Page 82 of Kiss Slay Replay

Tanya wipes her mouth and takes a wary step forward.

“Careful,” she says, pointing again. The zombie caterer is on his feet, shoulders jerking, lurching toward the van.

“Hold on,” Luke says, reaching down to the gearshift. The engine roars.

I cover my face with my hands, so I don’t see it. But I hear it. Luke hitting the guy. Only Luke’s not going fast enough to do the damage required. I uncover my eyes. The zombie rolls back but rapidly recoups. He snaps his jaw, waves his arms high and loose, like he’s made of rubber.

I always thought of zombies as being stiff. Not this one.

Luke throws the van in reverse.

“Get in!” Cassie shrieks.

“Go,” Ravi says. Maybe to me. Maybe to Tanya. Maybe to both of us.

“But…” She remains dazed, looking around with her hands clapped to her heart. “I can’t…I need to…Sorry. I’m sorry. Ravi—”

“I’m right behind you. Right behind,” he says. “Please, Tanya. Go!”

She doesn’t listen to him. She turns and sprints toward the woods.

She might be beautiful, but she’s not very bright. I wish I could take some satisfaction in this.

“Tanya! Tanya!” he calls after her. He’s about to follow when Evan says his name, grabs him by the ankle.

“Help. Ravi. Willa. Please,” Evan says, kneeling over Wyatt.

Ravi and I exchange a look. We both know there’s no hope for Wyatt, and I know there’s no hope that Evan will leave him.

Wyatt’s chin wags. He coughs, and his spit fizzes. Stinks of rot.

“Shut the door!” someone in the van shouts. “Shut the goddamn door!”

“Ev,” Ravi says. “Evan, it’s time to go. I’m sorry. I’m sorry but we need to leave. Now.”

“Wyatt. Wy, wake up. Wyatt?” He shakes him. “I love you. You have to be okay. I love you. I…”

Wyatt sits up. He groans—his voice is tainted, wrong. His eyes have gone yellow.

“Wyatt?”

It’s not him. It’s not him anymore, but Evan can’t accept it. He leans in close to the thing that was once his husband. Too close.

Wyatt grabs Evan’s head, his giant hands squeezing.

Evan’s scream is cut short by Wyatt’s mouth on his. It almost looks like a kiss, but it isn’t a kiss. There’s an eruption of blood.

He’s eating his face. Literally eating his face.

Luke lays on the horn. “No! Stop!”

“Willa! Ravi! Get the fuck in the fucking van!” Cassie’s voice breaks. “Please! Now!”

The deer has finally managed to free itself from Vicky. Its antlers are broken and bloody as it rams the side of the van.

The zombie caterer is at the front, slithering up onto the hood.

“Close the door!” Ravi shouts. “There’s no time. Go! Just go. We’ll be fine.”