Zombified (Episode 3): Garden Harbor Read Online Free PDF

years.  Wedged under the passenger seat, Matty found a warped coffee can, a squishy candy bar, a rusty pocketknife, and a condom wrapper.
    He worked Joey and Dana into a sitting position, heads reclined on the seatbacks and legs stretched out.  Without first aid supplies, there was little he could do to help them. 
    I have to find some water , he thought.  Going near a lake with the possibility of bottom-feeding zombies wasn't high on his list, but neither was dehydration.  Most of the nearby brush was dry, and oodles of pine needles littered the clearing—fire wouldn't be a problem.  A small fire, some clean water… maybe we'll walk out of here in decent shape .      
    Matty scooped up the coffee can and headed off, hesitating at the edge of the campsite, listening for any movement; he had the sickening fear of coming back to find Joey and Dana eaten by wandering munchers. 
    It's dead quiet .  He grinned and shook his head.  Not funny, Matty .  Stepping slowly and softly, he picked a way through the foliage, heading in the direction—from what he remembered—where Pawranna Lake should lie. 
    It wasn't long before he heard the rhythmic splashing of water and smelled the aroma of washed earth.  Crouching behind a cluster of mossy rock, Matty stared at the lake and listened intently.  Satisfied with the silence, he crept to the shore and filled the coffee can.  He considering chugging it right there but the thought of what might be in that can-sized liquid ration made him cringe.
    At least the container doubles as a pot .  He carried the can back to the campsite and set it down on the hood of the car.  Dana had shifted and slid down the seat onto Joey's leg; she was snoring, and bead of drool hang from the corner of her mouth.
    Matty gathered clusters of pine needles, twigs, and fallen branches; he set them in a teepee formation and surrounded the structure with a ring of stones.  Using the pocketknife and a chunk of gray flaky stone, he set to work lighting the tinder.
    Thank god for survival shows.  He blew the smoldering ember until tongues of flame licked the standing sticks.  As it burned, Matty stacked more rocks around the fire, creating a wall to mute the light.
    "How long was I out?" Joey's voice was groggy and slurred.  "Where are we?"
    "Pawranna Campgrounds," Matty replied.  He helped Joey out of the wagon and onto the ground near the fire.  "My guess is you've been out for four or five hours, dude.  We hit a spike strip outside of Hatchet and Bad Betty crashed."
    "I remember that." Joey rubbed his temples and sighed heavily.  "Where's all our shit?  Where's Hank and Gigi?"
    Matty stared into the growing fire.  How am I supposed to break this news?
    "Matty?" Joey coughed; his face darkened.  "What happened?"
    "They're gone, Joe.  There was a gang at Hatchet and they took everything.  Hank and Gigi didn't survive the crash."
    "What?" Joey roared and leapt to his feet.  "Why the fuck didn't you do something?"
    "You were out cold, man.  They were on us in seconds.  I woke up with a shotgun in my face."  Matty looked up at him.  "There was nothing to do."
    "Bullshit!" Joey grabbed Matty by the collar and hauled him up.  "You were armed!  You let them die, you chickenshit!"
    "Get it out now, Joe, but it won't change anything.  You're alive because of me." Matty tore free from Joey's grip and stepped back.  "I got us out of there in a piece of shit station wagon!  I carried your ass to the car and blasted through a horde of bodies."
    Joey heaved and shook; his eyes flicked to the car.  "What happened to Dana?"
    "They were shooting at us during the escape."  Matty pointed to his left shoulder.  "She took a grazing shot to the arm and a bite to the forearm; the zombies swarmed the car when we drove off.  A couple of them climbed in the busted windows."
    Joey dashed to the wagon and pulled Dana out, cradling her in his arms.  "Did you take care of her wounds at