Journal of the Undead (Book 1): Littleville Uprising (9 page)

Emma shrugged and poured herself more juice. The article stated that the virus caused violent outbursts that made the infected teens attack family members and medical professionals. The reporter suggested that it could be a resistant strain of the swine flu. The second story was about missing campers near Green Lane Reservoir. A search party had been organized, but instead of finding the lost victims the volunteers never returned. In Evan’s mind, red flags waved frantically and his eyes narrowed suspiciously as he made a mental note to speak with Matt later about the article; he realized it was time to start preparing.
Matt needs to read Uncle George’s book
, Evan decided.
I’m going to need someone else in my corner when the shit hits the fan!
He folded up the newspaper and set it aside. Emma was waiting … and not very patiently. Evan’s concern was placed on hold so he could focus his full attention on Emma. The couple shouted goodbye to Matt before heading out to the car. Again, he opened the car door for her and she blushed.

“So, how come you’re up so early?”

“Early? It’s nearly noon, Em. I’ve been up since seven.”

“Seven A.M. on the weekend? Ugh, why?”

“We go to the eight o’clock service every Sunday so I have to be up by seven. Besides, my dad would never let me sleep the day away like you do.”

“Seriously? You really go to church every Sunday? That’s so sweet.”

There wasn’t even a hint of Emma’s trademark sarcasm but Evan still rolled his eyes at the audacity of being called ‘sweet.’ His annoyance faded when she rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled closer as Evan drove.
What a difference a day makes,
Evan thought as his smile broadened.

Rainclouds cancelled their plans of taking Lucy to the park; instead, the new couple popped in a movie and snuggled together on the sofa. As part of Evan’s plan to have Emma all to himself, he selected a movie that he knew Lucy would hate. Eventually, his younger sister’s boredom outweighed the novelty of having a guest and she went off in search of her own entertainment.

Pleased that his plan worked, Evan’s lips gently brushed Emma’s cheek. Forgetting all about the movie, her lips met his, tenderly at first then growing in desire. She sighed as Evan’s mouth traced the contours of her neck. Interlocking her fingers in his hair, Emma pulled his mouth back to hers.

Encouraged by her passionate response, Evan pressed his body against hers until she was lying back with her head on the armrest. Clinging tightly to his muscular body, Emma felt shivers up and down her spine. Again, her head was spinning, stifling her inner voice of reason. Considering they weren’t alone, common sense should have dictated a greater restraint. Under the delicate caress of Evan’s hand, Emma’s skin rippled with goose bumps. Fervently, his lips crushed against hers.

“EVAN!”

At the sound of his father’s voice, Evan shot upright. Horrified, Emma sank low into the sofa cushion. She had assumed that Frank, like her father, would be at work. The major curled his finger beckoningly and Evan quietly excused himself. A few moments later, Evan was back and the picture of self-control. The worried look on Emma’s face made him chuckle.

“Relax, it was nothing,” he whispered.

“What did he say?” Emma’s eyes were as wide as saucers and her face burned with humiliation. Already uncomfortable around Major Stone, her lack of self-control only made it worse. She couldn’t help but wonder why the men in the Stone family put her off-kilter. Just then, Kate and Lucy came into the family room.

“Emma, dear, can you stay for dinner?”

Lucy looked at her with hopeful eyes and Evan whispered, “Please?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“Nonsense! It’s no imposition.” Frank tried to make his gruff voice sound inviting but it didn’t stop Emma from jumping when he spoke. “Why don’t you call home to make sure it’s okay?”

Emma wondered when the major had popped back into the room. She assumed it was his military training that made such a solid man so stealthy.

Despite the earlier embarrassment, dinner with the Stones was much more comfortable than she had expected. Not only did they enjoy each other’s company, but she was amazed that the major was so attentive. Emma couldn’t help feeling envious; it had been ages since the last time her own father spent that much time with her. Since it was a school night, Evan took Emma home right after dinner but he took his time saying goodnight.

