Read Online The Left Series (Book 2): Left Alone by Christian Fletcher - Free Book Online

men. We had women here once, not so long ago but the boat men came and took all of them. That’s why we put up the fence and armed ourselves, to stop boat men coming here again. We all came here when the dead began to rise up and walk. We came out here to get away from society but bad men still around, even when most folk are dead.”
    “Where can we find these men?” Smith asked.
    Top Hat sighed and stubbed out his cigarette on the floor with his foot.
    “How can we be sure you’re not with the boat men?”
    “We’re not, I assure you,” I said. “We shot two of them back at the Marina a few miles downriver.”
    “You killed boat men?”
    “We shot one of them dead,” I lied, omitting the fact we left him to be eaten alive by the zombies. “The other one got away on the Navy boat with our friend and all our weapons and supplies. They sunk our boat and we got away from the marina in a shitty, small speed boat that broke down on the river. We moored it on the bank. We’ve got jack shit left apart from the hand guns we carried and two bottles of booze.”
    Top Hat’s gaze flicked between Smith and me. I guessed he was weighing up whether we were telling the truth or not. We sure as shit were heading for a rough time if he thought we were telling lies.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
    Top Hat leaned back in his chair and rocked the two front legs slightly off the floor. He tilted his head back and to one side, studying us.
    “How come you survived all this time?”
    “We escaped from New York City in an old coastguard boat,” I explained. “We’ve been sailing around the coast, heading south for the last few months. We’ve been looking for a safe place to hole up for a while.”
    “You avoided the zombie in New York?”
    “It was rough but we managed somehow. We lost a few of our party along the way,” Smith said.
    Top Hat nodded.
    “I can’t decide to believe your story or not. But I’m a reasonable man so I’ll let you on your way. You’ll find boat men along the river, further up.”
    “Okay, we appreciate that,” Smith said. “Can you fix us up with some spare weapons and ammo?”
    Top Hat laughed and shook his head. “We let you on your way on one condition. You leave the guns you carried here with us.” He prodded the table with his index finger, as if to reiterate his command.
    Smith sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair.
    “So you’re turning us free without any weapons, with zombies and bad guys running amok out there?”
    “That’s the deal. You bring our women back here and we’ll return your guns,” Top Hat confirmed.
    I didn’t think a bad situation could get any worse, but it just had.
    “Where did you get all your weapons from?” I asked.
    “Used to be an army base up the river.” Top Hat waved his right arm. “We took all the guns and ammo that was left after boat men took our women. We patrol the area for zombies and boat men at least every hour. We’ll make sure you get down to the river.”
    At least Top Hat and his crew gave us a meal of sorts before we left their camp. A chubby guy appeared through the doorway, carrying two bowls containing a fishy soup- like substance. He plunked the bowls on the table in front of us and handed Smith and I a tarnished spoon each.
    Top Hat grinned and gestured for us to eat. I didn’t like the look or smell of the gruel but didn’t know if and when we were going to eat again, so I had no choice but to tuck in. Smith pulled a resigned face and also slurped away.
    “Good luck to you,” Top Hat said after we’d finished our soup.
    I didn’t know if he was being genuine or discarding us like irritating insects. Skull Face and Half Face held their shot guns and waited for us by the doorway. I noticed they carried hand axes looped into their belts. They motioned towards the daylight streaming through the open threshold.
    The dazzling sun caused us to squint and