Death & Decay (Book 2): Divided Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  WARNING

  Day 1

  Day 2

  Day 4

  Day 6

  Day 8

  Day 9

  Day 10

  Day 12

  Day 15

  Day 20

  Day 21

  Day 24

  Day 26

  Day 27

  Day 29

  Day 36

  Day 37

  Day 52

  Defenseless

  Thank you for reading.

  More by R. L. Blalock

  About the Author

  Divided

  Book Two of the Death & Decay Series

  R. L. Blalock

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, and events in this book are the product of the author’s imagination or are used factiously. Any similarities to real people, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Copyright 2017 by R. L. Blalock

  All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced without permission.

  Cover Artwork by Deranged Doctor Designs

  Editing by Scott Alexander Jones

  ISBN: 978-1544905679

  ASIN: B06ZZJLBZ6

  For my daughter, Addy,

  The light of my life.

  And the one who will probably drive me insane.

  Acknowledgements

  The list of people who deserve acknowledgement continues to grow faster than I can dole out the acknowledgements. I am fortunate enough to have many supportive friends and family members around me. I appreciate all thos people who listen to me babble when I get lost in a world that doesn’t exist. Those people who conitue to listen intently when I get talking about all the technically, nitty-gritty details of getting a book published. Those people who buy and read my books and make this dream possible. Those people who even if they haven’t read my books still have kind and encouraging words for me when I need them.

  I would specifically like to thank my husband for all the help and support he has given me in the past year and half. He’s put in as much work as I have. While I slave away at the computer, he’s kept the house and our lives on track...mostly. But without all his behind the scenes work, I never would have gotten this far. I love you and there is no one else I’d rather have by my side on this journey.

  WARNING

  DO NOT ACCEPT UPDATES FOR THIS BOOK.

  If you have this version of Divided, it mean you also have the special edition that contains the short story Denfenseless.

  NEVER accept an update for this book from the seller (Amazon, Nook, iBooks, Kobo, or wherever you purchased it from).

  Any update will NOT contain Defenseless and will cause you to LOSE the story.

  I’ll repeat this one last time:

  DO NOT ACCEPT UPDATES FOR THIS BOOK OR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SPECIAL CONTENT!!!

  Day 1

  Colin’s hands shook as he watched the call disconnect on his phone. He nervously pulled at the short dark-brown hair that covered his jawline. There were already the barest sprinkles of gray in his beard and hair, even though he was only twenty-six. He kept his hair cut close on the sides, but longer across the top, and the silver strands were starting to show.

  It didn’t make sense. The call hadn’t made any sense at all, and the words swirled around his brain.

  “Everything fine, man?” Eric’s deep voice startled Colin.

  Eric poked his head through the door to the backroom, and Colin stared back for a moment from between the stacks of video game consoles and games, old marketing posters, and other odds and ends that wouldn’t fit in the front of the store, which was open to customers.

  “No,” he said quietly.

  Eric frowned. Though lanky like Colin, he was taller than most and taller than Colin by a full head. His strawberry-blond hair had been styled to look like he had just rolled out of bed. Like all the other employees, he wore jeans and a t-shirt advertising a game that would come out in a few months.

  “Uh.” Colin ran his hands through his hair as he tried to process what had just happened. “Liv just called. Something’s happened…on the highway…Something bad.”

  “Is she alright? Is she at the hospital? Is Elli alright?”

  Elli. Colin had heard his eighteen-month-old daughter crying in the background while he and Liv were talking. It had been both reassuring and terribly frightening.

  “Elli’s alright. Liv’s not at the hospital. She’s…” Colin wasn’t sure what to say. Liv hadn’t been making sense. “I don’t think she’s hurt, but she isn’t alright.”

  “Alright, man,” said Eric. “Don’t worry. You go be with your family. I’ll hold down the fort here. We can keep things under control.”

  Colin nodded. “Liv said we needed to close the store and go somewhere safe.” Colin’s brow furrowed as he replayed the conversation in his head. “She wasn’t really making much sense, but she said people were eating each other on the bridge and we needed to leave.”

  Eric took a step back. “What does that mean? Is she OK—mentally, I mean?”

  Colin shook his head. “I-I don’t know. She said that she grabbed Elli and abandoned the car. That they were running through some trees near the highway, trying to get away.”

  Eric frowned. “Did she call nine-one-one?”

  “She said it was busy.”

  The scowl on Eric’s deepened. “Busy?”

  Colin nodded. “I’m going to go pick her and Elli up and figure out what’s going on.” The words spurred Colin into action. He shoved a few of his things into the shoulder bag he had brought to work and slung it over his shoulder. “Maybe you could call Ali and see if she could cover the rest of my shift?”

  “Yeah, don’t worry about it. We’ll make sure things are taken care of.” Eric nodded. “You just worry about your family.” Colin pulled the back door open and moved to the front portion of the store.

  “What’s up?” asked Alex, the other employee. He stood behind the counter, sorting through a stack of games that needed to be put away.

