Read Online Dead Soil: A Zombie Series by Alex Apostol - Free Book Online

What would be able to get her that high up? All he wanted was to go outside. The apartment was stifling.
    She pulled the lightweight sheet up to her chin. It was only nine thirty at night, but she closed her eyes anyway, wishing the day was over. Sleep wouldn’t come, though. Her mind continued to turn, like a rat’s wheel. She rolled onto her back again and flopped her arm over her forehead. What was the point of trying to go to sleep? It wasn’t like tomorrow was going to be any better. She huffed out at the ceiling. It was quieter than it’d been the night before, when she heard the constant sound of cars starting and tires squealing as the last people fled the complex. As far as she knew, they were the only ones left.
     
     
    Morning finally came and Liam and Christine ate in silence at the counter. Christine’s feet dangled over the floor as she sat rigid on the bar stool, stabbing at the eggs Liam made for her. She didn’t put a single bite into her mouth. Liam, on the other hand, shoveled it in like it was his last meal.
    Christine looked at him and wrinkled her nose. “How can you eat?” she spat at him.
    “What do you mean?” he asked without a hint of bitterness in his voice.
    It angered Christine more that he was pretending nothing had happened. “I mean, how can you eat when you basically sent the Ramirens to their death?”
    Liam wasn’t taken aback by what she said. It wasn’t the first time she’d said something about the Ramirens. He didn’t flinch at all, though the words stabbed at his heart.
    When he didn’t respond, Christine threw her fork onto her plate and shoved off from the counter. She went to the bedroom and shut the door behind her.
    Liam finished the last bites of his eggs and then reached over to grab Christine’s plate, eating hers too. The Ramirens were all Christine had talked about whenever she was distracted from the desire to breathe fresh air from out on the patio. The Ramirens were also all Liam could think about.
    Christine was right. He’d sent them to their death. But by not opening that door, he saved her life and his own. He kept telling himself that over and over again, but it never did any good. He still had a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach every time he pictured their faces. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d seen them, but he knew he would continue see them forever.
     
     
     
    XII.
     
     
    There was a loud banging at the door. Liam jumped up from the bar stool. He stood with his legs slightly spread and knees bent, his fists were up in the air in an attack pose. When he realized what he was doing he lowered his hands and stood up straight. Christine ran from the bedroom to glare at him. Her eyes were perfect circles, overtaken by fear. And she wanted to go outside , Liam thought.
    A familiar voice cried out to them. “Please, open up, Liam! Please! They’re coming! Please, open up!”
    Christine walked over to where Liam stood in the living room. She displayed her hands at the door as if to say “you regret what you did to the Ramirens? Well here’s your chance to do right. Open the door.” But he found he still couldn’t. His friend was on the other side and he couldn’t open it and endanger himself and the woman he loved.
    “This is ridiculous,” Christine barked as she walked over to the door.
    It took her half a minute to undo all the extra locks Liam had installed. He didn’t stop her, but he couldn’t bring himself help either. It was a bad idea. The cries on the other side of the door escalated in panic.
    “God, please! Help me! Open up!”
    Christine fumbled with the last lock. Liam stood with his hands on his hips, trying to control his breathing as it became shallow and rapid.
    “They’re coming! Please!”
    She ripped the door from its seal and Zack Kran rushed into the apartment.
    He slammed the door behind him and stood up straight. He walked past Christine to stand next to Liam and dropped both his hands