Read Online Deadrise by Steven R. Gardner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Steven R. Gardner
Tags: Zombies
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lane highway, where the abandon wrecks had been pushed to the side of the road altogether. They saw headlights approach from the rear then a black van passed them by, headed north, towards the hospital.
"I think we finally made it!" Matt’s voice was pure exhausted joy.
As the bus followed the highway northbound, David and Susan came to the front and peered out the window. The line of abandoned vehicles pushed to the left shoulder of the road stretched as far as they could see, but now, interspersed with the vehicles they noticed the stiff and awkward bodies of dead zombies also pushed to the roadside. Here and there the road was stained with the remains of …something, ground to mush by what ever had plowed the roads. To the right were a series of rolling, grass covered hills, and up there they could see a row of spotlights, spaced every few hundred feet for at least a mile, sweeping the highway below. Ahead, there was a branch off from the main highway, eastbound, between two spotlights. The black van turned there.
"I think we should follow the van." Matt said. "That road leads to the hospital campus." Matt looked in his rearview mirrors. "There are more vehicles coming behind us." The headlights grew closer in the mirror, until they were just a few car lengths behind the bus.
"It's an army Humvee." David called from the rear window. The Humvee moved alongside them, creeping up until it was parallel with the main door. Matt looked over to see the driver of the Humvee staring back at him. Matt had to fight every urge not to slam on the brakes and turn around right there. Wherever there was the Army, there was trouble. But the Humvee driver waved at him in a casual, almost friendly manner then sped ahead without another look back. The Humvee turned at the intersection the van had used, and the bus was just seconds behind. The steep road climbed to nearly the crest of the first hill. As they climbed, they could see the spotlights to either side of them were mounted on the back of Humvees. A soldier manned the spotlight, while two more either stood outside, or rested in the vehicles. But they gave the bus only a passing glance. The incline of the road became nearly level, and ahead the road weaved its way through a vast expanse of small, grassy hills. The sun was over the edge of the mountains now, and by its crisp glow they could make out vehicles of every make and size scattered about the grassy expanse. They could see three large bonfires blazing, as well as dozens of smaller cooking fires. People milling about in the thousands, most in small groups huddled near the fires. As they wound slowly up the road, they saw men women and children of all ages, families who had come here seeking medical attention, food, and safety. Matt noticed that most of the adults were either armed, a within arms distance of a weapon. A Humvee passed them, going back the way they had come, no doubt a patrol.
"I guess we just park anywhere." Susan said.
"I want to get closer to the hospital. We need to find a doctor."
"Why don't we ask somebody?" David said. Matt brought the bus to a halt. He opened the door and stepped down. A man wearing Levis and a blue jacket, with a shotgun resting on his shoulder stepped up.
"You can't park in the street." He said.
"I know." Matt said. "We are looking for a doctor. Our friend has been shot." The man gave him an odd look.
"Shot huh?" he sounded as if he didn't believe Matt. "None of you been bitten by one of them dead fucks?"
"No." Matt said. "We haven't run into too many of them. But when we were getting some gas, some looters attacked us, and my friend was shot. Can you point us to a Doctor?"
"Continue up the road. They have the main parking lot turned into their triage area."
"The parking lot?" Matt said incredulously.
"Lots of people have been wounded, mostly gunshot or bit. You sure your friend hasn't been bit?" He was beginning to make Matt uneasy.
"I'm positive he hasn't been bit. Just
"I think we finally made it!" Matt’s voice was pure exhausted joy.
As the bus followed the highway northbound, David and Susan came to the front and peered out the window. The line of abandoned vehicles pushed to the left shoulder of the road stretched as far as they could see, but now, interspersed with the vehicles they noticed the stiff and awkward bodies of dead zombies also pushed to the roadside. Here and there the road was stained with the remains of …something, ground to mush by what ever had plowed the roads. To the right were a series of rolling, grass covered hills, and up there they could see a row of spotlights, spaced every few hundred feet for at least a mile, sweeping the highway below. Ahead, there was a branch off from the main highway, eastbound, between two spotlights. The black van turned there.
"I think we should follow the van." Matt said. "That road leads to the hospital campus." Matt looked in his rearview mirrors. "There are more vehicles coming behind us." The headlights grew closer in the mirror, until they were just a few car lengths behind the bus.
"It's an army Humvee." David called from the rear window. The Humvee moved alongside them, creeping up until it was parallel with the main door. Matt looked over to see the driver of the Humvee staring back at him. Matt had to fight every urge not to slam on the brakes and turn around right there. Wherever there was the Army, there was trouble. But the Humvee driver waved at him in a casual, almost friendly manner then sped ahead without another look back. The Humvee turned at the intersection the van had used, and the bus was just seconds behind. The steep road climbed to nearly the crest of the first hill. As they climbed, they could see the spotlights to either side of them were mounted on the back of Humvees. A soldier manned the spotlight, while two more either stood outside, or rested in the vehicles. But they gave the bus only a passing glance. The incline of the road became nearly level, and ahead the road weaved its way through a vast expanse of small, grassy hills. The sun was over the edge of the mountains now, and by its crisp glow they could make out vehicles of every make and size scattered about the grassy expanse. They could see three large bonfires blazing, as well as dozens of smaller cooking fires. People milling about in the thousands, most in small groups huddled near the fires. As they wound slowly up the road, they saw men women and children of all ages, families who had come here seeking medical attention, food, and safety. Matt noticed that most of the adults were either armed, a within arms distance of a weapon. A Humvee passed them, going back the way they had come, no doubt a patrol.
"I guess we just park anywhere." Susan said.
"I want to get closer to the hospital. We need to find a doctor."
"Why don't we ask somebody?" David said. Matt brought the bus to a halt. He opened the door and stepped down. A man wearing Levis and a blue jacket, with a shotgun resting on his shoulder stepped up.
"You can't park in the street." He said.
"I know." Matt said. "We are looking for a doctor. Our friend has been shot." The man gave him an odd look.
"Shot huh?" he sounded as if he didn't believe Matt. "None of you been bitten by one of them dead fucks?"
"No." Matt said. "We haven't run into too many of them. But when we were getting some gas, some looters attacked us, and my friend was shot. Can you point us to a Doctor?"
"Continue up the road. They have the main parking lot turned into their triage area."
"The parking lot?" Matt said incredulously.
"Lots of people have been wounded, mostly gunshot or bit. You sure your friend hasn't been bit?" He was beginning to make Matt uneasy.
"I'm positive he hasn't been bit. Just
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