Alone (30 page)

Alternate Epilogue

I stink. Five days on the road without a bath will do that.

When the gates of Coastal Manor come into view, I almost give into the urge to cry. I didn’t really think I’d ever make it back when I said goodbye to Roman. What are the odds? A computer nerd like me driving three hundred miles across zombie-invested America? It’s laughable, alright.

Damn. I can’t wait to see Roman. He’s one of the only people I’d ever be willing to die for. Most people wouldn’t get it. Roman can be an ass. And he likes to give off the tough-guy vibe—but I know better.

He’s the only real friend I’ve ever had…go figure.

I slow as I approach the gate, wiggling my ass against the seat. I can’t wait to get off this damn bike—my rear is going to be numb for a least a week, and I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten about a million bugs over the past few days. Not to mention the fact that I smell like ass.

Three guys approach the gate, one of whom is Clay.

He grins and waves when he sees me. “Damn. We thought you were gone for good.”

“A few thousand zombies can’t take me down,” I say, but the smile on my face quivers as the same question I’ve been asking myself for the past five days goes through my head. “Did he make it?”

I hold my breath, half expecting Clay’s smile to disappear.

It doesn’t, though. If anything, it gets bigger. “You really think Roman would let his girl down?”

Tension that had been building in my body, growing heavier and heavier with each passing day, melts away faster than an ice cube in the hot sun. Roman did it. I shouldn’t have doubted him, but I did. Even he can’t control the zombies and this dumb-ass government. Shit. He’s a damn miracle worker.

One of the other guys—Chip or Mick or Dick or something like that—opens the gate, and I pull through. My ass hurts like hell, but I suddenly don’t care. Right now all I want to do is get home, take a shower, screw Carmen, then go over and give Roman a hug—again.

“The shit hit the fan, though!” Clay calls when I stop next to him, raising his voice over the roar of my engine.

“What happened?”

“Atlanta is sending a new Regulator in.”

“Roman’s dad is getting replaced?”

“Not just replaced, they’re sending his ass to D.C. Charges of child abuse and tampering with the cure. He’s been shooting people in the head when they get bitten instead of waiting to see if they’re immune. Atlanta is pissed.”

“Shit.” I’m not surprised, but at the same time, I am. The asshole deserves it, but people don’t usually get what they deserve. Especially not in this world.

“I know you’re beat, but I think Roman and Jules are at the town hall right now. You might want to swing by. Let him know you made it. He’s been going insane.”

I rev my engine as I nod. “I will. See you later, man.”

Clay nods right before I take off, shooting through town. The houses whirl by, and my excitement grows until my chest threatens to burst. It all worked out. Every second it took me to get home was worth it.

I turn the corner, and a smile breaks out across my face when the town hall comes into view. Roman and Jules are standing in the front yard. I pull right up on the lawn, barely taking the time to stop before I jump off my bike.

Something that resembles a victory shout breaks out of me when Roman looks my way. “We did it!”

“Son of a bitch.” Roman is grinning when he throws his arms around me. “I thought you were dead.” He pulls back, and his face is twisted in mock disgust. “Maybe you are. You sure as hell smell like it.”

“You travel across zombie-invested country for five days and see how you smell.”

I pat his back and turn to Jules. Not a single thing about her looks like she almost turned into a zombie. She has some scratches on her arms, and I’m sure the bite on her leg is still healing, but other than that her skin is pink and her eyes are full of life. She looks like a person, not a flesh-eating monster. It’s amazing.

“Pretty amazing vaccine,” I say.

“You have no idea.” Jules hugs me before I can warn her how disgusting I am.

“Clay told me about your dad,” I say when I turn to face Roman. “He’s out? Does that mean you’re going to stick around?”

Roman slings his arm around Jules’ shoulders. “For now. I still have some serious concerns about this government, but my time in Atlanta showed me there are some good people left in his world. Maybe we can pull it together, maybe not. Either way, I’m willing to give it a try now that Rick isn’t going to be the one calling the shots.”

This day keeps getting better and better. “Good. Because I think we should have a celebration.” I unzip my pack and pull out a bottle of Jack Daniels. “Found this yesterday and thought you might appreciate it.”

Roman laughs. “You know me too well.”

“Not that celebrating doesn’t sound amazing,” Jules says, “But I think you should head home. Your mom has been worried sick, and Carmen’s about to lose her mind. They might appreciate seeing you.”

I toss the bottle to Roman, who catches it in midair, then turn back to my bike. “Tomorrow, then.”

“Tomorrow,” Roman says.

