Dead Man's Party
Chapter Five
Bella and Sam blinked their eyes rapidly as the blinding sunlight assaulted their eyes. Bella curled into her boyfriend's arms while he quickly pulled the blanket over them to shield them. He kissed her tenderly on the lips.
"I'm not ready to wake up," he groaned.
"Neither am I." He dragged his hand down her body lazily as he pulled her closer. They had stayed up way too late last night, making love over and over again, just in case today was going to be their last day on earth.
They were jarred awake by a persistent knocking on the door. "Hey! Rise and shine, buttercups! This isn't the goddamned Hilton! We've got zombies to kill!" Charlie yelled. They could hear him doing the same at Embry's door.
They both chuckled as they heard Embry whine, "Dad, it's too early!"
"Oh, is that so? Let me ask the zombies to wait because my son needs his beauty sleep then. Wake up, now, Embry!"
Sam moved to pull the covers off them, but Bella stopped him, reaching for his neck. With a featherlight touch, she dragged one finger down his jawline. "Five more minutes," she pleaded in a whisper, tugging on his earlobe with her soft lips, lingering for a second before she trailed her kisses straight to his lips. Immersing himself in the feeling of tranquility she gave him, Sam deepened the kiss, his hand stroking her thigh, moving closer to the magic spot."
Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap.
"What the hell?" Sam muttered.
Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap.
"Sam, that's the window."
"I know," he groaned. All he wanted was five more minutes with his girl, but someone decided now was a good time to interrupt him. For God's sake, he was trying to get it on with his girl. "Wait here. I'll check to see who it is."
Reluctantly, Sam climbed out of bed, throwing on a pair of shorts to cover himself. Alice Cullen and Leah Clearwater were hanging on the window ledge waving at him. He slid open the window, letting them in.
"Hey, Cuz," Leah greeted.
"Hello, Sam," Alice squeaked.
He pointed to Alice. "You again. Why? Why?"
"Now, you might think I have bad timing, and frankly, I don't blame you for thinking that. I have cock-blocked you twice, after all." She shook Bella awake. "But in exactly three minutes, Charlie will walk into this room."
"Crap!" Bella cried before jumping out of bed and looking through her closet for something to wear. "What do you wear to a zombie culling anyway?"
"I'm glad you asked that. I brought each of you something tactical and practical to wear." Alice tossed a duffel bag to her. "Put one of these outfits on. Your choice." Bella quickly ran into the bathroom to change. Meanwhile, the petite vampire tossed a second duffel bag to him. "These are for you, Sam. Tactical shorts with lots of pockets and t-shirts made with technical fabric. I bought a whole bunch for you because I saw that you'll find them a lot more comfortable to wear than your cut-offs. Also, the fabric will keep you cool even with your naturally high internal temperature. Oh, and those are combat boots. Official Army issue."
"They really do keep us cool, Sam," Leah said. She was wearing a similar outfit but more girly.
Sam quickly changed into his outfit. Just as he finished, Charlie opened the door. "Oh, you're ready. When did you two get here?" he asked Alice and Leah.
"About a half-hour ago," Leah lied. "We came in through the window because we didn't want to wake you. In any case, we've been up for several hours. I was helping Alice deliver the tactical gear she purchased for the pack in La Push." She handed Charlie a duffel bag. "These are for Embry."
"Oh, I see. Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Where's Bella?"
"She's using the bathroom."
"Oh, okay. Well, you kids better get downstairs and have some breakfast. Alice, did you have time to eat whatever it is you eat?"
"Yes, we've all fed, and we're ready to go. I was able to catch a mountain lion today."
Charlie stroked his chin. "Ah, I'm glad you had a good breakfast."
"We'll be down in a minute, Charlie," Sam stated.
"Well, alrighty then. I'm glad you're taking this seriously. Unfortunately, Embry still has to wake up."
As soon as Charlie closed the door, Bella stepped out of the bathroom. Sam wanted to hurl Alice and his cousin out the window so he could ravish his girlfriend. She looked hot. She wore black leather pants that skimmed over her curves, an olive-colored tank top, and a black leather motorcycle jacket.
"Alice, this is so awesome! Thank you! I've always wanted a pair of Doc Martens."
"Yeah, I know you did, but unfortunately, you can't wear those today. You'll have to settle for the other shoes in the duffle bag."
"Which ones? There were beige Timberlands and black Timberlands."
