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“I’m her girlfriend,” Ken said, putting on his best flaming gay routine.

Lenore growled at him and he pulled on one of her braids. Reluctantly, she smiled and they embraced tightly. “Take care, you crazy faggot. ”

“Will and can do! Dale will protect me, won’t you?”

Dale just grunted, grinned, and donned his sunglasses.

“I love it when he does that,” Ken whispered to Lenore.

“He’s straight,” Lenore chided him softly.

“For now!” Ken then heaved his rifle over one shoulder and jauntily strode over to Dale. “Let’s be off, my good man. ”

“I’m gonna punch him,” Dale said with a grin.

“Get in line,” Lenore answered and sulked.

* * * * * Katarina read over the map and the notes from their briefing. She looked nervous, but was keeping it in check. Bill looked down at his boots and sighed. His beer belly was smaller now and he didn’t huff when he ran. He was becoming a fit man who was dating a younger woman. And here he was running off to lead a zombie parade. He wasn’t sure whether he was brave or a damn fool.

“I think I have this memorized now,” Katarina decided.

“You better. That’s our asses,” Bill answered her gruffly. He heaved himself up into the fancy Durango and adjusted the seat.

Katarina slammed the passenger door shut. Like everyone else on the mission dubbed “Operation Distract” she was in hunting clothes. Only a few volunteer soldiers were in their old army camouflage.

“I got it. I promise. Just do what I say. ”

“Oh, God, is that what our marriage will be like?” he kidded her.

She took him seriously for a split second, then laughed and smacked his arm. “Oh, you. ”

Ahead of them Bette and Linda shared one last kiss. Behind them Ken was tapping out some obscure song on the car horn.

Dale shouted, “Lesbians kissing, oh yeah! A good day to die!”

Maddie smacked Dale’s cheek playfully then gave him a big hug. Dale lifted the older woman off the ground, hugging her tight, and kissing her cheek. She was his surrogate Mom and tears were running down her cheeks. Rune and Dale clasped hands, exchanging last words, then Dale slid into the Durango’s passenger seat. Rune gently led Maddie away as the older woman wept with worry.

Juan stood nearby watching with Travis and Katie. He noted that the vehicles were ready and motioned to the gate operator. The gates began to whine open.

“Here we go. ” Bill gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying not to let his nerves get to him.

“Yeah. ”

They both took deep breaths.

“I wonder what twenty thousand zombies look like,” Katarina finally said.

“Dunno, honey,” Bill answered. “But we’re about to find out. ”

2. Facing Death

The sun burned brightly in the sky above as the helicopter flew low over the three Durangos speeding down the old farm road. Already nature was taking advantage of the fall of Man. Crabgrass spread tendrils across the unused road as weeds poked through the asphalt. The elements were eating away at the structures along the road as the foliage around them rose up and shrouded them in leafy robes.

It made Curtis feel despair about their situation. How easily humankind was being erased from the face of the earth.

“Almost there,” Greta’s voice said in his headset.

Shifting in his seat, Curtis looked ahead, but saw no sign of the mobs of undead. “I don’t see them. ”