Benton: A Zombie Novel: Volume One Read Online Free PDF

there since this all happened.
    Honestly, I’m more worried about humans who may have found it than any zombies wandering around it.
    But Mark, who never seems to stress much, says we can’t worry. We just need to take our chances.
    Here in Illinois, when winter arrives, it will be cold, and the power will likely be gone in most areas. At least in Texas, we’ll be in a warmer climate, and if Mark’s house is still safe, we’ll have a place to call home.
    In the garage, I’m standing behind the van. Sara is sitting at the table. Eli is in the van, organizing. Gary and Katie are in the storage room.
    Mark walks up to me and kisses me on the forehead. He’s been flirting with me ever since yesterday, and last night, when he told me, despite everything that’s going on, he looks forward to our spending time together in Texas.
    His eyes have perked up ever since he started flirting with me. And I’m flirting back, of course. Falling for Mark doesn’t scare me. I’m not afraid of what might happen. It gives me something to think about other than the undead and staying alive.
    And I’m not afraid of losing Mark to this, either, because if anyone is going to survive, it’s Mark. No one calls him the leader, but he may as well be. He’s the smartest and the one with the most logical mind. When he decides, no one questions it. He’s always so serious and organized. But I loosen him up, and it’s nice to see him loosen up.
    “We’re ready to leave. How are you feeling?” says Mark.
    “I feel good; I mean, as good as I can. All I know is, I can’t imagine where I’d be without you guys, especially without a car or anything. How are you doing?”
    “Good, now that you’re here.” Mark runs his hand through his hair. I notice he does it when he’s shy or nervous around me, and it makes me smile. “You came into my life for a reason, I guess.”
    It does not escape me that Mark said I came into his life. Mark is a quiet soul, someone who hides his feelings.
    I step closer to Mark. “I’m happy I met you.”
    Mark looks into my eyes. “Same here.” He kisses me on the forehead again. Then, he takes a deep breath and looks around the room. Now he’s back in leader and organizer mode.
    Eli exits the van and approaches Mark and me. “I think we’re pretty much done with packing,” says Eli. “Are we ready?”
    “Yeah, Gary and Katie are just checking the office to make sure we got everything,” says Mark. “I think we’re cool.”
    Gary leaves the office and walks up to Mark. “You want me to drive, bro?”
    “No, I’ll take the wheel for now.” Mark looks at me. “I’ve got Jen to keep me company.”
    “Or I can drive and she can keep me company,” says Gary with that grin.
    “No, thanks,” I say, and then I walk away to go sit next to Sara over at the table.
    * * *
    Driving on an expressway is a good way to avoid zombies. I wonder if they can sense the expressway is not the place for them. Probably not, but it sure seems like it.
    Right now, I feel about as peaceful as I’ve ever felt. I’m sitting up front in the passenger seat next to Mark. Mark is in the driver’s seat. Behind us, Gary, Eli, and Katie are sleeping. They’re like kids in a car who fall asleep on a long road trip. Sara is reading another book. I don’t know how many books she has, but this has to be the third book I’ve seen her reading since I met her.
    Mark turns to smile at me sometimes, but he mainly stares straight ahead, driving while on the look-out for zombies. We’ve been on the road for about forty-five minutes. Mark doesn’t talk, but I’m enjoying the silence and being with him, despite the presence of four other people in the van.
    We escaped the garage for good. The only issue was a pileup we met soon after we got on the expressway. I’m not sure how it happened, but there were three cars crashed. Two cars were empty with their front doors open, as if whoever was inside dashed off. The third car was