"Either will do, although, I'd go with the black because they match. The Doc Martens are cute, but they'll give you blisters. You're going to have to break them in first. You can watch a YouTube video on how to do it."
"Screw that. I don't want blisters." Then, reluctantly, she took off the boots and put the Timberlands on. "Wow! These are way more comfortable."
"What's the other outfit, Bella?" Leah asked.
"Combat fatigues."
"Leah, I will buy you a leather outfit similar to Bella's when this is all over!" Alice decided. "I only bought the tactical stuff for everyone in the pack because of your elevated body temperature, but you like girly stuff and have great fashion sense. Every girl needs at least one good leather outfit in her closet."
"Oh, no, you don't have to." Leah blurted, horrified. "I was just wondering why you put Bella in leather."
"Leather is harder to bite through, and the jacket has extra protection, just in case."
"Got it."
"She won't keep it on, though."
"Why not?" Leah asked curiously.
"She's going to become uncomfortable."
"Then why give it to her?"
"Because, like I said, every girl needs a good leather outfit in her wardrobe," Alice explained.
Alice noticed they had lost track of Bella and Sam, who had popped into the bathroom for a little make-out session. The tiny vampire opened the bathroom door and yanked the couple out. "I promise this will be the last time I cock-block you, Sam. You can ravish her to your heart's content after you kill the zombies. Besides, you did enough of that last night. Oh, and make sure you're particularly vigilant about birth control. Otherwise, you'll have a close call soon, and it'll be too soon, devastating both your futures."
Sam's eyes widened into saucers. He wasn't ready for kids yet, and by Bella's horrified expression, neither was she.
Leah slapped Bella's shoulder. "Get the shot or the pill. The shot's easier, you just need to get it once every three months."
"Where do you get yours?"
"The hospital runs a planned parenthood clinic. Your stepmom gives me my shot."
"I can't ask Tiffany. She'll tell my dad."
"Bella, your boyfriend sleeps in your room. It's not like he doesn't know you're having sex. I think he'd prefer it if you weren't relying solely on condoms. They break, you know."
"Okay, I'll ask her after we kill the zombies," Bella agreed.
Alice smiled, clapped her hands together, and declared, "Your future is now safe!"
Sam decided to change the subject. His stomach growled. Realizing he was hungry and knowing they needed sustenance before the battle, he said, "We should eat." Taking Bella's hand, he walked downstairs, with Leah in tow. Alice had jumped out of the window, stating she had some 'stuff' to bring into the house.
While the household was eating, Alice made several round trips between the car and the house. She wheeled in several large suitcases, brought in more duffel bags, and carried in a few storage containers. No one really questioned what she was doing, having become accustomed to her oddities during the last several weeks.
When everyone was done eating, she said, "I brought MRE's, protective tactical gear like vests, guns, rifles, ammo, and grenades. Oh, and I've taken the opportunity to upgrade everyone's wardrobes because I simply couldn't handle looking at you in my visions anymore. If you're going to assault my visions, I need you to do so fashionably. I know you live in Forks, and there's no real need to dress up. The rustic look is okay, but you can still look sophisticated and put together. I've placed suitcases in each of your rooms with your new wardrobes."
"How did you find time to do all of this?" Tiffany asked Alice, still trying to register what she had told them.
"Oh, I've been working on it for weeks.
"Well, thank you," she said, graciously. Tiffany turned to look at the rest of her extended family to see they looked appalled. "Aren't you going to thank Alice?" Everyone quickly acknowledged their gratitude to her.
"Cool, thanks," Bella said. "Uh, you realize you replaced my entire wardrobe last year."
"Yes, yes, I know that, but last year I bought stuff that I like. This time I chose things you like."
"Cool beans. And I do like this nifty leather outfit. I feel like I'm in the Matrix, only without the annoying, long jacket."
"Alice, uh, where did you get all of this tactical gear from?" Charlie asked. "Like the grenades, for example?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" The vampire had a guilty expression on her face. "I really think it's better if I don't tell you." Alice started fidgeting.
Yes, and I promise that whatever you say will remain between us."
Alice nodded quickly. "Well, Peter and I broke into a gun and ammo store in Shelton before they were overrun by zombies. Pete saw that the owner was turned into a zombie in Seattle on the very first day the creatures were made. He happened to be there at a gun show. Anyway, he had no family and no will prepared, so we thought it would be okay to help ourselves to the contents of his store. We brought a moving truck with us, and it was quick work. We have more stuff stored at our house, and Leah helped me stock La Push. It was all for the good of the town anyway."
