from the corner of her eye.

  "What?" I ask her.

  "Nothin'."

  Oh, I get it-she thinks I'm as stubborn as he is, huh? I'm not. I'm not! Ok, maybe I am.

  "So, anyway..." I encourage a change of subject.

  "So the guys have decided they are going to turn half of the lower and all of the top floor of the barn into apartments. I made sure to tell them to get yours and the boys done as soon as possible, but I also told them to hurry up and get that damn crazy-ass bitch out of my house." Rose rarely is this animated and nasty about anyone.