(Book 2)What Remains by Nathan Barnes Read Free Book Online

process was interrupted by a sound
outside. It must have been the same sound that had pulled me away
from my nightmare. I tried to ease my way out of Sarah’s
constriction. She mumbled something in her sleep and squeezed
tighter.
    The wince I let out partially woke her. “Where
are you going?” she asked.
    Her death grip loosened enough for me to sit up.
I whispered, “I heard something outside. I’m going to go to the
peephole and see if I can get a look.”
    “Don’t, baby.” Sarah shivered when I sat up.
Puncturing her warm air cocoon brought her out of her sleepy state
just enough to look irritated by my stubbornness. “There’s no way
they can get to us up here. Just go back to sleep and whatever it
is will leave… they always do.”
    She was implying that this wasn’t a random
disturbance. I was angry now. A few weeks ago I would have
countered a late night intruder around our yard by turning on the
flood lights, calling the police, and going to the door without
enough clothing while holding something menacing. Now I was huddled
in the attic of our home feeling helpless. I wouldn’t be able to
rest again until I knew what was out there.
    “My muscles are starting to ache from not
stretching them. I’m just going to loosen up and peek out. Stay
bundled, sweetheart – I’ll be back in your bubble before you know
it.”
    I made it into the chilled air before she could
muster another protest. Standing up was easier than I anticipated.
I felt confident that I had been healing well, because rising this
way would have been impossible a couple of days before. The kids
were blissfully knocked out. I tiptoed around them and made my way
to the improvised blockade.
    My arms creaked out towards the removable box.
An odd sound outside stopped me in my tracks. There was a thud
followed by rhythmic scraping. The pattern was baffling. Nothing I
could imagine matched the clatter I actually heard. After the
peephole section was removed I slowly peered out.
    The figure caught my attention immediately. At
that time of night, I should have only seen a view of my neighbor’s
fence. Instead, a trespasser marred the normally peaceful nook. It
hobbled along the fence with an outstretched arm, every step
dragging his rotting digits along the planks. The perplexing rhythm
I had heard was created when the scratching went from one board to
another.
    Darkness hid most of his details from my view.
It almost seemed like he was staring up at me with those black,
soulless eyes. I blinked hard, hoping that doing so would kick the
view out of my imagination. When I opened them again he had gotten
closer to our side of the fence. Most of his silhouette was
obscured from my vantage point by a spindly oak tree that lined the
fence. A wisp of late November air caught my face bringing about a
shudder. Even though I couldn’t clearly see the ghoul, I still
heard the nails digging across the wood.
    This was the first time I’d observed the zombies
in such a way since arriving home. When the infection initially
broke out I tried to study them as much as possible. Doing so might
prepare me for my flight away from the dead city. Now I’d reached
my loved ones… and so had the reapers. Feeling like my wretched
curiosity had been appeased, I moved to reseal the peephole.
    Then a blast echoed from somewhere up the
street. It must have come from someone living firing a shotgun or
maybe a large caliber rifle. Whatever it was caught the attention
of our trespasser. He ceased scraping and let out a ravenous growl.
On the opposite side of the house I heard a similar racket from
another member of the undead. Three seconds later a car alarm
sounded from the area towards the gun blast.
    I quickly sealed the peephole before any lurking
sounds of nocturnal horror could bother my sleeping family. Sarah
was correct; I should have just ignored what I heard. There was
evil out there literally lurking at our doorstep. Another sound
from the other side of the