Read Devouring The Dead (Book 2): Nemesis for Free Online

earlier, arms and legs still twitching, yet unable to move. He walked past them to the window and looked through into an empty room.
    It looked like so many other houses they had been in: a television set in the corner, books, ornaments, a black leather sofa and armchairs. There was an open doorway in the corner and Tom carefully headed toward it, aware he could no longer hear any noises. He passed through the doorway into a carpeted hallway. There was a side table on the floor and a telephone and papers next to it. Something had gotten in and knocked it over. He could hear noises now. Somebody was crying, whimpering. He pulled the knife from his belt, a large kitchen knife he always kept with him and had saved his life on more than one occasion.
    Holding the knife in his right hand, he pushed open the door at the end of the hallway slowly. It was a kitchen, illuminated by candelight. There was a large wooden table in the middle covered in blood. In one corner of the room were two women, hugging each other, crying and consoling each other. One looked old, the other young, although they both had the same blonde hair. Probably mother and daughter, thought Tom. In the other corner, a man, covered in blood and wearing glasses, was staring at the table. Beneath it was one of the dead. It had fallen there after Daniel had killed it, severing its head with a carving knife. Daniel was shaking, his hands trembling and when Tom walked in, he dropped the knife. He opened his mouth to speak and looked at Tom in horror.
    “They were coming, they were coming in and we had to...we had to...oh God.” Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose, smearing them with blood.
    Tom kept his knife held aloft, ears sensitive to any noise in case one of the dead decided to attack again, perhaps hiding upstairs or behind the door. “Are you hurt? Are any of you hurt?” He looked around the room and could not see anyone else. The two women were scared, but appeared unharmed. He knew from experience though that a single bite was all it took. Teeth could bite through clothing and sometimes those infected didn’t realise it until it was too late. His friend Parker had died the same way. A single bite was all it had took to take him away from Tom. He hadn’t been the only one.
    “I said are any of you hurt?” Tom strode into the room and kicked the zombie on the floor. It didn’t move. Its head rolled away from the body as Tom kicked it and came to rest at Daniel’s feet.
    “No, we’re okay, just a bit...I’m sorry, who are you?” asked Heidi. She stepped forward still holding onto her mother’s hand.
    “Tom. Look, if you’re not hurt then you need to come with me . It’s not safe here now. The noise will bring more of these.” Tom kicked the lifeless body on the floor again. “There’s not time to pack or think, just come with me. I have friends. We can help you.”
    Tom looked at the girl who had spoken to him. She was pretty , but thin. She looked like she hadn’t eaten well and had probably lost weight over the last few weeks. Her greasy blonde hair hung like tangled spider webs around her face and her skin seemed unnaturally pale. Probably hasn’t left the house since it started, he thought. Her eyes looked at him with a curiosity, and if this was a different world he would’ve liked to carry on a conversation with her. But the world didn’t have time for that any more.
    “Dad, he’s right, we should go,” said Heidi.
    Daniel just nodded and walked slowly over to his wife and daughter. Glenda let go of Heidi and embraced her husband.
    “ Oh, Dan, what are we going to do?” said Glenda sobbing into her husband’s shoulders.
    “What’s your name?” said Tom to the girl standing before him.
    “Heidi.” Her thin arms hung by her sides and she felt cold. The cool night air was coming in from outside now and the candle was flickering, about to extinguish and leave them in darkness. She didn’t want to be in the dark, not with