Free The Zombie Virus (Book 1) by Paul Hetzer

plowed over the dead and living alike. I
didn’t look back as I sped up the road.
    There were scenes of utter devastation. A
strip mall and neighborhood were blackened ruins from a fire that
had raged uncontrolled. Fires still burned in many of the
buildings. My heart sank at the sight of so many infected milling
about everywhere I looked in numbers that were frightening. To be
uninfected and on foot would have meant certain death, or
worse.

    I finally reached the bridge over the
Patuxent River. There were a few cars stopped on it, but no Loonies
that I could see. I worked my way up and over it. At the bottom two
cars had collided and lay sideways blocking both lanes. I only
hesitated for a moment then sped up and slammed my car between
their interlocked front ends ramming them out of the way.
    Steam erupted from the hood of my car and the
front end wobbled violently. I drove for about another mile before
a metallic ‘ping’ reverberated loudly from the engine compartment
and the car screeched to a halt. I sat there for what seemed like
an eternity turning the key and willing the car to start up
again.
    The heat of the day was invading the cab and
I was quickly soaked in sweat. I glanced over to my right at a
small strip mall a few hundred yards away and saw two Loonies that
were making their way at a quick walk toward my dead car. More
appeared from different directions.
    I turned the ignition off and on. There was
only a weak ‘click’ from somewhere under the crumpled hood. I
looked around me – I had to get out before I was surrounded by a
mob of the insane. With the car sitting dead, their interest wasn’t
peaked enough to cause them to rush my car. I had a few seconds,
then I would have to be decisive. Once I was out and they caught
sight of me, it would be an entirely different ball game.
    There was an abandoned car about fifty yards
ahead of me on the side of the road and a large Ford pickup another
fifty yards beyond that. If someone was sick and just couldn’t
drive any further and had to abandon their car, my hope was that
they hadn’t bothered to take their keys.
    I grabbed my briefcase and slung it over my
shoulder, took a deep breath and tripped the door handle, throwing
it open. I got out running. From my peripheral vision, I saw the
two Loonies break into a sprint when they spotted me, joined by
about a dozen others further behind them. My ears were filled with
their wailing growl that grew louder as others joined in.
    I ran like the hounds of Hell were descending
on me.
    I was drenched in sweat when I reached the
car. I risked a quick glance behind me. They were maybe fifty yards
back. I grabbed the door handle of the car and hurriedly yanked it
open. I was about to jump in when the stench from the interior
reached me – a combination of shit, piss, and the sugary sweet
smell of the infected.
    A blonde girl who must have been in her teens
was lying across the front seat looking severely dehydrated. An
emaciated arm sporting an array of colorful bracelets feebly
reached out to me. It snarled weakly, displaying a set of pearly
white teeth. It must have been trapped in the July heat of the car
for days without the intelligence to determine how to get itself
out. I kicked its hand back in and slammed the door, backing up in
horror.
    The others were almost on me. I took off like
a shot up the road with the infected close on my heels. I could
almost feel them breathing down my neck as I sprinted toward the
truck. I could hear the sound of their shoe soles pounding on the
pavement very close behind me. It would be very close.
    The Ford’s driver’s door hung open.
    Something clawed at my back and grasped hold
of my shirt. I twisted and ran harder, and heard the fabric tear. I
had no time to draw my weapon, the only option was the truck.
    I reached the pickup steps ahead of the two
growling creatures and dove into the passenger compartment, rolling
onto my back. They were on top of me through the door,