“You need to survive until you hear the whistle blow a second time. If you’re alive by then, congratulations, you’re a winner.”
Hunter points at his eyes with two fingers and then at me.
“Stick with me,” Olivia advises with a solemn gaze.
There’s no need to convince me. I’d bet good money on this kid’s survival.
“You get a five-minute lead,” Courtney says, followed by an ear-splitting whistle that signals the start of the game.
People scatter in multiple directions. Everybody seems to have a plan of action except me. Olivia grabs my arm and tugs me in her direction. Ben is shockingly spry for an older guy. He makes it to a small bridge that spans the width of a creek.
“Can the zombies swim?” I ask.
“Good question.” Ben rubs his beard.
Olivia presses the button on the walkie-talkie. “This is Olivia’s Team requesting information.”
“Go ahead, Olivia’s Team.” Gloria’s voice is interrupted by static.
“Can zombies swim?”
Adam’s voice breaks through. “Affirmative.”
That rules out an aquatic escape route.
“Zombie Hunter spotted by the cafeteria,” Adam reports in a panic.
“That’s confusing,” Ben says. “Makes him sound like someone who hunts zombies.”
“What’s your position, Team Gloria?” Olivia asks.
There’s no answer from Gloria, only static.
Olivia’s eyes widen. “Comms are down!”
“No communication is a problem,” Ben says.
Not for me. I view this as an ideal opportunity to do some sleuthing. I break away from the group. “I’ll do recon. See if I can spot any zombies in our area.”
Ben places a hand on my shoulder, holding me in place. “We should stay together. There’s safety in numbers.”
Olivia pushes her grandfather’s hand aside. “If the hero wants to sacrifice himself, who are we to stand in a hero’s way? We’ll hide near this bridge. Report back as soon as you can.”
I salute her and take off in a sprint. I spot Angela, who is seated on a rock by the lake. She’s decked out in a sunhat and oversized sunglasses.
“Aren’t you playing?” I ask.
She slides the sunglasses to the tip of her nose and peers over the top at me. “I made sure to get bitten right away. Now I can enjoy the sunshine without interruption. You?”
“I’m on a recon mission.”
She squints. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” It isn’t a lie. The recon, however, is for my client and not for the human survivors of a fake apocalypse.
Her gaze skims me from head to toe. “I won’t reveal your whereabouts if you don’t reveal mine.”
“Deal.”
