Zom-B Mission by Darren Shan Read Free Book Online

fixed on the pair of humans in our midst.
    Ashtat andI protect Emma and Declan while the boys deal with the zombies. It’s short and sharp. We’ve spent months fine-tuning our skills. On top of that we’ve fed regularly, we haven’t had to trawl the streets for dried-up scraps of brain, so we’re at our physical and mental best.
    Rage and Shane each take out a couple of zombies, shattering their skulls with carefully placed blows. Carl dispatchesthe fifth, calmly bashing the guy’s head against the pavement to crush his brain. I wince at the thuds and spray of splintered bone and blood. I know these people are already dead, that we’re doing them a favour by putting them out of action. But it never feels right.
    A lone female zombie darts from the shadows of a building on our right. Ashtat deals with her, whirling gracefully to delivera kick to the undead woman’s head that Bruce Lee would have been proud of. The woman’s skull must have been damaged prior to this, because her head explodes like a rotten pumpkin.
    ‘Gross,’ Ashtat squeals, trying to shake goo from her foot.
    ‘I don’t like this,’ Emma moans, clutching Declan tightly, looking around fearfully. I can tell that she’s thinking of running.
    ‘It’s OK,’ I calmher. ‘You’re safe with us. We know what we’re doing.’
    ‘But we’re attracting attention,’ she whines as another three zombies stream out of the building that the female came from.
    ‘Not for long,’ I promise, although I can’t guarantee that. We could come under attack every step of the way to Hammersmith.
    Jakob is fast. He races ahead of the others to tackle the new threat. Carl isn’tfar behind—he leaps through the air like a giant grasshopper and lands among the trio. ‘Come to Daddy,’ he chuckles grimly, laying into the unsuspecting zombies. The living dead never fight among themselves. It confuses them when we turn on our own. If they could think, they’d consider us traitors to the cause.

    Ashtat and I push on with Emma and Declan. Rage and Shane slot into place around us.
    ‘The Cabinet War Rooms are just up there,’ Rage says cheerfully, nodding as we come to a corner. ‘Churchill had his bunker there in the Second World War. Fancy checking them out?’
    ‘I don’t think this is the time for sightseeing,’ I snarl as a look of panic shoots across Emma’s face. ‘He’sonly joking,’ I tell her.
    ‘Yeah,’ Rage says. ‘Don’t worry, love. I have a warped sense of humour.’
    We make St James’s Park and head for the lake, where we pause and wait for the others to catch up. This place used to teem with wildlife, exotic birds and tourist-friendly squirrels, but nothing larger than an insect moves in the park today. Zombies prefer human brains, but they can feaston animals too. The only creatures still roaming the city are those whose brains are too small to be of any interest to the undead, or those who are cunning enough to have learnt to lie low and hide.
    Carl and Jakob catch up. Carl is grinning, wiping blood from his hands with clumps of grass. Jakob looks as serious as ever.
    Emma is panting hard. ‘I don’t think this was a good idea. Maybewe should go back.’
    ‘It will be fine,’ Ashtat assures her.
    ‘We don’t have to worry so much in the parks,’ I tell her. ‘Reviveds mostly stick to the shadows in the daytime. They avoid open spaces like this.’
    ‘What about when we get back on to the streets again?’ she says.
    I shrug. ‘There are zombies everywhere. But you knew that before we set out. It’s a risk, but not the biggestgamble in the world. You stand a better chance with us than you would on your own.’
    ‘But if we returned to County Hall . . .’ Emma wavers.
    ‘We can if you want,’ Rage sniffs. ‘But then you’re stuck with us for the rest of your days. What do you think, Declan? Do you want to come home with your undead Uncle Rage?’
    Declan says nothing, but turns his face away and buries it in