Free Scarlet Memories (Book 1) by Jessica T. Ozment Page B

recognized this room. It belonged to a young blonde girl. She had been here before them.
    ‘I know who lives here.’ Susan told Ian.
    He knocked on the door lightly. He didn’t want to make too much noise. He waited for a response. They could hear rustleing around. It sounded like there was someone running around inside.
    ‘Is somebody there?’ Susan called through the door.
    As Susan said this they heard a very loud shriek. Ian cringed at the sound. He knew one of the undead was behind that door. But, what if the kid was trapped inside. At that moment the door swings open suddenly. Ian sees a women step out from behind it.
    ‘Oh my god! Help me!’ She cried.
    The girl let go of the door and ran passed the group into the hall. Ian stepped forward into the room and raised his staff. He spots the undead. It was a short heavy-set woman who smelled horrible. Almost smelled like infection. It moved towards Ian. He watched as foam fell down her face.  Ian readied his staff.
    The undead ran at him full of rage. You could hear her making noises under her breath that sounded like anger. Ian swung his staff at her neck. It stunned her for a moment but she kept coming after him. He reached for the pocket knife in he pants. Once he found it he pulled it free and opened it quickly. He watched the thing run into a coffee table trying to get at him. She got up and pressed towards him. Ian held the knife out and jammed it into her temple. The undead’s body fell over immediately. It knocked over an inn table with it’s enormus leg as it fell.
    ‘It’s ok. You can come in now.’ Ian spoke to the group.
    Susan’s neighbor rushed in and ran to the back room. She came back with a little boy. He looked very upset. Like he had been crying for hours.
    ‘Mom!’ He cried running to Susan.
    ‘Jaime! Oh, thank you God!’ She cried throwing her arms into the air to accept his embrace.
    The two wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed hard.
    ‘I thought you were dead Mom!’ The boy told her. He had tears in his eyes.
    ‘I would be if it wasn’t for their help.’ Susan told him.
    ‘Are you ok? Did one of those things touch you?’ She frantically pulled up his shirt and turned him around.
    She was searching for any scratches or bite marks. Once she was satisfied that he had not been hurt she let him go.
    ‘He is fine!’ Susan’s neighbor told her.
    ‘He came to my door worried about you. He showed me a video of those things out there. I knew I had to keep him safe.’ She said, her eyes wandered to the ground.
    ‘Thank god you guys showed up when you did. I was a goner for sure.’ She walked up to Ian.
    ‘I’m Sam.’ She told him extending her hand out. He took it and shook gently.
    ‘Ian. And it was no problem. We were looking for him.’ He said pointing over at Jaime.
    Ian introduced the rest of the group to Sam. They all said their hello’s and sat down to catch their breath. Ian had no idea how tired he was until he saw them relaxing a little.
    They sat around her living room and began to talk about what had led them to the hotel. Jaime and Susan went to her Sam’s room to clean up. So, they were able to speak freely. They talked about Allison and how she had turned. And about the video that everyone seemed to have seen. And they talked about the school.
    ‘So, Sam.. What are your plans after this?’ Ian  asked her.
    She had a surprised look on her face.
    ‘I hadn’t really thought about it. Jaime was my number one priority. I’ve tried calling everyone that I know. I can’t get through. And the one that I did…..’ She trailed off.
    ‘Why don’t you come with us? There will be plenty of room. We need to start taking care of one another.’ Ian stared at her.
    Sam got up and walked to the kitchen to pour herself a drink. She laid her glass out and filled it with orange juice.
    ‘I suppose I have no where else to go. And if you say this school is safe, then I have no reason not to. Just let me