  Alex looked for all the world like a gaming nerd. He wore glasses with square black frames. His coarse black hair was kept cut close to his head. Like Eric and Colin, he wore jeans and a t-shirt. The only sign that he was an employee was the lanyard with a name badge around his neck.

  “I have to go. Eric can fill you in. I’ll get in touch with you guys later once I know more.” Colin was halfway through the store and heading straight for the door.

  “Crap!” He stopped in his tracks. “I forgot to finalize the schedule for the week after next.”

  “I can do that,” Eric said hurriedly. “You need to get going.”

  “Thanks,” Colin said gratefully as he rushed back to the counter. He grabbed a piece of receipt paper, set his phone down on the counter, and began to scribble down his login and password for the company’s management system.

  “Would you do me another favor?” Colin looked up at the two men, who nodded. “Look around online and see what the news says is going on. Just see if you can find something and let me know.”

  “Sure thing.” Alex nodded.

  A faint scream penetrated the thick glass windows at the front of the store. Colin’s head snapped up, but he didn’t see anyone outside. He didn’t see anyone at all.

  “Did you hear that?”

  “Yeah,” Eric said slowly.

  “It’s got to be some kids messing around outside.” Alex didn’t sound like he believed his own words.

  As Co
lin crept towards the front windows, the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

  Three teenagers sprinted past the store, their feet pounding against the pavement outside. Colin jumped back, startled by the sudden break in the stillness.

  “See, just some kids.”

  Another scream. This time louder, closer. It was high pitched and panicked. Not the jubilant cries of small children or the loud shrieks of teenagers.

  A woman suddenly lurched into view. Her feet were bare as she ran, hobbling on one leg that was coated with red. Colin could see the tears streaking her face as she turned to glance behind her.

  A terrible screech split the air. Not a scream. A feral shriek that, despite being dulled by the glass, made all of Colin’s muscles tense.

  A man was chasing after the woman, his arms and legs pumping furiously as he covered the distance between them. His face was contorted in a vicious snarl, baring his teeth menacingly. The man’s face was stained red, the same shade covering the woman’s leg. The color dripped down his face and left a trail across his shirt.

  As the woman glanced back over her shoulder again, she stumbled and sprawled painfully on the ground. The man leapt on top of her as she threw her hands up.

  “Call security!” Colin shouted to Eric and Alex. He dropped his bag and sprinted for the door.

  “Hey!” he shouted, shoving the door open. The man didn’t seem to notice as he clawed at the woman while she desperately tried to push him away.

  Colin dashed forward and grabbed the man’s shoulder. “Get off her!”

  The man’s eyes were blank as he whipped around and snarled at Colin. Black marks like spider webs crisscrossed the man’s face. Seeming to forget the woman, the man reached for Colin with a mangled hand. Several of his fingers were missing, and the flesh had been stripped away to reveal muscle and bone.

  You haven’t seen it yet, but you will. Liv’s words echoed through his mind as he backpedaled away from the man.

  A roar sounded behind him, making Colin jump and spin around. Eric burst out of the door and sprinted towards them. He ran full tilt into the man, slamming against him and knocking him off the woman.

  “Grab her!” Eric yelled. “Get her inside!” The woman was gasping, a ragged wound in the side of her neck spurting blood.

  “Oh fuck!” Colin dropped down beside her, pressing his hand to the wound. The woman’s eyes rolled back in her head as she gasped for breath, blood still pouring out between Colin’s fingers.

  “It’s going to be alright,” Colin told her. “We’re going to get you help.”

  The woman’s eyes flickered to Colin as she gritted her teeth against the pain. Her lips moved but no words escaped.

  Eric was grappling with the man on the ground, struggling to get the flailing, groaning man pinned.

  When his gaze moved back to the woman, he saw that her lips were still moving, her eyes locked onto him. They pleaded desperately with him to understand her. Colin, careful to keep pressure on her wound, leaned in close, placing his ear near her lips.

  “Run.” Her voice was so faint he was sure he had heard wrong. “Run. Run. Run. Run.” Each utterance was more urgent than the last.

  Colin jerked away from the woman, his eyes wide as he stared at her.

  “God damn it, I need help!” Eric’s shout pulled his attention away from the dying woman. The man had ahold of Eric’s hair with his good hand and was pulling his face towards the man’s open mouth.

  The woman shuddered and stilled. The blood seeping out between Colin’s fingers had all but stopped. With a growl, Colin leapt up and grabbed Eric’s arm. He planted his foot squarely in the center of the man’s chest and pulled Eric back. The man was strong. He held tightly to Eric as his teeth snapped inches from Eric’s face. Eric grunted as a clump of hair and a bit of scalp came away in the man’s hand.

  A low growl emanated from behind Colin. He twisted, trying to see the source of the sound. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the woman was sitting upright.

  Unsteadily, the woman pushed herself up onto her hands and knees and lunged for Colin. Colin quickly let go of Eric and fell backwards, barely out of reach of the woman’s grasping hands.

  “What the fuck?” he muttered. The woman’s teeth gnashed menacingly as she reached for him again.

