Love in the Time of Zombies Read Online Free PDF Page B

delaying the inevitable. Humans are given the will to survive, no matter what. I have to believe there is a reason for that.”
    An undead moan echoed from the pavement below, filling my ears. Their stench fouled the crisp morning air like road kill on the highway.
    “Yep,” I muttered. “The will to survive; no matter what.”

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    I forced myself to get up off the ground. Things had to be done. I needed to call the base and report in. And I needed to dispose of Nick’s body. A sob tried to escape but I pushed it down, refusing to cry right now. It burned in my throat. The time for crying would be later, with everyone else back at the shopping center.
    Beth! Just last week Nick had told me about wanting to marry Beth. The young couple had been just waiting for her father to relent because of their age, as if that mattered anymore.
    “Why don’t you call Jack and I’ll take care of Nick?”
    A weight left my shoulders. I tried to push it back on where it belonged. “Are you sure? You already had to—to, you know?”
    His hands grasped my arms. Their warmth comforted. Just what I needed in this moment. He stared down into my eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. He was your friend.”
    I pulled away and moved to the far corner of the roof. What to say tumbled over in my head, somersaults of platitudes and useless, meaningless words. Beth was the contact at the base. All transmissions were heard by her, unless she was on a break or asleep. She’d probably slept less than I did last night, waiting for the call this morning. I sighed and crossed my fingers.
    Clicking the button on the walkie, I called the base. “This is Emily Gray, reporting in.”
    A mature male voice replied. “This is Streets of Brentwood. Report?”
    “Is Beth there?”
    “She finally fell asleep an hour ago. Do you want me to get her?”
    “No, please don’t.”
    “Okay,” his low, slow gravelly tone said it all. Message received.
    “Nick Cruz passed away this morning at...” I glanced at my watch. “0725. Seth Ripley and I need assistance at the Safeway Center.”
    “Canida has a team ready to go once we heard from you. ETA is thirty minutes. We have a swarm this morning to deal with first.”
    “Thanks. Over and out.” I clicked off the walkie. Leaning over the edge of the roofline, I glared down at the horde below, up and shambling along, a moan ratcheting up as they spotted me. Their rancid odor rising as the morning heat rose. Where were they all coming from? We’d cleaned out this area of town months ago.
    The splash of liquid and the scent of gasoline reached me. I turned slightly and spotted Seth on the far corner. He’d cleared the area of all except for a blanket wrapped bundle. He put down the gas can and took a lighter out of his pocket.
    “Wait,” I yelled across the roof. He looked up and stopped.
    Running over, I pulled back the edge of the soaked blanket and dug into Nick’s pocket. I pulled out a small jewelry box. I covered him back up and moved away.
    “It’s for his girlfriend.” As if a small black velvet box needed an explanation.
    “Do you want to stay?”
    I nodded and moved to Seth’s side. He flicked the lighter and touched it to the blanket. With a whoosh, it caught fire and flames danced across the fabric. The soft blue color faded as my eyes filled with tears.
    I turned my view to the sky when the wrapped bundle turned black. The smoke rose and blew away in a small breeze.
    “Good-bye Nick.”
♦♦♦
    An hour later, two trucks pulled into the parking lot, and men and women jumped out. In short order, all was cleared. The dead and undead alike were piled up and incinerated. The only way we could ever be sure. Burying left the worry of contaminating the water table, not to mention the fear of missing even one of the reanimated. As it was, we were probably polluting the air we breathed. Not many choices left.
    Part of the team had climbed to the roof and organized the supplies to take