Survival Instinct Read Online Free PDF

dangers- fellow survivors hadn’t been one of them. She’d lived in a world of relative peace before everything changed last month. The military base was a structured environment. Women weren’t attacked there. She could come and go, and had, at all hours of the day or night with no fear for her safety. She’d thought herself strong and prepared, and she’d naively let herself believe it was so. She’d learned a hard lesson that day, but it was one she wouldn’t forget.
    That wasn’t to say all men were a danger- there had to be some decent males who survived- logic said so. But being on her own in this new, dangerous world meant she needed to be wary of men who hadn’t touched a woman in God only knows how long. She couldn’t just blindly stumble along any longer, hoping for the best.
    A crushing loneliness took over, and she wept bitterly. She hadn’t thought she’d ever feel worse about going through all of these things on her own, but she’d been so very wrong. Nadine closed her burning eyes and prayed to meet up with someone, anyone, she could trust. She prayed until weariness overwhelmed her doubts and insecurities, and finally she fell into a troubled sleep.

NINE
    This is it , Nadine thought excitedly from her perch in a nearby tree. She’d been walking for a week now, sleeping in whatever location seemed safest on the road to nowhere. But now she may have found herself a new home- at least temporarily. That was the hope, anyway. She was tired, bone tired, of living out of a few knapsacks. She was tired of sleeping in the houses of strangers that were no doubt dead- sometimes the dead part was obvious, like when she walked through a doorway and tripped over the mutilated corpse of one of the bitten. He’d been thoroughly devoured, and the wounds showed he’d probably been freshly dead when the creatures started feasting on his flesh. The good news was that he would stay dead, unlike so many others. And most of all, she was tired of sleeping in trees out in the elements when she couldn’t find a safer place to lie up for the night.
    She’d slept in that tree the night before, watching the survivor camp in front of her. Chain-link fences formed a large perimeter around several local stores, including ones selling hardware and groceries. There was even a sporting goods store reminiscent of the one she’d found so many weeks ago. The echo of where she’d been sent chills down her spine, and guilt twisted her insides as she remembered the unknown woman whom she’d failed to save. Resolutely, she shook her head. No, she wouldn’t go back- she’d keep moving forward, and if she was lucky, this could be her home.
    Cautiously, she climbed down from her perch and headed for the barred entrance. Sentries were posted, as one would expect. They were nervous men with weary eyes, armed with long wooden spears that might have once been broom handles. One man , more kid than adult, carried a shotgun while the other, older man had a sniper rifle strung across his upper body with a thick strap made from simple rope. The one with the shotgun was facing her way, so he was the first to spot her His voice shook, and she fought the urge to laugh as he called out, “Halt- who goes there?”
    This kid’s been watching too many cheesy movies , she thought sarcastically, even as she replied, “My name is Nadine Chesterfield. I’m looking for some place where I can be safe. Please don’t shoot- I’m pregnant,” she told him, hands held high with her palms out so that both of them would see she was unarmed and nonthreatening. The one with the shotgun held his weapon trained on her with shaking hands, and she was not surprised to see one finger was on the trigger.
    “Jesus, Dave,” the other one said with disgust. “Put your goddamned gun down, you fucking idiot.” Turning to her, his hands at his sides but not touching his rifle, he yelled back. “You may approach, Nadine, but if you come in, just know that you