Read Online (Book 2)What Remains by Nathan Barnes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nathan Barnes
Tags: Zombie, apocalypse, post apocalyptic, undead, End of the world, pandemic, survival thriller, viral, zombie plague, reanimated corpse
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response; his unshakable grip on the
wooden handle remained in place. I shifted to hold the middle of
the shovel with my left hand so that my right became free.
“ MADDOX! Let go! ” I commanded, using my
right hand to give his opposite cheek a light smack.
His eyes pulled free from the corpse and his
posture relaxed. “Daddy… I… I…”
“You did fine. You protected your sister and
yourself; the rest can be discussed later tonight. Now let go and
follow me back to the house. We don’t have long before they—”
Pounding fists on the driveway side of our fence
cut my sentence short while simultaneously confirming what I had
begun to say. Maddox looked back like a deer in the headlights then
returned his eyes to mine while releasing his grip on the shovel.
After he stepped back I also released my grip, allowing the mangled
corpse, with its wooden extension, to face plant.
I could see the thoughts running through his
young mind as he tried to make sense of what had occurred. His face
reflected the pain I too experienced when I first cut one of the
creatures down the night everything went to hell. His present
fragility demanded a certain delicate response that the growing
chorus of hungry claws drumming on the fence nearby would not
allow. I tried to shift my voice from that of reprimand towards
suggestion, hoping that he wouldn't burst into justifiable
tears.
“Don’t worry about this mess; we can deal with
it later. Head to the house now and walk softly. I’ll be behind you
the whole way.”
Maddox looked at the oozing abomination on the
ground and shuddered. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder to
guide him back towards the house. More fists met our wooden
divider, which created enough noise to overcome the crunching of
our feet on the leaves. By the time we reached the window, clatter
reverberated throughout the yard. If the predators in the area
remained focused on the fence then I was certain it would give way
sooner or later. I moved the trap door out of the way so Maddox
could get in first. It would take a few more minutes for my
still-healing body to climb through the opening.
When he moved closer I whispered directly in his
ear, “Once you're inside I want you to go right up to the attic.
Don't stop in any of the rooms or go by windows. We need to
disappear so the zombies think they missed dinner and hopefully
move on. I'll be up there too as soon as I can get into the
room.”
Once he nodded an acknowledgement I lifted him
by his armpits while biting my lip. Maddox climbed into the window
with little support from me. I was surprised, proud, and relieved
that he didn't need the assistance. He disappeared from view in the
dark room to scurry up to the attic to meet Sarah and Calise. I
took a deep breath and slowly released it to prepare myself for the
physical exertion.
Suddenly his little arm extended out of the
window and I jumped as if I was being attacked. “I got you, Daddy,”
he whispered downward barely loud enough to hear over the noise.
“We can go upstairs together.”
Chapter 7 – Inconspicuous
1630 hours:
The dead persisted for what seemed like an
eternity. All four of us held onto each other in the center of the
attic hoping to obtain a level of inconspicuousness that might
break the infected group’s interest. Time crawled along to the
constant droning of pounding fists. Although we had been hidden
since the moment we went inside, they still tore at the fence like
a platter of flesh was waiting for the first one to break past.
We sat in the darkness. Any hint of daylight was
blocked by the sound-dampening wall of boxes around the attic
vents. A pair of cheap tea lights were lit in between the huddled
circle in which we sat.. There were moments I thought I heard a
board splinter or a window shake. With each one I cringed and
waited to hear a predatory tsunami wash through the level beneath
us. If it weren’t for the little girl weeping in my arms I would
have the Kukri
wooden handle remained in place. I shifted to hold the middle of
the shovel with my left hand so that my right became free.
“ MADDOX! Let go! ” I commanded, using my
right hand to give his opposite cheek a light smack.
His eyes pulled free from the corpse and his
posture relaxed. “Daddy… I… I…”
“You did fine. You protected your sister and
yourself; the rest can be discussed later tonight. Now let go and
follow me back to the house. We don’t have long before they—”
Pounding fists on the driveway side of our fence
cut my sentence short while simultaneously confirming what I had
begun to say. Maddox looked back like a deer in the headlights then
returned his eyes to mine while releasing his grip on the shovel.
After he stepped back I also released my grip, allowing the mangled
corpse, with its wooden extension, to face plant.
I could see the thoughts running through his
young mind as he tried to make sense of what had occurred. His face
reflected the pain I too experienced when I first cut one of the
creatures down the night everything went to hell. His present
fragility demanded a certain delicate response that the growing
chorus of hungry claws drumming on the fence nearby would not
allow. I tried to shift my voice from that of reprimand towards
suggestion, hoping that he wouldn't burst into justifiable
tears.
“Don’t worry about this mess; we can deal with
it later. Head to the house now and walk softly. I’ll be behind you
the whole way.”
Maddox looked at the oozing abomination on the
ground and shuddered. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder to
guide him back towards the house. More fists met our wooden
divider, which created enough noise to overcome the crunching of
our feet on the leaves. By the time we reached the window, clatter
reverberated throughout the yard. If the predators in the area
remained focused on the fence then I was certain it would give way
sooner or later. I moved the trap door out of the way so Maddox
could get in first. It would take a few more minutes for my
still-healing body to climb through the opening.
When he moved closer I whispered directly in his
ear, “Once you're inside I want you to go right up to the attic.
Don't stop in any of the rooms or go by windows. We need to
disappear so the zombies think they missed dinner and hopefully
move on. I'll be up there too as soon as I can get into the
room.”
Once he nodded an acknowledgement I lifted him
by his armpits while biting my lip. Maddox climbed into the window
with little support from me. I was surprised, proud, and relieved
that he didn't need the assistance. He disappeared from view in the
dark room to scurry up to the attic to meet Sarah and Calise. I
took a deep breath and slowly released it to prepare myself for the
physical exertion.
Suddenly his little arm extended out of the
window and I jumped as if I was being attacked. “I got you, Daddy,”
he whispered downward barely loud enough to hear over the noise.
“We can go upstairs together.”
Chapter 7 – Inconspicuous
1630 hours:
The dead persisted for what seemed like an
eternity. All four of us held onto each other in the center of the
attic hoping to obtain a level of inconspicuousness that might
break the infected group’s interest. Time crawled along to the
constant droning of pounding fists. Although we had been hidden
since the moment we went inside, they still tore at the fence like
a platter of flesh was waiting for the first one to break past.
We sat in the darkness. Any hint of daylight was
blocked by the sound-dampening wall of boxes around the attic
vents. A pair of cheap tea lights were lit in between the huddled
circle in which we sat.. There were moments I thought I heard a
board splinter or a window shake. With each one I cringed and
waited to hear a predatory tsunami wash through the level beneath
us. If it weren’t for the little girl weeping in my arms I would
have the Kukri
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