Read Dead Living for Free Online Page B

stomach.
    “Dad! Dad, wake up.”
    Joe woke up with a start. He sat upright and
looked around. It was pitch black, but the familiar feel of the
couch under him told him he was in the living room, in his home for
the past fourteen years. His body told him it was late. The sheet
he'd taken in their last supply run felt good against his skin. He
couldn't see Aaron, but he knew where he was standing, right in the
hallway that led to the three bedrooms. Denise and Margie shared
one bedroom, while Frank and Aaron both had their own. Joe shared
with Aaron for a long time, but was more than happy to give it up
when Aaron wanted a little more independence.
    “You alright, Dad?” Aaron asked.
    “Yeah. Just having a bad dream. Nothing new,
I guess. Especially with Frank's cooking.”
    Aaron laughed. “You want me to stay up with
you a while?”
    Joe smiled in the dark. That was Aaron, a
caring soul. They'd all done their part in raising him, and he was
turning into a fine young man, even in the world they lived in.
Sadly, Joe didn't know how old his son was. Thirteen, maybe
fourteen years old.
    “No, you go and get some sleep. We'll hit the
lake, bright and early. Catch us some breakfast.”
    “Alright. Love you.”
    “Love you too, son.”
    Joe listened as his son walked down the hall
and back into his bedroom. All their ears had gotten sharper over
the years, especially at night with only candles and moonlight to
light the way. Aaron climbed into bed and shifted around for a
minute. It was quiet, until a male voice cut through the air.
    “Hey Joe. You mind keeping it down out there?
Some of us who aren't pussies are trying to sleep.”
    Joe smiled. “Bite me, Frank.”
    The women laughed in their bedroom.
    He stood up from the couch and stretched his
arms over his head. He knew he should try to get more sleep, but
after the nightmare, he wasn't quite ready to put head to pillow
just yet. He easily navigated around the coffee table and loveseat
and walked outside to the porch.
    It was a beautiful night. The full moon hung
high over the lake that was just outside the house. Joe walked to
the edge of the dock and sat down, letting his toes touch the
surface of the water. The breeze felt great.
    He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
The sounds of the lake and nature soothed him. Crickets chirped,
birds flew overhead, fish hopped out of the water. It was hard to
believe that just four miles away, in the nearby town, the corpses
walked the streets.
    The corpses never wandered back into the
woods. Every now and then, a lone straggler would show up. But
Frank always thought it was just a hermit deep in the woods, and
not a sign of a corpse invasion. So far, he'd been right.
    Joe didn't ever think he'd be the outdoors
type. All things considered, he liked their lifestyle. Fresh water
in the backyard, peace and quiet. Food could be a little rough.
There were times he thought he'd die if he ate one more fish. But
Margie did most of the cooking, and did a great job, even if she
hated lighting the grill.
    It took them a while to get used to the
changes. Night was very black with no electricity. All the chores
had to get done before sunset, or they didn't get done. Sleep
schedules changed, no more sleeping in till mid-morning. Everyone
was up at dawn. When supplies ran low, they had to brave the nearby
town to get the things they needed. They hadn't driven the van in
years, relying on bikes for transportation.
    Their new life could be hard. But they were
alive.
    He felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't
even hear her coming. His heart skipped a beat as he turned and saw
Denise. The moonlight hid certain parts of her while giving a gray
hue to others. She wore her favorite summer nightgown, and looked
great.
    “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.”
    He laughed. “It's okay. Just enjoying the
night air.”
    “Want some company?”
    “Sure.”
    She sat next to him. Joe was suddenly
conscious of what he was wearing, which was just a