Charlie looked appalled and impressed at the same time. On the one hand, Alice had broken several laws, including breaking and entering, larceny, etc. But, on the other hand, the weapons were necessary for defeating the zombies. So he decided to take a page out of his wife's book. "Thank you, Alice. It was very thoughtful of you and Peter."
"Phew! I thought you were going to be really mad at me. I'm glad I told you. I was feeling kind of guilty anyway."
XOXO
Three hours later, the citizens of Forks and La Push were ready and waiting for the zombies. Yesterday morning, Charlie had given a rousing speech to the residents. Everyone had rallied and backed him automatically. There was no dissent whatsoever. The townspeople were ready to defend their homes, families, and the town they loved.
Many towns, including Seattle, Olympia, and Shelton, had already been overrun by the zombies. Fortunately, Forks and La Push were isolated on the west side of Washington, separated by an inlet of water. This, perhaps, was the primary reason why the zombies had not reached their side of the Olympic Peninsula yet. The zombies had to work their way around via Olympia because they weren't smart enough to go through the water.
The governor of Washington had issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state while they figured out how to deal with the creatures. While some people stayed at home, others tried to escape the cities, which exacerbated the situation. The highways were clogged, and the more people out on the roads, the faster the problem spread. But, in the opinion of the people of Forks and La Push, it simply wasn't good enough to wait for the bureaucrats to come up with a plan. They were fortunate enough to live in a town where they had Police Chief Charlie Swan to depend on. He had come up with a solid plan and had persuaded the mayor that they had no time to wait for the governor to act.
With the backing of the mayor of Forks and the Chief of the Quileute Nation, Charlie had managed to prepare every household in Forks and La Push within twenty-four hours. Every family received a delivery of food, drinks, and first-aid supplies to see them through. If they knew how to handle them, they were also issued items to be used as weapons, including shovels, bats, guns, and ammo. Local businesses like the grocery store and Newton's had come through with generous donations. While their companies would take an enormous hit, they felt that the town's defense was important enough to come through. They didn't want to succumb to the zombies like the other towns they'd seen on the news.
Everyone was prepared for the onslaught. Those unable to fight were ordered to stay in their homes. The rest of the town waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And they took a bathroom break.
And they waited.
And waited some more.
Until the first gunshot was heard a little before eleven am.
Then an ambulance rushed through Forks, transporting Jessica Stanley to the emergency room because she had accidentally shot herself in the foot.
Many of the citizens decided it was an opportune time for a lunch break.
And they waited again.
And waited still.
Until two successive gunshots were heard at a little past noon.
The zombies had arrived in Forks.
XOXO
The Swan house was one of three bases of operation. Jasper Whitlock, along with Leah's imprint, Jason Cameron—Jared's older brother were running it. Jason was selected because he knew how to handle weapons from his service in the Army Reserves. Additionally, at his regular job as a prison guard, he needed to be extra-vigilant about his surroundings. Alice Cullen, Leah, and Embry were the others who were operating the post.
Embry's mother, Tiffany, was at Forks High School, where a triage unit had been set up for any of the injured. She was running it with Carlisle and Esme Cullen, and Sue Clearwater.
Chief Swan was out and about in town, running perimeter checks, communicating with everyone, and taking out zombies. He had several groups stationed at key strategic points in town. Forks and La Push were abundant with hunters who knew their way around the woods. They would be able to stay well-hidden as they took out the zombies one by one.
"Do you think we'll be okay?" Jason Cameron asked worriedly.
"We'll be fine," Bella assured. "Daddy has covered every unforeseen circumstance covered. We just have to make sure our aim is on target. Oh, and this leather outfit is super uncomfortable. It looks terrific on me, but I don't think I can stay in it all day long."
"Go and change. I bought you combat fatigues, too," Alice stated. "You know, Bella, you weren't vain at all last year, and suddenly you care about what you're wearing during a zombie invasion of all times? Sometimes I wonder about you."
"Babe, I'm going to make myself a sandwich? Do you want one?" Sam gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You can wear the leather for me later," he whispered in her ear. "Go upstairs and change." He gave her a love tap on her bottom.
