“Of course. We’re not monsters, you know,” the guard replied with a low laugh. “We simply don’t have time for weakness.”
“Now, eat up. You’ll need your strength tonight,” the guard said before he went back inside.
Saul turned toward the other prisoner. “What’s your name?”
“Why? What do you care?”
“It’s a simple question.”
“James,” came the sullen reply.
“We don’t have to fight each other, James. We can work together and escape from here,” Saul said.
“Escape?” James laughed. “There’s no escaping this place. You either fight, or you die.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way.”
“Trust me, whoever you are. When they throw you into that ring, you’ll fight,” James said. “In the end, we all do.”
“We can get out of here if we work together,” Saul insisted.
“Shut up, will you? I don’t care about you or the woman. When it comes to it, I’ll kill you both if it means earning my freedom,” James said, shaking a fist at Saul.
“Your freedom?” Saul asked. “You heard what the guard said. You’ll have to become one of them.”
“So? They’re not that bad. Most of them, at least. As long as I steer clear of Lila and Seth, I’ll be fine,” James said. “Besides, it’s better than the alternative.”
“Which is?”
“Going out there. It’s much safer in here with a group to watch my back,” James replied.
“A bunch of criminals, you mean,” Saul corrected.
James shrugged. “It’s the apocalypse, man. Only the strong survive. Now, piss off, and leave me alone.”
James turned his back to Saul who nodded. One more enemy to contend with in the ring. It wasn’t a problem for him. He liked to know where he stood with everyone, and right now, James was the first he’d kill. Rather him than us.
With mechanical movements, he ate his food and drank his water, determined to keep his strength up. He wasn’t too worried about fighting a bunch of dogs or even zombies. His injuries were minor: Mostly bruises. He was more concerned about Dylan and sat watching her until she stirred. “Dylan, how do you feel?”
“Like shit,” came the muffled reply.
She rolled onto her back and stared up at the sky. The light was rapidly waning as darkness fell, and Saul knew they didn’t have much time.
“I mean it. How do you feel? Do you have any serious injuries?” he said.
She sat upright with a groan and examined her body with probing fingers. After a while, she shook her head. “I’m okay. Nothing’s broken. I’ve got plenty of bruises and a couple of lumps, but I can fight.”
“What about your arm? And that cut on your head?”
She felt her forearm through the bandages and checked the cut on her head. “The stitches are still in place. Everything hurts, but I’ll live.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“I am thirsty, though.”
Saul pointed at the water and chips. “Eat up. You’ll need the energy.”
“So, what’s the deal here? Are we zombie chow, or what?” Dylan asked while she ate.
In simple terms, Saul explained to her what he’d learned.
“So, we’ll have to fight each other in the end?”
“That’s right.”
“That sucks,” she said, rolling the empty chips packet into a ball and chucking it at his head. The package bounced off his cage bars and rolled away. “What about Tara?”
Saul explained to Dylan where Tara was but nothing about his plans. That would have to wait until they were alone. He couldn’t risk talking in front of James.
“What’s with him?” Dylan asked, pointing at the man in question.
“He doesn’t want to be one of us. He made that very clear. Tonight, he’s fighting to win, and that includes killing us. He’d rather be one of them.”
“Not if I kill him first,” Dylan said with a predatory smile.
James stiffened, but he didn’t reply.
Dylan laughed. “I think he’s scared of me.”
But her mirth didn’t last very long, and she picked at her jeans with a somber expression. “What are we going to do, Saul?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something, I promise.”
James snorted, and Dylan threw him an ugly look. “Shut up, you coward. At least my head isn’t neck deep up some two-bit raider’s ass.”
Saul laughed, long and hard. “You sure know how to cheer a person up.”
“Glad to be of service,” she answered with a grin.
“It feels good to laugh. I haven’t done that in a while.”
“You and me both.”
Darkness closed in around them as the sun dropped behind the horizon, and the temperature dropped rapidly. Dylan shivered, rubbing her arms to keep warm. “I sure wish I didn’t leave my gloves and beanie in the Humvee, but at least I’ve still got my coat and scarf.”
“You can have my blanket,” Saul offered.
“Keep it. I’ve got one too, I see.” She picked up the one in her cage and wrinkled her nose. “Man, this thing smells, but beggars can’t be choosers.”
“I guess not,” Saul said, draping his blanket across his shoulders.
“This is one crap storm of a shitty situation, huh?” Dylan said, hunched into a little ball.
“Colorful way of putting it, but yes, it is.” Saul shook his head. “I’m sorry, Dylan. I should’ve listened to you. This whole thing is my fault.”
“You’re right. You should have listened to me, and if I were the type, I’d say I told you so,” Dylan said. “But I’m not, so forget about it.”
“Thanks.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes before Saul said, “Try to get some rest. It won’t be long until they come for us.”
“Yeah, okay.” She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning against the side of her cage. “One last thing.”
“What is it?”
“I told you so.”
Chapter 17 - Amy
Amy woke up slowly, her body cramped from lying in the same position for too long. She blinked in the dim light of a single lamp turned down low. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was until the memory of the night before came rushing back.
She jerked upright, wincing when her head throbbed. It mirrored the sounds that echoed from above, the dull thumping of undead fists on the
