Apocalypse Z (A Zombie Novel) by G.E. Swanson Read Free Book Online Page B

shake and bounce violently. The lights flickered and then the room plunged into darkness. Amy screamed as she heard a loud crash right next to her and her brother crying out.
    Mark got up and struggled to get to his rifle in the dark as the ground shook beneath his feet. The front window shattered and sent large shards of glass onto the floor and the concrete outside. They heard pictures falling from the wall and breaking as they hit the floor. There were several bright flashes of blue light outside that lit up the wall all around the blanket covering the broken window.
    By the time Mark had gotten to his rifle and turned on the side light, the shaking had ceased. It had only lasted about twenty seconds, but it was clear it had caused severe damage. Slowly scanning the room with it, he found Todd on the floor with a bookshelf over part of his body. Jeff ran over and lifted one corner while Dedee and Jet carefully pulled him out and helped him up.
    Lisa noticed Todd cradling his right arm and went over to check on him. When she touched it, he turned away from her and cried out in pain. She looked over at Mark and said, “I think it’s broken.”
    Mark sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he thought. “I guess we have to find a hospital and see if we can find something to make a cast with.”
    Amy picked up some of the wood spoons they used earlier and gave them to Lisa. “Will this help?”
    Lisa took the spoons and looked around the floor. “This will help for now, but we still need something like a cast. Can someone please find me some stockings or something soft to tie these with?”
    Jet found an old scarf and gave it to Lisa. While she was gently tying the ends together, Jet asked, “Is there a wind blowing outside?”
    Jeff answered, “No, I don’t hear any, why?”
    She pointed as she asked, “Then why is the blanket over the window moving?”
    They turned and watched as the blanket jerked around. Jeff said, “That isn’t the wind.”
    He crept over and peeked around the edge. Suddenly, he found himself face-to-face with a zombie climbing in through the broken window. The blue-white eyes and pasty gray complexion sent chills through his body. He grabbed the blanket and ripped it from the wall. Covering the intruder with it, he began to wildly punch it in the head and sides.
    Jet ran over and slammed into it as hard as she could and they both pushed it back out the window. The moon was bright enough to give them just enough light to notice more zombies coming toward the house.
    Mark said, “Everyone get in the truck!”
    Lisa grabbed a bag. “C’mon, get your stuff and move!”
    Grabbing what they could see, everyone headed for the garage. Mark went over to the workbench and started throwing some things into a box. He yelled out, “Lisa, start the truck.”
    She threw her hands out and said, “I don’t know how to drive stick.”
    Mark sighed. “Okay, Jeff, you drive.”
    Jeff stuttered, “I.. I.. don’t know if I can… I don’t remember how.”
    Mark shook his head and groaned as he put the box in the back of the truck. “Okay, I’ll drive. Everyone get in and hold on. Jeff, after I start the truck, you open the garage door.”
    Jeff ran over to the door and stood ready. Mark cranked the engine over and turned on the headlights. Jeff threw the latch and pushed it up. As he turned, the zombie they had just pushed out the window came around the corner and grabbed his back. He struggled to throw it off, but he wasn’t able to.
    Seeing a horde of them slowing coming toward the garage, Jeff yelled out, “Just go, and hurry.”
    Jet screamed out, “Nooooo!” Jumping from the back, she fumbled through some yard tools along the wall and grabbed a leaf rake. She ran over and started jabbing the zombie in the face with the end of the handle as she screamed. “Get off of him, you bastard.” The last jab hit the zombie in its right eye. The handle easily penetrated into its eye socket as it slid