#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Another weekend, another 8-10 sentences. Thank you for joining me and the other Weekend Writing Warriors! I have another snippet from Never Say Die. Cassy is preparing herself to put an stop to the infection that will destroy the world she knows.

Behind the store, I open the packaging for the scissors and begin sawing through my hair. If this works, I’ll be able to get it straightened. If not, I won’t care what my hair looks like anyway. I do look wistfully at the locks on the pavement. Already my head feels lighter and clearer. Feeling better prepared, I return to the Evans’ house.
There’s no signage for a burglar alarm, but I’m betting they have one. I could probably disarm it, but it’s safer to evade it. I wait in the backyard, peering into the kitchen. Mrs. Evans is moving around and when her back is turned, I slip in the back door and hide behind the coat rack.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

How is your weekend? I'm spending mine with the Weekend Writing Warriors, contributing 8-10 sentences from one of my publications (others include works in progress). I'm continuing Never Say Die. Cassy is planning to eliminate the doctor that created the virus that destroyed her world. He finds him, and his son.

Why didn’t I consider he might have a family? Why did I assume he was alone? I’m so wrapped up in consideration for those bystanders that I almost miss him pulling into his driveway. He isn’t wearing the lab coat that he has on in every picture I’ve seen, but I recognize his slicked back brown hair and plastic rimmed glasses.
“Peter Evans,” I murmur, before restarting the engine and pulling away.
I find a nearby convenience store and pick up a pair of scissors. This hair will only get tangled as I try to sneak into the house. It would be nice to have some other clothes, but most of the actual shops have already closed for the night. Instead, I dig around the back of the van in Dad’s bag and find one of his shirts — dark green. It’ll do, better than my white skin.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Enjoying your weekend? How about an 8-10 sentence snippet? I have one as do all the Weekend Writing Warriors. Cassy is on her way to remove the doctor that created the infection turning most people into zombies.

The sun is just setting when I hit Albuquerque’s limits. I get lost twice trying to find the doctor’s house. A little boy, probably four, is playing on the front lawn. He still has rings of baby fat on his arms and legs and his cheeks are full. His blonde hair is sparse, like it’s still growing in, and sticks up at odd angles. His mother comes to stand on the front step and call him into the house.

Four. Few younger than six will survive. This boy will probably be eaten by the mother that feeds him.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Weekend Writing Warriors is a fantastic group of writers who share 8-10 sentences every Sunday. Cassy just reminded us how Dr. Evan's became to be a curse word by starting the plague that decimated the human race. She relates a little more of the end times she lived through on her way to deal with the source of the problem.

None of that tells me where he lives or what hours he works. I pull my Mom’s phone out of the glove box and start searching online. God, how nice is it to have internet? Now that I know where he lives, I can just wait for him to come home.
Flying through my hometown gives me a twinge of home sickness and regret. It will burn down in a few weeks. Adults living alone will leave things turned on when the virus claims them and the firemen that would normally help will be busy eating one another. If they head to fires, it’ll be with a taste for cooked meat. Oddly enough, it will be a blessing. Those of us who still have brains will be able to group while the meat sacks flee or burn.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Here's a few more curses based on Dr. Evans. Cassy is on her way to "take care" of him. Like the other participants, I have 8 (to 10) sentences from this recently published work. You can find and enjoy all the Weekend Writing Warriors on their website.

We began using his name as a curse word.
“For Evans sake!”
“Pulling an Evans, are you?”
“Peter C. Evans!”
Peter C. Evans, Dr. Evans. I know little more than his name and his place at the beginning of the end of existence.
He worked for Manson, in their lab in Albuquerque, as a bioengineer. Designing fighter viruses and bacteria, his breakthrough came breeding a bug to kill the bad bugs. Sounded good in theory, but instead of attacking enemy cells, it attacks the brain, leaving an animal that knows only one thing: hunger.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Hello Weekend Writing Warriors (and reading warriors)! I hope you enjoy another 10 sentence snippet from Never Say Die.

