Amongst the Dead by David Bernstein Read Free Book Online

excuse to do something other than shoot zombies. Revenge and fun. Two birds with one stone.”  
    An hour later, even after a break and dinner, Riley couldn’t go any further. She was exhausted, the bottoms of her feet throbbing and asking to be let free of her shoes. The road was truly less obstructed than the forest, but the pavement was as unforgiving as it was solid.  
    They decided to camp for the night, making sure to hike a good half-mile off the road. They’d passed abandoned gas stations and houses, but Jack thought they’d be too easily trapped should some problem arise, and the night was clear of rain.  
    Satisfied a fire wouldn’t give away their position—the woods thick with foliage—Jack started a fire so Riley could keep warm.  
    The following morning, after only four hours of sleep, the two companions moved on. Following alongside the road, using the woods for cover, proved too slow and tiring. Traveling along the open road during daylight was extremely dangerous, but the two travelers had little alternative. They chose the highway, keeping as quiet as possible. Hardly a word was uttered between them, allowing their ears to be free.  
    “Where are we heading?” Riley asked, breaking the long silence.  
    “Poughkeepsie,” Jack answered in almost a whisper. “Heard there’s a working city there. Non-military controlled.”  
    “How do you know?”  
    “I don’t, just a rumor around base.”  
    “Isn’t Poughkeepsie far? I remember seeing it on a map once.”  
    “Yes, but I’m hoping to get us a car.”  
    “Really?” Riley responded, as if she’d heard the best news in the world.  
    “Would’ve had one already,” Jack said, pointing to a house standing a few hundred feet off the highway. “Many of these homes probably still have vehicles in them. Back near Binghamton, where the base is, they used to commandeer them from the neighboring houses, whether people were still in them or not. But I wanted to put some distance between us and Roscoe. Cars are an easy, noisy target.” Jack had been looking forward the entire time he spoke, but turned his head around and winked at Riley when he was done. She smiled, unable to help herself.  
    She hadn’t known Jack very long, but she liked him. He reminded her of her father—ruggedly handsome and sure of himself in a positive manner. She also hated connecting with Jack in a way, wanting to stay self-sufficient and strong. But at the same time it was nice to have a friend. At her age, even with all her father had taught her and all she had been through, she still had much to learn. She would follow Jack, listen and learn from him. Like a sponge, she had to absorb all she could if she wanted to not only survive, but live.  
    Over the next couple of hours, they searched various homes along the way, climbing over guardrails and across rough terrain. They’d had no luck with vehicles. Either they didn’t run or the tires were flat or keys couldn’t be found. Most families that had two cars, when they left during the apocalypse to try to get away or reach family members, used only one vehicle. Jack was sure they’d find a working one sooner or later.  
    After a few hours of house-exploration, finding the occasional zombie inside and having to blow its brains out, they came upon a house with a two-car garage. Peering through the dusty window, Jack saw a car inside.  
    They broke into the house via a rear window. Inside they found food—mostly rotten and moldy, but the bags of chips and unopened cereal, although stale, were edible. In the pantry they hit the jackpot, finding a can of corn, two cans of carrots and a can of peas.  
    “Check out the upstairs,” Jack said. “But be careful and quiet. Grab anything valuable for our survival.”  
    Riley headed upstairs, the .38 at her side. The house was quiet, but she acted as if someone or thing might be home. She climbed slowly, passing crooked family photos as if the people