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Then the truck was pushed over into the ditch on the side of the road. The undead in the ditch were squashed beneath the truck, but more took their place beating and pushing against the Durango. The two men inside ended up lying on the driver’s side windows, staring up at the zombies swarming on top of the capsized vehicle.

“We’re not gonna make it, are we?” Ken asked, his voice catching.

“Nope,” Dale answered.

They both watched in horrible fascination as one of the zombies began to beat against the window with a rock. Cracks slowly began to spread across the glass.

“Nope. We’re not, Ken. ”

“Oh, God,” Ken whispered, covering his mouth in horror.

Dale pulled the smaller man into his arms and cradled Ken’s head against his chest. “It’s okay, Ken. ”

Ken sobbed softly into his chest. . “Lenore is going to kill me. ”

“At least you know someone loved you,” Dale consoled him.

“Yeah,” Ken whispered as the glass shattered and rained down around them. “Yeah. I do. ”

“Ready to go?”

Ken watched Dale flick the safety off his pistol. Pressing his lips tightly together, he nodded.

“I’ll do it for both of us. ”

Ken nodded fervently, unable to speak anymore.

Dale kissed Ken’s forehead gently as he brought up his gun. “Sleep tight, Ken,” he said, and fired.

Ignoring the bits of brain and blood splattered over him, Dale wrapped his arm tightly around Ken’s shoulders and took a deep breath.

“I’m right behind you, buddy. ”

Just as the first of the zombies fell into the truck on top of them, Dale pushed the gun into his mouth and fired.

2. The Helpless Living

Despite everything going on in the outside world in the deadlands, Katie fell asleep on the couch in the communication center. She had felt drained all morning. When she had laid down on the sofa, she hadn’t expected to fall asleep, but she had.

She awoke to someone crying out.

It was Travis she saw first, his face strained and tears in his eyes. Peggy sat at the communication hub sobbing loudly, her hands over her face.

“What happened?” Katie asked in a hoarse voice.

“Ken and Dale. . . ” Travis’ voice broke. “We think they’re gone. ”

“No,” Katie whispered.

Peggy wiped her tears on the bottom of her t-shirt and again pressed down the button on the microphone in front of her. “Dale, Ken, please respond. What is your status?”

Only cackling static responded.

“What happened?”

“They said zombies came out of the forest and surrounded them. It sounded like they were trying to drive away then the line went silent,”

Travis answered.