Read Online My Apocalypse (Book 1): The Fall by Edward J. Eaton II - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Edward J. Eaton II
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shook his head.
“All right man,” he said, “I’m done. Let’s go.”
I took a deep breath and put my leg over. I found purchase quickly, the side of the shaft was nothing more than one huge ladder. Climbing was easy, made more so due to the fact that I never looked down. Keeping my eyes above me, it only took a few minutes to descend the two floors. When my feet hit the top of the elevator though, I was astonished at what I heard beneath me.
There was a small hatch open on the elevators roof, most likely for maintenance. Through said hatch I heard shuffling, and groaning. Low and guttural, it filtered up to us. Alec had his light pointed upwards, and in its soft light I watched him put a finger to his lips, shushing me, than point towards the hole. I quietly moved forwards and looked over. There, no more than five feet below us, was a small herd of zombies, all softly shuffling and milling about. I watched them as they did, for they didn’t seem to notice us at all. I jumped a little when Alec leaned close to my ear and spoke, my attention so focused on the sight.
“Follow,” he said, “quietly.”
I did as instructed, moving where he did, and eventually we made it to the next passageway. I had to squeeze, just like he said, and at one point didn’t think I’d make it, my fat ass was not made for tight places. When we finally got into it though, I breathed a little easier, this corridor was by no means as small as the last.
“Figured I’d let you see that,” Alec said once we got a little ways away from the elevator.
“They didn’t seem to notice us.”
“They won’t.” Alec responded. “The dead-heads don’t respond like the ravenous. They are more like us. They have to see you; have to hear you, before they notice you. And while most would tell you that this makes them a lot less of a threat, I disagree. They are everywhere, and outnumber us almost three to one.
“For the most part, also, they’re quiet. You will hear one of the ravenous coming from a mile away. You’ll only hear the dead if they are in larger groups. I mean, occasionally one will trip a car alarm, or stumble through a door or something of the sort, but here lately, that’s more not than often.”
He fell silent then, and I thought about what he had told me as we traveled along. It was easy going. The corridor was large enough for me to stand upright, and while it was still narrow, it wasn’t like I had to turn sideways or anything to get through. I could just see Wall trying to squeeze his bulk through here though, and the thought of it made me chuckle slightly.
Lost in my own thought, I didn’t realize that Alec had stopped. I pulled up short right before running into him. In the soft glow of his penlight, my eyes widened and I was amazed at what I saw.
Tears pooled in his eyes, and his shoulders shook with soft sobs. I watched him as he placed one hand on the wall he was looking towards, and it was then I noticed there was a small slot in the wall, a viewing hatch that allowed him to see the other side. I reached up and touched his shoulder. He jumped slightly and turned away. I heard him sniff and saw his hands go to his eyes.
“Sorry again man,” he said to me, his voice breaking slightly. “You ready to move on?”
“Yeah, I guess.” That was all I said, all I felt needed to be said. He started walking again, moving farther along the passage. I went to follow him, stopping only briefly to look through the viewing hole.
My breath choked in my throat at what I saw.
There, not more than a dozen feet on the other side of the wall, was a small child standing in the middle of the room. The red light washed over him, giving him an eerie appearance. When the child turned though, I noticed the reasoning behind Alec’s tears. It was his son; I knew that from the photo he showed me hours before. The boys arm was hanging, no dangling, from his shoulder, held there by no more than a few strands of flesh, tendons,
“All right man,” he said, “I’m done. Let’s go.”
I took a deep breath and put my leg over. I found purchase quickly, the side of the shaft was nothing more than one huge ladder. Climbing was easy, made more so due to the fact that I never looked down. Keeping my eyes above me, it only took a few minutes to descend the two floors. When my feet hit the top of the elevator though, I was astonished at what I heard beneath me.
There was a small hatch open on the elevators roof, most likely for maintenance. Through said hatch I heard shuffling, and groaning. Low and guttural, it filtered up to us. Alec had his light pointed upwards, and in its soft light I watched him put a finger to his lips, shushing me, than point towards the hole. I quietly moved forwards and looked over. There, no more than five feet below us, was a small herd of zombies, all softly shuffling and milling about. I watched them as they did, for they didn’t seem to notice us at all. I jumped a little when Alec leaned close to my ear and spoke, my attention so focused on the sight.
“Follow,” he said, “quietly.”
I did as instructed, moving where he did, and eventually we made it to the next passageway. I had to squeeze, just like he said, and at one point didn’t think I’d make it, my fat ass was not made for tight places. When we finally got into it though, I breathed a little easier, this corridor was by no means as small as the last.
“Figured I’d let you see that,” Alec said once we got a little ways away from the elevator.
“They didn’t seem to notice us.”
“They won’t.” Alec responded. “The dead-heads don’t respond like the ravenous. They are more like us. They have to see you; have to hear you, before they notice you. And while most would tell you that this makes them a lot less of a threat, I disagree. They are everywhere, and outnumber us almost three to one.
“For the most part, also, they’re quiet. You will hear one of the ravenous coming from a mile away. You’ll only hear the dead if they are in larger groups. I mean, occasionally one will trip a car alarm, or stumble through a door or something of the sort, but here lately, that’s more not than often.”
He fell silent then, and I thought about what he had told me as we traveled along. It was easy going. The corridor was large enough for me to stand upright, and while it was still narrow, it wasn’t like I had to turn sideways or anything to get through. I could just see Wall trying to squeeze his bulk through here though, and the thought of it made me chuckle slightly.
Lost in my own thought, I didn’t realize that Alec had stopped. I pulled up short right before running into him. In the soft glow of his penlight, my eyes widened and I was amazed at what I saw.
Tears pooled in his eyes, and his shoulders shook with soft sobs. I watched him as he placed one hand on the wall he was looking towards, and it was then I noticed there was a small slot in the wall, a viewing hatch that allowed him to see the other side. I reached up and touched his shoulder. He jumped slightly and turned away. I heard him sniff and saw his hands go to his eyes.
“Sorry again man,” he said to me, his voice breaking slightly. “You ready to move on?”
“Yeah, I guess.” That was all I said, all I felt needed to be said. He started walking again, moving farther along the passage. I went to follow him, stopping only briefly to look through the viewing hole.
My breath choked in my throat at what I saw.
There, not more than a dozen feet on the other side of the wall, was a small child standing in the middle of the room. The red light washed over him, giving him an eerie appearance. When the child turned though, I noticed the reasoning behind Alec’s tears. It was his son; I knew that from the photo he showed me hours before. The boys arm was hanging, no dangling, from his shoulder, held there by no more than a few strands of flesh, tendons,
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