Generation Dead (Book 3): Beyond The Gates Read Online Free PDF

briefly with a long look at her lovely posterior. At the top we looked into each room and came to the same conclusion.
    “Looks like they skipped,” Julia said, pointing to a rope tied to a door, leading out a window.
    “I’d say that would explain why the zombies didn’t go up here,” I said.  “They just bought themselves enough time to get out.”
    As we turned back down the stairs, I heard Julia say something quietly.
    “Hope they made it.”
    She had seen the kids’ rooms just like I had.  I hoped they made it as well.

Chapter 8
     
     
    Back at the main house, we got back together with Jake and Kayla. They had searched this house top to bottom and had come up with a much different conclusion.
    “This house had been abandoned years before the Upheaval,” Jake said.
    I hadn’t expected that.  “Why?”
    “The dust hasn’t been disturbed at all except for us,” Kayla said.  “And we found these.”  She held out several magazines, and all of them were dated years before the zombies walked.
    Julia shrugged.  “Well, I guess we’ll camp here for the night.  Kayla and I will clean up a little while you to strong men get our gear.”  She reached up and gave me a lingering kiss, not allowing me to come up for air until she pulled away, looking at me with her deep blue eyes. “Okay?” she asked sweetly.
    I was only good for a nod.
    Jake grunted as he headed for the door.  “I never get asked like that…”
    Kayla smiled.  “No, you get asked other ways, my love.”
    Outside Jake and I pulled out the gear we would need for the night.  I dragged  out a camp stove and a supply of water while Jake pulled up the food and rummaged a bit.
    It was when we came back to the van that we heard it.  Out of the west came a deep booming sound, rolling over the hills and rushing past our ears.  It was the sound of a heavy rifle, and we waited to hear if there were any more shots.  There weren’t.
    Jake spoke first. “Thoughts?”
    I shook my head.  “Just thinking about our friend in the hills.”
    Jake nodded. “Wonder what the hell is going on?”
    In answer there came a sound in the wind.  It was a low wailing, like someone was mourning the loss of a close friend.  It rose to high pitch, then nothing.  A second later, two short screams, then nothing.
    Jake and I shared a look.  We reached into the van at the same time and brought out our heavy rifles.  I checked the load on my M1A, and Jake checked the magazine on his AR-10.  We used these for times when we might have a live fight on our hands.  We had found the hard-hitting .308 spoke volumes for getting peace out of our adversaries. In this case, we just wanted the firepower.
    Jake also pulled out a small case and a slender tube. I smiled when I saw that.  Jake had gotten interested in archery while he was recovering, and he seemed to have a knack for it.  He hit everything he aimed at and found that he liked the recurve bows the best.  I had to admit, he was good with the thing, and the ability to kill at a distance silently was a huge advantage sometimes.  I didn’t know what Jake’s ultimate limit was, but I had seen him hit a baseball at seventy-five yards five times out of six.  The tube held his unstrung bow, and the case held his arrows. 
    We walked back to the house, and when we were within five feet of the door we heard a different sound.  This one we had heard before, and anyone who had ever heard it and lived never forgot the sound.
    It was the low moan of a zombie, rising to the hunt.
    “Well, hell,” Jake said, getting his gear into the house. 
    “Yep. Let’s get this one done.  Sounds like he’s close,” I said, dropping off the gear and my rifle.
    “Who’s close?” Kayla asked.  She had a smudge of dirt on her chin, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail.
    “Zombie out there.  Sounds like he’s close.  Aaron and I will go get him,” Jake said, getting his weapons in place.  He left the rifle