Page 40 of Claimed By Ruin

I swung again, and the thing’s neck gave, yet still it thrashed.

The third swing detached the head from its shoulders, but still it thrashed, clawing at the dirt, digging a hole deep enough to reveal one of the rodents that burrowed underground.

No head, yet still it didn’t quit.

I slashed again, again, ignoring the splash of thick, red-black blood into the soil, the oppressive, awful stench.

I just needed those fucking fingers to stop.

They didn’t.

Not until my arms burned from the exertion and my chest heaved with my breath, I stabbed the zombie’s head.

The clawing stopped.

The fingers went still.

The first tear fell.

I ignored it, but couldn’t ignore the little stab of shame in my chest when I kicked the zombie’s head.

I twisted, vomiting up the stone-ground grits Lourdes had been kind enough to make for breakfast.

Let the tears fall as I walked back towards the farm.

Each step reminded me of the throb in my side from where I’d hit the ground.

My hands ached and one glance revealed the beginning of blisters on my palm from where I squeezed the knife so tight.

“What’s up?” Caitlin asked.

Of all the people to see now…

I smiled at her, but it was more of a grimace and not at all convincing.

“Nothing much. Just found a straggler, gonna grab the wheelbarrow and dump it in the pit,” I said with a frivolity that couldn’t have been more suspicious if I tried.

“Why don’t I walk with you?” Caitlin said.

“Um… I guess.”

She smiled. “You don’t have to sound so excited, Asia. It’s not a girls’ trip, but the sooner you finish walking the fences, the quicker you can relieve me on supply duty.”

“Always looking for an angle.” My smile was real this time.

“Isn’t everybody?”

I didn’t answer, and we walked in silence, the creak of the wheelbarrow rolling the soundtrack to this adventure.

“You did quite a number on that one,” Caitlin remarked.

I murmured noncommittally. “I guess.”

“It made you lose your breakfast, too?”

“I thought you were a prosecutor, not CSI,” I snapped.

“Don’t need to be CSI to see the puke on the ground, Asia.”