“Yeee-OUCH!” My Tusken Raider voice ululates, and my hands flit to my neck to wrest any ponytail I have left from Abby’s grasp. “What are you doing back there?”   With a huff, she releases her hold on the brush she’s wrapped my curls around. “Trying to tame this rat’s nest.”    “Well, brute force isn’t the answer,” I assure her, carefully unwinding single strands from the cylindrical bristles. “Hand me that detangling spray.”   She steps aside and shuffles the bottles of product crowding the top shelf of the rolling cart stuffed between our desks. The ...

“What do I do now?” Lacey sipped her coffee as Syler’s clear boundary replayed in her mind. “When you figure that out, call me.” He was direct; he wouldn’t settle. Lacey had to decide if Brooke’s presence was worth the chaos. Her hand tightened around her mug so hard that her knuckles whitened. She felt ...

Back on the SS Survivor, I listen to the chorus of voices echo through Common B. “Good God! You took on a Rabid?” Helen’s tone rises an octave as she stares at Asher. “All by yourselves?” “We were lucky it was only the one.” Asher frowns, glancing at his dad. Warren’s face showed complete impassivity. ...

The entrance to Barrier Island’s lab is not unlike that of a hospital. Shattered glass doors lead into a dark lobby, now covered in moss. The stench of neglect lingers in the forgotten hallways. We click our flashlights on in tandem, illuminating the corridor ahead. Something slithers underfoot, and I shiver. “It’s awfully quiet in ...

Snow had covered Manhattan for three straight days. As the sun rose, Lacey woke up already weighed down by the past few weeks. She felt like she hadn’t left her apartment in ages, though it had only been a few days. As she walked through the living room, she glanced at the couch. Brooke had ...

Every instinct is telling me to run. My muscles are tense, and I take a steadying breath. I look to my comrades, a question on the tip of my tongue. What do we do now? “We do this together.” Asher sets his jaw. “Remember your training.” Jamie shoots him a concerned glance. Her reason is ...

Bile rises in my throat as I adjust my grip on my sword, perspiration forming at the nape of my neck. My vision moves from one zombie to the next, assessing weaknesses and anticipating my attack. “Here we go,” Asher raises his blade. His gaze is locked on the Ragers leading the group right to ...

The soft roar of the waves grows faint as we make our way deeper into the underbrush of Barrier Island. We landed at its southernmost point. The lab we are searching for is said to be isolated somewhere in this forest. Val flicks fronds out of her hair, plants her hand on her hip, and ...

It is good to return to work, despite Asher and Val’s opinions. I couldn’t take another day of doing nothing. The social with Asher went as expected: games, plenty of food, and high spirits. No one dwelled on the upcoming Barrier Island landing or what might await us there. The activities were just what I ...

The best thing about living on a boat during the apocalypse? Is how easy it is to forget the world has gone to shit. When I am not fighting off zombies, I’m just a regular twenty-year-old trying to make and maintain friendships and maybe even find love. “Hey.” Asher’s already at one of the cafeteria ...