Read Online Phase One: Identify (Territory of the Dead) by Rose Wynters - Free Book Online
Authors: Rose Wynters
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else.”
“I wouldn't anyhow,” I hissed, angry that he would think otherwise. “I'm not some baby that goes around telling everything I know.”
My reaction seemed to calm him. “I didn't think you were, which is why I told you.” He straightened back up and crossed his arms, watching me with a calculating look. “To be honest, I never realized how mature you really are. You're pretty cool, for an eighteen year old.”
I tried really hard not to preen under his praise, but I'm not sure how successful I was. “Thanks, I think,” I replied, trying to sound cool. The truth was, I'd always felt older than the girls around me. I was into deep stuff like reading, heavy rock, or living free. I'd much rather hang out with laid back people and cool adults rather than a giggling posse of girls talking about clothes or who was going out with who.
Some people might call me a loner or an introvert. In some ways, it was true. I was comfortable enough in my own skin to prefer my own company, sometimes at least.
“It's the truth,” he continued with a shrug. “But back to what I was saying. I don't think these zombies are going to just leave. We need to figure out what we are going to do if they get in. Even with both guns, we wouldn't have enough bullets to take them all out.”
I nodded, my thoughts focused on worst-case scenarios. “It seems to me like we would have two options. One is going upstairs, but then we are pretty much trapped. The other option is to leave now, but where would we go?”
He rubbed his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully. “There are enough of them out there now that leaving would be risky. Your dad would have to shoot the ones that got close. He's got a bolt-action rifle, and it only holds five shots, though.”
I peeked back out the window. “There is more than that just hanging out around the back door. I don't see how we could make it to the SUV.” It was parked in the driveway.
I looked back at him, and he nodded in agreement. “You should go upstairs and pack up a backpack or duffel bag with stuff you'd need, just in case we have to leave fast. When you bring it back down, keep it close.”
He had a point there. “I'm going to do it now,” I said, but hesitated for a moment. The thought of being alone was scary. “Could you wait for me on the stairs?” My voice trembled a bit from fear and embarrassment. I hated how needy it sounded to ask.
He didn't seem to mind. “Sure, but do it now, okay?”
“Okay.”
Chapter 7
I'd just walked back down our stairs to meet Jayden, when the first loud crack of glass cut through the silent house. We exchanged equal looks of horror before racing back to the living room. My mind screamed in denial, even when I saw the look of terror on the faces waiting for us when we got there.
A chunk of glass fell in, hitting the floor vent with a loud chink, as it busted in a million pieces. A bloody, dirty hand pushed through the opening, swinging wildly in an attempt to grab onto anything living. Each motion of its arm caused the curtains to separate, giving us brief flashes of the zombies waiting at the window.
Amanda sobbed loudly behind me. She was far beyond consolable, despite her dad's efforts to quiet her. The sound barely registered in my own terrified mind. I was fighting back a blackness that threatened to consume me.
Another section of glass broke off, larger this time. “Are they out back, too?” Dad asked me, his voice harsh sounding. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the window.
“Yes.”
“What do you want to do, Dan?” James asked, holding Amanda to his chest. “We have to decide, now. We've got five minutes, maybe less, before they're in.” His tone was insistent, leaving no room for indecisiveness.
“Even if we go upstairs, Dad, once they are in, we're trapped. We don't need to be trapped in
“I wouldn't anyhow,” I hissed, angry that he would think otherwise. “I'm not some baby that goes around telling everything I know.”
My reaction seemed to calm him. “I didn't think you were, which is why I told you.” He straightened back up and crossed his arms, watching me with a calculating look. “To be honest, I never realized how mature you really are. You're pretty cool, for an eighteen year old.”
I tried really hard not to preen under his praise, but I'm not sure how successful I was. “Thanks, I think,” I replied, trying to sound cool. The truth was, I'd always felt older than the girls around me. I was into deep stuff like reading, heavy rock, or living free. I'd much rather hang out with laid back people and cool adults rather than a giggling posse of girls talking about clothes or who was going out with who.
Some people might call me a loner or an introvert. In some ways, it was true. I was comfortable enough in my own skin to prefer my own company, sometimes at least.
“It's the truth,” he continued with a shrug. “But back to what I was saying. I don't think these zombies are going to just leave. We need to figure out what we are going to do if they get in. Even with both guns, we wouldn't have enough bullets to take them all out.”
I nodded, my thoughts focused on worst-case scenarios. “It seems to me like we would have two options. One is going upstairs, but then we are pretty much trapped. The other option is to leave now, but where would we go?”
He rubbed his clean-shaven chin thoughtfully. “There are enough of them out there now that leaving would be risky. Your dad would have to shoot the ones that got close. He's got a bolt-action rifle, and it only holds five shots, though.”
I peeked back out the window. “There is more than that just hanging out around the back door. I don't see how we could make it to the SUV.” It was parked in the driveway.
I looked back at him, and he nodded in agreement. “You should go upstairs and pack up a backpack or duffel bag with stuff you'd need, just in case we have to leave fast. When you bring it back down, keep it close.”
He had a point there. “I'm going to do it now,” I said, but hesitated for a moment. The thought of being alone was scary. “Could you wait for me on the stairs?” My voice trembled a bit from fear and embarrassment. I hated how needy it sounded to ask.
He didn't seem to mind. “Sure, but do it now, okay?”
“Okay.”
Chapter 7
I'd just walked back down our stairs to meet Jayden, when the first loud crack of glass cut through the silent house. We exchanged equal looks of horror before racing back to the living room. My mind screamed in denial, even when I saw the look of terror on the faces waiting for us when we got there.
A chunk of glass fell in, hitting the floor vent with a loud chink, as it busted in a million pieces. A bloody, dirty hand pushed through the opening, swinging wildly in an attempt to grab onto anything living. Each motion of its arm caused the curtains to separate, giving us brief flashes of the zombies waiting at the window.
Amanda sobbed loudly behind me. She was far beyond consolable, despite her dad's efforts to quiet her. The sound barely registered in my own terrified mind. I was fighting back a blackness that threatened to consume me.
Another section of glass broke off, larger this time. “Are they out back, too?” Dad asked me, his voice harsh sounding. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the window.
“Yes.”
“What do you want to do, Dan?” James asked, holding Amanda to his chest. “We have to decide, now. We've got five minutes, maybe less, before they're in.” His tone was insistent, leaving no room for indecisiveness.
“Even if we go upstairs, Dad, once they are in, we're trapped. We don't need to be trapped in
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