Frankly, he was happy to be assigned to the same team as her. That suggestion was made by Carlisle Cullen, who said that all mated couples needed to stay together; otherwise, they'd be so worried nothing would be accomplished. It was bad enough that he was terrified about her facing zombies, but Charlie didn't seem concerned. When Sam had expressed his concern, he had replied, "Don't you worry about, Bells. She's a Swan. She can handle herself."
"Sam, we just ate an hour ago. How can you eat another sandwich?"
"I know. My stomach is a bottomless pit."
"Can you make me one, too, bro?" Embry asked.
"Yeah, sure."
Bella quickly rushed upstairs to change into something more comfortable. She threw on a pair of leggings and kept the tank top on. She was the first to admit she was no fashion queen. She put the comfortable boots back on and topped it off with one of the tactical combat vests, which she had stocked with ample ammunition earlier.
The gunfire outside had been increasing in frequency. She peeked out of her window to check on the situation when she noticed zombies attempting to climb the tree near the house. Fortunately, it looked like they could not really climb. Bella quickly slid open the window, grabbed her rifle, and fired several shots while shouting, "Red alert! Red alert! We've got fucking zombies!"
While she was still shooting, Sam rushed upstairs to help. "Bella, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. The zombies are trying to climb the tree but can't figure out how. Thank God, they can't climb. Go and check the other side of the house. I've got this side covered. I popped off four of them. Shit!" Bella fired her rifle several times in close succession.
Sam kissed her on the lips before rushing off to the other side of the house. "Just be careful, Bella."
Meanwhile, wanting to get a better view, Bella secured her window and closed the curtain. She rushed into the hallway and opened up the trapdoor leading to the attic. She pulled the ladder down, climbed it, and ran to the access door. She hopped out onto the roof to assess the lay of the land.
"How are we doing?" Sam asked, stepping outside. "Jasper is covering the other side of the house. Coming up here was a good idea. We have a better view." He shook his head. "Shit. This is bad."
"We'll be fine as long as we keep our heads together. It looks like they're attracted to noise. When I fired on them, they swarmed towards the gunfire."
"Yeah, you're right. I took some zombies out on the other side of the house, and they all came running towards the noise. We need to tell Jasper to relay this information on the walkie-talkie."
"I'm already on it!" Jasper hollered. "Get down here and help. We'll need to go outside, or they'll start mobbing the house.
By the time they got downstairs, Jasper was issuing orders. "Alice, Embry, you two remain in the house and keep it safe."
"But I'm a wolf, and she's a vampire!" Embry protested. "We can help!"
"I'm aware of that, but neither of you has good aim. You both just learned how to fire a gun the other day, for God's sake. If a zombie gets close, bash their head with one of the blunt objects. Everyone else, gear up. Make sure you have plenty of ammo and weapons." He approached Alice and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "We'll be okay."
Alice nodded, smiling. "I know, I saw. You'll all be okay." She stuffed water and protein bars into the pockets of everyone but Jasper. "You'll need these."
"Thanks, Alice," Bella said, giving her a squeeze of the hand.
"Go! Go now!" Alice ordered and then closed the door behind them, locking it securely.
XOXO
As soon as the five fighters walked outside, Jasper ordered them into a V-formation. This worked for a while, and the group successfully led the zombies away from the Swan house. Unfortunately, the zombies started swarming towards them. From that point on, the team had no choice but to separate.
Bella darted away from the zombies towards the old playground her father used to take her to as a child. She turned around to take down a couple of the undead using a crowbar and then became alarmed when a hand grasped her arm. She lifted the crowbar, ready to strike, but stopped when she saw it was Tyler Crowley.
"Come on, Bella. We have to get out of here." They took down a few zombies with their guns while running down the road. They cut across the Stanley's yard, into the Weber's yard, and then ran down a couple of side streets until they ended up at Lauren Mallory's house. Tyler rang the doorbell repeatedly.
"Come inside, quickly, both of you!" Mrs. Mallory ordered. "Where are the others?"
"I don't know, but I'm sure they're okay. I found Bella, though."
"Okay, okay, everyone is going to be okay. Lauren will be fine. Lauren will be fine," Mrs. Mallory kept mumbling to herself. "Rest in here for a while." The woman nervously wrung her hands, clearly concerned about her daughter.
"What happened? Who are the others?" Bella asked.
"Angela, Mike, and Lauren. We went after some zombies to draw them away from the house, but we got separated," Tyler informed her.