I laugh at that thought; I wouldn’t accept death, and I’m not dead! How funny is that? Pouring on a little more speed, I start to get into the flow of traffic, weaving through it. It’s familiar even though I haven’t experienced in a long time.
Can I kill Evans without getting caught? I could use a blade, maybe one from his own house. They might be able to trace it to me, but nothing connects me to him. I wouldn’t even know his name except that we began using it as a curse word, “For Evans sake!”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Hello again! I've been absent from Weekend Writing Warriors for a couple of weeks. That happens when you're sick and the next weekend is a holiday, but I'm back now! To catch you up, Cassy is on her way to deal with the doctor that created the virus responsible for turning all adults into zombies.

Death has become such a regular part of my life that the fact Evans isn’t a meat sack yet doesn’t deter me one bit. He’s the source of the virus, therefore, he must be stopped before he creates it. Easiest way? Remove him, just like I’ve been removing meat sacks for months.
Easiest way, how should I kill him? For the first time, I realize that I could be arrested, I could go to jail. There were no authorities where I came from. There was us and death, pretty simple choice. Rather, no choice. I wouldn’t accept death.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:  Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to another week of Weekend Writing Warriors! I have another 8-10 sentences to share today, as do each of the other participants. Cassy just nabbed her Dad's keys and is racing away to stop the doctor that created the hell she lived in until something brought her back into her own past.

Getting on the interstate, I try to remember how far I have to go. Home is so much closer to ground zero, Albuquerque. We live in Gallup, just a quick drive away. It will take hours to get there from here, Monterey, California. I’ll probably pull in around eight or nine. Should I stop at the house? Is there anything there I need?
Not really. Heph, but he can’t help me right now. It doesn’t take two of us to kill one man.

Yep, she's going for the final solution. You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback: Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Starting this Sunday where the last left off. If you aren't familiar, Weekend Writing Warriors each share 8-10 sentences once a week, and I have been posting snippets from the first chapter of Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story. Cassy has figured out that she is in her own past and has a chance to stop the zombie infection before it starts.

My mother’s shout is lost behind me as my hair falls out of its knot. My legs tangle in my skirt and I yank it higher, hoping there’s a knife or scissors in the glove box. I need to lose this hair and then I need to kill a very bad doctor, hopefully before he breeds the end of mankind.
Jumping behind the wheel of the Caravan, my eye catches the bundle of threads dangling from the rear-view mirror with a silver fifteen attached.
“Trippy.” I touch the blue and green gingerly. It’s almost as trippy as my hair and this dress. I haven’t worn anything like this in ages. Most of us wear some version of army fatigues. I turn the ignition and pull away.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:

Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Time for more Weekend Writing Warriors. We each share 8-10 sentences on Sunday for your enjoyment. This is another taste from the first chapter of Never Say Die. I re-used the last two paragraphs to lead in. Cassy has just discovered that she's in her own past and her parents are confirming that.

"Manson is still in business? There haven’t been any...accidents?” I ask, trying to lead them.
“No, honey, Manson? Since when are you interested in drug companies?” I can tell he thinks I’m on the drugs.
“Just since they bred a super virus,” I mumble. “It’s really July tenth and I really just graduated a couple weeks ago?”
“Yes, Cassy. Your tassel is still hanging from the mirror of the car.”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:

Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors where authors post 8-10 sentences from a published piece, work in progress or upcoming release. I've been sharing from the first chapter of Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story. Cassy is having a strange discussion with her parents.

“You were just walking into the surf and then sat on the shore. You were so happy a moment ago.” Dad rubs my shoulder. He’s a full seven inches taller than me and his strength is always reassuring. Of course, at his words I don’t need reassurance, I need to be grounded -- it can’t be true, can it?

