Apocalypse Journeys (Book 1): Jacob's Odyssey by Melrose Russ

Author:Melrose, Russ [Melrose, Russ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Post-Apocalyptic | Zombies
Publisher: Roether Publishing
Published: 2014-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

The Plan

I moved through the backyards on automatic pilot as if I were sleepwalking. My mind was elsewhere and I couldn't seem to focus on the task at hand. I was distracted. While I didn't believe there were any infected in the area, it was foolish to let my mind wander as if I were out in the wilderness on a walkabout.

I could hear the ubiquitous moans of the infected drifting through the air, though they didn't appear to be coming from anywhere nearby. Regardless, I needed to stay alert.

It was midafternoon and the July sun hung regal and brilliant in a spotless azure sky. The day was glaringly hot, windless and still. Nothing moved. It was the kind of day where you didn't touch the hood of your car or go barefoot on the sidewalk. Even the tops of fences were hot to the touch. Waves of heat penetrated everything. The sun's dense heat stamped the nape of my neck as I clambered over the neighborhood fences. My Diamondbacks' cap kept my face shaded from the sun and I'd put sun block on before I left, so I thought I'd be fine.

I spotted an abandoned home on the block just north of Sarah's block. A two-story. The curtains for the picture window were drawn back and there was a light on from a standing lamp on the right side of the picture window. The garage door was open too. I checked the street in both directions, then sprinted across the street.

I went around to the back and crouched down at the back door. I slipped my backpack off and grabbed the bat. I'd decided the bat would be better than the Glock. I didn't want to make too much noise this close to Sarah's. There wasn't a hint of shade by the back door and the oven-like heat baked right through the lean cotton of my t-shirt. It had to be a hundred degrees out. This would be the third home I'd scavenged today. I'd found a backpack for Raj but had yet to run across any clothes for him.

Picking locks was second nature to me now and I could do it blindfolded. Neighboring air conditioners hummed steadily. I worked the rake pick in the keyhole just above the tension wrench, but my mind was elsewhere. I was thinking about the anger I felt toward Sarah. I'd been stung by her rejection of me and her judgments. And even though her feelings had arisen out of her past, I struggled to let go of my anger.

I turned the tension wrench and opened the door. I grabbed my backpack and the bat and moved into the kitchen. And while I tried to remain focused on the task at hand, thoughts of Sarah bullied their way into my mind. I couldn't keep her out. Sarah and I had next to nothing in common but for one clear exception. We were encumbered by our pasts. My childhood years lingered over me like a pall and there was something following Sarah around too.

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