The Last Five Days: The Complete Novel: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Read Online Free PDF Page B

trashcans. A man dressed in a black biohazard-type suit paced the boat, stopping every few feet to scan the area through binoculars. They'll leave soon. I just have to stay quiet. Before the thought could completely register, Winston's watch chirped. He placed his hand over his wrist to muffle the sound before common sense stepped in and assured him there was no way anyone on the boat could hear the alarm. It was one; this alarm warned Winston that he had an hour before his daily progress report was due. Winston despised the report. It was an insult, but necessary, thanks to several people at work who weren't as productive as Don Reynolds thought they should be.
    Winston eyed the gap in the trashcans again. The man still paced. Was the boat a permanent fixture now? It was possible. The town was surrounded. If the military was "protecting" all borders, the lake was surely one of them. Winston couldn't stay hidden. Darkness would come before he knew it. Winston didn't want to be outside at night.
    "Turn away from the dock now."
    The words sent a chill through Winston. Something grabbed his ankle and dragged him from his hiding spot. He turned to see Cliff Peterson, the town postman, pulling Winston's leg to his mouth. Winston was too concerned with the boat. He forgot that he was still in a war zone. Winston jerked his leg, trying to free it from Cliff's grasp. The movement only succeeded in bringing Winston farther into the open. He planted his foot on Cliff's knee, buckling it just as a gunshot rang out. The bullet missed Cliff's head as he fell next to Winston. Another bullet ricocheted off the pavement next to Winston's head. Cliff grabbed the collar of Winston's jacket, tearing it to the sleeve. Winston pulled away, and the sleeve peeled down his arm. He slipped away from Cliff and backed against a trashcan. A bullet pierced the can next to him.
    "I'm not dying here, goddammit."
    Cliff crawled toward Winston, who planted his feet on Cliff's shoulders and kicked with everything he had. The force lifted Cliff above the trashcans. A bullet hit him in the cheek, destroying his face. Winston struggled to gain purchase and ran in a zigzag manner toward the diner. When there was enough safe distance between him and the shooter, Winston stopped, put his hands on knees, and started to cough. Terror gripped him. He ran the back of his hand under his nose, feeling for blood. Nothing but sweat. Winston let out a sigh and headed for home.
    Winston's house was within walking distance of Luther's Diner. As he walked, he noted the carnage. Windows broken, doors knocked in, and bodies strewn over lawns. Black Dog was a beautiful place to live and now it was a graveyard. Winston passed Harry's house. He closed his eyes and saw his old friend mowing his lawn, stopping to give a wave. He opened his eyes and saw Harry lying in the spot where Winston shot him. For a moment, Winston thought about burying his friend. Giving Harry a proper burial seemed the right thing to do. Winston's body didn't agree. Every joint cursed him. Winston was falling apart, but he refused to accept that he was infected. He made a promise to his wife that he would save her. Winston never broke his promises. He stepped onto his front porch and gave one last look to the neighborhood before going inside.
    Winston flipped the light switch. He was thankful when the living room lit up. Eventually, there wouldn't be electricity. He locked the door, double checking the deadbolt, before taking a seat in his recliner. Winston grabbed the remote just as he did every day after returning from work. Satellite television was something else Winston was thankful for. The world was ending, yet he could still catch the afternoon news. It took a few seconds for his older television to warm up before a picture appeared on the screen. Usually, the sound preceded the picture, but there was silence. Winston pressed the volume button on the remote. No sound. A black screen appeared. White