Another rocket struck the port side knocking Adam off his feet. The starship Invincible shuddered and tilted to port sending Adam sliding across the command deck.
“Engine four is out, admiral!” the systems engineer shouted over the blaring of alarms.
“Increase energy output to engine three!” Adam shouted to his crew. "Fire all rockets!" he ordered as he got his feet under him. One hundred rockets leapt out into space at his command and slammed into the alien armada tearing their ships to pieces.
A single enemy ship was left, just as Adam planned it. The enemy ship limped slowly away leaving a trail of debris in its wake.
“Broadcast a message,” Adam said. “Tell them to power down their shields and release the princess.”
“They’re not responding, admiral,” the communications officer said.
Adam’s eyes grew cold. “Prepare to board,” he said.
“Stop day dreaming and let’s go,” his wife Amelia nagged, staring at him through the front windshield of his truck as she waited on the sidewalk. “I’m tired of waiting on you.” He got out of the truck slowly and deliberately. Amelia wiped something out of his beard and led him by the elbow into the dry cleaners.
The store attendant greeted with staged affection as Adam stared at a calendar with a picture of a tropical island at the top.
“Adam!” Amelia snapped. “Where’s the receipt?”
He checked his pockets, but found nothing. His wife rolled her eyes as he went back to staring at the calendar imagining a cool island breeze on his cheeks and his daughter playing in the sand.
The dry cleaner was still able to find their daughter Carolyn’s white dress without the receipt.
They got back into the car and headed downtown to see the caterers.
“Get inside. They’re coming!” Adam threw Carolyn over of his shoulder and carried her inside the house. His best friend Robert came out of the kitchen and threw him a shotgun.
“How many of them?” Robert asked.
“Too many,” Adam said as dozens of undead hands pounded on the front door. “Upstairs now!” He grabbed Carolyn by the hand and led her upstairs, into her bedroom and closed the door. He met Robert at the top of the stairs where the dead were shambling towards them with their arms outstretched.
Adam shot two in the face. They fell backwards and were pushed aside by the walking ones.
Robert shot two more in the chest before one grabbed his ankle and pulled him down into the moaning crowd of walking dead.
They reached for Adam, but he jumped back and ran towards the room with Carolyn and closed the door. She was waiting inside with round worried eyes.
“I love you more than anything,” Adam told her as he hugged her tightly. “I’ll always protect you.”
The dead pounded on the door until it was knocked off its hinges.
Adam fired into the horde until he ran out of ammo. They were so close he could smell their rotten stench.
“Which one do you like?” Amelia asked. Adam looked over the desert trays and shrugged.
“I don’t think it matters,” Adam said. “They’re not coming for the desert.”
“There’s gonna be fifty something people there and you don’t think it matters? Which one do you think Carolyn would like?” Amelia asked. Adam didn’t answer. Amelia shook her head and turned to the caterer.
After the caterer they got back into the car and headed for the hospital.
“How did he get in here?” The king yelled at Tybalt, the captain of the castle guard. “Find him or lose your head!”
Tybalt took a dozen guards to the courtyard.
Adam was in the center of the courtyard driving his gilded sword through one of the guards as Tybalt and his group surrounded him.
“You’ll never reach her,” Tybalt said pointing his sword at Adam.
“Let’s bet our lives on it,” Adam said lunging at him with a downward swing of his sword. Tybalt dodged the blow as the rest of the guards swung at Adam. Adam knocked each blow aside with ease.
In a flurry of parries, cuts, hacked limbs and squealing men, Tybalt was not able to reach Adam.
Adam sliced the last guards belly in one quick thrust and ran inside the guard tower and locked the door before Tybalt could reach him.
Tybalt took another route to the dungeon as he knew that was where Adam was headed.
Tybalt burst into the dungeon. Guards lay everywhere. Blood coated the floor. In the cell he could see Adam unchaining Carolyn and kissing her forehead.
“Adam!” Tybalt yelled. “We made a wager. You can’t back out now.”
“I wasn’t backing out,” Adam said with a smile.
They lunged at each other. Carolyn covered her ears to protect them from the growling, shouting and clanging of swords.
Tybalt came down hard on Adams sword knocking it out of his hand. Tybalt swung hard horizontally, sure he wouldn’t miss. Adam ducked, pulled his dagger out and shoved it under Tybalt’s jaw.
Tybalt crumpled to the floor.
Adam and Carolyn raced down the stairs to the stables where they found a horse.
Carolyn held onto Adam's waist as they raced for the castle gate as it was closing.
“Sure, she’s ready whenever you are.” The doctor led them to the basement. He pulled the metal rack out and pulled the white sheet off of Carolyn’s face. Her eyes were shut, as if she were sleeping.
“We brought her dress,” Amelia said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Adam knew she only wanted perfection in the last act she did for her child.
“The mortician will be in to dress her for the funeral,” the doctor said.
Adam stood over Carolyn staring into her face. His vision grew blurry as his eyes filled with tears. He reached under the sheet to hold her hand one last time.