900 Miles: A Zombie Novel

900 Miles: A Zombie Novel by S. Johnathan Davis Read Free Book Online

Book: 900 Miles: A Zombie Novel by S. Johnathan Davis Read Free Book Online
Authors: S. Johnathan Davis
until you get home.  Please call me as soon as you get this message.  I need to hear your voice.”
    Next message.
    “John, I can’t believe this is happening!  We’re in the car heading up to Blue Ridge.  The roads are jammed though, John. We’re stuck in complete deadlock traffic on Interstate 400.  One of the people in the cars ahead of us ran into a few of the creatures back in the city.  One of the kids was bitten on the arm.  He’s burning up with fever.  We’re trying to find a doctor for him.  I’m not sure what is going to happen.  We don’t know how sick this kid’s going to get.  Please call me.  Please call me back, John!”
    Message five.
    “John, oh my God! The kid just turned into one of them.  He bit his mom, and she turned into one of them right away.  People are panicking.  The creatures are all over the place.  I’m hiding in the car with Joe and Sue.  I’m scared, John!  I don’t want to be bitten.   Oh no!  Oh no, John, one of them is banging on the window.  (SCREEECH)  Drive! Drive! Drive!  Push that car out of the way!”
    The sixth message.
    “John, we are on a dirt road, parked.  Sue hit her head when we were driving away from the highway.  A lot of blood, but I think she’s okay.  Joe drove right over two of them before we drove straight into the woods.  I don’t know how we made it out to this road. It’s a miracle.  I don’t know why you can’t call me.  I need to know you’re okay.  This is too crazy.  Please, John. Please call me.  Please come home to me!”
    Final message.
    “John, you need to get here right away.  Owwwww!  The contractions have started.  The baby is coming!”

Chapter 7
     
    Nothing like “incentive” to push a man pass his limits.  A man with the right kind of motivation can do anything.  Anything.
     
    The phone felt cold in my sweaty hand.  Stunned, I remained with it pressed against my ear long after the final message ended.
    Gazing down over the railing, spinning my wedding ring on a shaking finger, my mind raced as I watched the waves spin off from the wake of the ferry.  Nothing would stop me.  Nothing could stop me.  I needed to get down to Atlanta.  Just 900 miles to go.
    Kyle walked over.  Hesitant to say much, he mentioned that we were about twenty minutes from the drop point at the I95 in Jersey.
    Not making eye contact, I started to speak. The words just came pouring out. I explained to Kyle that my motivation to get home went beyond my wife.  I told him about my unborn or maybe now-born child, and then went on to dissect the series of voicemail messages I had just received.
    Having made that drive to the Blue Ridge Mountains many times, I knew there was just a short period of time that Jenn would have been on I400.  If she only made it that far, then she’d have to make the decision to either turn around or head somewhere else.  They would never make it to the cabin with all the traffic and those things already running wild in the streets.
    I noticed some movement in my peripheral vision to my left.  A man on the other side of the ship appeared to be very agitated, incessantly looking into his car.  He was wearing a blue jump suit.  It was the kind you’d see on someone working in an auto garage.  Someone flipping out, I thought.  He wouldn’t be the last.
    Still staring out at the ocean, I muttered to Kyle that Jenn was eight months pregnant.  She was pissed that I was leaving for this trip, and kept telling me that I’d really feel like shit if I missed the birth of our first child.
    She was right.  I did feel like shit.
    Neither of us said anything for a moment.
    Changing the subject, I sighed heavily and said, “We really haven't talked about what we do next.  We only have one car.  Do you have someplace to go?  I understand if you need to get to someone or someplace different from where I’m heading.”
    Kyle paused for a moment.  “I’ve been thinking about that

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