When I got to the ground, Miguel and Luis were grinning like idiots.
“Shut up,” I growled as I passed by them.
“We didn’t say a word,” Luis replied with a chuckle.
“Keep it that way.”
I started toward my parents to check on them when Justin was suddenly in my face. “Emery,” he said loudly, his voice dripping with accusation, “why the hell were you kissing that asshole?”
That was it. I’d had enough of Justin’s bullshit. Without a second thought, I turned and pulled Miguel’s knife from the sheath at his waist and shoved Justin against the alley wall, holding the knife to his throat. I slapped my free hand over his mouth so he couldn’t interrupt me when I spoke. “For the last fucking time, keep your God damned voice down,” I hissed. “I shouldn’t have to fucking tell you this. You know what will happen if you don’t. Every time you open your mouth, you attract zombies, which threatens my parents’ lives. I’m sick of it. If you can’t shut the fuck up, then it’s time to part ways, and you can find your own fucking way to the evacuation shelter. Got it?” I removed my hand so that he could respond.
Justin licked his lips nervously, his eyes widening in fear as he nodded.
I released him, handing Miguel back his knife.
“Why were you kissing him?” Justin whispered.
I groaned in frustration. Justin had to be a fucking moron. That was the only explanation for why he didn’t fucking get it through his head that I wasn’t interested in him. “I really need you to fucking hear me. We are not together, Justin. We are never going to be together. What I do and who I do it with is none of your damn business. Period. End of fucking story.” Without giving him a chance to respond, I turned back to Miguel. “Lead the way.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a salute.
“Are you guys ok?” I asked my parents as we started down the street.
“We’re fine, Piccina,” Papi replied. “Miguel and Luis took good care of us. Are you ok? What you did on the roof was very dangerous.”
“I know,” I replied. “I’m sorry for scaring you. That wasn’t my intention.”
“We don’t want to lose you, Pequenino,” Mami said softly. “But we’re proud of your bravery and strength.”
“Thanks, Mami.” I stopped her briefly to hug her, then took the bag from her back. “Here, take this one. It’s lighter.” I handed her the backpack with the blankets and clothes we’d taken from the apartment.
“I don’t mind carrying my own weight, Emery,” Mami chided gently.
“I know that. You’ve already done plenty.”
The closer we got to Fulton Pier, where we were suppose to evacuate, the more humans we began to see. Everyone seemed to keep to themselves as we filled the streets. The terror and desperation in the air were nearly suffocating. So much had already been lost, and everyone felt it. Eventually, we came to a stop, unable to move forward anymore because the crowd was so dense.
“Everyone stick together,” Nico ordered the group. “If we get separated, go to the war memorial. If this doesn’t pan out, we’ll cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.”
I said a small prayer that we would be evacuated. Going into Manhattan was the last place I wanted to be. We skirted around the edge of the group to try to get a closer look at why we had stopped moving. The government had placed nine-foot ironfencing and concrete blocks around the pier. The solid metal gate that should have been open, allowing us to pass through to safety, was closed. Why weren’t they letting people in?
At the gate, a group of people were banging on it and demanding entrance. Some of them were working out how to force the gate open. I spotted a tree near the wall that looked climbable and grabbed Luis. “Give me a boost.”
He helped me into the tree, and I climbed until I could look over the wall. What I saw had my hopes plummet. Inside, nearly wall to wall, were zombies. Whatever the plan had been, it hadn’t worked. The infected had gotten into the safe zone. That’s why the gate was closed. Not to keep the living out, but the dead inside. I looked back toward the gate and the people trying to break in and realized they were making progress. And the constant banging was agitating the trapped zombies.
“Stop!” I shouted, hoping to stop them, but it was too late. As they forced the gate open, those nearby were immediately attacked by the horde inside. I jumped out of the tree quickly. “We have to leave. Now!” Panic spread around us as people realized what was happening. I tried to get back to my parents, but the crowd surged, pushing me farther away and leaving Justin, Darla, Lani, Mr. Higgins, and me separated from the guys and my parents.
I met Nico’s eyes and saw the panic within them. “Keep my parents alive and we’ll meet you at the memorial,” I yelled over the crowd. “Keep them safe!” Nico nodded, and I forced my brain to switch gears. I had people under my care, and I had to get them to safety, too. I had to trust that my parents would be safe and that I’d see them again. “Stay close and follow me!”
We headed as far away from the chaos as we could, managing to put some distance between us and the mass of people. We weren’t out of the woods yet, but we were far enough away that we could start making our way toward the war memorial.
“We need to get off the street,” Justin said in an attempt to take charge.
“No, we need to get to the memorial and link back up with the others. This way.” A few blocks later, the park was in sight when we ran into another decent-sized group of zombies. “Over there,” I yelled. “We can use the dumpsters to get over the fence and into the park!”
I reached the dumpster and scrambled onto it. I peeked over the stone wall and was relieved to see it empty on the other side. I turned, and together Justin and I helped Mr. Higgins onto the dumpster. I helped him over the wall while Justin, Darla, and Lani helped each other onto the dumpster. I turned back to help and watched in horror as the zombies closed in and Justin pushed Darla and Lani off the dumpster and into their waiting arms.
Darla and Lani screamed as the zombies tore into them, gutting them faster than I’d ever thought possible. The vision of their organs being ripped from their bodies while they were still alive would forever be etched in my mind.
