Here is an excerpt from Book Two of The Reanimates: The Highway
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I’m not as naive and trusting as I used to be. Something about losing your home does that to you. It didn’t surprise me that there were people that used sabotage as a method to get what they wanted. People did that in the old world too, they pretended to be in an accident so when the Good Samaritan came by there was an easy target for a robbery.
Trent was angry that this group was using other survivors as meal tickets. “It’s time already. Let’s just get going.” Trent said through his clenched teeth. He kicked at a snowbank on the way to the truck and uncovered a zombie in the process. Trent pulled out his hunting knife and plunged it into the zombie’s head several times. Zombies, it would seem, are therapeutic. We watched Trent as he worked out his anger until he was done. Afterward, he took a deep breath and seemed a little more relaxed.
“Sorry about that,” Trent said quietly, “I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. This trip is nothing like what I expected. I thought it would be a couple days before we got there and we have been on the road for a lot longer than that. I have no idea what to expect on the rest of the trip or what to expect when we get there. I have no idea what the next corner will bring. I keep wondering if Mercedes had the right idea to just land. I’m freaked the heck out that I’ve led everyone into a series of traps that are going to snap us up.”
“Maybe you did, maybe you didn’t,” Matt started, “but we are all grown people that have made the decision to be part of this convoy. You’re not leading us into anything. Hell, if you want to be technical, my brother is the one leading us since he had the plow.” Lucas took this opportunity to hurl a snowball at his brother. Matt laughed at him. “My point, man, is this: You don’t have any control in this world. None. People are going to pull their tricks any time they can, they always have. Hell, I’m still waiting on that pay out for helping that deposed king of Nigeria. We need to work on our preparation for the tricks they will play, but even then, we can’t be ready for everything. We adapt. Doubting yourself doesn’t help. All that will do is tear you up and have you decimating a zombie just to bring yourself back together. There’s nothing wrong with taking it out on a zombie per se, but if that’s your go-to management technique, and there’s no zombie around, then what do you do? Don’t, man. OK?” Matt cocked his head to the side and looked at Trent with a crooked smile.
Trent nodded. “Yeah. That’s something I need to remind myself of more often. I used to be a planner. I used to schedule things and have three other plans just in case something went wrong. This trip is a slap in the face of all that. I have no other plan.”
“Well, plan on leaning on other people. Because you’re not alone in this.” Lucas replied.
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