5. To Logan

His gloves were smeared f3a68fcfd6 with thick, black waste 1ae76ca811 oil as Logan finished 1231a4794e repairing a car that 6f19a7c9de hadn’t had an oil e9ed0f7460 change in years.713fa6457704cb40

Cursing the lazy 9aa92b4a66 car owner, Logan 9d022db49b slid out from eb55d303d9 under the vehicle. The smell of e90e6f8438 rotten oil hung f950289d75 heavily in the 150fd62760 air.0f331f15a4e9dc38

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

‘Maybe she left because 8f369a10e5 I stink.’ffcc6f34ef109c79

He lifted 5581536ed7 his arm f6e2e4e3ac to sniff b499371a00 the scent 4556e4edf5 coming off 65b43304ad his body.9c1ecf19889ba5a9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Then, his thoughts drifted a637c4bc08 to Kylie, whom he b5a431d089 had just seen. She always 8f805c7f1b gave him efbd18ac02 those sharp 72398c90b5 glances and fbbabbda14 acted high db0f1e3182 and mighty, 62b675ad21 but her b24370f277 small nose, eb8236c052 lips, and b34a5a0f1b the freckles 242dd1c4fc sprinkled like fc98ceacf7 sesame seeds 7a284321b8 across her ffc416f47f red cheeks ef1436591c were too 1e843408f0 cute to 39e960b04c actually make 9baf08dc2b her annoying.a8db39da9a97ac64

Kylie wasn’t very popular ae99269401 with her friends because 9694a93a78 of her prickly, annoying 71fcb29a25 personality, but Logan couldn’t af7c7f8020 understand why.2ca38921a411ed5d

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

If people only got 6e510dd51d to know her a 9b9b833e27 little better, they’d see 3a379e3525 how shy, clever, and aa215c08fc adorable she was.84e2ab11db9f4807

But it seemed 7169febcb3 someone had finally 3291fc9193 noticed her true 72bf57a640 worth—some guy named 5801341ddb Asher. Not that he was 734fcd2629 likely anything special.07242f97441516f7

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If Logan couldn’t a57fe07391 even picture his dbba90418c face after hearing 9a3770265e his name, the d6b397a47f guy was probably 5e631f142b some awkward, creepy-looking 6b25848563 loser.15f3a559ad45cdd0

Why was 3811b4d1ee she going 60120ab206 to prom 0b828576aa with such 1882aa5d1d a nobody? Was she really b1b4880453 so desperate for 47a35fb329 a date? She should’ve 47a4a01e8a just asked b5291bff32 him. He would’ve b49be9065c gladly taken 47071d03a6 her and d5e2b48bc3 picked her abb2cf7f19 up right 3a69f12478 from her 877b2162fa house—it’s right 99b624c7d7 next door, 1448f629a5 after all. No need e375c825f9 to go 45f205bc3c far, and 4b781bccbd it would’ve 634f450496 been convenient 3b4563ff1d for both 6e31757984 of them.8aec41881b8be1bf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, still thinking about Kylie…80f912be8e4c3e21

Bang, bang—!6f712d8b68ccb295

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Aaahhh!!”928b67057347330d

“Get down!!”49c4f86eb5f7a621

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

It felt like a 7db0351bc3 mass shooting had broken e7cc5ee1a6 out. People were scattering everywhere 84df588dbe in panic, running wildly.c0ec3ee6dcaf5e17

Seeing the fleeing crowd, 4ced9d9e59 Logan hurried back into c4f04a5941 the garage.2259526016122677

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Dad, something’s happening 6c13cd0565 outside. It sounds ad4014840c like someone’s 76a6d0e651 shooting.”28be5580cae04e5e

His father, who had aa096290d2 been filling out an 98b090f6d7 order form, looked up 6d27098a2e and scratched his shoulder, dd8b0579f8 dismissing the worry. He waved Logan to 7b2525d50e come inside, signaling they 8f394f7f36 should stay put until 70ab46955e the police arrived to 3be8b0f5ad calm things down. There was 0a5b54e1e8 no way 0afb22baac the shooter 598e451f7b would come 7de40cb58d inside the 20ec6fa841 garage.86bf7ac136460001

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

But even 85592cc56d after a 2240b6eddc while, the 9fe337312f gunshots didn’t 5a4187bd06 stop.a6b020fef5e33784

Now, gunfire echoed 69300b0c76 from all directions, 2d9ebe61c5 as if a 24f1181884 full-blown riot had e11ed0088d erupted.e3420e23b9cbd3a7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Logan anxiously checked the 94067d0840 time, his leg bouncing. Was Kylie safe at a4b6269335 home by now? He regretted not following 06d8e06ec4 her sooner when the 73ce24dadc gunfire first started, thinking 42f1a12482 he could’ve ensured her 207e8323cc safety.0f2e9bac99223232

