Desolation Boulevard Read Online Free PDF Page A

pub’s customers. Matt stared, unable to move. He tried to
count them, but had to start over a couple of times because his
brain didn’t want to work rationally. He counted at least fourteen
bodies, but he wasn’t sure because they were packed in so tightly,
and some of the smaller ones (children, he realised with horror)
were actually on top of the others. As Matt played the beam of
light across faces he recognised most of them - John Smith, the
butcher; Mrs Emerson who worked at the supermarket; a young couple
whose names he didn’t know, but recognised from around town;
Manfred, the publican; Billy the bartender; and others.
    Matt’s mind reeled, and his legs felt too
weak to stand on. This was far worse than finding the Thompsons’
under their double bed, because this gruesome discovery made him
realise that he was probably all alone in Millfield. But why? What
could have caused this to happen? Why had everyone congregated in
dark places? Would they ever wake up? Then, in contrast to the
macabre serenity of the scene before him, Matt noticed an almost
imperceptible movement from the corner of his eye. He hurriedly
jerked the flashlight towards it, and illuminated a large, brown
cockroach, crawling slowly over the neck of Billy the cook. Matt
was initially mesmerised, as he watched the insect gently exploring
the man’s motionless form, before crawling onto his face. Matt
couldn’t move. There was something primal and disturbing about the
vision that kept Matt entranced, until Billy’s hand moved rapidly
to brush the cockroach away. Matt jumped. “Billy!” he blurted. But
the chef’s arm had already gone back to its original position, and
he was motionless once more.
    Suddenly it became too much for Matt and he
could feel the bile rising from his stomach. He turned and ran from
the horrors before him, up the stairs and into the afternoon
sunshine, before vomiting into the gutter.  He knew he was
suffering from shock, which would probably get worse later, but for
the time being he somehow needed to keep himself together. It was
impossible. He felt the world around him fade to black, and he
looked down at the footpath, thinking that it would probably be
best if he sat down for a minute. But it was too late. His brain
had already made the decision, and he slumped to the ground
unconscious.

Chapter 7
     
    The offices behind the main foyer of the
Police Station were empty and abandoned, as Sally had guessed they
would be.
    “ Hello? Is anybody here? I
need help,” She pleaded, knowing that there would be no
answer.
    Sally had no idea what to do. It seemed as
if everyone on the planet had evacuated and left her behind. It was
like a nightmare. She walked back outside and looked up and down
the abandoned streets and listened carefully, but apart from the
occasional bark of a dog, she heard nothing. Since she had no
better alternative, she decided to explore the most familiar parts
of her neighbourhood, to try to find some clues as to what had
happened, and then she would return home to reassess her dire
situation.
    As she walked, she marvelled at the change
that had come so suddenly over her city. “This is science fiction,”
she thought. How could a city of over three million people just
disappear into thin air? It was impossible surely? And then she
heard it - the sound of glass breaking! She froze and listened. Had
she imagined it? She was so still that if there were anyone around
to see her now, they would have thought she was a statue. There it
was again - the sound of breaking glass. No mistake this time. She
felt immense relief; she wasn’t the only person left; there was at
least one other. But what if they were a danger to her? Because the
city was so quiet Sally had no idea how far the sound had
travelled. It might have been kilometres away or just around the
corner, and although she was desperate to make contact with another
person, she was wary. Society’s rules, for the time being anyway,
were