Chapter 1
“Honestly, Liz, if you wanted to commit suicide so badly, I could have done it a long time ago,” Marcus remarked. It was not the answer Liz was hoping for. She wanted him to agree with her plan of moving north to Canada and then southwest to Montana, where they would go south into California. She said in return, “It may be a lot longer, but at least we keep our distance from the US military.”
“And we jump right into the loving arms of the Canadian military, who hate our little organization as much as the US. I really don’t understand why we are having this conversation.”
“We’re having it because I don’t want to die from some Anti-air rocket hitting you. We need to put up as much distance between the military and us.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I already know where to go; it is the only real safe rout. And yet you still insist on arguing about it. We are going west to the Great Lakes and south over the Great Plains and turning west. It is short, safe, and we only pass one military base on the way. That is our only path and that is final.”
“Who put you in charge?”
“Did you learn nothing from Zack’s actions, little one?”
“You wouldn’t.”
Marcus landed on a small clearing below him. There were no undead in sight, so he focused his full attention to Liz. He barred his teeth and said, “If you do not tempt me, nothing will happen. That is all I will promise you.”
He brought his teeth very close to Liz when he spoke so it was the only thing she could see. Marcus pulled his head away from her and saw that his point was made. He jumped into the air and glided back to the ground in front of a grocery store. Marcus used his tail to remove the giant windows and he pressed his head as far inward as he could. Liz walked across the massive plates that made up the length of his neck and leaned forward to jump, but it was a ten foot drop even if Marcus’s head was pressed to the floor. She climbed down the spikes that protruded from his cheeks and walked through the aisles. Liz was starving; she hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before.
Marcus said, “Grab a rope, a few backpacks, and something to tie them down with.”
Liz pushed an entire cart filled with backpacks to the front and said, “I couldn’t find a rope, but this might do.”
She pulled another cart around the corner that was filled with hundreds of belts. Marcus said, “That will do the job for now, but we may need to check it every now and then as my scales may wear through the light fabric.”
Liz started to make a chain out of the belts. She attached the buckle of the next belt in line to the end of the belt she was holding. Making a rope long enough for Marcus was a challenge, but Liz got the job done. She then placed the backpacks on the line and soon, Marcus wore a necklace just long enough for him that held a large assortment of colors. She walked over to him to put it on his head, but something struck her from behind and Marcus’s maw flew past her. His tongue grabbed and threw before Liz an elderly man who wore a blue apron over a white shirt. He was loosing his thin white hair, and his thick glasses and wrinkles helped prove his age.
The man stood and said, “I am Joe, and this is my fortress. You are trespassers on my territory. Leave now or suffer the consequences!” Marcus growled and Joe ran off to a side passage. Marcus breathed in, but Liz said, “Let him run. He may take out a few undead before they get to him.”
“As you wish, little one.”
Liz was not annoyed by the name; she just wished he didn’t take so much pride in saying it. She stood and made to grab the backpacks again when she felt a white hot pain where Joe hit her. She yelled and fell forward, but Marcus caught her with his tongue; he found it useful as a second hand when he needed to be delicate, like when he tried to remove her shirt.
“What are you doing,” she yelled as his tongue pulled the shirt up. He said, “You aren’t moving until I see the wound. If I say so, then I’m carrying you to my back again and I will swallow any sealed food if I can.”
Liz stopped squirming, and Marcus pulled her shirt off. He looked at the wound and said, “It doesn’t look too bad, but I don’t think you should be doing any running any time soon.”
Marcus let out a light laugh and Liz said, “What’s so funny?”
“If I’m away, you’re attacked by undead. If I’m with you, you’re attacked by crazy old people.”
“That isn’t very funny.”
“It is when you’re up here. Now bite down the pain and go get yourself some supplies.”
“What about you?”
“Chrome polisher, if they have any.”
Liz ignored him and walked over to the food section. She picked up a gallon of milk, a pack of chips, and a large bag of flavored meat from the food area. After she put the items in the bag, Marcus said, “Now go and get the vegetables.”
Liz rolled her eyes and took another backpack out to the grocery area. She could see Joe hiding behind a fruit stand and said aloud, “I can see you, Joe.”
He ran off and passed between a set of double doors. Liz felt bad for him as she stuffed the bag with salad bags, tomatoes, carrots, and a few other select plants. She ran back and placed the bag on the line. Marcus said, “Sorry I can’t help you, but I can’t fit. Go back and fill this bag with the empty bottles in aisle three.”
Liz ran back and forward. She crammed so many items per bag, she wondered if the list went on forever. She constantly saw Joe, but she decided that the man was harmless and tried to make conversation with him a few times; he always ran off and more than once tripped on his apron. As soon as she was done with one bag, Marcus gave her another set of items to find. It must have been five hours since they arrived, and Liz had only one bag left. This one, she needed to fill with bread. She did not care if it was crushed or not; she just wanted to fill it up.
When she was finally finished, Marcus told her to pull the rope around his neck and she said, “But we need to put the bags on it first, don’t we?”
“Do as I tell you.”
Liz reluctantly pulled the open ends of the rope around his neck and held them at the top. Marcus handed her the bag she recognized as the one filled with duct tape. Liz grabbed a roll and taped one side to Marcus and sealed the bag before letting it slide down the chain. Marcus gave her another one and all of the bags were in position after an hour of hard labor. Liz attached the two ends together and took off the tape. Marcus backed out of the building and yelled, “Goodbye Joe! See you later.”
Marcus could hear over the store’s intercom, “Ha! Look at how my enemies run in fear. And they should, for I am Joe, and this is my castle!”