"That happened to my group, too. They just came at us from all directions."
Mrs. Mallory brought out some lemonade and beef stew. "Eat while you can," she urged, and then she took Bella's ponytail down and started brushing it out. "I'm sorry, Bella. It keeps me calm. I'm going to French braid it for you, so it stays out of your way." She examined her hair. "I'll braid it as soon as I snip some of these split ends off."
"Uh, okay." Bella shrugged her shoulders and continued eating, allowing Mrs. Mallory to calm herself. Had it been her mother in Mrs. Mallory's place, she would have been a babbling mess. However, Lauren's mother was doing admirably considering the situation. Twenty minutes later, Bella's hair had been trimmed to perfection and French braided, so it was out of the way. She had also been fed a nice, hot meal.
Mrs. Mallory soon went back into the kitchen to cook who knew what. Apparently, if she couldn't work on her hair, cooking was the next best thing at keeping her calm. Bella thought it best that the woman was occupied.
Tyler went to an upstairs window to check the situation outside. There was frantic banging on the front door. "Bella, open the door! It's Lauren!" Tyler yelled from upstairs.
She opened the door to find Lauren with Sam, Mike Newton, and Angela Weber. Sam was carrying Angela, who was breathing rapidly and crying. "She's injured. She got hit by a stray bullet that came out of nowhere." He placed her on the sofa. "I wanted to bring her to the high school, but the zombies have blocked the way.
Lauren was a bloody mess. "I tried to stop the bleeding," she said.
"We'll have to extract the bullet," Bella decided, examining the wound. "Bring me the first aid kit, some vodka, and a clean bowl."
"Do you even know what you're doing, Bella?" Lauren asked, handing her the vodka.
"Sure, sure. I've seen all 251 episodes of MASH with my father."
"Oh my God! Bella, watching MASH with your father doesn't make you an expert!" Lauren threw her hands up in her air in exasperation.
"She is not going to die from a little scrape," Bella insisted as she washed her hands with the vodka and then doused the wound with it. "You see, there's no exit wound. All we have to do is take the bullet out and plug the leak, and she'll be as good as new."
"Lauren, it's not like we really have a choice," Sam pointed out. "You saw how many zombies there were out there. We barely got her back to your house."
"Just let her do it!" Angela shouted. "The bullet has to be removed!"
Tyler, who had just rushed down the stairs, immediately went to his girlfriend's side. "How is she doing?" He saw Bella working on her. "What the hell is going on? Shouldn't we get her to the hospital or the high school or anywhere where there are trained medical professionals?" He stroked Angela's forehead. "Baby, you're going to be okay. You'll be okay."
"It hurts. Oh my God! It hurts!" Angela cried. "Do something!"
While everyone else argued and panicked about what should be done, Bella calmly removed a pair of tweezers from the first aid kit and sterilized it. She inserted it into the wound and managed to pull the bullet out. "There. The bullet is out. Now we just have to make everything is immaculate. This is going to hurt. I'm just warning you." She handed Angela the vodka. "Drink this. It'll dull the pain."
"I don't drink."
"Neither do I, but it always helps in the movies."
Angela took a couple of big gulps of the vodka before handing it back to Bella. "You're brave, Angela," she assured before pouring the vodka into the wound. Angela cried out and writhed in pain. Sam steadied her shaking body because Tyler was too frazzled to do so. Bella applied gauze to the wound and held it in place, waiting for the bleeding to stop.
"Bella, my girlfriend better not die!" Tyler yelled. "We're having a baby in six months!"
"What?" Everyone blurted out, completely stunned.
"Oh my God, Tyler! You weren't supposed to tell anyone until I informed my parents."
"What the fuck are you doing knocking your girlfriend up?" Mike asked. "Haven't you heard of birth control?"
"The condom broke, and Angela's parents won't let her get birth control because they believe in abstinence."
"Jesus Christ, Tyler! Why did you have to tell us this news during a zombie outbreak?" Lauren threw her hands up in the air and shook them. "Now we have to worry about a baby, too!"
Mrs. Mallory, who had come out from the kitchen with food for the new arrivals, looked between Lauren and Mike. She set the tray down on the coffee table, pulled a hairbrush out of her apron, and proceeded to beat Mike repeatedly with it. "You knocked my daughter up? How could you?"
"Mom, Mom! I'm not pregnant! It's not me!" Lauren insisted, trying to shield her boyfriend. The hairbrush slapped her arm. "Ouch!"
