Amanda Carter in the L.A.Z., life after zombies by Jo Lee Auburne Read Free Book Online

it was best to stay radio silent because there were others out there that listened in and could more easily discover their location or set them up to be ambushed.
    “Sometimes going to town takes a long time, honey. She’ll be back, you’ll see,” she said, hoping to God that it was true for everyone’s sake.
    O
    “Roy?” Sam asked, “Do you think when Amanda gets back that my parents will let her teach me to shoot a gun and fight? She’s got some moves.”
    “I know,” Roy answered. “She’s saved my butt more times than I can say. Hell, kid, she’s the reason that your father and I even made it back last time. She’s got a sense about things, you know.”
    Roy was playing with the sand, picking it up and letting it sift through his hand.
    “I don’t even know how she knew where to look for us, but she knew, and that’s why we’re here now because she went out after us and brought us back, and we were all broke up and everything. Don’t you worry about, Amanda, kid, she’ll be just fine, you’ll see,” Roy said.
    Secretly, as the hours ticked by, he was becoming increasingly concerned. But he realized that in trying to cheer Sam up, he had given himself some hope too.
    “Mary, Maryanne?” It was Jason’s weakened voice that spoke, carrying to them on the wind.
    “Daddy,” Sam said, flying up and dashing to her father’s side.
    “Daddy, you’re awake,” Sam said with obvious relief.
    He reached out and clasped his hand in hers, squeezing so hard that it hurt. Sam tried to hold her hand there despite the crushing pain that rendered her grip useless.
    “Maryanne, Maryanne?” he repeated, not seeming to see his daughter.
    Sam leaned in closer and whispered her name.
    “They’re coming, Maryanne, protect the children, they’re coming,” he said, with his wild-looking eyes locked on hers but still not recognizing her. Sam felt fear.
    Jason’s face was bright red, even though he had been lying in the shade of the tarp. His gray beard looked almost bleached white in comparison to how bright his face was.
    “What’s he saying?” Sam pleaded loudly to Roy, and now she had become terrified. She tried to yank her hand away, but her father’s grip was too tight.
    Roy hustled over to place his hand upon Jason’s forehead.
    “It’s not safe, it’s not safe anywhere,” Jason croaked, “they’re coming. There’s so many of them.”
    His lips appeared to look white and cracked.
    “Roy, what’s he saying?” Sam shrieked, and now she was yanking and pulling to free her arm.
    “Shhh, Sam,” Roy said while unclenching Jason’s fingers and freeing her arm. “Can you feel how warm he is?”
    “Yes,” Sam said with a nearly equal look of terror at her father. Sam was near tears and on the verge of hyperventilating, but she forced herself to breathe and then nodded her head.
    “He’s delirious with fever, Sam. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. I need you to go and get your mom, okay?” Roy said, careful to speak slow and clear for Sam’s sake.
    Sam gulped and then took a long drag of air before nodding several times and stealing a glance back to her father. She quickly looked away, but still she had not moved.
    “Run, Sam,” Roy said urgently.
    Jason latched onto Roy’s large hand now. He kept mumbling, making no sense as his speech began to slur. Roy didn’t want to admit it, but he had a sinking feeling that they were losing him. And then, Jason began to seize, his body jerking uncontrollably, eyes rolled back in his head. Roy felt helpless, not knowing what to do.
    At this time, he was experiencing a flashback of being face-to-face with a creeper that was trying to devour him, and he wondered if Jason might have become infected with that virus. Will my friend turn into one of them? he wondered.
    “Now,” he told himself, “do something now.” But he had no clue what, if anything, he was to do. He got up and backed away, staring.
    Maryanne arrived, breathless, quickly taking