Page 1 of Say You'll Stay

Chapter 1

His idiot best friend went and got himself lost.

Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. He could be dead by now instead of missing, but Cole’s choosing to assume that’s not the case yet, or there’s nothing to keep fighting for. Never got along with Wade most days, but he’s still the only family he’s got left and considering the world’s gone to shit in the last few weeks, there’s never been a better time to appreciate that.

Except Wade got distracted by a woman and followed her out on a supply run into the fallen streets of DC. Instead of appreciating anything, Cole’s just angry. He warned him not to let his dick lead the way, but not even a pandemic that has the dead rising was enough to stop Wade from chasing a skirt.

Cole’s come up empty in his search every day for the last week. Spent longer than usual combing the streets tonight out of sheer frustration and lost track of time. When the sky runs pink, it’s a sign to pack it in. He’s not sure if the dead cluster worse after dark. No one’s sure of anything yet, but there’s plenty of reason to get back to the apartment he’s been squatting in before it’s too late.

And if he can’t find his best friend soon…his brother, then he’ll have to make some hard choices about following their plan alone. Shit’s only getting worse in the city and he doesn’t intend to get trapped.

Cole catches sight of a woman up ahead, the first live person he’s seen all day. Just last week, they were all in a panic, screaming and falling over each other.

This one runs away from him before he can try to stop her. Not that he thinks she’d be useful. Wade’s a needle in a haystack. He’s only going through the motions to feel like he’s doing something. Gives up trying to follow the girl after a few moments of token effort, watching a streak of pink hair disappear around a corner just in time to hear a blood-curdling scream at the edge of a subway entrance.

It’s distant and high-pitched, almost like a kitten…or a baby.

What the hell would a baby be doing in the fucking subway, he thinks with annoyance. What kind of parent drags their kid into a place that’s sure to hold plenty of the dead? Even if it doesn’t yet, all that racket’s a good way to attract them.

Not his problem.

He’s got shit to handle that doesn’t include taking a detour on a suicide mission.

His feet still end up on the steps, though. Curiosity gets the best of him when he knows it shouldn’t. The last thing he needs is to actuallyfind a baby.What would he do with one? It would be a giant neon sign painting a target on his back.

Maybe he’ll get lucky and it’ll be a kitten after all. That he could handle.

The first landing is clear, but only because all the rotters are clustered at the bathroom door a couple of yards away, trying to break inside for a tasty baby-sized snack. He fucking knew it. Those shrill cries are honey for a swarm of killer bees and even if he wanted to help, it’s too late now.

No way he could take out the dozen blocking the entrance. There’s sure to be more coming from deep within the tunnels, slowly ambling toward their destination. He needs to get out of here and put this behind him. It’s a shit situation, but he can’t save everyone.

Can’t saveanyone.

Slowly, he turns to leave. They haven’t spotted him yet, and he’s got a clear shot back up top, but then another pitiful cry slices through the air, so terrified and angry like every newborn he’s ever heard on TV. He stops in his tracks.

If there’s a baby, maybe there’s a mother, too. She’ll either turn soon and eat her own offspring or she stuffed the poor kid in the bathroom in hopes of saving it, and she’s long gone already.

Fuck.

He’s about to do something as stupid as Wade chasing after a girl he met last week. Cole aims his gun for the trash can at the far end of the subway and pulls the trigger to knock it to the ground, attracting the buffet-goers. It works like he thought it would and they all abandon the bathroom for an easier target, passing him where he hides out of sight on the steps.

Without hesitation, he rushes behind the group and opens the door, unprepared for what he finds on the other side.

At first, he thinks they’re all dead. There’s blood coating the floor and splattered across the ugly green wall tiles. It’s hard to tell who’s actually alive, but then the baby in its mother’s arms begins to squirm and scream. The woman crushes herself to the wall, trying to protect her child while begging for mercy.

He rushes in because he’s got no damn choice. The rotters are already coming back. He can’t leave now, not whensomeone’s just given birth on this bathroom floor and he’s guessing that happened sometime after she stabbed the man a few feet away that’s still reaching a blood-coated hand in their direction.

“It’s alright,” he says, shutting the door and flipping the broken lock that only dangles loose again. “Not gonna hurt you.”

She’s unconvinced.

“Please. Please. Please.”She cradles the child to her chest like he might rip it away, a kitchen knife gripped tight in her other hand. She’s ready to use it, but clearly hoping he won’t test her.

“Only trying to help. You can’t stay in here. They’re swarming on the other side.”

Her pretty blue eyes dilate and glaze over before she can reply. Dammit, she’s about to pass out or die right in front of him and this shit isn’t what he signed up for.

Cole barely has time to catch the baby before it rolls free from her arms as they go lax on the dirty floor.

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