Read Online The Afflicted: A Zombie Novel by Russ Watts - Free Book Online

don’t need to know you. Or who that stupid fuckwit was who ran out in front of us. Just stay away from me.”
    Amane was too shocked to reply. Evan offered Amane a club as Karyn walked away.
    “ Sorry. Here, take this.”
    “Thanks. I just thought...” Amane fought back tears and took the club. Evan could see she was fragile right now.
    “ Look, ignore her, her bark’s worse than her bite. Stick by Joe and me.” He gave her a reassuring smile.
    Miguel started jogging off down a side street. “Come on, follow me!” They all followed him, Joe just behind.
    “Hey , Miguel, don’t go shouting too loud okay, we don’t want to attract any attention.”
    Miguel ignored him and jogged further down the deserted side street, flanked on both sides by old wooden houses and high picket fences. The only sound came from the disparate group running for the safety of Miguel’s house. The sun had burnt off the morning haze and despite a few vanishing clouds, the sun shone from a rich, blue sky, heating the city up.
    Up ahead , Miguel had stopped and waved at the others to join him.
    “Here, you see, my house. Easy!”
    Evan winced as Miguel shouted out again a little too loudly, worrying who or what, the noise might attract. Maybe he was being too cautious. Maybe it would be safe. If Miguel had a car, he could borrow it and get to the harbour. Joe would help him. Seeing Karyn holding her children close only made Evan think more about his own children. He longed to be able to hold them close like her. Miguel’s talk of his wife also made Evan wonder if he would ever get to see his wife again. He picked up the pace and watched as Miguel opened a side gate and disappeared through. Joe followed behind into a back garden cluttered with games.
    The group gathered in the garden and Amane, last through, bolted the gate behind her. It felt relatively safe in the garden, surrounded as it was by a tall fence. Still, thought Evan, if a hundred zombies came calling, it would be torn down in a minute. They all watched, catching their breath, as Miguel approached the back door and knocked.
    “My k eys are at work, but don’t worry, my wife, Alma, she’ll be at home. She looks after my mother so she’s always home.”
    Karyn put Lucy down and she and George found a football to kick around. Evan took a step forward. “So your mother lives here too?”
    “Of course, she’s not well. She’s too old to live on her own now.” He knocked again and peered through the dirty glass in the door. It was dark insid e and no one came to answer.
    “ Hmm.” Miguel frowned and tapped on the door again. “Maybe she’s in the bathroom.”
    Evan turned to Joe. “I’m not sure about this. It’s not safe to stay out here. We need to get inside or find a car or...”
    He was cut off by the sound of breaking glass. Karyn had gone down the side of the house, and using one of the golf clubs, smashed open a window.
    “Come on kids,” she called, “in here.” She brushed away the glass as George and Lucy ran up to her. She helped them through the open window into a small bedroom.
    Evan and Joe exchanged looks as Miguel ran up to Karyn. “Hey lady, you gonna pay for that?” Miguel brandished his club, angry. Karyn looked at him, unable to bring herself to think that this poor man was worth speaking to, and with a dismissive cursory glance, she turned away and climbed through the window. Shaking his head, Evan walked down the side of the house toward them. Amane and Joe hung back in the overgrown garden. They heard Karyn call out from inside the house.
    “George? Lucy? Don’t run off, come back here.”
    Evan followed Miguel through the window and was struck by how dark it was. The air was stuffy . It tasted foul and warm. Evan was thirsty and vowed to find the kitchen first. Miguel had wandered off to look for his wife. The room they were in was quite bare, but comfy. Evan tried the switch on the wall and clicked it a few times, but the light did