“Shut up.” My mouth sags a little. “It’s really July tenth? Manson is still in business? There haven’t been any...accidents?”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Another Sunday, another chance to read fantastic snippets from the Weekend Writing Warriors. If you've been enjoying Never Say Die, I'd like to point you at Creatures, a paranormal boxed set. It includes my newest release, Darkness of Light, as well as 20 other stories for only 99 cents!
Now, back to Cassy. Picking up with the last line of the last snippet:

“Yeah, well, it’s a pain in the ass when you don’t have reliable water and it gets caught in everything.” Absolutely true. After pulling most of a bush out of it the first night running from my rabid parents, I tamed it back. Then I got thrown into a pool of blood and wasn’t able to wash for two days. “That’s why I cut it off six months ago.”
“Six months ago you were asking Julie to braid your hair,” My mother’s brow is knit in confusion and I’m starting to feel the same.
“Yeah, if this really was July of ‘fifteen.” 2015, the year everything ended. 2016, the year those of us left tried to make a beginning.
“But…it is.” The sun gleams off the top of my father’s head and I wonder why heaven wouldn’t give him back his hair.

It's all about hair. No, it really isn't, but you'd get that impression from this snippet! You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to WeWriWa! Continuing from my last post, a couple of weeks back, here's the next 10 sentences. When you've read mine, be sure to hop on to all the others. Cassy had just found that her free flowing hair was getting into her eyes and mouth.

“You love your hair, honey. You’ve been growing it out since you were four.” My mother tugs on a lock. She’s right. It was my pride and joy, the way the light bounced off it giving highlights and redness. It has a gentle wave that is neither too curly nor stick straight. It gives it volume off the top of my head, looking full and luxurious. My friends always told me I should model in shampoo commercials. However…
“Yeah, well, it’s a pain in the ass when you don’t have reliable water and it gets caught in everything.”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to the Weekend and the Warriors that Write! Yeah, that's WeWriWa. I have gotten so many great speculations about Cassy and her parents. I also see I've made a mistake and posted the last two snippets out of order. To review: Read this and then this or scroll past this week's snippet.

“Cassy, wait!” My mom chases after me, her brown curls bouncing more than mine - shorter, the way my hair used to be. “Talk to us. Tell us what happened.”
“You both died, okay? You were infected and turned into . . . them.” My voice cracks, and I stomp even harder. My stupid hair will not stay out of my mouth. “Bleh, and why give me back this?” I fight my hair into a knot.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

And as promised, the whole segment together.

“Mom?” I ask, choking on the word. “Dad?” I run to them and hug my mother tightly. Maybe I am in heaven.
“Cassy? What’s wrong, honey? Weren’t you having fun?” she asks, smoothing my hair.
“Fun?” I ask, incredulous. “Yeah, lots of fun. It’s great watching monsters tear apart everyone you love.” The tears that started at the sight of my parents multiply and roll down my cheeks. “Really riotous.”
“Cassy?” my father asks in a serious tone. His blue eyes are as solid as his voice. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. I’m obviously dead.”
My parents look at each other and I can see the questions they’re asking without speaking. What has gotten into her?
“I’m not insane,” I argue, pulling away from them. “This place stinks.” I storm off wondering why, if this is heaven, they are acting so oddly?
“Cassy, wait!” My mom chases after me, her brown curls bouncing more than mine. They’re shorter, the way my hair used to be. “Talk to us. Tell us what happened.”
“You both died, okay? You were infected and turned into . . . them.” My voice cracks, and I stomp even harder. My stupid hair will not stay out of my mouth. “Bleh, and why give me back this?” I fight my hair into a knot.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Happy Sunday! Picking up where I left off, Cassy has spied her parents. But they're dead? Here are 8-10 sentences, as you can find from all the other Weekend Writing Warriors.

“Mom?” I ask, choking on the word. “Dad?” I run to them and hug my mother tightly. Maybe I am in heaven.
“Cassy, what’s wrong, honey? Weren’t you having fun?” she asks, smoothing my hair.
“Fun?” I ask, incredulous. “Yeah, lots of fun. It’s great watching monsters tear apart everyone you love.” The tears that started at the sight of my parents multiply and roll down my cheeks. “Really riotous.”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

How is your Sunday? I'm enjoying a round of Weekend Writing Warriors. So many great stories! I'll be continuing from the first chapter of Never Say Die. We each have 8-10 sentences for you. Last week, Cassy found her parents, no longer dead.

