Candy jumped in front of her. "No. I won't let you just do whatever you want because you don't like Kermit. He's shown us into his home as guests and you're treating him like he's a criminal."

"It takes one to know one," Sarah said. She shoved Candy out of the way and kicked the door above the knob; it swung open, revealing a dark room where four people sat on chairs staring at a black television screen. Sarah stepped into the room and drew her handgun. "Who are you people?" Her mouth hung open a little as she examined the strangers.

There were two bearded men and two women. Their skin was pale and slack, their eyes were emotionless, as though all the life had gone out and only a hollowed shell casing remained.

Candy sucked in her breath sharply. She stayed close to Sarah and couldn't speak.

"Hey," Sarah said, pushing one of the men.

He was gaunt and lightweight and would've fallen over if he hadn't been strapped to the chair. His lips moved but no words came out.

"What the hell did he do to you?" Sarah pressed, getting closer. She put her ear close to his mouth, trying to decipher what he was trying to say.

"KieKilleKill me," he whispered.

It was then that Sarah noticed that his legs were missing. She looked around at the other victims and could see that most of their limbs were gone as well. One of the women didn't have any at all.

The back door creaked open.

"We're back," Kermit announced.

Sarah pulled Candy close.

"Go and distract him. I'll be there in a moment," she told the girl.

Candy nodded, tears forming in her eyes. She left the room and walked toward the kitchen.

"What are you doing there?" Kermit demanded.

"I had to use the bathroom," Candy replied. "Is Alex okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine. He's out back dragging the zombies we killed into a pile. Do you want to see how many we got?"

"Yeah, sure," Candy trembled.

Kermit gave a big grin and took her by the arm, forcefully. "Why don't you get a little closer to me?"

Candy jerked away and Kermit yanked, rubbing himself against her. Something cold and sharp pressed to her neck.

"Come on out, Sarah, or I'll gut your little friend here."

The door to the captives' room opened and Sarah came out with her handgun drawn.

"Drop the gun or I'll rip her open," he said.

Sarah continued to advance. She aimed for Kermit's head and showed no signs of slowing down.

"If you harm her in any way I'll fill your body full of lead and let the zombies eat whatever is left over."

Kermit tightened his hold on Candy, squeezing her with his one arm and poking her deeper in the neck with the other.

"Sarah . . . don't . . .," Candy pleaded.

"Put down the gun," Kermit said. "Let's try to work this out."

"Who are those people?" Sarah asked.

"Well missy, that's the family."

"Don't get smart with me," Sarah taunted. "I've got a handful of friends here and they can all run faster than you can."

"I was hungry," Kermit grinned. "You can't blame a guy who wants to eat."

For a split second, Sarah's gun lowered as she tried to comprehend the image of the missing limbs and the plate of meat Kermit had cooked in the fireplace. That brief pause was all the time that Kermit needed. He shoved Candy at Sarah and ran out the back door.

Sarah didn't have enough time to react. She tried to get a bead on Kermit but Candy knocked her into the wall by accident as she was pushed, and the two of them went down in a heap.

"Shit," Sarah said, as she got off the floor and yanked Candy to her feet.

She ran out of the back door after Kermit and gasped. Piles of dismembered limbs littered the backyard.

"Oh my God," Candy said, and held her hand to her mouth, gagging. "I'm going to be sick."

"Just be strong," Sarah said. "Find Alex and I'll go after Kermit."

Sarah ran through the corpses and into the wheat field. From the corner of her eye she spotted Alex tied to a tractor trailer tire. Candy ran over to free him. Sarah continued, pumping her legs faster. She spotted Kermit ahead. He was almost to his truck.

"Fucker!" she screamed at him, and fired her gun. The bullets were wild but Kermit heard the shots and ran even faster. He reached the truck, jumped inside, and a second later the engine started.

"Joelle, stop him!" Sarah cried, and unloaded the remainder of her ammunition into the truck. Two of her bullets penetrated the side, but did little to stop Kermit.

The truck squealed out of the wheat field and onto the road.

"Dammit," Sarah cursed.

Joelle came out of the Winnebago munching on a Slim Jim and holding a small black box.

"What's going on?" she asked casually.

"He's getting away! He was a fucking crazy cannibal and he's . . ."

"I'll stop him," Joelle said, and pressed a button on the black box.

One minute the truck was zooming down the road, seemingly free from any sort of justice, and the next: it exploded into a fiery inferno, sending pieces of metal into the air.

Joelle continued to chew on her beef jerky. She leaned on the door and smiled. "Do you need anything else?"

