Zombie Anthology by Anthology Read Free Book Online Page B

his thoughts then looked back at Jeremy. “There used to be one of those large, chain hardware/electronics stores just on the other side of town. Did you see it on your way up here?"
         "No,” Jeremy answered honestly, “but I know where you're talking about."
         "You think we can get in and out of it without getting our asses chewed off?"
         "I don't know. Those creatures… some of them are pretty fast. If they're inside the store…"
         Wade picked up the twelve-gauge that rested on the seat between them and pumped a round into the chamber. “Shit,” he cursed, “Just another day in paradise, huh, Jerm?"
         On their way through town, Jeremy had to “floor it” twice as the creatures who had taken up residence in the ruins of the buildings and shops poured out into the streets at the sound of the passing jeep but he and Wade managed get by without any real close calls. When they reached the large parking lot of the store they were after, there were only two creatures milling about as they pulled in. Jeremy parked the jeep directly in front of the store's plexi-glass entrance and grabbed his UZI. He started to open fire on the creatures but Wade's hand smacked his weapon down, causing him to lower it.
         "Don't do it. You saw how the ones in town reacted to the jeep. The noise will just bring more of them.” Wade pulled a pistol out of the jury-rigged holster on his tool belt and screwed a silencer onto its barrel as the creatures came snarling towards them. Wade dropped each of them with a single shot to their skulls. “Geoff taught me a few things,” he explained, tucking away the gun.
         Together they shoved open the store's heavy doors and stepped into the darkness of its interior. “I'll just be a minute,” Wade said reaching for a buggy. “You stay here. Only shoot the fuckers if they get too close and you have to, okay?"
         Wade cocked his head to the side. “And keep the damn jeep running."
         An eternity seemed to pass before he returned with a buggy full of circuit boards that looked as if they had been ripped out of PCs and other odds and ends that Jeremy couldn't even begin to guess as to their function. About a seven or eight of the creatures were in lot but they seemed to be hanging back rather than charging the pair's position. It was really creeping Jeremy out, almost as if they were waiting for something. Wade tossed the last of his “shopping” into the back of the jeep and hopped in. “Let's get the Hell out of here before they decide they're hungry."
         "No argument here,” Jeremy said switching the jeep into drive. He peeled out and tried to avoid the creatures as he made for the road. As the jeep neared the exit to the interstate, a second pack of creatures came bounding out the woods to their right, making straight for the jeep. They were much closer than the first group. Wade cursed and snatched Jeremy's UZI up from the seat opening fire into them. Several of the attackers fell from the rain of bullets but the other creatures were now charging across the lot at them too from the other side as if trying to block them in. “Fuck!” Jeremy yelled thrusting the gas pedal all the way down with his foot. “Hold on!” The jeep struck the curb and bounced out of the lot onto the road. Wade looked back behind them at the shrinking figures still giving chase. “That was too fucking close,” he muttered.
         Amy opened her eyes. She didn't feel completely rested but some sleep was better than none. Eighteen hours had passed since her flight from the docks. She sat up in the backseat of the Toyota she'd finally found after an hour of searching and one nasty encounter with a creature on the interstate.
    She had used the car to flee the city proper. Now she was in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. She'd driven for hours until she had found this place. There was nothing around but the road and its surrounding