Dead Set - Book 2 of a Zombie Reverse Harem

Chapter Twenty Three

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

JACKSON CARTER

Darkness surrounds me. A darkness so black that I could feel it absorbing the soul from inside me. I am nothing but a floating thought. A terrifying nothingness with nothing around to ground me. Fear ripples through me like a tangible thing, panic threatening to over take me at the thought that my time could be up. The lack of control, stealing what little sanity I was holding on to. I screamed silently as fear became my dominant thought, seeping into every crack and crevice in my psyche. Possessing the grey matter until I knew nothing but fear. Past. Present. And future.

There is no time. There is no space. Only the darkness and my fear. Is this what death is? Do I remain here in a suspended animation terrified until it is my time to pass on? Or was I already dead and this was my torturous hell for all the failings of my past life.

My fallen squadron filled my thoughts as the moment that we were hit by the enemy played in my mind on a never ending loop. I thought about Mac's wife and newly born twins that were thriving even though they had never met their father. I thought about Stevens who was on his last tour before he planned to settle down with his girl Sarah. They had planned to run off to Vegas the moment the plane's wheels hit the tarmac. Joey and Hopper, the youngest of our team. Wet behind the ears but no less deadly in hand to hand combat. They had barely broken in their boots by the time they were blown out of them. And I had... Lived.

I had no children. No special girl waiting for me and I had been in the forces so long my skin was turning camo. How was it fair that I was the one spared?

Agnes...

She was the reason I survived. I was spared to save her, I was sure of it. The moment I met her flashed to the forefront of my mind. Easing my fear and momentarily slowing the bleeding from my soul.

The rain had caught us out of nowhere. We had been at the little italian spot around the corner as none of us felt like cooking. Who was I kidding, Connor did all the cooking and he was damn good at it too and if he didn't feel like cooking we would go out for Italian. When we headed into the apartment complex, Blake knocked on Mrs Pembrook's door, holding the lasagna and garlic bread that he had picked up for her. He loved that woman as if she were his actual grandmother and she loved him just the same. The pair had really bonded since Mr P passed away.

She answered the door with her usual warm smile, bringing him in for a hug before accepting the proffered food.

"Hey Mrs P!" Connor and I, greeted from behind Blake.

"Hi boys, thank you for dinner. Looks like you got caught in the downpour, make sure you get out of those wet clothes so you don't catch your death of cold." She chastized, always looking out for us. "Oh and have you seen our new neighbour?" I wasn't sure if I was imagining it but I could have sworn I had seen a wicked glint, sparkle in her wise eyes.

"She's a pretty little thing. Wild red hair and such a dainty face. Make sure you guys introduce yourselves and be nice." The last bit she aimed at Blake making him scowl and us chuckle.

"We sure will, Mrs P." I appeased.

"Make sure you do." She looked at me pointedly, seeing through my easy lie. "That poor girl is young and on her own. She's putting on a brave face but I could smell her nerves the moment she walked through those doors." She pointed to the double doors behind us for emphasis.

Saying goodbye, we headed into the stairwell, the faint sweet smell of pomegranate greeting us as we entered letting us know that there was definitely a girl in the building. There was only one spare apartment in our building and that was next door to me on the top floor. I guess the guys and I will have to be more considerate now there is a girl in the building. I won't lie, the top two floors had become kind of a grown up frat house and it was going to take some effort to change.