"I just heard you! You said you had to worry about a baby! Don't lie to me, Lauren!"
"Mom, we were talking about Angela."
Mrs. Mallory abruptly stopped and then broke out into a smile. "Why didn't you say so in the first place instead of making me worry?" She shook her head. "Have some beef stew while I do your hair."
"Just go with it," Lauren whispered sternly to everyone.
"What's wrong with Angela other than being pregnant?" Mrs. Mallory asked, noticing the first aid supplies.
"Angela was hit by a stray bullet in her arm, but I got it out." Bella checked to see if the bleeding had stopped. Seeing that it had, she took a fresh wad of gauze, spread a liberal amount of bacitracin on it, covered the wound, and then bandaged the arm securely. "All done!"
"Oh? But she's better now?"
"Oh, yeah. Bella pulled the bullet out, cleaned it, and stopped the bleeding," Sam informed her.
"Great job, Bella. As long as Lauren isn't pregnant, all is well." Mrs. Mallory gave her a pat on the back. Apparently, in her mind, getting pregnant was worse than being shot.
Within thirty minutes, the new arrivals had all finished their beef stew. Lauren had changed into a fresh shirt while the boys all received buzz cuts from an anxious Mrs. Mallory.
"We need to get back out there," Sam stated.
"We do," Bella agreed.
"No! Absolutely not! You kids have done enough! Look at poor Angela. She's pregnant and injured!"
"I'm going back out there. I can move my arm. I'm fine."
"Angela, no!" Tyler put his hands on her shoulders. "You can't risk yourself or our baby."
"Tyler, if we don't take care of these zombies, there will be no world left for the baby. It has to be done. Besides, if we get close enough to the high school, maybe Dr. Cullen can take a look at it."
Lauren rushed to another room and brought out three hair mannequins used for practice. "Mother, I have to help. First, lock the door, and then practice some new hairstyles. Make some brownies for us, too, because we'll be back."
Mrs. Mallory hugged her daughter before sending her and her friends on their way. She locked the door before sliding down to the floor with her back against the door and breaking out into tears. She prayed for the safety of the kids.
Outside, Sam whispered to his friends. "Don't start shooting until we're well away from the house. They're attracted to the noise. Follow me."
Sam led the group away from the house. They darted onto a side street and started running towards Forks Avenue. The group took out a few zombies, smashing their heads with whatever objects they carried. Bella used a wrecking bar while Sam and Mike used baseball bats. Lauren used a street hockey stick. Angela couldn't swing, so she stayed in the middle of the group.
Two zombies suddenly reached for Bella at once. She swatted and punched in an attempt to dislodge them.
"Bella!" Sam yelled and fired two bullets into one zombie, blowing its head off while Mike offed the other with two shots from his gun. Sam pulled his girl into his arms, checking her for injuries. "Are you okay? Did they bite you?"
"No, I'm fine. I'm fine." Sam kept his arms wrapped around Bella, unable to let go. "You have to let me go. We need to go."
"We have to go, man," Tyler said. "We're sitting ducks here out in the open." Then, sure enough, zombies started approaching them from all sides, hissing and groaning—their flesh decaying, their innards exposed.
"Sam, we can't keep running. We've got to attack these fuckers head-on." She kissed Sam passionately, and then with a determined look on her face, Bella forged ahead, firing continuously at the zombies. Mike and Tyler took the zombies approaching from the rear.
"The grenades, Sam. The grenades. Pull the pin and pitch one to them on three. Everyone hit the ground on three," Bella commanded. "One, two, three!" Sam pulled the pin and launched the grenade towards the mob of zombies.
"That worked. It cleared the way. Bells, we have to go back home and grab more grenades."
"I have two more."
"Alright, we're hitting the Swan residence. Everyone, follow me!" They sprinted towards the destroyed zombies, ensuring they were good and dead. Really dead. They rushed through the Crowley's living room, had milk and cookies, then ran outside through the back door into the backyard, which led to the Marshall's backyard. They ran to the front of the Marshall's home onto a side street and finally into Bella's house."
"Where the hell were you?" Jasper asked. "We've been here for an hour."
"The zombies are a few blocks over, but we were able to take down a whole horde of them using a grenade," Sam said. "We need more."
"If that's the case, we need to lure them into a single location, trap them in, so to speak."