***

Later that evening, as he wrote in his journal, Evan scrawled his father’s words onto the page:
Son, there are two kinds of girls. There’s the ones that you only want to mess around with, and the ones you marry. Don’t try to make one out of the other. In case you’re confused, Emma is the latter. So, if you’re going to be with her you need to show some restraint. Understand?

Easier said than done, Dad.

Just thinking about Emma made his heart beat faster but he’d promised his dad he would do better.

***

Monday morning saw Emma filled with concern. Boys often acted one way when they were alone with a girl, but completely different once they were back at school surrounded by their friends. Countless times she’d overheard brokenhearted girls bawling ‘but he said he loved me.’ Evan had not said anything of the kind, but there was still a chance that he was just as fickle as other boys.

Evan was leaning against his car, chatting with some of the uniforms as Emma and Matt pulled into the parking lot. Pangs of jealousy gnawed at her insides but before she’d unbuckled her seatbelt, Evan was opening the car door for her. As they crossed the parking lot hand in hand, there were more than a few gasps and several outraged huffs. Whitney stomped over to Matt, demanding to know what was going on. She had been planning a double date with Jessica and Evan but Emma had
ruined everything
.

Evan found it difficult not to gloat, especially when Tyler looked so miserable. Emma however, did not enjoy being gossip fodder. The whispers were getting on her nerves but it did not stop her from allowing Evan to take her hand when they met in the hallway. Likewise, she did not refuse his peck on the cheek each time they parted.

By the end of the week, Evan and Emma were old news. Few bothered to gawk at the couple anymore, especially since most of the junior class was eagerly anticipating Brittany’s party. It was already being heralded as the party of the year and everyone who was anyone would be there. Matt had invited the new couple but, to Emma’s relief, Evan declined. The buzz in the hallways was that Brittany’s parents would be out of town leaving behind a stocked liquor cabinet. Other kids saw it as an opportunity for unbridled fun, but not Evan. The thought of countless classmates running around like drunken idiots and most likely getting busted by the cops was not remotely appealing. Evan liked to think it was because he was more mature, but knowing that his dad would ship him off to military school in a heartbeat played a primary factor.

Saturday couldn’t arrive soon enough for Matt. His afternoon football game was against their biggest rivals and, as an added bonus, the party afterward was going to be legendary according to the rumor mill. Matt had never tried anything more than a few sips of beer with his older cousin, but according to his teammates there was nothing like a few drinks to loosen inhibitions. His relationship with Whitney had progressed and she had hinted that maybe they were ready to take things to the next level. Matt wasn’t exactly sure what the next level entailed but he was ready to give it a try.

***

Sergeant Scott Raines had just returned to the station after breaking up a bar fight. His patience was exhausted, one straw away from breaking the proverbial camel’s back. Grown men getting drunk and fighting was typical, but to actually revert to childish behavior like biting meant they needed to spend the night in the drunk-tank to sober up.

Dad is giving the kiddies a timeout
. He would have shared his clever comment but the station was relatively empty. Simmons had left to handle a domestic violence report and Lorraine from Dispatch was manning the switchboard. Sighing, Raines dove into the mountain of paperwork on his desk. Moments later, his thoughts were interrupted by shouting.

“Listen, you little punk. We are very busy over here. Did you know Pennsylvania State Law carries a fine of up to five thousand dollars and up to two years in jail for prank calls to 9-1-1? Still think you’re funny?”

“Lorraine? Everything okay?”

“Yeah, thanks, Scott. Some kid called … said there were zombies in his backyard. Like we don’t have enough crap to worry about without kids being idiots.”

“If I wasn’t so tired I’d drive over there and haul him into the station.”

Raines and Lorraine shared a laugh before going back to work.

***

After watching Matt’s team crush their opponents, Emma and Evan went their own way while the rest of their classmates descended on Brittany’s house like flies on a carcass. After a romantic dinner, a double-feature at the cinema and a return visit to the ice cream parlor, it was nearly Emma’s curfew.

