Chapter 65

Tires screeched. One rolled right at my head but skidded to a stop a breath away. All I could do was stare at it with my heart beating an earthquake into the concrete.

"Leigh!" A car door slammed. "What are you doing in the middle of the road? I almost hit you."

"Oh," I said, but it came out sounding shocked, as though I was surprised to be alive and talking to someone. I lifted a hand to my head and winced. The bird had flown off and had taken chunks of my hair with it. That zombie bird was going to die again repeatedly.

"Are you okay?"

"Callum?" I pushed myself up to shield my eyes from the headlights' glare.

The voice sounded much too warm and deep to be anyone else. Cool air slid over my skin, adding a bitter sting to all my new holes and reviving me as much as a dead person could be. The darkened houses along the street allowed a clearer view of the stars. If I didn't know any better, I would say Krapper seemed peaceful, void of any attack from undead birds.