Lost in the Apocalypse by L.C. Mortimer Read Free Book Online

inside that leads to the second floor and two staircases to the basement. One in the living room and one in the kitchen.”
    “Got it.” Neil led the way to the house and the group acted like they’d done this a million times before. Emily felt out of her element and decided to try to stay out of trouble, instead walking the perimeter of the house with Robert.
    She wanted to ask how he got his scar, but she knew it was rude. Maybe they’d find some Scotch in the basement and everyone would start talking, but she doubted it.
    She tried to focus on taking in her surroundings as she walked around the large farmhouse with Robert. It was a faded blue that had probably been beautiful once. Now the paint was chipped and water damaged. She hoped the new owners had left before the infection started.
    She hoped they had gotten out alive.
    Robert led Emily carefully around the house. The two of them eyed the property carefully. Unlike most of the farmhouses, there were no outbuildings. There wasn’t even a garage. The people who lived at the house had worked in town and spent most of their time at their offices. While many rural townspeople tended to have gardens or chickens, this family hadn’t taken to farm life very well. They didn’t even have a dog.
    “It’ll do for the storm,” Robert eyed the road warily. “But I don’t like how visible the house is from the road. Didn’t these people ever think of planting fucking trees?”
    She had wondered the same thing. The house was only about 50 yards from the highway, which meant anyone driving by could see it. She doubted any Infected would be wandering this far from town, but other survivors weren’t exactly people you could befriend.
    Emily and Robert moved the truck behind the house so anyone passing wouldn’t be able to see it.
    “Don’t know if we’re gonna survive this storm,” Robert muttered, “but we sure as hell ain’t gettin’ eaten by no cannibals.” Emily wanted to point out that hiding the truck wouldn’t necessarily mean people wouldn’t stop and search the house, but she didn’t bother. The wind was picking up and they needed to get inside. No one would be wandering around during the storm.
    No one smart, anyway.
    She eyed some of the lower clouds warily. It wouldn’t take long for funnel clouds to begin to form. This was Kansas, after all. Though Kansas didn’t get nearly as many tornadoes as people liked to believe, it still saw a fair amount.
    “Let’s go,” Robert said. He grabbed a couple of bags from the bed of the truck and hauled them to the back door. He dropped them down, then headed back to grab more bags. Emily followed suit. After a few minutes, the back door opened up and Neil appeared.
    “House is clear,” he said. “Let’s get it inside.”
    The three of them carried the supplies down to the basement where Kari was waiting. She had found some candles and lit them. The room now had a soft, eerie glow.
    “You’re going to burn the whole place down,” Butter shook his head, but Kari just shrugged.
    “There are worse ways to die,” she told him. Emily wanted to ask how, but she was still the new girl. She didn’t want to press her luck.
    “Cody is rooting through the kitchen,” Neil told her. “The house was empty.”
    “I guess no one new ever moved in after the last family left,” Emily said.
    “No,” he said again. “The house was empty .”
    “You think the owners will come back?” She asked, but Neil shook his head.
    “It’s been ransacked by at least one group of survivors, maybe two. Upstairs is trashed. Not by Infected, either.”
    “It looks awful,” Kari agreed. “Trash everywhere, garbage, even shit. Just all over.”
    Emily hadn’t gotten a good look. She had followed Neil in through the back door, then down the kitchen stairs. Now she wondered what she had led the group into. Would the other survivors come back? Would they want this house?
    “Don’t look so worried,” Neil said gently. He