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you," Sarah said, and ran toward the burning wreckage.

"You're welcome," Joelle said, and stepped back inside the Winnebago.

Sarah ran toward the smoking ruin of twisted debris. The truck's frame had exploded outward like a firecracker inside an aluminum soda can. Black smoke billowed from where the engine was, and through the fiery haze she spotted a blackened figure dragging itself away from the wreckage. Getting closer, she discovered Kermit. His legs were black and useless as he crawled on his forearms toward the nearby fields of wheat.

She aimed her gun at his head. "Hey cowboy," she addressed, "where do you think you're going?"

Kermit turned his charred body in agonizing pain to see her. Most of his face was melted and he could only produce a wheezing sound from his mouth.

Sarah squeezed the trigger of her gun and sent a bullet crashing through his head. Kermit went down easy and bled out onto the road. She stuffed her gun back into the holster and left his remains behind for any stray zombies to munch on. She returned to the Winnebago to inform Joelle of what had happened in the house. Alex and Candy showed up a few minutes later.

The truck burned well into the night but never spread past the road. Later, a zombie made its way out of the wheat field and feasted on Kermit's carcass, then, it moved on down the road, seeking more flesh to rend and devour.

The group slept silently in the Winnebago, blissfully unaware of the roaming threats all around them.

Chapter 24.

It was morning; Joelle was making coffee and pouring stale cereal into paper bowls. She used the last of their evaporated milk and tossed the empty can out the front door.

"Breakfast time," she said.

Sarah and Alex rolled out of the same bed together. Sarah's hair was messy and she had bags under her eyes. Alex looked a little more rested, but not by much. They sat next to each other at the kitchen table and drank coffee.

"Candy, come and get your breakfast," Joelle called.

"I think she's in the bathroom crying over that loser," Sarah said. "That guy was tough."

"He wasn't so tough," Alex said, and drank more coffee.

"He tied you up," Sarah laughed.

"I had my back turned. He got lucky," Alex shrugged.

Joelle walked to the bathroom and lightly tapped on the door. "Candy, breakfast is ready."

A soft, melancholy voice answered. "I'm not hungry, please leave me alone."

Joelle rolled her eyes and sat near the kitchen table. "She's really broken up."

"She'll get over it," Sarah replied. "How bad can she feel about his death? He wanted to eat us. He's was no better than the zombies."

Joelle sipped her coffee and lowered her head a little.

"Don't worry, Joelle. Once we get to the Marauders she'll be able to pursue any guy she wants, and maybe one that's closer to her own age," Sarah said.

Joelle sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am," Sarah said.

Alex laughed and she elbowed him in the ribs.

"Let's get down to business," Sarah said. "What are we going to do with the people in the house?"

Alex cleared his throat. "The way I see it, we only have two options. We can shoot them and take the leftover canned food. Or we could release them, feed them, and they'll either survive the winter, or starve to death."

They sat in thought for a moment, making choices in their minds, and crafting all the possible scenarios for the outcasts.

"I say we shoot them," Sarah said.

Joelle shook her head, appalled.

"They're a bunch of freaks," Sarah insisted. "If we let them live not only are we losing those canned goods, but we're allowing a bunch of crazy people to fend for themselves out here. They'll all end up like the people out in the desert like in The Hills Have Eyes.

Joelle rubbed her temples as though she was getting a headache.

"We don't know if they're crazy. The only real crazy one was Kermit and he's dead. For all we know these are good people he kidnapped and abused. I say we set them free, stay here another day or two until they sort of recover, and then be on our merry way," Joelle advised.

"She's right," Alex said. "But let's take half of the canned food with us. There's no reason to give it all to them."

Joelle sighed. "We can't save those people and then take away their food."

"I still say we shoot them," Sarah said.

Alex and Joelle gave her a disappointed look.

"Why are you staring at me? You wanted to know what I thought and I told you. Those people are freaks and they won't last through the winter," Sarah repeated. "That's the truth, deal with it."

"Let's put it to a vote," Joelle said. "All in favor of letting them free raise your hand."

Alex and Joelle put one hand in the air.

Sarah crossed her arms and frowned at Alex. "You traitor," she said.

"All in favor of killing innocent people and stealing their food raise your hand," Joelle ordered.

Sarah put her hand up and gave both of them a middle finger salute.

"Then that's settled," Joelle said. "We'll set them free after breakfast."

The bathroom door creaked open and Candy stepped out. Her eyes were red and puffy and her gait was slow. She shuffled to the table and sat down in a chair.

"What about her vote?" Sarah asked. "She's one of us too."