Jacob stared at Casey and Casey back at him, over a distance of perhaps a hundred yards. And then Casey let out an earsplitting rebel yell and charged. “Ah, Jacob,” Nick said. “Ride!” Jacob said, and they wheeled their horses as one and charged toward the dead town of Malden. In the early morning light, shadows still pooled between the trees and the low one-story buildings. Jacob could see forms moving toward the road, but they were too far away for him to tell whether they were zombies or animals or more of the Family closing the net around them. He chanced a look behind him and saw Casey closing fast. They were out of options. In another minute he’d be on them, and he’d be the only one with a loaded weapon. “That way!” Jacob said, motioning to Kelly toward a low line of houses off to the right. “Where?” she asked. “Find us a hole,” he said. “Anywhere.” With Chelsea’s horse by the reins, she turned sharply to the right and went between the ruined shells of two homes.
