He didn’t kill Duke.

Instead, he used the back of the machete to smack Duke hard across the head.

“Go on, bite me again! Bite me!”

Duke whimpered, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but he still kept his eyes locked on him.

Then Tyler turned to me, his face full of vicious delight.

“Nice coat, sis. I’ll take it.

“You’re gonna die anyway. No point wasting it.”

He came at me and started yanking at my jacket.

Linda stood there watching. Not only did she not stop him, she actually urged him on.

“Hurry up! Stop dragging this out! It’s freezing up here!”

I struggled with everything I had, my nails raking a bloody scratch down his face.

“Get off me! Tyler, you’re disgusting!”

He wiped the blood from his face and slapped me hard across the cheek.

My ears rang instantly.

He and the two creeps pinned me down and ripped off my puffer jacket.

All I had left was a thin sweater.

The freezing wind cut straight through me.

Tyler happily pulled on my still-warm coat and brushed it off with a look of disgust.

“Smells a little, but whatever. It’ll do.”

He looked down at me and Duke, whose leg was broken.

“Look at you, Hannah. You’re not even worth as much as a dog anymore.”

“Go on. Sit there and die with that mutt.”

Linda spat right in my face.

“Let’s go. Don’t waste time on this jinx.”

They turned to leave.

Just then, another deafening crash came from the metal door downstairs.

Then another.

And another.

It wasn’t one thing hitting the door.

It was dozens of hands pounding against it.

The horde was coming up.

Tyler and the others had made too much noise breaking in.

They’d drawn every zombie in the building.

The stairwell filled up with them in seconds.

Tyler had barely made it to the door when a rotting face slammed into view.

“Mom!”

He stumbled backward in terror, nearly falling over himself.

The two creeps reacted fast and rushed to shut the door, but it was too late.

One zombie arm jammed into the gap.

Then a second.

Then a third.

The metal door was forced open.

Dozens of zombies poured onto the rooftop.

They caught the scent of living flesh and lunged like maniacs.

The two creeps took the first hit. They didn’t even have time to swing their pipes before the horde swallowed them whole.

Their screams rang out, then cut off just as fast, leaving behind only the sickening sound of chewing.

Tyler pissed himself.

A dark stain spread across his pants.

He hid behind Linda and shoved his own mother forward.

“Mom! Save me! Save me!”

Linda was shaking all over too, but her instinct to protect her precious son was still stronger than her fear.

Her eyes darted around.

Then she saw me curled up in the corner.

She rushed over and grabbed me by the hair.

“Hannah! Your brother can’t die! He’s the only son this family has!

“Help him! Please! Just buy him a little time!”

She said please, but her hands were vicious.

She was trying to shove me into the zombie horde so Tyler could escape.

I clung to the railing with both hands.

“No! Why should I?”

“Because I’m your mother! Because he’s your brother!”

Linda even sank her teeth into my hand.

The pain was so sharp I lost my grip.

She gave me one hard shove.

I staggered straight toward the zombies, who were still feeding.

The nearest one lifted its head.

Its mouth was covered in blood.

It reached for me.

Linda dragged Tyler toward the water tank on the other side of the rooftop.

She looked back at me once.

There was no guilt in her eyes.

Only relief.

I closed my eyes.

In that moment, the hatred inside me rose like a tidal wave.

If there was another life after this, I would tear that mother and son pair apart with my own hands.

“Awoooooooo!”

A fierce, piercing howl exploded beside my ear.