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Even with the shotgun, she couldn’t take down multiple people. Maybe, if she was lucky, she could kill one. But definitely not any more than that.
Her mind reeled, hands gripping Saff so tightly, her knuckles ached.
Then she remembered what Saff had told her, what she’d made her remember—repeat over and over again.
The grenade.
She ripped the backpack off her shoulders, only letting her arms leave Saff for a split second before returning, pulling the top half of her body up onto her lap and chest.
She kept one arm securely around Saff while the other unzipped the backpack.
Within seconds, her hand found the cold ribbed metal.
The muffled sounds in the distance behind them were still a little way off, but they grew louder by the second.
Voices. Definitely voices.
She kept one forearm resting over Saff’s chest, feeling the slight movement as it rose and fell with each shallow breath.
“Good job, baby. Keep breathing,” she whispered into Saff’s ear, pressing a kiss against the soft skin. “I got you.”
She waited, listening to every tiny sound as they approached.
Then she could hear scraping footsteps, slowly growing louder against the pavement.
She swallowed down the dryness in her throat.
Closer. They needed to get closer.
Seconds ticked by.
Then, slowly, she could make out the voices. Hushed at first, but growing louder.
“Is that—“ she heard a man’s hoarse voice first.
“Holy shit,” another muttered. “I can’t believe it.”
“Stay—stay back,” she called out, her voice much more frail than she intended.
She heard a chuckle. Then another low string of words.
“You were right,” one of them said with a low laugh. “I was convinced the zombies got her back on that other city run.”
Maddie’s heart pounded so hard it was an effort to hear anything over the thundering beats in her ears.
“Stay back!” she yelled again, pulling the grenade back to stay hidden behind Saff’s body.
Another chuckle. “Stupid bitch stole our stuff and ran.”
She waited, counting the seconds in her head as she listened to every step they took, inching closer.
She wasn’t exactly sure how far a grenade explosion would go, but she couldn’t risk waiting any longer.
She whipped her hand out in front, using her other hand to pull the ring.
Then she threw it, as hard as she possibly could, toward the impending voices.
Clinking metal skittered across the pavement.