Dead Cold Read Online Free PDF Page A

that had been emanating from it. Lighting a smoke in an attempt to get the image of James being devoured by the creatures Roland offered one to Crystal and she accepted. “Thanks. Do you think the others made it?”
     
    “ I’m sure they did that truck had some pretty good tires, hell they’re probably at the top of the hill by now.” Roland lied, something that came way too easy he found.
     
    “ Yah, I suppose you’re right.” She didn’t believe him but she wasn’t going to argue.
     
    Taking a thoughtful puff of his cigarette as they crossed the bridge Roland remembered something and took a left up towards Thickwood. “What are you doing? My brother’s in Timberlea!” Panic filled Crystal’s voice as she looked around worriedly.
     
    “ I need to make a stop in Thickwood, we only have one shotgun and no food. I want to be prepared if anything happens between here and Edmonton.” He flicked ash out the wind as he tried to keep the Jeep in the center of the three lanes as he maneuvered up the big hill.
     
    “ You’re crazy, your going to get us both killed by those things, why can’t we get my brother first.” She dropped her smoke out the window rolling it back up.
     
    “ These things are attracted to the living right? Well if your brother and his girlfriend are trapped in a house surrounded by them, do you really think I could stop them all with just a shotgun?” He flicked his smoke out the window leaving it rolled down.
     
    She thought about what he said, knowing he was right. “Fine but where are you planning to get guns in Fort Crack?”
     
    “ Outdoor Essentials in Thickwood has guns and camping gear. It’s our one stop shop.” He tried to smile and forget the four people he had just watched die.
     
    She glared at him and folded her arms. “Fine, but we better not get killed.”
     
    They drove the rest of the way up the hill in silence Roland trying to come up with a plan to get them safely to Edmonton, praying the store hadn’t been looted, Crystal’s brother was alive, and the Hummer still worked. Pulling into the parking lot at Outdoor Essentials he got his first bit of good news, the store appeared untouched the door and bars still in place. “Guess the evacuation didn’t leave much time for looting.” He mused; backing up to the doors.
     
    “ Wasn’t really time for anything for people in Thickwood, even less for those in Timberlea.” Roland could hear the sadness in Crystal’s voice, her optimism about her brother was fading.
     
    “ Well it works to our advantage, now we just need to find a way to get that door open.” The door was glass with iron bars on the inside and a heavy lock, Crystal hefted the shotgun but Roland shook his head. “Won’t work on this door, unless…”
     
    He spotted a padlock on the right side of the bars; one of the twelve-gauge slugs might be able to shatter the lock, allowing them access to the store. Putting the Jeep in park and grabbing the shotgun he unloaded the two remaining shells in the magazine and filled it with four of the metal slug shells from his backpack. Cocking the shotgun Roland opened the door, the storm wasn’t nearly as bad earlier he didn’t have to squint as he shut the door and headed for the entrance to the sporting goods store.
     
    The shotgun’s heavy slug disintegrated the glass and the lock easily and the bar’s swung inwards, the store eerily quiet. Crystal was still sitting in her seat when he opened the hatch. “You gonna come help or you gonna guard the car? It’s up to you.” Roland said folding down the back seats.
     
    She turned and glared at him but got out of the Jeep coming around to stand next to him while he looked around the store. “Alright genius, what are we here for?”
     
    “ Camping gear; sleeping bags, a camp stove, fire starters, glow sticks, a hatchet, that kind of stuff. We don’t know what things are like south of here and I don’t want to be unprepared.” Roland