Survival Read Online Free PDF Page A

grunting at the
pain in his leg when he shifted. She straightened it out and handed
it to Dana.
    "I don't mean to be ungrateful, sis, but I
really don't want to wear anything that's touched any of them." She
tried to hand it back.
    "You're freezing, your shirt won't stay
closed, and we have a long walk. It's either this or mine decorated
with zombie brain. Your choice." Dana looked from the shirt in her
hand to Sarah's.
    "Fine. Although, I'm not sure I'm not
getting the short end here." She huffed, yanking it over her head
covering the ripped shirt.
    While Dana dressed, Sarah unlocked her own
cuff finally free of the metal chaffing her wrist. She checked the
corridor again to make sure they were still alone.
    Sarah stood over the man again. "Where's
your friend?"
    "You just killed him," he said, pointing to
the prone figure on the floor.
    She picked up the gun she had relieved him
of and checked it. "Not him . . . the other one. Ron." She handed
the weapon to Dana. "It's loaded and ready to shoot. You just have
to pull the trigger." Dana nodded and took the gun. Sarah turned
back to the couch. "So? Where is he?"
    "He left to go get some food."
    "Both cars were here when I got back. He has
to be here, so you'd better keep talking if you want to keep
breathing." She waved the machete in his face.
    "I don't know. That's what he said. He was
going to get food. If he's back, I don't know where he is." His
eyes widened and she thought he might be telling the truth.
    She nodded. "I'm real sorry to have to do
this, but . . ."
    Sarah raised the knife over his heart and
plunged downward.
    "Sarah!" Dana grabbed her arm, halting the
blade's decent. "What are you doing? You just can't kill him. He's
got a broken leg and he's unarmed."
    Sarah pulled her sister to the other side of
the room and whispered, "Dana. It's hell out there already. We have
got to get out of here and get somewhere safe. You know psychos
like this. What if he tries to come after us because we got away?
Because I broke his leg and killed his friend?"
    "But . . ." She gulped.
    A thump made them both jump around. The man
was no longer on the sofa, but crawling toward the door, groaning
each time he had to move his broken leg. His breathing was labored.
He probably wouldn't make it with that leg. Not without medical
intervention anyway.
    "It's a new world out there, Dana. New
rules. Only those who are willing to do the hard things are going
to survive."
    Tears formed in her eyes and she brushed
them away. She had spent her whole adult life so far helping
people. Trying to make the right choices. Now she had killed one
man. Sure, he had been about to rape her sister, but he was still
dead because of her. Could she kill someone unarmed and unable to
defend himself?
    "Who am I kidding? I don't think I can kill
him like he is."
    Sarah pulled her shoulders back and faced
the man again. "Because of my sister, you're getting a reprieve.
I'm not sure you'll make it with a break like that and no help, but
if you do — do yourself a favor and stay away from us. If I see you
again, I'll assume you're a threat and I will kill you."
    She grabbed Dana's hand and pulled her to
the door. Easing her head around the doorframe, she found the
corridor clear. To the left, a glass door led to the outside. Sarah
ran ahead and tried the door. It opened. She held it for her sister
and motioned her forward.
    They both took deep breaths when they
emerged into the night air and moved to the side of the building.
As Sarah passed the corner, a hand reached out and grabbed her,
pulling her against a hard chest, a knife at her throat. He knocked
the knife from her shaking hand and took the guns from her
holsters.
    "Sarah!" Dana pulled the gun and held it out
in front of her with both hands. Sarah knew she had not practiced
shooting in years, so she was a little surprised when her sister
fell into a proper stance without hesitation. An engine roared in
the distance.
    "Drop the gun or I'll open up her