  Zombies, Colin’s breath quickened. The woman had been dead or very nearly dead a few seconds ago; there was no way she could be up and moving around. Up and trying to attack him.

  There was a quick flash of movement and a sickening wet smack as the woman fell back to the ground. Alex loomed over the woman. The woman rose again, her mouth hanging open and her jaw crooked as she rose.

  “What the fuck?” Alex stepped back, clutching the bloodied hammer to his chest as he stared at the woman in disbelief.

  Colin jumped up, snatching the hammer out of Alex’s hand. He raised a hammer over his head and brought it down on the woman’s skull. She went limp, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

  Eric was struggling with the man once again. Colin darted over to the struggling pair. With one quick swing, the small hammer punched a neat hole in the man’s forehead and he went slack.

  Colin and Eric were breathing heavily as they picked themselves up off the ground.

  Alex stared at them. “You just killed two people.” His voice trembled. “Should we call the police?”

  Colin’s heart roared in his ears. He had killed two people. He looked from one body to the next. The woman, who had been a victim. The man, who had been her attacker. But they had both turned on him. He had only done what he had to. It was self-defense.

  It was. Wasn’t it?

  Colin became more aware of the sounds around them. Screaming. Howling. Pounding footsteps.

  He looked down the length of the outdoor mall. Small skirmishes like theirs were being fought all around them. People were pounding on the doors and windows of a few of the stores. Bodies lay scattered on the walkway. As Colin watched, one began to twitch and stir.

  “We need to get out of here right now.”

  “But…” Alex looked lost and afraid.

  “Those people attacked us.” Eric placed a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder.

  “If I hadn’t killed them, they would have killed us,” Colin said firmly. “Come on.” Colin nodded towards a door. “Let’s get to our cars.” The door led to a short narrow hallway that contained a pair of bathrooms and another door at the other end. The second door led to the backside of the mall, where the employees parked their cars.

  Eric headed for the door, but Alex stayed rooted in place.

  “Come on,” Colin said, tugging on Alex’s arm. He was unraveling by the second. “We have to get to the cars.” Colin’s voice was firm. “Now.”

  Alex finally nodded and began to move forward.

  Quiet sobbing echoed off the walls of the small corridor.

  “Hello,” Eric called.

  “Don’t do that,” Alex hissed.

  “Someone might need our help.” Eric glared at his coworker.

  “They might be freaks like those other people,” Alex spat.

  There was a shriek, separated from them by one of the bathroom doors. The three men inched forward slowly as they strained to peer into the small alcove that led to the bathrooms.

  Loud thuds came from the right as someone slammed against the door to the men’s room. Between the two doors, a woman sat on the floor. She was wearing a flowing short-sleeved teal shirt and a simple black skirt that hugged her hips. She held her face in her hands. Her long dark hair cascaded down her face, obscuring it. The locks were brown but so dark they almost appeared black.

  “Ma’am,” Colin said gently, taking a step forward. “Are you alright?”

  Her head suddenly snapped up and Colin jumped back, but a monster wasn’t hiding underneath the long locks as he had feared. Just a woman.

  She stared up at him with glassy ebony-colored eyes. Tears stained her golden-brown cheeks.


  “Oh, thank God!” She pushed herself up. “You have to help me. My boyfriend. He’s sick. There’s something wrong with him. He needs help.” As one, the three men turned to regard the door to the men’s bathroom, where the banging still resounded through the hallway.

  “What’s your name?” Colin asked.

  “Rotna. My fiancé’s name is Charles.”

  “Is he in there?” Eric asked, motioning to the shaking door.

  “Yes.” She nodded expectantly. “Some lady bit him… She just clamped down on his arm.” Her words were shaky. “When we couldn’t get ahold of emergency services, he went to try to clean it up.” She suddenly looked far away. “He was in there for a while…so I went to check on him.” Tears welled up again in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “He attacked me.”

  “It’s alright.” It wasn’t. Colin didn’t know what else to say. “I’m sure the police and EMTs will be here soon. But I don’t think it’s safe here. Why don’t you come with us? We’ll find somewhere safe until things get sorted out.”

  “No!” She shook her head violently back and forth, the long earrings dangling from her ears clanking musically. “He needs help. I can’t leave him here.”

  The door to the men’s room shook, and a crack appeared between the door and its frame. Bloody fingers gripped the edge of the door and an ear-piercing shriek rang through the hall.

  “Shit!” Eric grabbed Rotna’s arm, scooping her up.

  “Charles!” She reached for the man as he flung the door open. He didn’t look terribly hurt. But he was wrong. His eyes were lifeless. An animalistic snarl was plastered across his face. He didn’t acknowledge his girlfriend when she cried out to him.

  “Go! Go! Go!” Colin pushed Alex forward after Eric toward the back door.

  “Which car are we going to?” Eric shouted.

  “Mine should be just to the left.” Colin jammed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the keys. They pushed through the door. The back of the mall was relatively quiet, but behind them they could still hear the sounds of fighting. Charles burst out of the back door with an enraged screech, immediately spotting them.