Zombies vs Polar Bears: Sirens of the Zombie Apocalypse, Book 5 by E.E. Isherwood Read Free Book Online Page A

getting that many bars to a refugee camp once the sirens went off
was impossible. The highways had become parking lots.
    He wolfed one down without a further thought about its origin. The
women did the same. They gulped water from the bottles they'd brought
and for a few minutes he was perfectly content with the modern
equivalent of a full belly. The soft lap of water under the hull of
the boat, the early morning air, and the shade of the trees above,
made him think of taking a nap. Someday...
    The boat coughed noisily before he throttled up and got them
moving downriver. It was going to be at least an hour before they
reached the Mississippi River, where they'd turn right and go south
to the southern tip of Illinois. He hoped the fuel would last that
long, but if it didn't, they could continue downriver with the
current. It should be a pleasant journey compared to the disastrous
ride upriver.
    He scanned the shore for threats. First one side, then the other,
until he felt his mom's eyes on him.
    “You know, your dad constantly told me it should have been
him out there rescuing Grandma and doing these things you've been
doing. I told him his biggest contribution was giving you the common
sense training you needed to survive. In that regard, your father was
out there doing those things with you. He'll always be with you as
long as you remember his lessons.” She squirmed on the
uncomfortable chair. “But that didn't make him feel much better
about you being out here while he was in that building.”
    “Believe me, there were lots of times I wanted to find you
and dad and just hand over Grandma and be done with it. But the
longer I stayed out there—out here—the more I realized
there was nowhere safe for anyone. The safest place we've seen is
Cairo, Illinois, and I predicted it would only last two weeks.”
Cairo jogged his memory.
    “Oh, if anyone asks, I'm seventeen now.”
    His mom gave Victoria a sideways smile. “They grow up so
fast.” She looked back to Liam. “But that doesn't change
who you are. People are still going to see you as a young boy. I
can't help but see you as my little boy. I'll probably see you that
way when you have gray hair,” she added with a friendly giggle.
    “Well, people have to stop. None of the books I've read on
zombies have survivors complaining about a person's age. As long as
they can kill zombies, who cares?”
    “You'll understand someday. Parents care. We always want
what comes next to be better than what we had. When people see kids
today, they know that's no longer possible. I saw it in the eyes of
parents every day back at camp. My parents worried about getting me a
college education. For you, and you Victoria, I worry that I can find
a strong wall and some fresh ammo. That won't change whether you are
seventeen or sixteen. Me? I just want to enjoy our time together, no
matter what age you pretend to be. Happy birthday by the way.”
    “Thanks. Victoria already gave me my birthday surprise.”
    “Oh, she did?” Her tone was haughty, with just a touch
of mirth.
    He looked at Victoria to see her cheeks blush, and he wondered
what he'd said wrong.
    His mom continued to watch him with a surprised look on her face.
    “What?” he asked.
    “A surprise, Liam? Is that what young people call it today?”
    He put it all together. He'd insinuated something more
affectionate between himself and Victoria.
    “Oh man, no. I meant she gave me a birthday kiss with one to
grow on. It was a real surprise after weeks of terrorizing scares. I
really appreciated it.”
    “Ohh.” His mom and Victoria both burst out in
laughter, though he couldn't quite muster his own laugh. Sure it was
a wonderful kiss, but it was from an earlier era. A time before he
knew his dad was dead.
    Once again, he focused on the journey. Scanning the shore and
managing the boat distracted him from the loss.
    Twenty minutes later, they passed below a big highway bridge. On a
prior journey he'd felt threatened by