Read Online LZR-1143 (Book 4): Desolation by Bryan James - Free Book Online
Authors: Bryan James
Tags: Zombie Apocalypse
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consistent gravel shoulder and grassy easement alongside, dodging the odd car, fence, or marine debris as we moved slowly but consistently north.
The countryside was torn, but still recognizable. Despite the small berms of earth where the land had risen into new hills and valleys, the eastern side of the road had fared much better. While few houses were left standing, the darkness shrouded trees and even a few roadsigns that had survived. The deep water, and the press of billions of gallons of seawater, had subsided on the eastern side of the interstate before it reached this far, so the flood waters had mostly moved back to the western side of the highway.
Reaching a small rise in the roadway’s path overlooking the small valley below, we eventually came across the area that had been a river only hours ago.
I stopped the truck in a narrow stretch of roadway between two walls of trees, their shadows pushing out into the narrow passage. The soft rustle of woodland creatures was audible in the still night air, and a stiff breeze kicked up from the north, bringing with it the smell of colder days ahead.
Ahead, seawater had flooded the shallow valley, pushing boats and trees along the banks. In a testament to the strength of steel and iron, the bridge across what used to be the river still stood. But as a testament to the strength of nature, it was submerged above the roadway in seawater.
We weren’t going north across that bridge.
“I guess we need to find another way,” said Ky, leaning forward from the back seat and locking her eyes on the scene ahead. Kate was already staring at the map as I glared absently at the ruined escape route.
“I suppose so. It’s okay, we figured this would be a long shot. It’s too close to the sea. We need to move further to the …”
A hand had my shoulder and I stopped talking, shocked for once by the quiet of the attack. A wizened head, eyes sunken and mouth agape, lunged through the open window at my side and thrust forward for my flesh. The moment’s hesitation passed quickly, and I reacted from instinct.
Curling my arm up as if lifting a drink to my lips, I caught the neck of the creature and wrapped my left hand around its skull, fingers slipping into the socket where the eye was planted deeply in the flesh. I pulled forward rapidly, turning my head from the stench of the thing even as I felt the characteristic and familiar pop. The energy left the face, and the body fell heavily against the door of the vehicle as the skull slipped from my fingers.
Before I could wipe my hand, Ky screamed and Romeo began to bark ferociously.
“Reverse would be good,” said Kate softly, struggling to bring her rifle to bear in the small space.
The headlights had suddenly illuminated more than fifty of the creatures, all sodden and shambling forward into the circle of light cast by the bright lamps of the large truck. I cursed, and threw the vehicle into reverse, hearing the tires squeal briefly before catching against the small strip of unmolested concrete.
“Where did they come from?” yelled Ky as the truck bounced hard against the uneven ground, my hands flying over the wheel to pull the vehicle around.
They stumbled forward, fading in and out of the bright lights as they moved toward us. I hit the gas and jerked the wheel to the left, pulling us around and accelerating away from the small herd. More than a hundred more had appeared, moving uphill and away from the watery destruction below, most of them flooding out of the trees that had been to either side of us.
No one answered Ky as I dodged debris and tree limbs backtracking to the roadway behind us.
“I saw a road cutting east back past the small shed with the realtor’s face on it,” Ky mentioned, staring out the side windows, carefully scanning for more creatures.
“Got it,” said Kate, aiming a flashlight at her bedraggled map. “It’s called Old Creek Road, and it heads due east
The countryside was torn, but still recognizable. Despite the small berms of earth where the land had risen into new hills and valleys, the eastern side of the road had fared much better. While few houses were left standing, the darkness shrouded trees and even a few roadsigns that had survived. The deep water, and the press of billions of gallons of seawater, had subsided on the eastern side of the interstate before it reached this far, so the flood waters had mostly moved back to the western side of the highway.
Reaching a small rise in the roadway’s path overlooking the small valley below, we eventually came across the area that had been a river only hours ago.
I stopped the truck in a narrow stretch of roadway between two walls of trees, their shadows pushing out into the narrow passage. The soft rustle of woodland creatures was audible in the still night air, and a stiff breeze kicked up from the north, bringing with it the smell of colder days ahead.
Ahead, seawater had flooded the shallow valley, pushing boats and trees along the banks. In a testament to the strength of steel and iron, the bridge across what used to be the river still stood. But as a testament to the strength of nature, it was submerged above the roadway in seawater.
We weren’t going north across that bridge.
“I guess we need to find another way,” said Ky, leaning forward from the back seat and locking her eyes on the scene ahead. Kate was already staring at the map as I glared absently at the ruined escape route.
“I suppose so. It’s okay, we figured this would be a long shot. It’s too close to the sea. We need to move further to the …”
A hand had my shoulder and I stopped talking, shocked for once by the quiet of the attack. A wizened head, eyes sunken and mouth agape, lunged through the open window at my side and thrust forward for my flesh. The moment’s hesitation passed quickly, and I reacted from instinct.
Curling my arm up as if lifting a drink to my lips, I caught the neck of the creature and wrapped my left hand around its skull, fingers slipping into the socket where the eye was planted deeply in the flesh. I pulled forward rapidly, turning my head from the stench of the thing even as I felt the characteristic and familiar pop. The energy left the face, and the body fell heavily against the door of the vehicle as the skull slipped from my fingers.
Before I could wipe my hand, Ky screamed and Romeo began to bark ferociously.
“Reverse would be good,” said Kate softly, struggling to bring her rifle to bear in the small space.
The headlights had suddenly illuminated more than fifty of the creatures, all sodden and shambling forward into the circle of light cast by the bright lamps of the large truck. I cursed, and threw the vehicle into reverse, hearing the tires squeal briefly before catching against the small strip of unmolested concrete.
“Where did they come from?” yelled Ky as the truck bounced hard against the uneven ground, my hands flying over the wheel to pull the vehicle around.
They stumbled forward, fading in and out of the bright lights as they moved toward us. I hit the gas and jerked the wheel to the left, pulling us around and accelerating away from the small herd. More than a hundred more had appeared, moving uphill and away from the watery destruction below, most of them flooding out of the trees that had been to either side of us.
No one answered Ky as I dodged debris and tree limbs backtracking to the roadway behind us.
“I saw a road cutting east back past the small shed with the realtor’s face on it,” Ky mentioned, staring out the side windows, carefully scanning for more creatures.
“Got it,” said Kate, aiming a flashlight at her bedraggled map. “It’s called Old Creek Road, and it heads due east
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