Read The Demented Z (Book 3): Contagion for Free Online Page B

through their packs to pull together a quick
meal. Staying fueled up was a necessity,
both for potential battles and to keep body temperature up.
    There were several windows along the side walls and one
along the back that stared out at the white landscape and nearby
buildings. Before the sun dropped all
the way below the horizon they used anything they could find to cover the
windows, not wanting to draw the attention of any unwanted guests.
  With the outside light blocked off, the room
was shrouded in darkness. They sat in a
circle on the floor, huddled around a single crank lantern, eating various
forms of packaged foods.
    “What are we going to do when all the food is gone?”
  Hannah asked.
    “We have several days’ worth.”
  Bear replied.
    “No, I mean all the food…everywhere.”
    Tom chuckled, “We get back to our roots.
  Hunt, fish, grow things.”
    “I’m gonna die.”
  Bear said.
    “Yeah, me too.”
  Hannah said with a laugh.
    “At least we will starve together.”
    They sat in a circle bantering back and forth as the sun
sank, blanketing the base in black. Tom
and Hank told stories of their troubles getting out of Portland as well as the
run-ins they had with Lincoln and his gang.  
Bear had heard of Lincoln and spat at the mention of his name.
    “Dead?
  You’re sure?”  
Bear asked after Tom finished the story.
    “Oh yeah.”
  Hank said.  
“His pillaging days are over.”
    “What about you guys…how did the compound get started?”
   Tom asked.
    Hannah looked to Bear , but when he
didn’t say anything she responded, “I wasn’t there in the beginning.
  I made it out of Seattle with a couple
others.” She looked up at the ceiling,
thinking back to those days. “Turned out
I had gotten out with the wrong people.  
They fought with each other…tried to… tried …”
    Bear spoke up. “She
made it to the compound, alone. Miles
and the council let her in.”
    “The council…who are they?”  
Tom asked.
    Bear and Logan shared a quick glance and then he said, “Our
leaders. Miles is on the council.
  They started the compound…saved us all.”
    “What’s the— “Tom started to say, but was
interrupted by a sudden pounding at the door.
    The loud booms echoed through the room.
  All at once they stood, reaching for
weapons. The pounding continued.
  The door knob rattled and twisted, but the door’s
deadbolt held.
    Tom eased toward the door with his bow drawn.
    “That’s going to wake the dead.”
  Bear said.
    “The dead woke a long time ago.”
  Hank whispered.
  “This is going to get them moving.”
    Just as fast as it started, the pounding stopped.
  Only an eerie silence remained.
  Then there was a voice, muffled and
unintelligible. Tom took a hesitant step
toward the door. Bear raised his
crossbow and moved in close to the wall.  
A set of light taps sounded from the door, rhythmic in nature.
  Tom looked over at Bear quizzically.
  They both moved closer to the door, while
Hank filled the gap between them a few feet back.
    Bang…Bang…

    The raps at the door became louder and more insistent.
    “I heard talking.”  
Bear said.
    “Me too, they’re not infected.”
  Tom responded.
    “Let ‘em in?”
  Hannah whispered from the back.
    “No way.”
  Logan said.
    Bear stared through the wall.
  “They’re going to eff
this all up.”
    Hank lowered his crossbow a bit.
  “He’s right, if they keep up
all this racket it’s gonna get
ugly. We’ll find out just how much of a
ghost town this joint is.”
    “We let them in…we have to be willing to put them down if
needed.” Tom said, looking back at the
group. Hannah and Hank nodded their
heads. Logan took a step back and raised
his crossbow. Bear remained stoic beside
the door. Tom stepped up close to the
door and gave it a hard knock.
    The banging stopped immediately.
  Muffled whispers.
    Tom leaned up close