I wave when I take off. My smile is so big that I eat even more bugs as I head toward home, but this time I don’t give a damn. This whole happily-ever-after ending sure as hell wasn’t what I expected, but I’m damn glad it happened. After everything we’ve been through the last two years, it’s about time we had some good luck.

Playlist:

Kate Voegele- Lift Me Up

Landon Pigg- Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

Christina Perri- Arms

Phillip Phillips- Home

Paramore- The Only Exception

Train- Imagine

Over the Rhine- Latter Days

Lana Del Rey- Born to Die

Landon Pigg- The Way it Ends

Acknowledgements

If you read the note from me at the beginning of this novel, you know I wrote this book several years ago. Revising a novel you fumbled through writing the first time around is, in a lot of ways, more difficult than writing the novel correctly the first time. It took several passes to whip this story into to shape, and the credit for its improved condition doesn’t just go to me. The help I’ve gotten from beta readers, critique partners, editors, and my agent over the last couple years has a lot to do with it, and each of these people are owed a huge debt of gratitude for bringing this novel to where it is today. Without their help, my writing wouldn’t have improved the way it has, and this book would read more like a high school student’s blundering attempt at a novel than the polished work (I hope) it is. It will never be perfect, because none of us are, but it is, at the very least, a great deal better than it was back then.

First, as always, a very big thanks goes to my original critique partner, Lisa Terry. Even though we don’t work together as much as we used to, without her tough love I would not have figured out how to make the best of my words. I went through failed attempts at establishing partnerships with other writers quite a few times before I found Lisa, and even though it was a very frustrating process, I’m so glad it worked out the way it did. Thank you, as always, for not being afraid to rip my manuscript apart. My feelings aren’t nearly as important to me as putting a solid novel out is.

Thank you, also, to the many other authors who have read, critiqued, and loved my work enough to give me pointers. Diana Gardin, my bestie writer-friend, who is always there to lend support. I am very grateful that you were willing to read
Alone
even though zombies scare you to death. My other amazing author friends who are part of our NAC group: Amanda, Ara, Jamie, Jessica, Laura, Marie, Marnee, Meredith, Tegan, Sophia, and Annika. It’s nice to have a supportive group of authors to turn to when you’re feeling stressed, and I’m glad you’re always there to listen to me whine, lend support, or cheer me on.

Thanks, as always, to Emily Teng. She was my first editor, back during my failed attempt to get published through a small press, and I’m glad she has decided to do freelance so we can continue to work together.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Sarah McVay, Carey Monroe, and Laura Johnsen. Sarah was the only reader of this story in its original form. Even though it was rough back then, she read it all the way through. She gave me pointers and an honest opinion, which I’m thankful for. And Laura and Carey did me the huge favor of reading through the manuscript and help me find typos. Hopefully, between their efforts, my editor, and me, we managed to find them all.

And last, but not least, a huge thank you to my husband, who originally gave me the idea for this book. He had a dream and as we discussed it, we realized that it would be a fantastic idea for a book. I’m so grateful not only for the ideas he’s shared, but for his support when it comes time for me to edit, rush to make deadlines, and spend hours on social media trying to market my books. I love you so much!

About the Author

Kate L. Mary
is an award-winning author of New Adult and Young Adult fiction ranging from Post-Apocalyptic tales of the undead, to Speculative Fiction and Contemporary Romance. Her Young Adult book,
When We Were Human
, was awarded the Silver Medal for YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi Fiction from the 2015 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, and her
Broken World
series has been an Amazon best-seller since the release of book one in 2014.

You can find out more information about Kate L. Mary by following her on
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www.KateLMary.com
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The
Broken World
series
Available now on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback and Audiobook (books 1-3)!

Broken World

When a deadly virus sweeps the country, Vivian Thomas sets out for California in hopes of seeing the daughter she gave up for adoption. Then her car breaks down and she’s faced with a choice. Give up, or accept a ride from redneck brothers, Angus and Axl. Vivian knows the offer has more to do with her double D’s than kindness, but she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to reach her daughter. 
The virus is spreading, and by the time the group makes it to California, most of the population has been wiped out. When the dead start coming back, Vivian and the others realize that no electricity or running water are the least of their concerns. Now Vivian has to figure out how to be a mother under the most frightening circumstances, cope with Angus’s aggressive mood swings, and sort out her growing attraction to his brooding younger brother, Axl. 
While searching for a safe place to go, they pick up a pompous billionaire who may be the answer to all their problems. Trusting him means going into the middle of the Mojave Desert and possibly risking their lives, but with the streets overrun and nowhere else to turn, it seems he might be their only chance for survival.

Shattered World
Mad World
Lost World
New World
Forgotten World
Broken Stories