Marcus turned to the west and took flight. Liz slid to her usual spot between his wings, where a sudden rise acted as the back of her seat. Marcus flew around the city of London and flew over to the border. He passed the Great Lakes and turned south when there was no land to be seen in any direction.
“And we jump right into the loving arms of the Canadian military, who hate our little organization as much as the US. I really don’t understand why we are having this conversation.”
“We’re having it because I don’t want to die from some Anti-air rocket hitting you. We need to put up as much distance between the military and us.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I already know where to go; it is the only real safe rout. And yet you still insist on arguing about it. We are going west to the Great Lakes and south over the Great Plains and turning west. It is short, safe, and we only pass one military base on the way. That is our only path and that is final.”
“Who put you in charge?”
“Did you learn nothing from Zack’s actions, little one?”
“You wouldn’t.”
Marcus landed on a small clearing below him. There were no undead in sight, so he focused his full attention to Liz. He barred his teeth and said, “If you do not tempt me, nothing will happen. That is all I will promise you.”
He brought his teeth very close to Liz when he spoke so it was the only thing she could see. Marcus pulled his head away from her and saw that his point was made. He jumped into the air and glided back to the ground in front of a grocery store. Marcus used his tail to remove the giant windows and he pressed his head as far inward as he could. Liz walked across the massive plates that made up the length of his neck and leaned forward to jump, but it was a ten foot drop even if Marcus’s head was pressed to the floor. She climbed down the spikes that protruded from his cheeks and walked through the aisles. Liz was starving; she hadn’t eaten since breakfast the day before.
Marcus said, “Grab a rope, a few backpacks, and something to tie them down with.”
Liz pushed an entire cart filled with backpacks to the front and said, “I couldn’t find a rope, but this might do.”
She pulled another cart around the corner that was filled with hundreds of belts. Marcus said, “That will do the job for now, but we may need to check it every now and then as my scales may wear through the light fabric.”
Liz started to make a chain out of the belts. She attached the buckle of the next belt in line to the end of the belt she was holding. Making a rope long enough for Marcus was a challenge, but Liz got the job done. She then placed the backpacks on the line and soon, Marcus wore a necklace just long enough for him that held a large assortment of colors. She walked over to him to put it on his head, but something struck her from behind and Marcus’s maw flew past her. His tongue grabbed and threw before Liz an elderly man who wore a blue apron over a white shirt. He was loosing his thin white hair, and his thick glasses and wrinkles helped prove his age.
The man stood and said, “I am Joe, and this is my fortress. You are trespassers on my territory. Leave now or suffer the consequences!” Marcus growled and Joe ran off to a side passage. Marcus breathed in, but Liz said, “Let him run. He may take out a few undead before they get to him.”
“As you wish, little one.”
Liz was not annoyed by the name; she just wished he didn’t take so much pride in saying it. She stood and made to grab the backpacks again when she felt a white hot pain where Joe hit her. She yelled and fell forward, but Marcus caught her with his tongue; he found it useful as a second hand when he needed to be delicate, like when he tried to remove her shirt.
“What are you doing,” she yelled as his tongue pulled the shirt up. He said, “You aren’t moving until I see the wound. If I say so, then I’m carrying you to my back again and I will swallow any sealed food if I can.”
Liz stopped squirming, and Marcus pulled her shirt off. He looked at the wound and said, “It doesn’t look too bad, but I don’t think you should be doing any running any time soon.”
Marcus let out a light laugh and Liz said, “What’s so funny?”
“If I’m away, you’re attacked by undead. If I’m with you, you’re attacked by crazy old people.”
“That isn’t very funny.”
“It is when you’re up here. Now bite down the pain and go get yourself some supplies.”
“What about you?”
“Chrome polisher, if they have any.”
Liz ignored him and walked over to the food section. She picked up a gallon of milk, a pack of chips, and a large bag of flavored meat from the food area. After she put the items in the bag, Marcus said, “Now go and get the vegetables.”
Liz rolled her eyes and took another backpack out to the grocery area. She could see Joe hiding behind a fruit stand and said aloud, “I can see you, Joe.”
He ran off and passed between a set of double doors. Liz felt bad for him as she stuffed the bag with salad bags, tomatoes, carrots, and a few other select plants. She ran back and placed the bag on the line. Marcus said, “Sorry I can’t help you, but I can’t fit. Go back and fill this bag with the empty bottles in aisle three.”
Liz ran back and forward. She crammed so many items per bag, she wondered if the list went on forever. She constantly saw Joe, but she decided that the man was harmless and tried to make conversation with him a few times; he always ran off and more than once tripped on his apron. As soon as she was done with one bag, Marcus gave her another set of items to find. It must have been five hours since they arrived, and Liz had only one bag left. This one, she needed to fill with bread. She did not care if it was crushed or not; she just wanted to fill it up.
When she was finally finished, Marcus told her to pull the rope around his neck and she said, “But we need to put the bags on it first, don’t we?”
“Do as I tell you.”
Liz reluctantly pulled the open ends of the rope around his neck and held them at the top. Marcus handed her the bag she recognized as the one filled with duct tape. Liz grabbed a roll and taped one side to Marcus and sealed the bag before letting it slide down the chain. Marcus gave her another one and all of the bags were in position after an hour of hard labor. Liz attached the two ends together and took off the tape. Marcus backed out of the building and yelled, “Goodbye Joe! See you later.”
Marcus could hear over the store’s intercom, “Ha! Look at how my enemies run in fear. And they should, for I am Joe, and this is my castle!”
Marcus turned to the west and took flight. Liz slid to her usual spot between his wings, where a sudden rise acted as the back of her seat. Marcus flew around the city of London and flew over to the border. He passed the Great Lakes and turned south when there was no land to be seen in any direction.