Read Online The Walls of Lemuria by Sam Sisavath - Free Book Online

sign.”
    “FEMA is the United States government,” Keo added. “If they’re down, then this thing is nationwide—not just isolated to Louisiana.”
    “This just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?” Tori said. Her hands were trembling as they held a can of Coke in her lap.
    “I wouldn’t say that,” Keo said.
    “Why not?”
    “We’re still alive. Most of the town isn’t.”
    She nodded. Jake put his arm around her and pulled her against him. She leaned her head against his shoulder and stared off at nothing in particular.
    “Fort Damper is our best shot to find out what’s happening out there,” Norris said. “If the United States government has gone dark, the base will know what happened, and more importantly, what to do next.”
    “You think Damper’s a good idea, too?” Jake asked Keo.
    He shrugged. “I can’t say. But I’m not sure staying here is a good idea, either. If we have to go somewhere, I guess a military base is as good a place as any.”
    “Well, we’re going wherever you guys are,” Rachel said. “I’m definitely not staying here with Christine.”
    Christine gave Keo and Norris a hearty salute.
    “What about you guys?” Norris asked the three newcomers.
    They exchanged a brief look before Jake said, “Sounds like a plan, I guess.” He nodded at Norris’s shotgun. “You got any more of those weapons? We only managed to grab Henry’s shotgun before we left the farm.”
    “There’s one more in the back,” Norris said. “Though I don’t know how useful it’ll be, to be honest with you. I shot two of those things with this shotgun at point-blank range this morning and they just kept coming. And Rachel ran one over last night with her car when we were entering town.”
    “It didn’t stay down,” Rachel said. “It got back up and chased us.” She shivered a bit. “I ran it over twice. Once with the front tire, then again with the back. But it just got up like nothing happened.”
    “It looks like sunlight’s our only weapon against these things,” Norris said. “We need to take advantage of that.” He glanced at his watch. “Sunset is at five, so that gives us seven hours of sunlight to get to Fort Damper. That’s plenty of time.”
    “How far is it from here?” Rachel asked.
    “About 150 miles. It’s three hours on the road if we haul ass, slightly longer if we take it slow and easy. The worst thing you can do during times of crisis is rush on the highways. The resulting accidents usually kill more people than the thing they’re running from.”
    “Didn’t you get into a car accident last night?” Keo asked.
    “Don’t rub it in.”
    Keo chuckled, then nodded at Aaron. “What about him?”
    “Aaron,” Norris said. “You have a say in this, too. You coming with us?”
    “I guess,” Aaron said. He didn’t take his eyes from the streets outside. “Can’t stay here. Everyone’s dead. Everyone’s dead…”
    They were all looking at Aaron, perhaps thinking the same thing that Keo was (The kid’s not going to last) , when something squawked in the background and they all heard a voice.
    “Can anyone hear me out there? If you can hear me, please respond.”
    The voice was female, and it was coming from the Motorola radio Keo had brought out from the armory with Norris.
    “Is anyone monitoring this channel? Hello?”
    Keo snatched up the radio and pressed the transmit lever. “We can hear you. Over.”
    “Oh, thank God,” the woman said. “I thought we were alone out here. Who am I speaking to?”
    “My name’s Keo. What’s yours?”
    “Gillian. My name’s Gillian. Where are you, Keo?”
    “Since we’re talking on a two-way, I’m guessing I’m close by,” Keo said. “I’m in Bentley, Louisiana.”
    “Bentley! I’m in Bentley, too.”
    “Where are you, exactly?”
    “We’re at the hospital,” Gillian said. “We could really use some help over here, Keo. I have a dozen people with me, including one in a wheelchair.”
    Keo