Free The Coalition: Part II The Lord Of The Living (COALITON OF THE LIVING Book 2) by Robert Mathis Kurtz Page B

tonight,” he added, allowing just that one drop of over-confidence into his thinking.
    And as they all well knew, over-confidence was the truest and most diabolical killer of them all.
    Because he was so focused on the zombies, Ron almost did not see the quickly moving shape of the elephant , as it swung suddenly into sight at the far end of the avenue. It was almost like seeing one of those damned magicians doing a trick with mirrors and misdirection. One second, the way was clear, and the next, there was something roughly the size of a T-rex barreling down the street. And unfortunately for the trio of fleeing humans, it had locked its angry eyes on them.
    “Shit!” Ron yelled.
    “Oh, fuck,” Oliver added.
    Without another word, Ron went into a run. He felt his bad knee send up an angry twinge with that first burst of speed, but there was nothing to do but go for it. If he didn’t break anything he could take some pain killers later. He just needed to make damned certain there would be a later to use for recovering.
    The elephant actually trumpeted at them, and then the blast of rage was followed by a great rumbling roar coming from deep within its massive chest. It was the bull, and he was out for fucking blood. Of that, Ron and the others had no doubt at all. The murder of that calf had to be avenged.
    “Are we going to make it?” Jean’s voice came up from behind as she put her hands out to usher Oliver along before her. She even found the courage to look back, away from the beast, and was somehow amused to see that the appearance of the creature had caused the zombies to falter in their pursuit. Hopefully, she would laugh about that later, and compare notes with Ron and Oliver.
    “Just run!” Ron all but yelled it between clenched teeth.
    The elephant was bearing down on them. The three people were almost at the door. Ron knew that he’d have only one chance to get it right.
    The three skidded to a stop in front of the door , as Ron’s knee gave out. He fell to the concrete sidewalk. Looking up, the abandoned van on his left, the building on his right, he could see the elephant picking up speed. Even if he could regain his footing, he wouldn’t have time to make the three easy movements to open the combination lock. The goddamned pachyderm was probably going to get him!
    “Get up!” It was Oliver, screaming at Ron. Looking back, Ron saw that the boy had worked the combination and pulled the door open. All he had to do was stand up and pull the door closed behind them.
    With more speed and dexterity than he dreamed was possible, Ron did exactly that. Just as he pulled the door closed, he watched as the gigantic beast’s head bludgeoned the two-ton van aside as if it were merely a mild weight to be shoved back. There was a screeching of metal wheels against asphalt and cement gutters.
    But by that time , Ron had the door securely shut. He threw a dead bolt across the door and hoped the big bull would not try to ram his massive head and tusks through the barrier. It was perhaps possible that it could do just that. He didn’t want to find out.
    Outside, there was a continuation of the screech of metal against asphalt and concrete as the grand beast continued to vent its rage on the cube van. It was even possible, Ron figured, that the animal had not really seen them and had been focusing on the gang of undead that were pursuing them. Dwelling on this fact, his lungs laboring from the panic and the race, it took him a second to realize that he could hear something behind him, something coming from within his little safe house.
    “Ron.” Jean’s voice was strained.
    “Help!” Oliver was calling out.
    Cutter turned his back on the door to see that his adopted family was struggling with a pair of zombies. The things had been sitting there, in the safe house, inert and waiting for the arrival of that which they desired: living flesh.
    Ron’s hand went to his belt and he had his ever-present hammer in his