“Do you want to come in for a little bit?”

“Sure, as long as your dad won’t mind.”

Emma shook her head, stifling a giggle. She’s never met anyone so concerned about respecting other people’s parents. Once he’d seen that Emma was home, Dr. Wexley shuffled off to bed.

“Unbelievable! He never stays up to make sure Matt comes home on time.”

Before she could resume her rant, Evan’s lips pressed against hers. Tenderly, he caressed her cheek and looked deep into her eyes. His voice was thick with emotion.

“Emma, I love you.”

Emma was stunned. She suspected that the fluttering in her stomach and the rapid pitter-patter of her heart every time Evan was near meant she was in love, but she’d never expected him to feel the same way.

“I-I love you, too.”

Evan held her close, as if he would never let go, and time seemed to stand still in his warm embrace. Enthralled, Emma wished the night would never end.

Fifteen minutes before curfew, Evan’s cell phone rang. The caller-ID read ‘Matt Wexley.’ Evan answered it, and his expression said it all … something was wrong.

“Let me talk to him, Evan!” Emma demanded.

With slurred speech, Matt insisted there was a problem with the car and he needed a ride home. Emma hoped he had better sense than attempting to drive in his condition.

With a quick glance at his watch, Evan suggested that he leave immediately.

“I’m coming with you. Someone’s gotta drive our car home and it sure as hell isn’t gonna be Matt!” Emma silently crept outside with Evan. “I don’t want him to get in trouble, but I swear if I get caught I will throw him under the bus in a heartbeat.”

Evan chuckled as he high-tailed it to the other side of town.

***

Broken bottles and crushed plastic cups littered Brittany’s front yard while classmates retched into the bushes. Emma noticed her car, wedged in a row of hedges.

“I think I found the problem. It’s hard to drive when your car is wrapped around a tree.”

Evan tried not to laugh. “C’mon, let’s find Matt first. Then we’ll worry about your car.”

He glanced nervously at his watch as he escorted Emma inside, where the mid-century modern décor was hidden under mountains of pizza boxes, trash, and comatose bodies. Tyler was passed out in a chair still clutching a half-empty bottle while Brittany scurried around trying unsuccessfully to make people leave. At Christy’s suggestion, Evan and Emma checked upstairs, splitting up to cover more ground.

“Found him!” Emma called out and was instantly shushed by drunken classmates trying to sleep it off.

Matt and Whitney had passed out in one of the bedrooms, barely dressed with their legs still intertwined. Disgusted, Emma threw Matt’s clothes at his head and gruffly told him to get up. With Evan’s help, Matt dressed and staggered downstairs.

Once her twin was belted into the front seat, Emma drove their car straight home with Evan following closely behind. With Evan’s help, Emma managed to haul her brother out of the car. She nearly dropped Matt when she noticed a dent in the front fender, but Evan kept him from landing face first on the asphalt.

“Did you see what he did to my car? First thing tomorrow he’s getting an earful. This is unacceptable!”

Once the twins were safely inside, Evan sped home. Still fuming, Emma helped Matt upstairs to his bedroom and yanked off his shoes. Pulling the covers up around her brother, she noticed a book on his nightstand.
Journal of the Undead: A Survivor’s Guide,
by Dr. G.E. Mitchell.

“Oh my God! Matt, you’re an idiot.”

Her remark was met with a soft snore; Matt was dead-asleep.

As Emma slept, Evan’s words echoed in her head. She finally knew what it felt like to be in love, and the joy carried over to the next morning. After breakfast, she tried to call Evan. Reluctantly, Kate informed her that Evan wouldn’t be able to come to the phone; he was grounded for breaking curfew. Storming down the hall, Emma dragged Matt out of bed.

“Get up!” Emma shouted. “Evan’s grounded and it’s all your fault. We’re going over there to set the record straight.”