Read Dominion of the Damned for Free Online

first I’ll take you down to the showers. Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you while you get cleaned up.”
    The showers were in a big, square, concrete room, with exposed pipes running overhead. About thirty shower heads hung down from them, with no stalls or privacy curtains to separate them. Above the pipes, pale fluorescent lights flickered, their light almost swallowed up by the dark gray concrete. The room was creepy enough that Hannah didn’t relish the thought of being in here alone, even without knowing that the threat of being attacked by monsters was all too real.
    Louise looked around the room, and nodded. “I’ll be right outside. I know this is your first hot shower in months, but try to be quick.”
    She left her clothes on a bench near the door, and chose a row of showers next to a wall. She tried to keep her back to the wall as she turned on the spray. The warm water washing over her was the best thing she’d felt in ages, even though the water pressure was a little too strong. She wanted to close her eyes and imagine all of the hell of these last several months being washed away along with layers of dirt and grime. But she forced her eyes to stay open, even as the water stung them. Louise might have been right outside, but Hannah didn’t trust anyone to watch her back. She had to do that for herself.
    Once she was clean, she could smell how ripe her own clothes had gotten, and grudgingly put on the orange jumpsuit instead. It felt about two sizes too big, and the crotch hung halfway to her knees. She pulled the leather belt off of her jeans and wrapped it around her waist, cinching up the bottom half of the suit.
    True to Louise’s word, she was waiting outside the showers to take Hannah to the cafeteria. She led her to a big, high-ceilinged hall filled with rows of tables and benches. Catwalks hung about twelve feet above the floor, running all the way around the room. Originally meant for prison guards, it was now patrolled by men and women in more of those black uniforms.
    Across the back of the hall stretched a counter. Louise led Hannah to it and handed her a tray. “The food’s decent here, even if you don’t get a lot of it. They’re pretty strict about the portions. But at least they’re determined to keep us healthy. Can you find your own way back up to your room?”
    Hannah nodded.
    “Good. I’ll go finish getting it ready for you.”
    “You’re not eating?”
    Louise waved a hand. “I’m too busy. Don’t worry, they’ll bring a tray up to my office.”
    “Thanks,” Hannah called as the woman walked away. She sighed, and took her place at the end of the food line. She must have been late — most of the tables were already full, and the line was mercifully short.
    When she reached the counter, the food surprised her, despite what Louise had said. She was served a chef’s salad with fresh vegetables and a hard-boiled egg. With lunch in hand, Hannah looked for a place to sit and eat it. She kept her eyes ahead and headed toward some empty tables in the back. It felt like she was back in high school, when she’d had more pimples than friends, and trying to find a spot to eat her lunch and read a book in peace had been a daily ordeal.
    “You’re new,” someone called as she passed by their table.
    Hannah turned to see a girl about her age looking up at her. She was super thin, with mousy brown hair in a pixie cut. The prison jumpsuit she wore looked like it was about to fall off, it was so baggy on her. She gestured to the seat across from her.
    “Here. Sit.”
    Hannah obliged, grateful for some human company. Maybe this girl would be able to give her some answers. Settling in across from her, she said, “I’m Hannah.”
    “Phyllis,” said the girl. “When did you get here?”
    “Last night, I think. I wasn’t exactly conscious for the trip.”
    “Wow. I didn’t think there was anybody left out there.”
    Hannah looked around to make sure nobody was listening, then