Leo forced himself to look at the bodies. He didn’t recognize them, but no doubt Anton would know who they were.
Tonight was all about saving people. If they were successful, they could stop more senseless slaughter like this.
They crept to the edge of the science building. Beyond it was a big quad surrounded on all sides by classrooms. On the far side of the quad was the high school auditorium. That was their destination.
In the quad were at least a dozen bodies. There was also a pack of four nezhit. They huddled near the English wing around a dark lump. Dal couldn’t be certain, but it looked like they were eating a dog. At least, he hoped it was a dog and not a person.
“Do we take them out?” Jennifer whispered.
“No. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves if we can help it. Let’s try to sneak by them.”
“Okay.” Without waiting for him, Jennifer stepped out into the open.
That was Jennifer. She’d always been a girl of action.
They eased across the quad. Jennifer moved with the grace of a gymnast, walking on her tip toes. Leo might not be as graceful as she was, but he could be light-footed when he wanted to.
They stepped around a dead girl in neon stretch pants and black blouse with shoulder pads. Blood pooled around her head like a halo. It was sickening to see. Leo supposed he should be grateful she was really dead and not reanimated like the student Dal and Lena had seen in Rossi.
Across the quad, one of the zombies let up a loud yipping sound. She jumped on the nezhit next to her, the two of them squabbling over what looked like an animal leg.
It was enough to make a person gag, but it kept the attention off Leo and Jennifer. They reached the auditorium without incident and stepped around the side of the building.
“There is it,” Jennifer whispered. “Our old friend.”
She was referring to the fire access ladder bolted to the side of the wall. The bottom rung was a good ten feet off the ground.
That had never deterred Leo and Jennifer. If anything, that ten feet had been a challenge.
Side by side, they crossed to the metal garbage can that sat nearby. It was riddled with bullet holes. They each grabbed a side and hefted the can off the ground, moving it beneath the fire access ladder.
“Just like old times,” Leo said.
“Just like old times,” Jennifer agreed.
“You go first.”
Jennifer looked like she wanted to argue. She always did that whenever she thought her female independence was being threatened. Luckily, all she did was give Leo an eye roll before hopping onto the garbage can.
As soon as her feet landed, balancing on either side of the can, something unexpected happened. The trashcan gave a loud, metallic groan and tilted to the right.
Too late, Leo realized one side had been weakened from the bullet holes. The metal bent under Jennifer’s weight. Not a lot, but just enough to make noise.
The reaction of the nezhit was instantaneous. Howls went up from all over campus.
“Go!” Leo yelled.
Jennifer gave him a wide-eyed look before leaping. Her hands grabbed the bottom rung of the ladder. She pulled herself up easily, scrambling to make room for him.
“Leo!” she cried.
The four zombies from the quad came tearing around the corner of the auditorium. Their black-veined skin and red eyes filled his vision. Leo leaped onto the top of the can.
“Jump, Leo!” Jennifer screamed.
Leo jumped. He had at least fifty pounds on Jennifer, if not more. The can listed loudly, further crumpling under his weight.
Leo’s right hand completely missed the ladder. The fingers of his left hand snagging the bottom rung.
The foremost of the nezhit barreled into the trashcan, sending it flying across the blacktop. It banged against the ground as it rolled, inciting another round of howls and barks from campus.
Leo dangled from one hand, feet kicking as he fought to avoid the hands of the nezhit. His hand was sweaty, his grip on the ladder precarious. The zombies jumped up and down, swiping at him with dirty, bloody fingers.
“Give me your other hand!” Jennifer hung upside down, her legs folded over a ladder wrung like it was a gymnastics bar. Both her arms swung free, reaching for Leo.
Leo pulled with everything he had, thankful for every moment in the orchard spent hefting fifty-pound apple packs. He lifted himself just far enough to grab Jennifer’s outstretched hands. She dug her nails into his skin and pulled at him with both hands.
A zombie snagged one shoelace. For one terrifying moment, Leo thought he was a gonner. Then the lace came untied. The zombie fell back to the ground with a frustrated snarl.
With Jennifer’s help, Leo was able to grab the ladder with his right hand. He scrambled out of reach, heart pounding as his boots finally found purchase on the bottom ladder rung.
Jennifer refused to let go, twining her hands into the flannel of his shirt. She still hung upside down. Her hair was in a bun, but a few curls sprang loose around her face.
“Don’t you ever, ever scare me like that again,” she snapped. She released him, lifting her torso into an upright position as she scaled nimbly up the ladder.
Leo let out a shaky breath, looking down one more time at the snapping nezhit. They were working themselves into a frenzy. Even worse, more had joined them. The pack had expanded to seven, with several more on their way.
Leo focused on the ladder, hurrying after Jennifer to the rooftop.
Chapter 36Choices
“ONLY TEN ZOMBIES OVER here.” Jennifer was on the west side of the roof, assessing the number of nezhit on the ground below the ladder. “It’s ironic, don’t you think?”
“Ten zombies are ironic?” Leo stood on the north side, scanning the school with his binoculars. Anton and Bruce were already on the bleachers. Jim and Tate had