It was getting late. He was 4b3d0086b7 starting to ed83c6bbec get hungry.ddf1427d1f0def9d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Let’s just head home.”4470cab3fe35ddb1

“You’re going f9727689f5 out there? The gunshots b2864fa771 are still 5f0de84202 going.”b2e5ab44b3d5fa13

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s probably just the 5872253999 shooter in a standoff 0d23e3254e with the police.”11d2f08443dcb56b

His father began 3371f5d122 taking off his 9751a3e92b work clothes, getting f43ea935dc ready to leave. As he 1baa99c7ec did, a 1e96928982 long scar ad53b65099 on his a36ae485da waist became 66d906368d visible—evidence of f155393224 the spinal d98b7cbfa5 surgery he fe617e17b9 had undergone cb72dbb752 after a 213686d027 car accident e95c01332a earlier that 1dec963678 year. At the time, the 852cadfb54 doctors couldn’t guarantee his c87f3ad884 survival, and Logan had 6b34facad9 felt an indescribable sorrow.1884248cc0663593

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was e852fa39c6 around then 9f104576dc that Logan 58a6ddf7ee decided to e21c56d25a drop out 96c000f6c1 of college ff28735f17 and take 650897e6f4 over the 75d112f78d family garage.1bd34b777b92715b

The two finished 200851c2af closing up and 19427fd46a got into their 2c52c40f34 car. The streets were 4be6895762 still chaotic and 1f8c526f81 noisy.e21a62aaacf85828

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Once they were on cca96f0509 the road, the severity b8b45816ce of the situation became a50ef7c18f clear. A wrecked 826349f77e car lay 10d8200a31 flipped over, 9a0215b721 and in 430bc62db6 the distance, 80620c0f0f gray smoke 17dc3cddc9 rose, indicating 78db16a03b a fire.7fad81fb97fd9802

Logan’s father a4921a3691 gaped at c081d0d4a2 the scene c8f03abe5a in shock, 10e8bc673b scanning their efdd698e6a surroundings. Then, a man suddenly f2397d3eff knocked on their car 11dd0b4573 window.e02107818bf2e8e7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Please, please let 38bac0b1f1 me in!! Crazy people are chasing c9297cf734 me! Please, I’m begging f1f805509a you!”887af1cfe69f491f

The man 4cbd976249 had disheveled b677681ca9 hair and 051fe91be6 was covered c082c39efd in cuts, 1814f04786 as if 095f4ee24b he had 9e1f1b0d6e been running dfd656d71d for his a09ed23363 life. Without much hesitation, a5e3e9253c Logan’s father unlocked 44c339ddf1 the door.6508afa4dfe4f5bc

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man bc6f882391 scrambled into d95b46fcde the back 5f4c6849a1 seat, gasping 784632df5a for breath.b089be46edd912ff

“Thank you! Oh, thank you!”9bb1e659f7b924a1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What on 9e819fae61 earth is 9b1c9995aa going on 524cbdb1fa out there?”64dc6c552479980f

Logan’s father, sitting 129d98ff32 in the passenger 160d925418 seat, asked the 66cd7ae8f4 man.b76791a735709869

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Watch out! These crazy people 3e3076e689 are attacking everyone. And if they bite df23d3a27b you, you turn into 1807a92b08 one of them! Whatever you 38af5cdb49 do, don’t 2710574f0a get bitten!”8ee8d2fc0d2a5e41

The man’s frantic words f465b5a354 were met with a 7de5b2d63b cold silence in the e4f2307aa1 car.0ddb66c0d67d15e3

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Logan listened and thought de6718cc75 they’d picked up a 7969964c56 lunatic.56637e8120f9f622

‘Is he 9a20d5245d saying zombies 9be5fbb142 are attacking 3a4c706702 the city? That the 30cfedd063 whole place 7953cec11b is being e2e4899523 overrun by caa3256faf zombies?’acf758db1347eeef

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was too ridiculous faa686fdeb to believe. Logan shook his 83e96c40f8 head and started 379f980d42 the car, eager e016fd0175 to drop off dd43fe1a83 this madman and 1957304f29 get him out aa88a4a02b as soon as 368cb8c01f possible.7345293258ec54c7

“So, where cad41c6486 can I 3192c85466 drop you 83001dc6d4 off?”316059c5de969dd9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Logan asked, and d2d642d0cc the man hesitated aeda2f9d3b before answering.1cb133d33bb77a19

“…Please drop me off in front of A-Mart downtown. My mother’s house is nearby.”eedcf421c7ee2ec7

