Page 5 of After the Burn

An infected hit him from the side.

I turned as I heard Beck yell a warning.

“Watch out!” He fired off a shot at a man rounding the corner of the house. “That’s one of Nash’s men.”

Some of the infected chasing Ben moved toward us.

“I’ll knock you out if I have to, Taryn. We have to go.” Adrian pulled me firmly behind him and took off.

I looked back and saw Ben surrounded by the infected. Three bodies slammed into him, and he drew a knife, slashing and stabbing as bodies piled at his feet. Then I saw him fall to his knees.

I somehow jerked loose, but Beck caught me around the waist before I took two steps.

“LET ME GO!” I kicked as hard as I could to no avail.

“Taryn! Stop!” Beck growled.

Adrian shoved Lila and the others toward the trees as Ethan and Lane picked up the twins.

“We’ve got to MOVE!” Lucas yelled back at us.

I twisted in Beck’s arms. The pile where Ben had fallen was still moving, but I couldn’t see him.

Was that his arm?

Something inside me broke. “Daddy!”

Beck carried me into the woods even as I screamed. Behind us, gunfire erupted… and then there was silence.

I knew my father was dead.

CHAPTER ONE

TARYN

“How much farther?” Lila groaned, adjusting the pack on her back.

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know. Until we find a safe place to sleep, I’d guess.”

I doubt she appreciated my sarcasm, but she’d already asked the same question twice before.

Having traveled since just after nightfall, we were both exhausted, and the time had to be close to seven in the morning.

I’d waited for Adrian and Beck to return after investigating a town we’d heard was now a refuge. Yet, it had been days or even weeks since we had any contact with them. Time had blurred somewhere along the way, days bleeding into each other until I stopped keeping track.

I knew something must have gone wrong. That was par for the course these days.

Max growled low, even as I heard a quiet shuffling.

I froze mid-step.

“What’s wrong?” Lila whispered.

“I’m not sure.” I tilted my head, listening harder. The faint sound was just enough to set my nerves on edge. “I think it’s infected. Stay here while I check.”

Lila nodded and crouched behind a tree.

I pointed at Max. “Bleib. Wach.”