Read Online The Living Dead (Book 1): Contagion by L.I. Albemont - Free Book Online Page A

and kicked both legs as he worked to free his feet. The tape around his ankles had already worn a deep groove into the skin, exposing white bone. He seemed to be unaware that he was tearing away his own flesh. When Portia saw the damage he was doing to himself, she exclaimed and began to move toward him but reaching out quickly Virginia pulled her back. Bill heard them. He moaned and reached out yearningly. Portia broke free of Virginia and rushed toward her husband, reaching for him and as she did, he sank his teeth into her hand shaking his head like a dog as he bit down hard. Portia screamed as he ripped the skin from her hand. One foot came free when he lunged for her. Now with that slight additional mobility he reached out with both arms, pulled her forward and bit into her shoulder. Her screams faded to choking gurgling sounds as he leaned over, snapped her neck, and tore open her throat. Virginia watched, frozen in shock, as Portia died before her eyes. Bill tore open his wife’s abdomen, pulling handfuls of entrails from her body and devouring them. Virginia wasn’t aware of making a sound but Bill turned in her direction, straining against the layers of tape still holding one foot to the bed. His lips dripped blood and his mouth snapped at her as he moaned. She turned and fled just as he tore his foot free and started down the hall, torn skin flapping wetly around his ankle. She was almost down the stairs when he reached the top and, attempting to descend, stumbled and fell down the steps, knocking her to the floor, pinning her. She struggled to get out from underneath the stinking mass of his body. Kicking him off her she got to her feet but lost her balance, falling and hitting her side hard on the stone edge of the raised fireplace hearth. He was on his feet now, moving in an oddly uncoordinated way, but still clearly coming after her, gnashing his teeth. She scrambled backwards toward the fireplace when she heard a ringing crash behind her. Reaching back, never taking her eyes off of him, she felt behind her until her hand closed around the iron fireplace poker. She pulled it in front of her as Bill lurched towards her. He clutched at her, hissing, mouth open wide. She kicked him hard in the knees causing him to fall forward. The sharpened tip of the poker went straight through the soft flesh under his chin and came out the top of his head. He slumped sideways, twitched a few times, then was still. Black fluid dribbled out of his mouth.
                Drawing ragged breaths, Virginia began to tremble. Pulling away from Bill’s body she drew her knees up to her chest trying to stop shaking. She felt a stabbing pain in her side and noted that her shirt was covered in blood, probably her own. Just then, she heard a sound incongruous in this night of horrors. It was her mother in law’s “Mr. Blue Sky” ring tone.
                She got to her feet, trying to remember where Portia had put their coats. Her phone was in her coat pocket. The sound seemed to echo throughout the house and she couldn’t pinpoint it. She checked the hall closet but her coat wasn’t there. It wasn’t in the kitchen either. The phone still rang, that ridiculously happy song mocking her efforts to find it. She finally found it in the living room. Her coat had fallen behind the wing back chair in the corner. She grabbed it and fished the phone out just as it stopped ringing. She hit Reply to call back but the call kept dropping. She almost threw the phone in frustration. Instead, she called the police department to report what had just occurred. She knew a direct line to the department that was quicker than calling the line for the public and going through all the prompts. She had committed murder, accidental and in self-defense, but still murder and she had to report it.
                The phone picked up after just three rings. She didn’t recognize the voice.
                “Hello? Wells Police