“Get back!” Adam bellowed, shuffling backwards to put distance between himself and the oncoming corpses, while Natalie and Samantha scrambled back around the corner of the building.

  “No, I thought we’d just stand there and let them kill us!” Natalie called back.

  Adam noted, almost absently through the adrenaline surging in his veins, that she was really laying on the sarcasm.

  He waited for the first creature to come around the corner, then lunged forward, jamming the tip of his bat into its throat. The thing's head snapped backwards and it stumbled, falling into a sitting position.

  The second corpse lurched forward before he could backpedal and grabbed him by the shoulders, baring a set of half-broken, half-perfect teeth. It snapped at him and he brought the bat up, holding it between them and pushing the creature back slightly.

  Adam saw from the corner of his eye that Samantha was forming a small ball of energy between her fingers, pointing at the creature.

  “Shit, shit, shit," he gasped, pivoting his hips and jerking it to the side as it snapped forward again, nearly biting his nose off. Its breath was rank, but not rotten, as if it were very fresh.

  The ball flew from Samantha’s outstretched fingers, her hair billowing out behind her, and struck the creature just below the right shoulder. Adam shoved with everything he had. The corpse’s grip broke as a large section of its ribs and stomach exploded outward, raining half-coagulated gore onto the two other zombies, the smell of charred meat instantly filling the air. It fell to the side and Adam danced back, breathing hard.

  “This is not a promising start!” he choked out as the third corpse turned its attention to Samantha.

  The first one had gotten back to its feet and lunged for him again. Adam tried to retreat, but his foot wouldn't move. Glancing down he saw the second corpse, still moving, clutching his ankle with its remaining hand. It slowly pulled itself toward his leg, jaws snapping.

  Samantha's shoulders sagged as she fired another sphere at the corpse Natalie was trying to distract. The shot went wide and the fireball streaked past Adam, close enough for him to feel the heat on his cheek. It scorched a trail in the grass before slamming into the dirt and erupting in a dull blast sending a wave of smoke and debris showering over him.

  Without hesitating he brought his bat up and swung. It was too close for a clean hit, but the top of the handle caught the corpse's neck, shattering its jaw and bowling it out of the way. He wrenched his foot free and stomped down on the neck of the zombie lying on its back with a meaty crunch. Its arms immediately went limp, though its cloudy eyes continued to track him.

  Adam spared a glance at Natalie. She seemed to be holding her own, wielding a collapsible baton and batting the creature's hands aside with each strike. Something about its movements felt wrong, but he couldn't quite place it.

  The first corpse righted itself again while he was distracted, turning toward him. Frustrated, he sidestepped and lined up and overhead swing, bringing the bat down squarely on its forehead. The skull caved in several inches and the eyes bulged slightly, but it didn't stop moving.

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  “Oh, what the fuck," he snarled as the zombie stepped forward, but its leg gave out and it dropped to one knee. Adam stepped in and brought the bat down in a brutal executioner's swing, smashing the back of its head and crushing its neck. This time, it finally collapsed.

  He turned back to Natalie just in time to see the thing dodge one of her swings, then backhand her across the jaw, sending her sprawling. Samantha stood with her eyes flashing and launched another ball of fire. Adam felt a quick burst of heat as it slammed into the creature's forearm, blowing the limb off nearly to the shoulder and leaving behind a charred stump. Samantha swayed on her feet, shoulders heaving from exertion, before her knees buckled and she dropped.

  Natalie sat up, her gun already in both hands, looking dazed. Adam charged, driving his feet into the ground as he barreled toward the creature. I’m not going to make it. The thing loomed over Samantha who was still swaying a little, her eyes glazed.

  Adam raised his right hand and summoned a bolt of electricity. It leapt from his hand, snapping and crackling through the air and the sharp tang of ozone mingled with the scent of burning flesh. The bolt collided with the creature’s uninjured side with a loud pop. It went rigid for a moment, as if tased, just long enough for Adam to slam into it at full speed, sending them both crashing to the ground in a heap.

  The creature was on top of him before he knew it, slamming its remaining arm down again and again as he struggled to defend himself. It was stronger than the others, and Adam fought not to be pummeled or bitten to death. Its eyes were clear, aware, and as it stared down at him, he saw something in its face between hatred and joy. A blow struck the tip of his chin, and stars exploded across his vision.

  He forced his left hand up under the thing's jaw and again willed power into it. The creature immediately jittered and locked up, small arcs of electricity snapping inside its mouth. Natalie stepped in, pressed the gun to its temple, and pulled the trigger.

  The roar of the shot momentarily deafened him, the zombie finally going still as the bullet tore through its skull. A thick black substance, too viscous to be blood, leaked from the remains of its head.

  Adam pushed the body off and sat up, struck by a sudden wave of dizziness and nausea. He breathed hard, waiting for his vision to clear. Samantha sat a few feet away, a thin trickle of blood running from her nose. Natalie quickly moved to her side, wrapping an arm around her and sinking to her knees.

  "We made it fifteen feet. Fifteen fucking feet," Natalie half-sobbed, the stress finally breaching her composure as tears spilled down her cheeks.

  "We're still alive," Adam said weakly. He felt a flutter in his stomach, bordering on nausea, but he realized it wasn't fear. He was excited. It felt good to use his abilities. It felt good to have something to hit, to punish, to blame for all of the insanity of the last week.

  Samantha spoke up. “He’s right, Natalie. We’re alive. We killed them, and we got some practice in.” She wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand. “And we learned something valuable. Using too much too quickly can hurt us.”

  “I know. I know. We’re going to be in danger, and we’re going to get hurt. I’m just…” She cleared her throat, wiping her eyes. “I was laying there, and I couldn’t move after it hit me. And all I could think about was losing you. I was so scared.”

  “I said it before, you’re not getting rid of me so easily,” Samantha said, smoothing back Natalie’s hair. “Plus, Adam says I’m a wizard now, and wizards aren’t easy to kill.”

  Adam fought back the urge to tell her wizards were usually the easiest to kill if you surprised them. “She’s right," he said, leaning down and offering his hand. “We’re going to struggle, and we’re going to get hurt. But we have to stick together. That’s the only way we’re going to make it.”

  Natalie nodded and took his hand, then helped Samantha to her feet.

  “Now, as scared shitless as I am, we need to go before that gunshot brings more… whatever to our doorstep. Let’s move.” Adam grabbed his bat, and looked around the corner before jogging to his car. He jumped into the driver’s seat and unlocked the doors. Samantha and Natalie piled in, Samantha in the passenger seat and Natalie in the back, both scanning for movement.

  Adam pulled off of the yard and onto the street, driving carefully. A flat tire would probably kill us all, he thought.

  He peered into the rearview mirror as his home shrank behind him, wondering if he'd ever see it again.