Read Online Revenence: Dead of Winter: A Zombie Novel by M.E. Betts - Free Book Online
Authors: M.E. Betts
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there."
Maria's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Mm-mmm, you don't wanna go there. The place is a death trap. A guy came through here last week from Georgia, and he made it clear that there's nothing but trouble at the CDC. A lot of people thought that if they made it there, they could save their loved ones. And the result was a huge zombie infestation. Plus, the day this thing broke out, the CDC swore up and down that they had no idea what was going on, and that they had no advice to offer. As far as we know, the survivor camps are all that's left of the old world...the only place left where we can raise our family."
Cesar scoffed. "If there's anyone left alive in them," he muttered as he bit into a piece of fish.
Maria sighed. "Are we really going to get into this right now?"
Cesar shrugged. "You know how me and the others feel about the subject, and still you insist on making the decision for all of us. That survivor camp might be just as much a death trap as the CDC, or anywhere else, for that matter. It seems we're doing just fine on our own, so I don't see why we should put ourselves at risk again to travel to a magical fortress that might not even exist."
Shari swallowed the last of her fish and cleared her throat uncomfortably. "He's right to worry...all it takes is one person dying within the walls of that fortress, and it could wipe out the whole place. On the other hand, if there is some kind of stable population there, then it makes sense to check it out."
Daphne spoke up from the bench, where she sat sharpening sticks with her knife. "I think what Shari is saying is that there's danger if you go, and danger if you stay. It's just the world we live in."
Cesar chuckled. "Damned if we do, and damned if we don't. For sure."
Shari stood, motioning to Daphne. "Well, thanks for lunch, but Daphne and I should probably get back on the road."
"Where are you headed?" Maria asked.
"To my parents' house near Carbondale, then north from there, toward Wisconsin. We figure the undead should be almost a non-issue once they're frozen, and the winters start earlier up there."
"And then they'll thaw into puddles in the spring!" Maria said, her eyes lighting up. "That's a good idea. I never thought of it that way. It makes sense, though. It doesn't seem like the zombies have normal blood flow like we do. God, let them all freeze into ice cubes!" She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her hands together as if praying. "Come on, winter!"
"Are you sure you don't want to take a nap while you're here?" Cesar asked. "Take advantage of the extra safety of having more people around?"
Shari shook her head. "Nah, thanks. We'd probably take you up on it, but we need to take advantage of the daylight."
Cesar nodded. "Yeah, you don't want to travel at night, I understand." He extended his hand to Shari, then Daphne. "We can't thank you enough for what you've done."
"We were glad to do it," Shari said.
"You two be careful," Maria said, hugging each of them. "You'll be in our prayers."
"If you ever come across a ham radio, or a walkie-talkie," Shari said, "get in the habit of using it. Maybe we'll be in touch again someday, and if nothing else, it's a good way to connect with other survivors. Warn them of trouble in the area, or listen to warnings transmitted by others. Maybe you can even find out something about that survivor camp without having to get too close to it."
Cesar nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll look around for walkie-talkies the next time I'm in town." He smirked. "I mean, it's not like I'll know how to use the thing, but we've got time to sit around and figure it out."
Juanita threw her arms around Shari and Daphne.
"I'll never forget you," she
Maria's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "Mm-mmm, you don't wanna go there. The place is a death trap. A guy came through here last week from Georgia, and he made it clear that there's nothing but trouble at the CDC. A lot of people thought that if they made it there, they could save their loved ones. And the result was a huge zombie infestation. Plus, the day this thing broke out, the CDC swore up and down that they had no idea what was going on, and that they had no advice to offer. As far as we know, the survivor camps are all that's left of the old world...the only place left where we can raise our family."
Cesar scoffed. "If there's anyone left alive in them," he muttered as he bit into a piece of fish.
Maria sighed. "Are we really going to get into this right now?"
Cesar shrugged. "You know how me and the others feel about the subject, and still you insist on making the decision for all of us. That survivor camp might be just as much a death trap as the CDC, or anywhere else, for that matter. It seems we're doing just fine on our own, so I don't see why we should put ourselves at risk again to travel to a magical fortress that might not even exist."
Shari swallowed the last of her fish and cleared her throat uncomfortably. "He's right to worry...all it takes is one person dying within the walls of that fortress, and it could wipe out the whole place. On the other hand, if there is some kind of stable population there, then it makes sense to check it out."
Daphne spoke up from the bench, where she sat sharpening sticks with her knife. "I think what Shari is saying is that there's danger if you go, and danger if you stay. It's just the world we live in."
Cesar chuckled. "Damned if we do, and damned if we don't. For sure."
Shari stood, motioning to Daphne. "Well, thanks for lunch, but Daphne and I should probably get back on the road."
"Where are you headed?" Maria asked.
"To my parents' house near Carbondale, then north from there, toward Wisconsin. We figure the undead should be almost a non-issue once they're frozen, and the winters start earlier up there."
"And then they'll thaw into puddles in the spring!" Maria said, her eyes lighting up. "That's a good idea. I never thought of it that way. It makes sense, though. It doesn't seem like the zombies have normal blood flow like we do. God, let them all freeze into ice cubes!" She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her hands together as if praying. "Come on, winter!"
"Are you sure you don't want to take a nap while you're here?" Cesar asked. "Take advantage of the extra safety of having more people around?"
Shari shook her head. "Nah, thanks. We'd probably take you up on it, but we need to take advantage of the daylight."
Cesar nodded. "Yeah, you don't want to travel at night, I understand." He extended his hand to Shari, then Daphne. "We can't thank you enough for what you've done."
"We were glad to do it," Shari said.
"You two be careful," Maria said, hugging each of them. "You'll be in our prayers."
"If you ever come across a ham radio, or a walkie-talkie," Shari said, "get in the habit of using it. Maybe we'll be in touch again someday, and if nothing else, it's a good way to connect with other survivors. Warn them of trouble in the area, or listen to warnings transmitted by others. Maybe you can even find out something about that survivor camp without having to get too close to it."
Cesar nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll look around for walkie-talkies the next time I'm in town." He smirked. "I mean, it's not like I'll know how to use the thing, but we've got time to sit around and figure it out."
Juanita threw her arms around Shari and Daphne.
"I'll never forget you," she
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