MZS: Philadelphia (Metropolitan Zombie Survivors Book 3) by K. D. McAdams Read Free Book Online

arms and pulls him in tight. They are in between the bell and the Humvee, but Todd does not hesitate. He turns and runs back toward me, on a trajectory to meet right in front of the bell.
    The walkway around the Liberty Bell is littered with shattered glass and a smattering of trash. It looks as if a battle was waged on this very ground. There is a real possibility that a horde of zombies arrived to interrupt the rally and bring death down on the survivors. I guess the place wasn’t as secure as they thought.
    I scold Jaden as Todd approaches with the boy in his arms. “I told you to stay in the Humvee with Tucker and Terri. They are going to be worried sick!”
    Support from Patrick would be great but he and Cupcake are inside the building, searching for survivors.
    “It’s okay,” Todd says cheerfully. “We’re going to do this part of the adventure together. Jaden, tell Laney you’re sorry and you’ll do better listening next time.”
    Todd spins so Jaden is facing me.
    A fine red mist sprays across my face, the Liberty Bell rings out, and then the sound of a gunshot arrives.
    I have precious little boy brains all over my face and I can feel bits of bone and skin in my mouth.
    Before the bell stops reverberating, Todd is pushing me back into the structure surrounding it. From the direction of the Humvee, I hear the eruption of gunfire. Tucker did not hesitate to respond.
    I collide with Patrick’s chest but I have no concept of direction. My head is spinning and I am falling. All I see is red and I cannot distinguish the sky from the ground.
    “No! The other way! Back to the Humvee!” Patrick screams and pushes me forward.
    I don’t understand guns. It sounds like there are a hundred erupting from all over the square. Where did they all come from, or is it just one gun echoing of the walls of the buildings?
    As we sprint across the green of the square, I stumble more than once. Patrick catches me each time and helps me to my feet. Todd is out in front, still carrying Jaden’s lifeless body. He leaps over rotting flesh, determined to get his charge to safety, not knowing or not believing the boy is already dead.
    Near the Humvee, a door in the hotel building opens wide and reveals a man standing inside. He’s waving us to come in and Todd passes the Humvee while the man bends over and wedges something between the door and frame.
    I can’t think, but I know we shouldn’t stay here.
    At the Humvee, Tucker pauses his firing and screams down at us. “Get to the hotel! We need to change ammo soon!”
     

Parker
Chapter 7
    The vehicle is definitely military, but then again these people are not. None of them are wearing a uniform and their weapons are less organized than the earlier men. In fact, I think one of them is carrying a hockey stick.
    I can’t figure out their movements or strategy. Driving around the block once seemed smart. Parking and walking backwards down the street was a less intelligent effort.
    Their complete disregard for the body lying in the street was unexpected. Based on the earlier shootings, one dead man would not have warranted a trip from the killers. There were no women to kidnap and they must have determined he was alone before shooting.
    A lone body lying in the street should have surprised a new group of people not familiar with the murder-kidnap cycle. It could be that they understand this zombie situation more than I do and they were justified in leaving the corpse.
    When the boy appeared in the square, I knew things were going to get bad fast. I have to assume he was in the Humvee, because I saw no one on the street when Damon ran out.
    This sensation is something I’ve never experienced before. Everything in view was moving in slow motion. I knew what was going to happen before it occurred. Still, I was paralyzed. Could I have called out and helped them before the shot rang out?
    From my vantage point the red mist, bell ring and gunshot were simultaneous. Is it fair that I