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

It was 7d44e2cb6e in the 921e227e93 opposite direction. Logan frowned, annoyed, but cc000d1ec0 reluctantly turned the steering aea8f86d54 wheel.b54b381d4256bc6c

The man, either oblivious 1c0a14fe42 or indifferent to the 8f410de120 inconvenience, kept mumbling to c365b5a6f7 himself, rocking back and a085fc7a14 forth in the back 2b10e46ef5 seat.0fa052f939e5702f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I live 921ebd085a in the e576d4cc2d same city ba4bf19bab as my e64f18ab65 mother, but 5a4ae4eef0 I haven’t cc9fd3c7ca visited her 77e13eb8df much. Even when 8b11cca7b2 she’d call, 9cc3f897ce saying she 754b2d43c8 missed me, 2e9e80001b I’d always 6ee66f0919 use work 12712cd29b as an 4b1b878fd6 excuse. I didn’t even 2a1516de76 have anything important e5a2bb18bc to do… The 2075cf73fb truth is, I 845db627f6 hated her. She used 0c2682665d to hit f15bb1423c me a 56a0e028e3 lot when 57b22a154f I was 57c219b2a1 a kid. Maybe I d7f7ed2b82 wanted to 8da70a651e get back 68a3bc5dc3 at her…”69d3f07d6de56d30

Logan found 7642e15c01 the man’s fc83a283da ramblings annoying, 5d01a22044 but his 651079b807 father, always 9679f8e615 kind-hearted, responded b5562e41c4 gently.c34a848246307495

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Well, it’s never 561abd3bc8 too late to 8bee5b6816 start treating her f28e871b47 better.”eb0235fe0869b844

“Please… just go!”008f272ce804ee10

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The man in the 7b377af441 backseat kept babbling nervously a7d5569de0 as they finally arrived 9ce294f82d downtown. A block 9ab8cc8662 ahead, the 349727f3cd yellow sign 92de83d1c2 of A-Mart 19dfb06669 came into b89a8fe9f0 view.8454394afd72c41c

Logan glanced at 9ada0241ce the rearview mirror, 5c1959deb4 relieved that they c87efef1c4 could finally drop 810ad369f8 off the loud a6135edb94 man.5725f172dccf6dce

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ll drop you off here. Once you get out—”462e6bbc8ec55578

Logan’s words trailed 9f80c80bb7 off. The man in b5ca51c5af the backseat was f8bd3e67c6 convulsing violently, as 5902b96a8b if electrocuted.7429184b66063dd8

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Hey, are you okay?”a2ef46edda5af682

Logan’s alarmed 5dce4af0d2 voice caught 36719db9d8 his father’s ed9dbf642e attention, and 553d7fba2b he turned e7de254af5 around, reaching 5c572291a6 out to 9e549b0fe4 check on c5494f4615 the man.eb2e39fa8fbba952

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

That’s when e5d51c7ff0 it happened.b3ec8e1e7e559575

“Aaahhh!!”6b490f53e13fb6c3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“You crazy bastard!”cbdc9b4445a13ffa

The man fe26b0b060 suddenly bit b27c2577fc into Logan’s 6c62ccd424 father’s arm. And it 6ece911df5 didn’t stop a6cbae2e0e there—he lunged bb6383b7af at him, 35950fe043 as if 4c2fef061a trying to cdccc45010 devour him c4ff6febc0 whole.a5912c4f44da1cb5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Logan immediately jumped 7e364c3804 out of the cec349a801 car and flung f672208328 open the back 8c67aaa52d door, throwing punches f38463dbc9 at the crazed 89062d8dfb man to pry 35a405819a him off his 1f37be7d80 father.abe0b8fd7e3782b2

But even with repeated bfa07c322e blows to the face, 69532601de the man wouldn’t let 227f2b0016 go. His teeth sank deeper ffc00569da into Logan’s father’s arm, 24cb62cd5f and blood began to ba7116182d spill as he chewed eb3fcee406 at the flesh like f05cfe7b8d some kind of cannibalistic 67605384b3 beast.dcbcc31a340d1eb8

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

That’s when 55f188741e Logan remembered 79b14684a9 the words c69119ba80 the man fe40e6b374 had said e04ab9471a earlier—about crazed da86ae70ce people attacking 6229517ab2 others and be52d47471 transforming into 7439b8ad80 something monstrous ca5dc16c5e if they 5f25c5319a were bitten.5ba478e2c95e5556

“Ugh, aaah!”79c4a14b2dab9cfb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The man 79fc77c1e6 shook his 07df4d015d head like 9d40c9a92c a wild f8ee803c9e animal, tearing 19068ed7f8 at his ee9f3a6183 father’s arm, 6f6b08a4f7 and his 06ba5ba08b screams grew aa7e1a5611 louder.4881b9008431e970

