Free The Saga Of Tom Stinson (Book 1): Summer School Zombocalypse by Eric Johnson

Emmett.”
    “ If we don’t joke you’re going to crack, Tom. There’s no one around, we are safe.”
    “ What if you’re wrong?”
    Finally they climbed over the last of the backyard fences on their journey to the twins’ house. There was a car in the driveway that stood out above all the others they passed. A shotgun and a large camouflaged backpack sat on the hood.
    Like kids who are excited by the prospect of getting a new toy, the twins burst out, “Shotgun.”
    Tom latched onto their backpack straps to keep them from running into the yard. “Wait. Nothing has changed in the last 10 minutes.”
    He scanned the yard, giving it extra attention for any sign of danger.
    The twins twisted in his grasp. “We need that gun.”
    “ You guys! It’s like herding cats. Settle down.”
    The yard was clear enough. He tugged the twins back behind him and ran to the shot gun. They crowded around him and grabbed for the it. Tom raised the shotgun over his head and kicked at their legs to keep it away from them. “Back off!”
    “ Do you even know how to use that?”
    The shotgun was heavy but felt good in his hands. “Do you, Emmett? There’s nothing to it. See like in the movies, make sure the safety is off or the monster is going to get you. Point and shoot.”
    “ If you don’t know how to use a gun you, should put it down.”
    “ Now’s not the time to worry about safety Winston. Eat your doughnut.”
    At the end of the driveway they found the first sign of what looked like a person. It was just pieces of skin and bone and some parts like a tootsie roll smeared across hot pavement on the grass. It could have been a big dog; he had never seen anything like it before.
    “ What’s that?” Emmett gasped.
    Tom stepped forward. “I can’t tell if it’s a dog or a person.”
    Winston spit his doughnut out. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
    “ Don’t think about it. There’s nothing we can do,” Tom shrugged. “Stay close. We’ll hug the houses to keep out of sight.”
    They worked their way down the block, stopping to hide in the tall bushes of the house on the corner. Tom whispered to the twins as he pointed to the street sign, “Morton. One last street to cross, and you are home free. Right?”
    It was the intersection where they had clipped the crashed car, before another one smashed into it and landed on top.
    “ There’s another body,” Winston held his stomach. “He’s hanging by his leg from the windshield.”
    Glass crunched under their feet as they crossed the street. “I don’t want to get too close. It smells so bad,” Emmett said.
    The twins couldn’t keep their eyes off the driver. Winston waved his arms. “There’s so many flies. Why’s his skin green, pink and red? The flies are crawling in his mouth and his face is sunken in and puffed up too.”
    They kept their distance. Across the street, the twins expressions turned from grim to glee as their feet touched the curb. This was their territory and every step closer to their house, fed their excitement. They were bouncing, practically bubbling over with joy. “There. There. It’s there,” they shouted.
    “ Quiet,” Tom urged, trying to control them. “Go slow, we have to be careful. We . . .”
    “ There’s no one here,” Emmett interrupted, paying no attention to what Tom said. “I’m sick of going slow. There’s nothing around. The zombies are gone.”
    Suddenly the twins sprinted, bounding like gazelles down the block toward their house.
    “ Damn it,” Tom sighed. “I don’t have the energy for this. Fly, be free, you obnoxious twerps.”
    “ Come on, Tom!” Winston called out.
    The twins’ screen door clicked against the porch railing. Winston bunched up against Emmett as he opened their heavy oak door and disappeared into the house. Reluctantly Tom picked up his pace. He could hear the twins shout announcing that they were home.
    “ Mom! Dad!” they called.
    The hope in their voices fell silent in the