Z Children (Book 1): Awakening by Eli Constant, B.V. Barr

like a turtle out of the car. He stood by me for a moment, his
fingers entwined with mine. I waited, trying to be patient, but once I realized
he wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon, I shooed him toward the bushes. When
he left my side, he picked up the pace and I probably couldn’t have counted off
sixty seconds in my head before Marty was running back from around the tall
bushes, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on his shorts.
    “Lock the doors
again. I’ll be quicker this time.” I didn’t wait for Marty to respond, but I
heard the sound of the door closing as I walked away. Murray’s pack was still
on my back and I hoped soon it would be heavier with the weight of food and
water. I held the shotgun in my left hand, its barrel pointed towards the
ground. It made me feel more secure than the .38, maybe because it reminded me
of my dad. The handgun was still a reassuring bulge at my waistline though.
Bullets, bullets everywhere, but not a thing to shoot. That was a good thing,
of course, yet, I couldn’t help wanting to test my mettle now that I had double
the weaponry.
    It only took me
a minute to find the station kitchen. It wasn’t as well-stocked with decent
foods as I’d hoped, but I filled the sturdy pack with everything I could find
in the office fridge and nearby cabinets. My bounty seemed meager- 4 bottled
waters, instant coffee, someone’s bag lunch, and a case of… diet shakes. Really?
I can’t even escape my diet in the midst of a freaking apocalypse . This was
not turning out to be my day at all. Grumbling over the odds, I slung the pack-
which was much weightier now- over my right shoulder and headed for the door,
shotgun firmly in hand As I crossed the break room threshold into the station’s
main office area, I heard the creak of a door swinging open and a guttural
utterance that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand erect.
    Turning in slow
motion, I knew what I would see. One of them. One of the miniature monsters
that liked to snack on people burgers. “Shit!” I yelled as the boy launched his
body towards me. My hand quickly gripped the door handle and I yanked with all
my strength, trying to close the door and protect myself. I wasn’t quite fast
enough.
    As the door was
about to click shut, two hands shot through the closing gap and gripped the
edge of the wood. As I pulled, grunting with the strain of long unused muscles
being awakened, the beast child pulled also. Somehow, he was stronger. He
was half my size, but stronger! My brain scrambled for a solution… how to
buy myself enough time to get out of the building and to the T-bird. I was
losing the battle. The door was being pulled inward, widening the gap between
myself and my attacker.
    I screamed, pushing
with all my might instead of pulling. Element of surprise. That’s all I had in
my favor at this point. My action caused the boy to lose his balance and fall
backwards. I didn’t wait to see if he actually fell. I ran full-out, wobbly
bits jiggling unabashedly as I hurried towards the exit. As I moved through the
station’s front door, I kicked the wedge that held the door propped open. It
was heavy steel and closed with a resounding thud that did nothing to slow the
surge of adrenaline coursing through my body.
    Marty’s
expression altered drastically when he saw me running toward the car. I’d told
the boy we were safe. I’d lied. I’d freaking lied. Call me Pinocchio and hang a
dunce sign on my growing nose. I was well past hating this day to all-out
wanting it to die a bloody, exactable death.
    “Unlock the
car!” I yelled; my voice cutting through the silence around me with insatiable
force. “Unlock the damn car now!” I’d cursed. I’d cursed at the boy. I
seriously wasn’t meant to be a parent. Rounding the front of the vehicle, my
left hip slammed into the headlight. I grunted and the force of the blow
knocked the shotgun from my hands. It skidded away from me along the hood and
came to rest