When the Dead Rise (Book 1): The Beginning by C.M. Fick Read Free Book Online Page B

always infuriated Powell. He'd been a cop for twenty-one years and knew he'd never understand why a battered woman would always stand by her man once the cops showed up. At least the day's over. He was looking forward to going home, taking a long, hot shower, and spending an evening with his wife and children.
    "What are you up to tonight Lewis?" Powell asked his partner as they exited the patrol car.
    "I was going to grab a drink with Tanya from booking when her shift ends." Lewis gave his partner a lewd look and Powell rolled his eyes. Lewis was twenty-six and fresh out of the academy. He hadn't yet learned that dating the women he worked with was a bad idea. That knowledge would come with time and experience.
    "Are you still..." Powell began but was cut off by a screech of tires. Both officers looked to the end of the parking lot as a car swerved around the bank of parked vehicles. "What's this now?" he sighed, lifting his arm to flag the car down.
    "Watch out Rick!" Lewis grabbed Powell, yanking him back, just as the car swerved in their direction and smashed into the cruiser next to them. Both officers ran to the driver's side door. It opened and a short woman with bleached hair struggled to free herself from the wreckage.
    Powell immediately took in the woman's condition; her wild eyes were glazed, she had a cut just above her left eye and he noticed her side was drenched with blood.
    "Get on the ground," Lewis shouted as he drew his weapon.
    "Easy." Powell placed a hand on his partner's arm, forcing the rookie to lower his weapon. "She's been hurt - let's get her out of the car and see what's going on." It took some manoeuvring but soon the woman stood on shaking legs, glancing wildly around the parking lot.
    Powell took the woman by her shoulders and gazed into her glassy eyes. "Where are you hurt? What is your name?" but his questions weren't to be answered; the woman collapsed in his arms. Lewis stood gaping, his mouth moved but no words came out. "Help me get her inside Lewis," Powell barked.
    They carried the bloody woman into the waiting area, laying her across several of the plastic seats. He gingerly lifted the side of the woman's shirt and both cops gasped when the shirt peeled away from two bloody holes in her side. Powell turned to his partner, who looked at the woman in shock. "Go get a first aid kit and tell whoever's working the desk to get another officer down here to take this woman's statement."
    Lewis didn't move. "Why didn't she go to the hospital?"
    "Does it look like I can ask her?" Powell snapped, motioning to the unconscious woman. "Just go do what I asked - and have whoever's there call an ambulance."
    Lewis had just disappeared from sight when the woman moaned and her eyes fluttered open. Powell squatted beside her, taking her hand in his large one. "Ma'am?" She moaned again and mumbled something he couldn't make out. "What is your name ma'am?" Powell spoke loudly, trying to draw the woman back to consciousness. The woman screamed, sitting bolt upright, and then grimaced as she grabbed her side. Her eyes met Powell's and the terror he saw there frightened the veteran cop. "What's your name ma'am?"
    Her whole body shook as she spoke in a trembling voice. "Roslyn. Roslyn Macpherson. Where am I? "
    "You're in the police station. You crashed into one of the cars in our parking lot." Powell paused for a moment, giving Roslyn time to acclimate herself with her surroundings; she still looked like she was in shock. He spoke in a low calming tone, "What happened to you Roslyn? Why did you come to the police station and not go to the hospital?"
    "They're eating my neighbours. They tried to eat me. My neighbours have gone crazy. They've started attacking and eating people. I couldn't go to the hospital because someone needs to go there and stop them from eating people," Roslyn rambled.
    Powell sat in disbelieving silence; this woman was further gone than he'd thought. She must have lost a little too much