Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse (Book 2): Conflict by Joshua Jared Scott Read Free Book Online

to undergo a strip search so a nurse could check for injuries.
Additionally, anyone who fell sick, particularly if the symptoms mirrored those
they’d heard about, was placed into quarantine. It was frustrating, often
demeaning, and no one voiced a complaint.
    Yet, for
all their efforts, it was clear they could not remain. The area was secure, but
it had never been intended to house anyone. The facilities were limited, and tempers
were flaring as the handful of buildings became more and more cramped.
Something needed to be done. Kenneth had no say in this matter, nor any input.
The various law enforcement agencies that had come together were in charge.
     
    *
* *
     
    “We’re
going to start moving people out of here tomorrow. You two are going in the
first batch. We expect everyone to be gone in a couple of, maybe three, days.”
    “Where
to?” asked Barbara. She gripped Kenneth’s hand tightly.
    “Wyoming.
There are plenty of large ranches on the plains, and most are still running.
Not sure how so many got through without losing everyone the way the towns did,
but in most cases at least a few family members are still alive, along with
hands and others living nearby.”
    “Is it
safe there?” That was what Kenneth really wanted to know.
    The
woman sat down on the floor beside them – there were no chairs. “Safer than
here. There’ll be fewer people in each group, and you won’t have any of us with
you. Don’t let that worry you. The ranches are all getting extra guns, and they
are very, very isolated, generally miles apart from one another. You’ll be able
to defend yourselves if any of the zomheads show up.”
    “What
will you and the other police be doing?” he asked.
    “Can’t
really say.” She offered an apologetic shrug. “We’re still driving around
trying to find survivors, but we haven’t had much luck. The towns are a mess,
and we haven’t been going in if we can help it – lost too many doing that. I
had a damn fool captain… Anyway, the two of you are among the lucky.”
    Kenneth
nodded slowly. He didn’t feel particularly fortunate, although he knew that the
fact they’d escaped so early and were being guarded by trained professionals
was a miracle in and of itself.
     
    *
* *
     
    “Our new
home,” whispered Barbara.
    The
ranch was vast, and it took nearly forty minutes to traverse the long drive
between the gate and house. Granted, the dirt road was rough and winding,
forcing them to move slowly, but even so, the place was simply huge. On the
other hand, there wasn’t much in the way of structures. All they saw was the
homestead, a single barn, and the stables.
    “How can
a place this big have just the one house?” inquired Kenneth. “They would have
to have more people to run it.”
    “Lots
more,” replied the van’s driver. “Old man Ellis – don’t call him that to his
face, if you want to avoid a tongue lashing – lives here and does all the
financials. The actual ranching is handled by his sons and a whole bunch of
employees. Most of them live out a ways, some in trailers, others in regular
houses. It’s all spread out.”
    “We’ll
be staying here or there?”
    “All
here ma’am. Ellis wanted some people to tend his horses, or so I heard. I’m not
really sure on that, but the seven of you are definitely going here. More are
being taken to the other houses I was talking about. You should be comfortable
enough. There’s plenty of room. I’ve lived on this ranch all my life – dad
works the cattle – and I’ve been in and out of the main house many times.”
    “What do
you think?” asked Barbara.
    “Looks
nice enough,” replied Kenneth. “You can see any zombies approaching, as flat
and open as it is around here. It would take them hours to get to us too, from
the highway.”
    “All the
roads will be covered by several feet of snow in the winter,” commented the
driver. “Sometimes get mud in the spring too, the unpaved ones. It’s