Free The Common Cold (Book 2): A Zombie Chronicle-Cabin Fever by David K. Roberts Page A

simultaneously trying to get
the passenger loop from his harness over the kid’s head. Multitasking while running
to the end of the yard, he was struggling with his fear to do the simplest task
properly and by the look on Cliff’s face it was obvious he was being chased by
something or someone and was now seriously at risk of not making the safety of
the winch line which was hanging there invitingly a few enticing yards in front
of him. A couple of people, blood covered and clearly enraged, came running
from the house and bore down on him and the child. Two more shots from the helicopter
and Mike took them out cleanly, each with a perfect head shot. If there was ever
an Olympic sport of zombie shooting, he would have earned a couple of golds by now. More people took their place and slowly the
yard filled with zombies, most slow but seemingly goaded on by one or two of
the faster ones.
    The winch whined as it slowly lifted them off the ground,
their suspended bodies within feet of their pursuers. “Go!” Zoë shouted to BB
and next moment the chopper pulled its massive weight into the sky, dragging Cliff
and the child away from danger like a fly fishing lure. As they climbed
thousands of the undead could be seen filling the streets around the house.
BB’s instincts had been spot on; going in from the road would have proved fatal,
maybe even compromising the helicopter and its crew. Lesson learned. The beat
of the helicopter’s blades had definitely drawn the Infected, the ring of dead
centring on where they had been hovering a moment before, something they would
have to take into account in the future; it might even prove a benefit under
the right circumstances.
    Cliff finally arrived alongside the helicopter and Zoë
helped him swing into the cabin. In a rush of emotion she grabbed him and held
them both in an embrace, feeling Cliff’s sobs as he cried with release of tension
and world weary sadness at the loss of all but one of his family. After a
moment he pulled away and released himself from the harness. As he put the
child down, Zoë could now see it was a blood-smeared little girl of no more
than four or five years of age. She looked at Cliff questioningly but he
avoided her eyes and just sat staring straight ahead, one arm around the most
precious person on his personal planet.

 
    *
    On the return trip to the fuel depot, they hovered over the
writing on the roof of the Cherry Creek Shopping Center ,
peering downwards to see if there really was someone waiting for rescue. Not a
soul stirred, the roof was bereft of bodies, living or dead. Clearly this place
was either deserted or they had succumbed to the sheer numbers of infected in
these sorts of areas.
    “It might be worth paying a visit periodically just to see
if there is anyone there,” Mike suggested.
    “You might be right,” BB observed. “I tell you something, after
what we just saw at Aurora, I’m not landing to rescue anyone. Their numbers are
just too massive. It wouldn’t matter if you had a chain gun; you couldn’t get
them all before they got you.”
    “Yeah, I’m not in a rush to get in among those bastards either.”
    “Let’s get back to the dump.” BB said as he gained height
again and headed west. A few minutes later they arrived and he saw with relief
that the other helicopter had remained untouched, the dust on the canopy
undisturbed. Performing a recon circuit they could see that the crowd of undead
had dissipated again, a few idly wandering, nothing left to draw them towards
the landing area.
    “Right, let’s do this quickly,” Mike said. “Land and run to
your chopper, I’ll take over this one. Zoë, you go with him and offer cover. If
you can’t get it started, BB, give us a sign and run back. If you can, give me
the thumbs up and I’ll hover, waiting for you further west of here. Don’t want
to attract any unwanted attention to this place. I can refuel another time, I’m
sure it’ll still be here for a while. GPS