"Well, we know they're attracted to noise."
After gearing up again, Bella checked the situation from the window and realized several zombies were heading to the porch. "Um, is that our old science teacher Mr. Banner?"
"Where?" Lauren asked.
"Oh, the one approaching our porch with the rest of the zombies."
Lauren rushed out the front door without thinking and started bashing Mr. Banner's head with her hockey stick until his brain was smashed in. "And that's for making me go to summer school last year, you ass!" Then, she turned to everyone in the house. "Oh, that felt so nice."
"Damn it, Lauren! The rest of the zombies are heading straight for us," Bella cried as she dashed out onto the lawn and started swinging a crowbar, knocking out zombies left and right.
Lauren soon joined her. "My bad."
A morbidly obese zombie attempted to take a bite out of Lauren's brain. She held her hockey stick out to keep his mouth away from her but struggled. "Bella, help me!"
"Holy shit," Bella had zombies on either side of her. She swung to the left, then to the right, knocking out two of the creatures before taking off to help her friend. Bella hit him with her crowbar, but it did nothing, so she stood in front of him and pumped two bullets into his brain, destroying it. Unfortunately, the unmoving corpse landed on top of both girls.
"Gross!" Lauren screamed. "Oh my God! Get it off of us! Get it off of us!"
"Hey! Some help would be nice! Lauren and I are trapped under a fucking beached whale!"
By now, help had arrived from the others. Mike and Tyson attempted to push the hefty-sized zombie off of their friends but couldn't move it.
"Hurry! I can barely breathe!" Lauren cried.
"Push with all our might on three: one, two, three!" Bella commanded. The girls pushed hard at the corpse's chest. "Oh, my gaaaaawwwwd! I feel something gooey!"
"Ew! I think I feel his ribs.
"Um, a little help here would be great!" Bella, who was now annoyed, yelled. "This thing is leaking his innards all over us!"
Jasper lifted the oversized zombie off of the girls then up.
"Thank you. Thank you. That thing was so heavy!" Lauren kissed Jasper on the cheek.
"I was happy to help, ma'am," the blonde vampire drawled.
"My God, you have a sexy accent," Lauren gushed. "And your voice is like velvet."
Bella narrowed her eyes at the vampire with her hands on her hips. "It took you long enough, Jasper. We were suffocating, trapped underneath a zombie—the size of two linebackers, and there you were taking your sweet, old time."
"Well, sorry, your highness! I happened to have been killing zombies!" Jasper shouted back.
Sam shuffled over to the group. "Bella, why do you have a human heart in your hand?"
"Because in our attempt to get tubby off of us, our hands literally cut right through him," Bella explained. "But in all seriousness, it's like their skin has thinned out from decaying.
"Well, maybe you should wash your hands. Your hands are pretty gunky," Sam suggested, noticing their bloodied hands. In fact, they were both soaked in blood. And then, seeing the size of the zombie, Sam came up with an idea. He quickly voiced his plan, and in seconds, the vampire and the wolf had lifted the dead zombie over their heads and hurled it towards a swarm of attacking zombies. It stopped the creatures in their tracks. Bella pitched a grenade at the group of zombies while they were still down. The zombies, of course, were blasted apart.
"Hey, that worked." Bella started picking through the dead zombies, the really dead ones. "What if you tossed them like a caber then blasted them?"
"You're brilliant. Give me the rest of your grenades. You might want to go into the house and at least wash your hands. They're pretty bloody." Sam kissed her on the lips and sent her on her way.
As soon as the girls stepped into the house, Alice asked, "Bella, why do you still have a human heart in your hands?"
Bella quickly tossed the heart outside. "I forgot. Lauren and I need to shower."
Bella gave Lauren some clothes to wear, then showed her to the bathroom downstairs so she could shower. She then quickly retreated to her own bathroom upstairs. She scrubbed her body clean, watching the swirl of red flow down the drain. She couldn't believe the situation she was in. Her life had become complicated in an odd way ever since Edward Cullen had decided to enter her life. While he was now dead and gone for good, circumstances stemming from their unfortunate encounter with Victoria had spiraled into zombies attacking Forks. This issue was caused partly by her stupidity of dating a vampire, and she had to fix it. She changed into the combat fatigues Alice had bought her and went back to the living room, putting her tactical vest on as she descended the stairs. By the time she reached the bottom step, she was more determined than ever to put an end to this crisis.