End Times, Surviving with My Beastly Army novel Chapter 57

Chapter 57 Karma Comes Knocking

Micah understood everything in an instant. They hadn’t kicked an iron wall–they’d invited the wolf straight through the front door.

Finished

The full horror of it washed over him: he’d stood in front of Shangri–La’s actual owner and bragged, in graphic detail, about how he planned to seize her home. His intestines felt like they were tying themselves

in knots.

And if Robin’s people were already here, then the boss and everyone he’d sent out this morning-

Micah couldn’t bring himself to finish that thought. And he was fairly certain he wouldn’t live long enough to find out.

There were only eight or nine people left in the store, and Micah was the only one with any real combat ability. In less than ten minutes, every single person had been herded into a corner, squatting with their hands on their heads.

“Who even are you?! What did we ever do to you?! This is way over the line!”

One man, nursing a swollen black eye, was still shouting his indignation.

“Over the line?”

Robin let out a quiet laugh. “That’s a fascinating choice of words from the people who weaponized a zombie horde against my home. We were minding our own business inside Shangri–La. You came to us.”

“We-”

The man knew he was in the wrong, but that didn’t stop him. “So, you’re going to wipe us out?! We didn’t actually hurt you! We’re all just trying to survive–is that a crime?!”

A chorus of desperate agreement rose from the others.

“No crime at all.”

Robin nodded agreeably. “And we’re also just trying to survive. Which means no loose ends. Any objections?”

“You-!”

The man gaped, completely shut down.

Robin was about to continue when the fragile roller shutter jolted with a thunderous impact from outside.

Jim nearly jumped out of his skin. “What was that?! What’s happening out there?!”

Everyone turned. A set of long, jet–black fingernails had punched straight through the metal, reaching grotesquely into the store.

“Zombies! Those are zombie claws!”

Someone couldn’t contain the scream.

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11:33 Sat, May 23 M.

Chapter 57 Karma Comes Knocking

“Quiet.”

Robin’s voice was flat. “Are you trying to bring all of them over here?”

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Finished

The screamer bit down on his own lip, but the whispered panic was unstoppable. “What’s going on? Weren’t there any zombies around here before?”

“Yeah, we’ve been here for over a month. Even when we ran into some, there were never many. Why did they suddenly show up today?”

A middle–aged woman’s face went ashen as the answer hit her. “Have you all forgotten? This morning, the captain’s group herded an entire horde of zombies over to attack Shangri–La.”

The words detonated in the silence.

“But the captain took those zombies with him! Why are there more?”

“Probably stragglers. When things got chaotic, some of the horde must have splintered off.”

Voices faded into horrified silence. Regret was thick enough to choke on.

They really hated this.

Why? Why had we gone after Shangri–La and stirred up a hornet’s nest? We bit off way more than we could chew, and now our own plan has blown up in our faces!

Bang!

Another hit–five more black–tipped claws ripped through the shutter like paper.

Jim was the color of old milk. “There’s definitely more than one out there.”

As if to confirm, the thin metal suddenly erupted with a barrage of impacts–dozens of hammering from every side, the noise deafening, relentless.

and

claws

“Mommy, I’m scared…”

A little boy finally broke into sobs. His mother clapped a hand over his mouth instantly. “Shh–shh! Not a sound.”

Micah’s eyes locked onto the only four people in the room who weren’t falling apart. He lunged for the lifeline. “We’re in the same boat now! Let’s put the past behind us. If we work together-”

“Who’s ‘we‘?”

Before he could finish, Ella cut him off. Her voice was pure acid.

“You’re trapped in here with us!” Micah was frantic. “We have to cooperate–or everyone dies!”

“She’s right. In the face of great danger, let’s work together!”

“We were wrong, okay?! But you can’t hold a grudge right now! You four are strong–just help us, and we’ll all make it through this!”

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