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“You don’t have time,” Juan said from the window. “We’ve got company of the dead kind and it’s those damn zombie-rules-breaking fast ones.”

13

The Haunted & Hunted

Emma joined Juan at the window and squinted through the dirty, smeared glass. A half- dozen runners dashed back and forth in front of the building, heads jerking about.

“They’re hunting,” Juan said.

“Did they hear the truck when we arrived?”

“Maybe, but they’re tracking a noise right now. Watch their heads. Doesn’t it look like they’re trying to locate a sound?”

“Our voices perhaps?” Macy offered.

“Possibly.” Juan glanced at her, his jaw tightening with resolve. “You don’t have time to drag out your decision. Either you come with us or stay here. We can’t wait to see if more show up. We gotta move or we’ll have more of those assholes here than we can handle.”

Macy’s lips parted in surprise, obviously not expecting an ultimatum.

Juan bristled at her expression. “We risked our lives coming here to try to save yours. If you choose to ignore what Rune said and stay here with your dead kid, I’m not going to stop you. I didn’t lie to you yesterday. We won’t force you. You have a choice to join us. The same way we have the choice not to risk our lives for you and your zombie kid.”

Emma fully expected Macy to rip into Juan. The anger filling the woman’s eyes was understandable. Juan had ground the brutal truth into every word he spoke. Macy clutched her hands at her sides and set her lips into a tight line. She looked away from the windows and Juan to stare at the empty corner.

After a few tense seconds of contemplation, she turned to Rune. “What is my anniversary date?”

Rune listened to a voice only he could hear, nodded, and replied, “March twelfth.”

Blinking back tears, Macy pulled a shuddering breath into her lungs, exhaling explosively. “Okay. You’re the real deal. I don’t want my son to suffer because of my...issues. What do I do?”

Rune glanced at the quaking door. “Julian’s corpse needs to be put down so his spirit can move on.” His hand moved to Glock. “I can do it for you.”

“No. I’m not going to have a white man killing my boy. I’ll do it.”

Rune pulled his firearm and held it out to her.

“No,” Macy said, shaking her head. “I have my own way.”

“It’s better not to use a gun anyway,” Juan spoke up. “The runners are pacing around. They don’t know we’re in here yet. Let’s keep it that way.”

“We’ll have to kill them when we head to the truck if they’re still hanging around,” Emma pointed out.

“If we’re spotted, Juan, it’s going to be messy one way or the other.”

“I’m trying to think of a plan, Rune. Just help her do what she needs to do to get her kid through those pearly gates.”

“Once his corpse is put down, the tether will break.”

Macy leaned over and pulled a knife from a sheath strapped to her ankle. The blade was sharp and glinted in the pale afternoon light. Holding the tan hilt firmly in one hand, Macy sighed wearily. “This was Clive’s bayonet when he was in the Marines. It only feels right to do it this way.”

“I’m sorry,” Emma said. “I wish there was another way.”

The crack of the rifle from just a few days ago echoed in her memories. Billy’s small body collapsing would forever haunt her, but she knew it had been the right thing to do. Hopefully, Macy understood that the act she was about to perform was one of love and deliverance.

Macy fastened her gaze on Rune, fingers twitching around the hilt of the fighting knife. “If I...kill the zombie, it will set both of them free, right? Clive will take Julian to heaven?”

“Yes, ma’am. Your husband is here to do two things: apologize to you and take Julian into the light.”

With a defeated look, Macy said, “Okay then. I need you to leave the room. I have to do this alone.”