Ghost Run Read Online Free PDF Page B

third lying crumpled on the dock.
    I could make out the painted checkered pattern on the machine’s “chest” as it neared the end of the dock. And it wasn’t actually trying to push the undead into the water but merely counter- balancing being relentlessly nudged by them.
    It reached the frayed rope where I cut my dinghy loose and just stood there, staring at me with its rapid rotating mirror-like visual sensor. There were too many undead still on the dock—I didn’t think the machine could jump down into the kayak and doubted that the salt water would be very good for it. From my estimation,the thing weighed well over a hundred pounds. But I still wanted what I had in the saddlebag; doom on the machine.
    I pressed the blue stay button on the beacon device and watched its head retract and its chassis lower to the docks with a dull thump. With the marina infested and the surrounding waters churning with undead, I decided to forgo retrieving the saddlebag for now and head back to Solitude .
    Back on board, I moored the kayak to the aft end of Solitude and began to strip down. My body was filthy from hours in the plastic radiation suit. Down to my skivvies and gas mask, I tossed the contaminated suit into the water. Using a bar of soap and the boat’s potable water, I took a quick but glorious shower on the fantail. I could hear the propane kick on when I turned the shower nozzle, instantly heating the water right before it exited the showerhead.
    After checking the radiation readings, I tossed my mask below-decks and put on some clean clothes and a paper N95 mask, along with the decontaminated beacon watch. At this distance, it was impossible to make out the machine, but I could see undead still milling about on the docks. With plenty of daylight remaining, I fully decontaminated and stowed my kit, and decided to rack out for a couple of hours.
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    My alarm went off at 3:00 P.M . I sat in my rack for a few minutes before swinging my legs over and lacing up my boots. I poured some water into my metal coffee cup and brought it to near scalding on the propane stove before adding the instant coffee. I hoped that my supply would never run out, but knew it was an eventuality. Someday there would be a world without coffee, albeit instant. It was raining lightly, disturbing the murky green Gulf Coast water.
    Checking the Geiger, I felt okay about not wearing the full-on gas mask. The N95 would be more than enough, especially with the light rain keeping any radioactive dust settled.
    The docks were calm now; I could only see a handful of creatures through my binoculars. I secured the dinghy and started Solitude ’s diesel engine. With a flick of a switch, her windlass began hauling the anchor from the depths, back into the sunlight.I wouldn’t attempt to single-hand a boat any larger than Solitude , and even then it wasn’t easy. I brought her around and made my way back to the marina, keeping a careful eye on the Geiger and the waters ahead.
    As I neared the dock, Solitude ’s bow parted undead bodies like an Arctic icebreaker. Passing by, I saw they were being nibbled apart by fish; some had massive bite marks.
    Sharks.
    I throttled down and got the line ready. The engine noise was beginning to draw attention. With my boat in idle, I slipped the line over the cleat, letting the aft end drift. I ran up the bow and jumped off the metal rail onto the dock.
    The rain was beginning to come down hard. I couldn’t see too far beyond the marina. The wood creaked from half a dozen corpses advancing, arms out. One of them tripped over the uneven boards, face-planting. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. I shot its entourage and then removed the saddlebag from the dormant machine.
    Human beings aren’t always rational. I had every intention to jump back on board Solitude and just leave, but I had to ask myself, Why did you bring Solitude in the first place