Read Online A Dark Evolution (Book 2): Deranged by Jason N. LaVelle - Free Book Online

the house, observing his nervous behavior and the way he didn't like being in the open.
    “Are there any of them still around here?”
    “Some, they kind of sneak up on you. But honestly, the living are just as bad.”
    “The living?”
    “Yeah, people have gone crazy. It's dangerous to leave cover, someone might attack you just to take what little you have.”
    “Everyone’s got to take care of themselves, right?” she said mockingly.
    She thought she saw a flush rise up into his brown cheeks.
    Instead of entering the burned out husk of the house, Dylan led her to the back. He lifted a wood cover next to the house, the kind used to cover egress window openings, only to her surprise, under the grate, which had been camouflaged with ivy, was a set of stairs leading to a steel fire door below the foundation line of the house.
    “Wow, what is this?”
    “The people we bought the house from were like doomsday preppers. We just used it for storing bikes and sleds and stuff.” He chuckled. “Ironic though, isn’t it?”
    Kala agreed. “Unexpected yes, but unexpectedly fortuitous.”
    Dylan raised an eyebrow at her before leading her down the stairs. He reached up and closed the grate behind them. “What are you, some kind of brainiac?” he said snidely.
    “Brainiac? How old are you, Dylan?”
    He ignored her and knocked softly on the door five times in quick succession. The door creaked open a few inches and a small black face peeked out. She had tiny braids sticking up all over her head, each secured with a brightly colored band. Her big eyes watched Kala nervously, but were obviously relieved to see Dylan.
    “Come on,” he told Kala, and she followed him into the cluttered room. She understood his lantern comment right away when she saw two old kerosene lanterns on the floor, each with a tiny flame burning in them. There were no windows in this room, just cinderblock walls, so without the light, it would have been black as night in here. Kala took in the room. It was certainly no place to live. It was damp and smelled of mildew and bicycle grease. But they had pieced together a bed out of some yoga mats and blankets.
    “It’s pretty dingy in here, but it stays cool so we don't have to worry about dehydration.”
    Kala nodded, she knew all too well about dehydration.
    “Who are you,” the girl’s tiny voice rang out like music in the gloomy space.
    Kala knelt down next to her. She was so young, she couldn't have been more than five. “My name is Kala.”
    “Kayla?”
    “Kala, like the flower, calla lily.”
    “My mommy loves those flowers!” the little girl said, suddenly excited. “We’re going to go find my mom,” she continued, pointing at Dylan. “Me and Dilly!”
    Dylan cleared his throat, “Stay quiet Sophie, remember we always have to stay very quiet.”
    Sophie looked dejected, “I’m tired of being quiet all the time.”
    “I know you are, but you don't want to see another one of the scary people do you?”
    Sophie shook her head vehemently.
    Dylan looked over to Kala. “She had a fit once when I took her with me to look for food, started crying for her mom. It drew a couple of them in, it wasn’t pretty.”
    “I guess not. Sophie, are you hungry? Do you want a candy bar?” Not thinking she could get more adorable, Kala was surprised when Sophie jumped up and down, mouthing a silent scream of joy.
    “Good, here you go honey.”
    “You’re a nice white person.”
    Kala snorted, the comment caught her so off guard. She had no idea how to respond, so she just tore the wrapper from the candy bar and handed it to her.
    Dylan dragged a camping chair over to her. “Here,” he said.
    Kala sat on the chair and Dylan sat on the floor. There were some cans of unopened vegetables and a half dozen bottles of water, but nothing else. It wasn't sustainable.
    How long have you been alone?
    “Since the beginning,” he said without affect.
    “Are they dead?” she asked quietly.
    Dylan