Dead Winter: A gripping crime thriller full of suspense by Jack Parker Read Free Book Online Page A

the road towards the bushes, weapons in hand after John had given the signal to follow him. The sight of torn clothing caught my eye as I walked past the alleyway, an infected man in his early twenties had staggered into it from the road at the other side.
     
    Frozen in place, I clutched my gun in both hands and stared intently at the man; but he didn't seem to notice me, merely staggering a few feet and falling to the ground, vomiting where he lay. I moved on, pursuing Dave and John across the road, where we climbed onto a car and jumped the hedge.
     
    The silence was cut by a splashing sound as Dave nearly slipped on an icy puddle and stamped his boot down hard, the sound echoed through the street and maniacal mumbling could be heard from behind the hedges.
     
    "Son of a bitch!" Dave mumbled to himself, stamping at the ground again. But there was no time to say anything to him as John broke out in a sprint with his gun raised. As we followed, I glanced over my shoulder and saw at least five infected chasing us; John and Dave ducked down behind a car and I sped up, not wanting to be left behind.
     
    I don't want to die in a car park.
     
    I crouched down low as I approached the car, hiding behind it as John aimed his revolver at a car behind us. With an unexpectedly loud bang, a piercing, shrill alarm cut through the din of the shouting infected, followed by a series of dull thuds as the infected hammered on the car that was making so much noise.
     
    "Okay, around this corner, no accidents this time. We've got 'em distracted." John whispered to the two of us, adding emphasis to the word 'accident'. Dave shot a sarcastic look at him before we went to turn the corner.
     
    Space. That was all I saw as we quickly turned the corner onto the main car park of the supermarket, there was only one car in sight, and no people or their infected counterparts. Taking great strides, we bounded across the expanse of tarmac.
     
    Dave anxiously looked over his shoulder every few seconds and John merely span his revolver around on his finger as he walked. The doors opened with a mechanical whir as we approached them.
     
    What a mess.
     
    There were overturned shopping trolleys and cans of food and drink scattered across the tiled floor, as though the place had already been ransacked. I picked up one of the trolleys and pushed it in front of me as John dashed ahead, checking the aisles beyond for any sign of life.
     
    "Nothing, not a damn soul." John muttered to himself. That was a good thing, I'd rather spare any potential encounters with our deformed peers. A question came to mind.
     
    "Say, John.. Were you following us?" I asked him, still pushing the trolley in front of me as Dave picked up another two.
     
    "No, I just happened upon you when that crazy guy started shouting. Why do you ask?" he replied, looking over his shoulder at me.
     
    "I thought I saw someone watching us on that street, it doesn't matter." I said, glancing down at the floor beneath me before adding. "Say, why DID you kill him?"
     
    "He was turning, I could tell. He must've came into contact with some infected blood or something" John responded, quickly shrugging his shoulders. My mind cast back to the moment when I had cut him, there had been infected blood on my knife.
     
    Did I make him turn?
     
    "Wait, what was that?" John called as coughs echoed through the aisles. I slipped the gun out of my pocket and clutched it in one hand while I approached the aisle the sound was coming from. The shelves were relatively untouched to say the place looked as though it had been looted.
     
    Nearing the end of the aisle, a stench of blood began to waft through the thick air, footprints could be made out on the floor, cast against the white tiling with outlines of deep scarlet.
     
    "Why?..." said a voice, cutting through the monotonous humming of the refrigerators. I raised my eyebrow as I turned the corner, weapon at the ready.
     
    A pitiful sight met my eyes,