Fighting to Survive Read Online Free PDF Page B

I'm
not that old. ” Though her voice was stern, she winked at him. She ignored Bill's
attempt to help her off the ladder, but he still took hold of her
arm as she lowered her booted feet to the redbrick road.
    “ Stores
are all clear, but we got one or two dead guys trying to bust in a
back door. Making an awful fuss now that they know we're here, ” Ed said.
    Nerit
nodded. They had called her over when no one could get a clear shot
at the zombie or zombies. They had seen her in action and knew she
was a deadly shot. All the survivors were fascinated by her past as
an Israeli Army sniper. It amused Nerit, but at the same time it
gave her a sense of purpose in her new home.
    Nerit
had brought her old Galil sniper rifle with her from the hunting
store she had shared with Ralph. Over the years it had developed a
few issues, but Ralph had carefully restored it. Her ammunition for
the weapon was limited, but she had shunned several hunting rifles
offered to her. It was a good weapon, but also it was a reminder of
her deceased husband's thoughtfulness and appreciation for her
skills.
    “ I
can get him, ” Nerit assured Ed.
    “ You
ain't seen him yet, ” Ed answered.
    “ I
can get him or them, ” she repeated.
    Ed
looked at her for a long moment, a thoughtful expression on his
grizzled face then shrugged. “ We'll
get you up on the roof. ”
    Nerit
smiled warmly at Jenni as she passed the much younger woman. The
brunette was holding an ax smeared in foul, congealed zombie blood
and looking at the older woman worriedly. Nerit knew Jenni had
confidence in her abilities and did not doubt her. The look of
concern was because Nerit had lost her husband to the bandits. What
Jenni didn't understand was Nerit had accepted that loss. It was not
easy to let Ralph go, but he was gone. She was part of a new family:
she was determined to help them survive.
    “ Good
luck, Nerit, ” Jenni said.
    “ Thank
you, Jenni, ” she answered with a warm smile.
    They
entered a darkened store and Ed lead the way to a staircase near the
back. The store smelled of mold and mildew, the wood floor creaked
as they walked. Motes of dust swirled around in the few shafts of
sunlight that managed to puncture through the grime covering the
large plate glass windows in the front. The stairs moaned as she
ascended them. She was careful with her footing, as it was obvious
that the store had stood empty for nearly a decade. Rat droppings
and dead insects littered the wood floor of the second floor.
    “ Got
windows here, but the view is blocked out by the Dollar Store. It's
a newer building and comes out further than the rest of the stores in
the back. Probably built out a bit for storage and loading, ” Ed explained.
    Nerit
glanced out a broken window. A spider had taken great pains to fill
in the gap between the glass and the wood frame with an intricate
web. Nerit could see into the back alley that opened up behind the
Dollar Store into an empty dirt lot. She could hear the zombie or
zombies howling and slamming up against the loading doors of the
Dollar Store, but she could not see the undead.
    “ Roof
is this way, ” Ed said, and guided her up another set of very rickety steps.
    Nerit
was rather worried about Bill and his weight, but he followed them,
treading very carefully. Ed pushed open a rickety door and they
stepped out into the sunshine. The roof was not in the best
condition, but seemed sturdier than the stairway.
    The
town spread out around them in a panorama. The red brick buildings
of downtown looked quite lovely against the scenic green hills
surrounding the town. The large hotel hovered behind them,
untouched, waiting for them to invade. It actually was quite
beautiful until you took in the cement brick walls closing off the
construction site, the long abandoned storefronts, and a few zombies
wandering around in the distance.
    Nerit
walked to the edge of the building as the warm air buffeted her
yellowed silver hair from her face. The