Free Pyramid of the Dead: A Zombie Novel by John McCuaig

to get to his brother. “I need all of you to be brave and do exactly as I say.”
    The girls were already shaking with fear and his heart sank a little as he realised that the fate of Cuzco and even the world as he knew it , lay with these nervous young women, barely more than children themselves . Nevertheless, he was pleasantly surprised when the girl he knew as Siza bravely stepped forward.
    “What do you need us to do, Protector? ” she asked as she stood before him, strong and tall . Ayar could not fight back his smile this time . He’ d known there was something special about this girl .
    “My men and I shall open the doors and attack the beasts to draw their attention . When the way is clear, you must climb out the rear facing window and run for your lives , and for the future of our loved ones .”
    “And what will happen to you?” she asked , but her fallen expression told Ayar that she’d a lready guessed what the answer would be .
    “My fate has already been written , dear Siza . All I can do now is to try and give you a chance to get away. ” He took her small hand in his. “ Know this: i f you succeed, my death will be proud and content .”
    The b eautiful Siza cupp ed his cheek in her delicate palm as she plac ed a kiss on the other. She too would have liked to have known the city’s Protector a little bit better. Before she could say anything more, h e indicated to the window, which the woman would exit to hide his embarrassm ent. “Get them ready, ” he said quietly as he wished he could have returned that kiss and more . “We don’t have much time.”
    After checking that everyone was in place , the women were ready to make a run for it; Ayar gave the order for the door to be opened. The soldiers push ed forward, and the first of the undead to show itself was quickly dispatched back to the hell from whence it came . The calls in the square blasted out as the beasts sensed the soldier’s arrival.
    Ayar and his men’s momentary forward movement were quickly reversed beneath the weight of so many and in a matter of a few seconds, they were being pushed back ward s , deep er and deeper into the Tambos. The men were being picked off quickly, one by one , and Ayar could only pray that his plan had worked ...and that Siza, the beautiful Siza , was safe.
    Soon enough , there was no longer room even to swing his axe , not that it was doing much good anyway . As his a rms were seized tight and he felt dozens of sets of teeth sink slowly , agonisingly down into his flesh , Ayar could still hear cries for help . Some of the voices belonged to the women he had tried to save; he could hear their screams from outside and with that realisation , came the tears and the rage, for he knew that death would bring him no relief.
    *****
    Ayar’s eyes slowly opened to let him see the still packed out Tambos. His new vision of the room showed him no colour at all . E verything he saw was just dull and grey. As he sat up , one of the girls, who had fled th e building earlier approached him , carrying a gold en platter filled to the top with food. Instead of the usual llama and guinea pig , Ayar was offered a fine selection of sweet hum an flesh. Thinking of nothing but his insatiable hunger, Ayar took a small child ’s arm and moaned in ecstasy, as he tasted this wondrous new delight. Another of the young girls shuffled over and offered him a tall glass of still warm blood. After taking his fill , he wiped his mout h with the back of his hand before he dropped to his knees and thanked his master , Supay.
    *****
    “You must believe me,” Siza screamed at the grim faced soldier standing before her . They were standing outside a small garrison set up at a busy looking crossroad s . “They ’v e killed every single person in Tarapoto , ” she cried, “ everyone , didn’t you hear me? ” The anger , fear and monumental frustration were clear in her voice as she continued urgently . “ Soon they ’ ll be m