“Cassy?” my father asks in a serious tone, blue eyes as solid as his voice. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay. I’m obviously dead.”
My parents look at each other and I can see the questions they’re asking without speaking. What has gotten into her?
“I’m not insane,” I argue, pulling away from them. “This place stinks.” I storm off wondering why, if this is heaven, they are acting so oddly?

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

How is your Sunday? Hope you are enjoying a trip to all the Weekend Writing Warriors! I'm continuing Never Say Die. If you recall, Cassy was bitten and then mysteriously found herself on a beach.

Opening my eyes, I prepare for the worst.
Wait a minute. I’ve been here before, months ago, before the incident, before the virus turned most of us into monsters. Why am I here?
I start to get up and realize I’m wearing the same dress I wore a lifetime ago, and my dark hair is long, hanging in waves over my shoulder. I’m also wearing my contact lenses. How long since I had a pair of those? This is some dream. Heading back down the path that had brought me here so long ago, I find my parents — my dead parents.
“Mom?” I ask, choking on the word, “Dad?”

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors. We each post 8-10 (I really wanted to go for 12, but I restrained myself) sentences. If you recall, Cassy was taking on a whole hoard of zombies.

My cockiness is my demise. I see something red in the distance as a monster bites into the side of my neck and I scream in pain and rage. My glasses are knocked from my head and I fall to my knees, everything going dark. I can’t die, there are too many people counting on me, too much to do. I don’t even know if Heph got the kids out.
***
My legs are wet. Why are my legs wet? I smell salt, and feel a breeze. Are there breezes in hell? I suppose I could be in heaven, but I doubt they’d take me.


You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

For today, as one of the Weekend Writing Warriors, I'm offering another snippet (8-10 sentences) from my Zombie Time Loop novel, Never Say Die. In the last, we learned Cassy is waiting, trying to lure the enemy in close for hand-to-hand, but what she really wants is for her friend and partner to get the hell out of the building so they can go home.

Crunch
I whirl to meet my opponent, blade raised.
The brainless meat sack is fast and ugly as sin, slathered in crap and dirt, but he’ll be much prettier without that head. His black-red blood stains the snow, not mine, and I turn for his friend, adding another kill to my tally. Heph will be pissed when I pass him again.
Heph saved me, literally. I was a crying, scared, running wreck when he took me under his wing, taught me to fight, to shoot, to hot wire a car, break into a building. His total kills topped mine for a long time, but I’ve learned and I’m faster than he is. My score grew with experience, slowly matching and overtaking his death toll. I was in the lead when we left Freetown, but he got to count all the bodies he mowed down in the truck, hardly fair. This mob should be enough to push me over again.

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.

#WeWriWa Never Say Die: A Zombie Time Loop Story #zombie #paranormal #apocalyptic #groundhogday

Welcome to another Sunday with the Weekend Writing Warriors! It's that time when we each share 8-10 sentences for a piece, published or in progress, to lure you in. I'm continuing from the first chapter of Never Say Die. In the previous/first excerpt Cassy is baring her back to the zombies in an effort to lure them closer when they attack. Not the brightest move, but as she said in the last line last week: Sometimes we really are just a bunch of stupid kids.

Why didn’t we bring more ammunition? I’m definitely finding reloads before we head back. This city is hardly stripped at all. We aren’t here for supplies but people.
The graffiti on the wall is fresh, “We are inside.” Smart kids; the meat sacks don’t have enough sense to read, and even if they do make out the words, they don’t understand. Other kids, like Heph and me, we can read just fine.
I shiver slightly in the cold, but the tension I have coiled in muscles, ready to pounce, is keeping me warm. The icy wind ruffles my short spiky hair, and I add hats and scarves to the shopping list when we have the kids and can raid the town. What is taking Heph so long, anyway?

You can purchase Never Say Die on most platforms or in paperback:
Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iBooks, paper.