2015 Novel Series #2: Zombies 2

Second book in the year and because I'm fun: sequel (second book) of a prior book. Ha.

Technically this book wasn't supposed to exist. I wrote Zombies 1 to get over the fact I would be killing a main character in the last book of the Detective Series called The Tattooed Man. I took all the characters, main and minor, then made zombies take over Woodborough. One main character and one minor character survived the initial strike and lasted to the end of Zombies 1. Apparently my brain couldn't leave it at that so Zombies 2 came along.

The problem with zombie fiction is you never have to end it. You can always add more characters, kill off a bunch, throw more zombies at your characters, keep giving them hope then ripping it away, and write about a few choice mains for years. Zombie fiction either ends on a hopeful note or everyone really does die.

Mine ended on a hopeful note. The same main and minor who survived in Zombies 1 survive in this one along with two other people who they found along the way. I make it glaringly obvious who survives because of the point of view switching but that's okay. You don't know how they survive.

I am going to give a bunch of memorable lines as I normally do but I'm going to try and stay away from the major and minor character who lived. Why? Cuz then you know who died in Zombies 1 and that's no fun. Onwards.

Genre: Alternate Reality/End of the World/Zombies

Word Count: 95,745

Prompt: The original prompt was thanks to Senses. How Zombies 1 ended made this book pop up.

Main Characters: The main and minor who survived from Zombies 1, Lisa, Bill, and Janie.

Minor Characters of Note: Allison, Caleb, Hanson, Smith, Randy, Hope, Heather, Helen, Jason, Kennedy Hobstine, and Michelle

Summation: More zombies. Nuff said.

High Points: Finally writing THE END and putting a nice end to all these characters lives both in their real world and in the alternate dimension.

Low Points: Only five of the main and minor characters mentioned make it to the end. Yes, I killed 11 named people.

The World: Ours but with zombies.

Memorable Lines:

Sometime later he spotted an off-white cement barricade ten or more feet tall. It was completely smooth and there were spikes on top of it spaced less than a foot apart. He (minor character who lived) slowed his bike to watch as the wall continued.
The more he travelled along the barricade the more he began to realize there would be no shelter beyond the walls. The forest behind was burning and the smell was stifling. He shifted to the other side of the road and saw plumbs of smoke rising up into the sky. Whoever the arsonists were they had decided to take out anything standing even if people had holed up safely inside.
It was so ridiculous, greedy, and insane, all he could do for a few moments was watch the forest burn. He started pedaling again and came to a smashed in steel gate that was on fire. It looked like a tank had driven through and he shook his head. Someone had built a life beyond those walls and because of some idiots that life was destroyed. It wasn't fair. (This is significant because at the exact moment, the MC who lived, (and the one minor character is looking for) is behind those burning walls with the other major characters who hadn't died yet. Cool huh? ;) )

McGregor said...
McGregor had been here. He spotted other names he knew: James, Mia, Michael, Sable, David, and Andy. They had been here. He sat down on the bed (in the prison the major characters set up camp in the last book, yes before the house above) and wondered what had happened. Something had exploded and they had to leave, that was obvious. There was mention of a truck but the truck wasn't here. They must have gotten out. He didn't know who had gotten out or where they were now.

(Aw, there's a really funny line here that I can't use because it reveals the name of the minor character who made it to book 2. *pouts*)

"C'mon, he's just a kid--" The man started.
"A kid with no skills who'll become someone we'll have to protect and feed but get nothing from him in return," the buff woman said.
"Just because he has a dick and you like dick doesn't mean we can bring him along," the Spanish woman said.

"Hi, I'm Chantelle. You folks want a lift? We've got food, water, and other supplies in the truck. Randy drives and his wife Hope switches out with him. There are also their daughters Helen and Heather who are the twins, and Jason their son. Who are you?" (Now let's look over the names up there. You don't see Chantelle do you? Now, let's think about which of the major characters in the Detective Series is known for breaking and switching identities. That's right. You get a prize if you're gasping and yelling at your screen right now. ;) )

"Do I dare ask how many zombies you've actually killed?" Hope questioned.
"I stopped counting after 1000. You did find me after I beat back a hoard of a few dozen," (Hehe)

"Grocery store and it looks untouched,"
"Probably because of the couple dozen zombies in the front of it," Randy said.
...
"You're not really thinking of going down there?" Hope asked.
"Of course I am. Do you know what happens when 18 wheeler meets zombie?" (Pancake.)

"How you holding up, kid?" Lisa questioned.
"I, it wasn't, I killed it," He (minor character who lived) said.
"It was dead all ready," Lisa told him. (It was also his first kill.)

"She turned while we were still fighting those things then attacked me. She bit my leg but I killed her. Then I cut my own leg off and set the stump on fire to cauterize the wound,"

"Taking a shit is no excuse to go out alone,"

"It might look like crap now but we can't give up. We gotta go for as long as we can because maybe we'll end up beating all these things. When that's done there are going to have to be people around who can rebuild. We can't give up," Bill said.

"Never assume because it gets you killed. That's especially true now,"

"Let's go, kids," Lisa said.
He was sure she would be grinning under her riot helmet. He heard Caleb scoff.
"I'm 24," Caleb said.
"I'm 32. You're a kid. Now, no talking unless absolutely necessary," Lisa said.

*Employee only door thunking in a candle shop*
"Zombie?" Bill asked.
"Naw, probably an employee wanted to help,"

"Do you mind if I ask you things?" Bill questioned.
He tried to hold back the remark but it came out.
"You just did."

"I guess some people think dying is better than living without a limb. He drank the bleach and left us with the mess. Well, let's clean up."

"Where are we going?"
"I don't know,"
"What?"
"I don't know. I'm fresh out of serial killer's homes with massive cement gates."

"If anyone can hear this: come to New York. We're set up against the hoards and the entire state is a zombie free zone."
"Think this is like the whole Terminus thing in The Walking Dead?"

She placed her hand on the key and turned it. The van (which they'd been using for a few days now to get to NY) sputtered but turned over after a moment. She took it out of park and hit the gas. The van moved ten feet then died.
She blinked then tried the key again. The van sputtered, jolted forward two feet then stopped. It made a weird creaking sound as something gave out and it sunk. She turned the key to turn the van off (not that it mattered) and sat in the driver's seat for a few minutes. No one spoke.
...
"Sixty miles, that's all. Comfortable walking pace will get us there (NY) in two days, probably less. We can handle two more days, right?" she questioned.
(Yes, yes they can...so we think. ;) )

"The only reason I'm here is because of my friends. They're the ones who deserve the credit and they're going to get it."