Read The Dead Rise (Book 1): Zombies and Chainsaws for Free Online Page A

his head. He said, "You know, come to think about it we might have had a little discussion about that. You don't think he would have done something like that on purpose do you? He's a Bible man."
    "Bible man my ass, he's a damn prankster is what he is," Jude said.
    Chuck said, “Well you have my humblest apologies. I promise I won't have more than four or five more of those on the way down there. You got handles up on that roof?”
    "No, I took them off. You're going to have to hold on for dear life."
    "Who are we going to go pick up first?"
    Jude said, "Both. The boys are living together for a little bit. Pete got kicked out of his house. His girlfriend got sick of him coming home smelling like he was taking a bath in the whiskey."
     

 
    Chapter Three
    New Town
     
    The ride down to Missouri was uneventful. The only thing that made them nervous was the storm clouds that were brewing and the newsman talking about how they were still deep in the heart of tornado season. There would be storms off and on all week and the heat was going to be a scorcher.
    Chuck said, "I hope the hotel we're staying at has a basement."
    Pete said, "You know the further we get down south the fewer basements we're going to get. You just do like Jude says and work hard so we can be outta there in a week. Hell, there's a chance that I might even get me back on good conditions with my girl."
    Jude smiled and he said, “You boys want in on a little secret?”
    The three other men nodded and Jude said, “If we get it done early, if we can be done in a week, I got a five hundred dollar bonus coming in to split between all of us.”
    Chuck said, “And this is the reason why you're the best damn boss there is.”
    Jude said honestly, “It is kind of simple guys, if I don't have you kicking ass, I'm not going to make any extra money. Last thing we want to do is get a contract job and then take our sweet time doing it. If we can be done early, maybe we'll see some more of these jobs. I don't mind doing the traveling when there's enough money that I can't fit it in my wallet. That's what you might call a good problem to have. Shaw’s able to pay us better for contract work than I am so if he’s getting this kind of money we are going to be doing well.”
    When they arrived in town four hours later they had to stop short. The town had been littered heavily with trees. One of the stores had an entire fifty-year-old oak tree going through the front display windows. When the men saw the number of downed trees just on Main Street alone, they realized five hundred might not have been a big enough bonus. But they didn't care. They were here to work and that was something those Iowa boys are good at as well as knowing they had a big payday regardless heading their way.
    Chuck said, “Probably a damn good thing we brought the big saws with us huh? I think there’s a good chance we're going to need them here real short like. You got any idea where you want to start?”
    Jude shook his head no. He said, "It ain't like I've ever been here before either. But I think if we want to get on anyone's good side, we make it so the shop owners can get those windows fixed at the diner. Then we work our way down the first half of the street so at least they can drive on it again. After that, we take it a section at a time for the four miles down. After that, we go around town and we clean up what's left of it."
    When they pulled to a stop Chuck said, “You guys want to know one good thing about all this?”
    Roger said, “You mean besides the fact that this is going to be our biggest payday of the summer?”
    Chuck said, “Yes besides that.”
    Roger said, “Okay what's the good news?”
    “You know that chili I ate for dinner last night?”
    Pete said, “Yeah what about it?”
    "Well I thought, you know I was all out of farts. I was wrong." Chuck smiled as he let out the last long vicious one for the ride. The men spilled out of the van gasping for air and