Page 24 of Dating After the End of the World
Chapter 11
I sprint around the dummy house toward Blake and JJ, who are loading the black pickup truck parked at the end of the driveway. Dad is over by the front fence line, pulling the decapitated biter loose from the barbwire. A leg tears from the body as he yanks it free and drops it into a wheelbarrow.
“Dad!” I yell.
Blake listens to whatever my dad says, so I just gotta tell him to tell Blake that I’m going with. Problem solved.
I call his name again, and this time, my dad turns back and waves a hand in the air. “Hey, sweetie. How’d you sleep?”
I come to a halt a few feet from him, a bit winded. “Fine. I want to go on a run with Blake and JJ,” I say, gesturing to the truck.
Blake looks over at me and slowly shakes his head.
Dad pauses before letting out a sigh. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Casey. You just got in last night, and you should rest up a few more days, get acclimated, and then you—”
“Get acclimated?” I squint, crossing my arms over my chest. “I grew up here. There’s nothing for me to get acclimated to.”
He tugs on the severed leg still tangled in the fence, shredding the decaying flesh against the barbs as he pulls it free. It lands in the wheelbarrow with a wet thump. Sunlight glistens off the black slime, still fresh on the limbs and body, making it shine like polishedobsidian. The cool air aids in slowing the rot, but the stench is unbearable, a mixture of old blood and spoiled milk.
“Things are different now,” Dad says, scanning the ground around him. “Do you see the head?”
I groan and point to a section of long grass beside the fence post, where a patch of dark, matted hair peeks out. “Over there.”
Dad follows my finger and fishes the head out of the grass, picking it up by its hair. It used to be a man, most likely in his forties, but it’s hard to tell now, due to the decomposition. Its eyes are sunken in, clouded white, and its mouth gapes open with a partially bitten-off tongue protruding from it. Black sludge drips from the opening in its neck. Dad sets the head in the wheelbarrow and then removes his gloves, throwing them on top of the corpse.
“Dad, I’m well aware that things are different now, but I made it here from Chicago all my own, so I’m perfectly capable of going on a supply run.”
He scratches at his beard and exhales. I know he’s thinking it over, and I’ll be getting aFine, you can gofrom him any second now. I mean, how could he not? I practically gave up my whole childhood prepping for this.
Blake strolls over with a shit-eating grin on his face. I can’t wait to wipe it right off. “Hey, Dale. JJ and I are gonna head out.”
“Me too,” I say, shooting him a dirty look.
“No, you’re not.” Blake raises his chin, challenging me.
“Yes, I am. Isn’t that right, Dad?” I smile and look to my father, waiting for aThat’s right.
JJ walks up, stopping beside Blake. He gives him a pat on the back. “Ready?”
“I am,” I reply with a nod.
My cousin moves his mouth side to side, looking to Blake and then my dad for confirmation.
“No, Casey, you’re not going,” Dad says, letting out a sigh. “We have rules for a reason, and I can’t make any exceptions.” He pulls his lips in, signaling that’s the end of the discussion, but it’s not for me.
Blake smirks. “Told ya.”
“Come on, Dad! What rules? Only big, stupid muscular men can go?”
“Hey!” JJ says, cocking his head.
“Not you. Just him.” I gesture to Blake and narrow my eyes.
“You’re not ready to go out on a run, Case,” Dad interjects.
“What?! Of course I’m ready. You trained me for this, remember?”
I can’t believe it. How could he take the word of a stranger over his own daughter?
