Free Tonight The World Dies by Amber White Page A

medicine.”
    “You think I haven’t thought of that? I’ve been dealing with that idea since the beginning, but they eat living flesh! When it comes right down to it, it’s us or them.” I said.
    “Brennan?” Steven said.
    “He’s trying to make them better!” Brennan said. “He’s trying to find a cure!”
    “You can’t cure death and reanimation. All you can do is shoot them and hope they stay dead that time.” Sully said.
    “Bobby!” I screamed. “Bobby I know you’re down there. Open up or I’m shooting the door.”
    “Don’t do it Bobby! Don’t let them ruin the experiment!” Brennan shouted.
    Billie, Dean, and Sully pointed their guns at him. Steven and Sparky pointed their guns at us in response. Sully and Dean moved their focus to the Thompson brothers, while Billie’s sights stayed squarely on Brennan.
    I raised my shotgun again. “You have five seconds, Bobby.”
    Slow footsteps echoed up the stairs. “Don’t shoot!” Bobby called through the door. “I’m unlocking it now.”
    The locks clicked and the door swung open, revealing Bobby in a stained white lab coat, blue medical gloves covering his hands.
    I strode toward him and pressed the barrel of the gun against his chest. “Show me what’s down there.” I said. “And no funny business.”
    He turned slowly, hands in the air and walked back down, me right behind him and Sully following close behind. Billie and Dean kept watch from the entryway.
     
     
     
    Chapter fourteen
     
    The basement was cold and grey, lined with test tubes, microscopes, and a large bookcase overflowing with binders, books, and folders. A gleaming steel table stood with one end butted against a wall; some sort of holding cell nearby, hidden from view by heavy red drapes.
    “What are you doing down here?” I asked.
    “I’m trying to help people. That’s all I’ve been doing. These people you keep calling zombies, they’re still human. They’re sick, that’s all. I’ve been trying to cure them. Haven’t you noticed they can think?”
    “They can’t think!” Sully said.

“Even if they can think, they still try to eat people, they want to kill us.” I said.
    “It’s part of their disease. Would you kill someone who had Dementia?” Bobby asked.
    “If they tried to kill me, I might. If we consider them as living, thinking people who can feel pain and rationalize, then we risk death ourselves. Putting them down would be kind.” I argued. “What’s in there anyways?” I pointed to the cell.
    Bobby walked slowly to it, hands still in the air. With one hand, he pulled a curtain back, uncovering the longest side. It was a thick glass cell, small vents cut in it for breathing. The zombie they had dragged in the night before stood alone inside, staring dully at the wall, its head tilted sideways.
    “What the hell…?” Sully said.
    The zombie swiveled around at the sound of Sully’s voice. It bared its teeth and growled, rushing forward to pound on the glass.
    “It’s my latest test subject. I’ve been developing a serum that reverses the biodegration process by returning the subjects pH level to normal and forcing blood back through its veins.”
    “Get to the point.” I ordered.
    “That is the point.” Bobby said, confused.
    “Put it into terms someone who didn’t go to college can understand.” Sully said.
    “Essentially, the serum restarts the body.”
    “And what does that have to do with us? You said last night you wanted me for your next test.” I said.
    “I…” Bobby started.
    “Hurry up, before I reach through your stomach and rip out your spine.” I said.
    Bobby paled. “I need a fresher test subject. The serum hasn’t been entirely successful on those who have remained fully infected for long periods of time.”
    “And you planed on volunteering me for the next test? Did you ever consider that perhaps I don’t want to be part of this?” I said, my anger growing.
    “You would be part of an experiment that