Free The Demented Z (Book 2): Desolation (Book 2) by Derek J Thomas Page A

  Directly in front of him was a wall
containing only a large corkboard with student’s documents pinned to
it.
    Eddie shouted from behind him, “They’re coming.”
    Reaching the wall, Tom looked both directions and saw a door
along the wall near the windows. Dozens
of eyes stared at him through the cracked glass.
  The window looked about to shattered in.
    “This way, hurry.”  
Tom shouted.
    Both of them piled through the door and slammed it closed behind
them.
    Breathing hard, Tom said, “This seems familiar.
  How many doors can we barricade?”
    Eddie did not respond.  
He wanted to throw up. The only
reason he came on this mission was Liz.  
He hoped that acting tough, saving some people, and becoming the hero
would make her notice him. Instead he
was stuck in the worst nightmare he could imagine.
    “I can’t do this, let’s get out of here.”
  Eddie said.
    Tom stood with his back up against the door.
  He looked over at Eddie.
  “I don’t think that’s an option anymore.”
    Eddie started crying.  
He dropped his head and slumped to the floor in front of a long table
lined with computer monitors. “I can’t...I’m
done.”
    The door behind Tom shook as infected began pounding on it.
    Tom glanced around the room.  
They were in a computer lab that thankfully lacked windows.
  There was a single door at the far end,
likely leading back into one of the hallways.
    “Come on, let’s get moving.”  
Tom said while reaching down and grabbing Eddie under the armpit.
  He lifted him back to his feet, looked him in
the eyes, and said, “We’re going to get out of this.”
    Eddie’s eyes were watery and swollen.
  Using the back of his arm, he wiped his face
and nodded his head.
    Rather than take the time to barricade the door, Tom made
his way between the computer tables toward the far door.
  This door had a large glass window in it,
allowing Tom to get a view of the hall beyond.  
Peering out into the dark hallway, he could see no movement, only an
empty hallway and rows of lockers.
    “Looks clear...you ready?”  
Tom said.
    Eddie looked anything but ready.
  He nodded his head anyway.

Chapter 5: Trap
    “Look at that.”   Hank
said from the top of the water tower.
    “What do you think is going on?”
  Dennis replied.
    Both men glassed the school and watched as a section of
infected that surrounded the building began to swarm in agitation.
  There movements were excited.
  They growled angrily and huffed loudly,
attracting more. From the angle that
they watched it was impossible to see what was going on.
    “I’m not sure, something sure has them excited.”
  Hank said.
    “They’re quite a ways from the kitchen area.”
    “I know it...but it’s got to be Tom and Eddie.”
    Dennis laid his rifle on its side and looked over at
Hank. “Those sounded like shots
earlier. Think they’re in trouble?”
    Hank continued to spy the infected through his scope.
  Suddenly the surrounding horde began
moving. “They’re moving.”
  He said.  
Continuing to watch them, he saw the infected moving toward the building
out of sight. It was like watching a
dammed up river that suddenly broke through, flowing easily.
    “That’s bad.”   Dennis
mumbled.
    “Agreed.”
    The sound of gravel crunching under feet caused both men to
turn and look down the hillside in the direction of the hospital.
  It was Jenny and Austin approaching on foot.
    “Oh Yeah!
  You see that.”
  Austin said loudly as they neared the base of
the water tower.
    Hank and Dennis watched as Jenny grabbed Austin by the shirt
and quietly reprimanded him for being so loud.  
The two of them stood face to face for quite some time before Jenny let
go of him and they continued toward the tower.  
Quiet thuds of boots on metal along with grunts of exertion could be
heard as the argumentative pair made their way up the tower’s ladder.
    After a minute