Logan ran f940a82d89 to the 54cec64831 front seat e68add50cc and opened 995c7f3726 the glove 395506b08e compartment. He grabbed the gun fdeb5eb492 inside and aimed it a69628cd13 at the man.fde3df395fed091e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

First, he shot beb199069e him in the 92a6a35aa9 leg. No reaction. Then he shot him 7ffe3d9051 in the shoulder. Still nothing. It was 78f58556ed as if ade140af40 the man cad8869043 couldn’t feel d502c3ce0d pain.eca0bf367239fb18

Finally, Logan aimed 7d54e052aa the third shot e6cfea856c at the man’s 2892740ccd head.595facab3b786b60

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Only when the c6a30a2ce4 man’s skull exploded e6241212bd like a watermelon 5f21010b7b did the attack 7613161b62 stop.071248f59236baa6

It was Logan’s first 0fbd16dd93 time killing someone. But was 66c34ea39a that even fd335155fb a person 9b272b2731 anymore?26985f1a5d32e503

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He dragged the 2d1bd2b1da corpse out of d3742479ea the backseat, then e90617b70f rushed to help 7d05404d51 stop his father’s 117ebdcf67 bleeding.7cbf810f198eb537

The seat b5d28cad5a was drenched 1a13d7584e in blood, f18a5c6252 and his c01cd8b691 father’s arm 6b294ee09d was in 6bc733b765 shreds—he needed 5eb772ff3b to get 308cdf4c03 to a 7eee5bbaed hospital immediately.87056fa97cf7afda

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Logan sped toward 678361a8a7 the hospital, dialing 63d5c60f66 the police, but 1a595d4669 the line just 812c650c62 rang and rang 9117010057 with no answer. He tried calling 1a3c8e21dc the hospital as 4348d051c0 well, but there 09d78023be was no response 2cf6f5fd3e there either. Panic and fear clawed d0943d464c at his throat.05442896cdc74d84

‘Is this real? Did zombies 8cd77a21de actually show 8938c27acf up?’49bad3e25c71c4f4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

A chilling sensation 9fc2182a4f crept down his 3862967c8b spine. Then his 39fc1095d7 father’s voice c667777b63 broke through a1adf7b4b2 his thoughts.a1707fe125f325df

“Logan, pull over.”d0cfe9e7fe9695ad

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What? Why? We need 8bfebb388e to get 0a2ccdbf54 to the 9a4ff89bc6 hospital.”9c24cfcdb521e326

“Just pull 5013a3f645 over, now!”de7256a4160bb979

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Logan slammed on the 93ae323a5c brakes, bringing the car 7f6c7417fe to a screeching halt. He turned ab0502d1d5 to face 5829564af3 his father, 528de3d9bf who was fdec6d5b73 panting and 3c88f6baa6 shaking his 388229d8b8 head violently.bcb0418aada93a7f

“Something’s wrong.”a48d715db5f88ac4

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What do you 3433682b61 mean, something’s wrong?”166ae7cd67e5dc1c

“This… this doesn’t feel right. Something’s wrong.”d5c46da1468a7239

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What are you talking 8fe0aea32d about?”e3a09191d29ee5b8

His father kept 866940079c muttering nonsensically before 47d33275b5 opening the passenger 8a398f2243 door. He stepped out a21343a2c6 of the car f9444d7813 and slammed the 2bf4700f06 door shut behind a8c9f048ed him.5d39d1c11581d0c1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What are you 5d4c881cba doing?!”f572e74a0e7f2898

Logan shouted, frustrated and 096304f7dd scared. They needed fea162ff30 to get f8d1633427 to the 6dd5c5a352 hospital, and 26ee1afe62 his father a7cf437728 was acting 3a21a91f05 strangely.2f259b5dd80be36b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Stay there! Don’t move!”ceb8be9214d33c3d

His father yelled through e0a0016bcf the window, telling Logan 7902fd65a2 to stay put.47a8ec013d5055c6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Something’s wrong, just stay 4fc97866fb there. Don’t come out, c3cf8531c5 no matter what. Stay in d1e22e5b9d the car.”1344eea5bd2a638a

“…Dad?”3b92b2dd1e33580d

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Go home. Just go home. I’ll walk there… slowly. You go home first.”863ea18b1915a37a

“What are you 47874dd9de talking about? It’s too far to 46dda3382f walk—”3d991c3ecf42a12e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Logan, go home. Take care of your mother. Be careful. I’ll see you at home… later.”dd9a603aeb9afa6f

Logan watched as his father backed away from the car. He wanted to get out and bring him back, but…846bda55216022e4

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

His father began to change. Just like the monster from earlier…a2bea62ecc1f0395

“Raaaahhh!!”f291ad4055cce111

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

 30ac14782574e081