Paradise Lost: Tales of the Dead Tropics by Sue Edge Read Free Book Online Page A

only way I could be sure of being able to find Michele. What if the others didn't want to go rescue her? What if they had families of their own they wanted to help? I had to be in control of the car so I could make the call.
    Putting up a shaky hand, I said "I'm not the fastest runner around but I am pretty good at dodging and weaving." I smiled weakly. "Years of playing touch footy with the guys."
    Emma looked petrified. "Are you sure, Lori?"
    No! "I've got as good a chance as any of you. Maybe better."
    The contemplative way Jim was looking at me made me feel a little uncomfortable, as if he could read my mind and see the completely selfish reasons I had for volunteering.
    "Okay." He nodded slowly. "You're only going to get one shot at this, ma'am. If they manage to surround you..."
    I bobbed my head jerkily. "I know." I could feel sweat dripping down my spine and my breath quickening.
    A movement to my side caught my eye and I was mortified to realize that I had forgotten about Jessie. Kneeling, I took her hands in mine and tried to smile confidently. "I'm going to be back with the car in a few minutes, Jessie. You wait with these guys and be ready to jump into the back of the ambulance as soon as I pull up. Alright?"
    Her solemn brown eyes took in my whole face. I had the unnerving feeling that she thought it was the last time she would see me. She nodded and squeezed my hands. "You have to run really fast, okay?"
    I grinned. "Like my butt is on fire!" She grinned back at me and then moved over to join Emma and Ken.
    I stood up and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this."

    The City
    1
    Time to go. My legs were shaking so much, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to take another step, let alone run. Taking a deep breath, I bit the bullet and charged around the corner, focusing on the nearest ambulance. It was parked haphazardly in the driveway only about thirty feet away, but it felt like a mile. The zombie chewing on a hand turned to stare at me as I raced past him. I hurtled over the scattered body parts and past the dozen or so zombies standing around. My peripheral vision picked up hands reaching for me on the right. Squealing, I dodged left and almost ran straight into the arms of a blood-spattered nurse. Her glassy eyes looked at me with indifference even as her hands clutched hungrily at me. I shoved her away and darted around, my heart pounding hard enough to burst. A sharp left, a twist around, dodge right, straight run...only ten feet to go. I was almost there!
    No, no, no! Pale, stumbling figures spilled from either side of the ambulance to form an unwitting, deadly barricade before me. Slowing, I looked around me and saw a wall of stumbling bodies closing in on me on all sides. Desperately, I looked for something that could help me. My eyes fell on a nearby trolley lying against a pillar. Reaching over, I pulled it in front of me. With a snarl of pure adrenaline, I pushed the trolley before me like a snow plow, knocking zombies over, left and right, and pinning several against the side of the ambulance.
    As the zombies pulled themselves to their feet and fumbled with the trolley, I wrenched the door of the ambulance open and clambered inside, closing the door quickly behind me. With trembling fingers, I fumbled for the keys but, to my dismay, they weren't in the ignition. Where are they?! Desperately, I searched the floor but it was useless. The keys weren't in the ambulance.
    I sat up to see grey arms reached through the window. Gasping, I scrabbled over the seats and fumbled with the handle of the left door. As I pushed it open, cold hands pulled me out onto the gravel. A circle of dead, impassive faces stared down at me. Screaming, I kicked out with every ounce of strength I possessed and felt sudden, wonderful, freedom as the creature holding me lost its grip on me. In complete, mindless panic, I jumped to my feet, shoved my way past a young girl and bolted for the next ambulance.
    Please let this one have