Anno Zombus Year 1 (Book 2): February by Dave Rowlands Read Free Book Online Page A

several more grenades into the horde, blowing great chunks of dead Dead flesh skywards, and we all wore our gas masks as they drew ever nearer.
     
     
     
    We stood behind the boom gates, and as the Dead piled up against it, The Colonel once more applied a generous portion of fiery death to the mixture, resulting in another flaming pile of dying Dead, many of which already burned or smouldered from yesterday's efforts.  The three of us stood back from the fire, though we appreciated the warmth, our nostrils objected strenuously.
     
     
     
    evening
     
    After a long, hot shower, and a hotter, tasty meal, we relaxed in the common room of our floor.  Redbeard asked Apocalypse Girl how she had wounded her arm, and expressed disbelief that the Living would attack other Living given the circumstances.  The Twin told him about the bandits who had assaulted the commune where we had first met her after that.  He shook his head.  After a few seconds thinking about it he asked, “How can we be sure one of the groups coming towards us isn't going to try something like that?”
     
     
     
    “We can't be sure of anything.  We can hope that they are decent people, or at the very least remember how to behave like it, and that they appreciate the road being cleared for them.  Or else, we'll have to kill them, simple as that.”  The Colonel said, in a matter of fact tone.  “We disarm them when they arrive, watch them for a couple of days, kind of a probation we can call it.  Anyone that refuses to disarm can go back the way they came.”
     
     
     
    “Anyone who wants to live here has to live by our rules,”  The Twin said.  “We just have to agree what those rules are, I suppose.”  There was general agreement to that statement.  “Obviously the old rules of society no longer apply, not now, but if we're talking about starting a new society, which we are, really, we need some set of rules.”
     
     
     
    We decided on a few simple, yet classic, rules.  No stealing, raping, killing, eating people alive, that sort of thing.  All the basics now covered, we had to work out a form of punishment.  The Colonel said one word.  “Exile.”  That suited us fine.  Anyone who fucks up has to deal with it by spending the rest of their probably-now-very-short lives outside in the wide world, where the Dead roam.  That should be deterrent enough, in my opinion, at least.
     
     
     
    We also agreed that tomorrow we would spend some time engaging in some target practice against the Dead, as other than Redbeard, the newcomers had little experience.  The Children needed some real world experience, as did Auntie.  The Twin needed more familiarity with her other weapons, she admitted readily enough, though she appeared loath to use anything other than her new bow.  The Colonel had spent some time helping The Girl learn how to shoot, apparently, though where she had found the time I have no idea, and now she was a fair aim.
     
     
     
    Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, at least.  Checking the satellite images before heading off to bed we noticed that the first group had found the roadway leading up to the facility.  They could begin their ascent first thing in the morning, but if they are smart enough they will send out a scout or two first.  There was still the matter of the horde between us, however.  There were no vehicles in the tiny carpark area, as most people would arrive by helicopter, so there was little chance of punching through the Dead ranks to get to them.  The Colonel was bound to have some ideas, I'll have to remember to ask her first thing.
     

February 10th Year 1 A.Z.
     
    morning
     
    The flames had moved on down the line of Dead once more, yet several hundred at least stood between us and the group hoping to find shelter.  The snow had abated, leaving the air crisp and cool, as long as you didn't get too close to a flaming Dead one, that is.  On the big screen in the main computer