“Ye-l o?” A dark cloud came over his features as if something bad had happened.
Nick’s stomach tightened to the point that he half expected a diamond to form. What was going on now?
Gah, couldn’t they catch a break tonight?
At least my mom’s safe.
Bubba looked in the rearview mirror at Madaug, who visibly paled.
“What?” Madaug asked, his voice fil ed with the same dread Nick felt. “What’s happened?”
“Yeah,” Bubba continued, ignoring Madaug’s question. “I’l tel him. Is there anything we can do?” He paused as he listened, and they al waited with bated breath. “I’l see you there.” He hung up.
Nick leaned forward in his seat. “What happened?” Bubba sighed before he answered. “We have another situation.”
Great, just great. At this point, they real y should be sel ing tickets for pay-per-view.
“That was Eric, Madaug,” Bubba said.
Madaug swal owed as fear darkened his blue eyes. “They get attacked by the zombies?”
“Yeah, but they fought them off.”
Madaug let out an audible sound of relief. “Then why you look so upset?”
“Eric went to your house and the front door was standing wide open.”
Nick gasped in alarm.
Madaug’s features turned to stone as his entire face blanched. “And?”
“He said it was a real bad scene.”
Tears gathered in Madaug’s eyes as he glanced around at al their faces. “My mom and Ian?”
“No sign of them. But Eric said he’s cal ing the police right now to report it.”
Nick’s stomach tightened as he saw the raw agony in Madaug’s eyes. “Dude, I’m so sorry.”
Madaug didn’t seem to hear him as he hung his head in his hands. “It’s al my fault. Al of this. Oh God … I just wanted them to stop picking on me. That’s al I wanted. I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt. I didn’t. Now my mom and brother are gone
… probably eaten. What have I done? What have I done?” Nick couldn’t imagine how bad it must hurt to know he might have caused the death of someone he loved. Surely there was no worse pain in the world.
Madaug’s agony tore through him and choked him up. He wished he knew what to say, but words wouldn’t come.
Simi sat forward and patted Madaug on the back. “I’m sorry, little human. The Simi lost her mama too when she was little, but maybe your mama okay. She might be looking for you.” Madaug turned and hugged her.
Simi’s eyes widened before she hugged him back. “It okay.
You’l see. Just when you think nothing get better, it always does. Trust me. My akri says that tragedy and adversity are the stones we sharpen our swords against so that we can fight new battles. This just a minor skirmish and you’l be back in the fight. You’l see.”
Madaug nodded, but as he pul ed back, Nick saw the tears he was trying to hide. He lifted his glasses and swiped at his eyes. “I need to go to my house.”
Bubba nodded as he headed that way.
They were al subdued the entire time it took them to reach Madaug’s quiet upper-class neighborhood. On the outside, everything appeared calm and peaceful.
Just another night.
But there was nothing normal about any of this. Nick’s gaze went to his mother’s unconscious form. She was going to be so angry at him when she woke up. But better that than she be like Madaug’s mom and be taken from him. He’d kil anyone who touched her, and that wasn’t an idle threat. He knew he had it in him.
After al , he was his father’s son.
As they approached Madaug’s house, the police were everywhere. Lights flashed through the darkness as spotlights lit the entire street. Yel ow tape cordoned off the yard, along with police barricades that had been set up to keep people back while they investigated the mess.
Caleb let out a low whistle as they left the SUV. “Anyone else getting tired of seeing the cops camped out?” Nick didn’t comment, but he couldn’t agree more. “Simi?
Would you mind staying in the car and keeping an eye on my mom?”
“Sure.”
Tabitha came forward to meet them as they stayed back behind the police line. Her face grim, she pul ed Madaug to her. “I’m so sorry, little guy.”
“Where’s Eric?” Madaug asked.
“He’s inside with your dad.”
Madaug left her to go to them.
Bubba looked at Tabitha. “What happened?” She raked a hand through her hair as she glanced around the yard of police conducting interviews. “There was a real y bad fight in the house. Madaug’s room was ransacked and the kitchen’s al bloody. The police think that someone broke in and kil ed their mom and Ian. They’ve cal ed in cadaver dogs to start searching for them.”
Nick winced at what she described as a wave of sympathetic pain flooded him. For a moment, he thought he might be sick.
“How’s Eric doing?” Bubba asked.