Free 23 Hours by Kevin Riley

creature in the forehead.
    “Showoff,” she said, just as the entire pack rushed us from all sides.
    Gunfire erupted from Rosie as well as from the hospital and all I could do was swing Excalibur recklessly, hoping to take as many heads as possible. I think I was doing well too, until I felt the blade ripped from my hands. Without missing a beat, I continued to throw punches at the nearest set of teeth before pulling out the rest of my knives.
    I jammed several creatures through their eye sockets and a couple more in the throat before I was pulled to the ground. I kept jabbing with the short blades even as the teeth sunk into my thighs, ripping chunks out with a fury. Thankfully one of my knives found its way through that one’s skull but it started its death flail before I could get it back.
    More gunfire erupted and more of those things started dropping around us. I couldn’t count the bodies thrashing about, even ripping into each other in death, but it made me smile to see the last one fall. Then I saw her.
    Rosie was lying on the ground not ten feet from me. Her eyes were open but her breathing was very shallow and parts of her were spasming. She had so many bite marks it was amazing that she had any meat left on her bones but in a few hours that meat would start to rebuild, to reanimate. Of course that would be after the virus has caused her heart to explode and most of her brain to turn to mush.
    The bag with all my earthly possessions was halfway between us. I struggled to my feet and half stumbled to it, falling to my knees as I reached down for it. There were still a few pieces of silverware that would be worth something to someone, but I couldn’t care less about those. At the bottom of the bag I found what I was looking for; the Mac10 that’d given me my nickname years ago.
    For whatever reason that damn woman had helped me save the kid, so I owed her and I always paid my debts. Crawling to her, I brushed the hair from her eyes before kissing her busted lips. I think she tried to say something, probably cursing me, but one of those creatures had ripped through her throat so the only thing that came out was a gurgling sound.
    I stared into her beautiful eyes one last time.
    “You’re worth it,” I said as I turned my head and pulled the trigger.
    I struggled once again to my feet but immediately felt one leg give out. I knew I’d never make it to the front door and even if I did, then what? I could already feel my heart rate increasing to an unnatural speed. There was also an incredible heat rushing through my veins and I could literally feel my muscles swelling. Pulling out Willie’s watch I could see that it was in fact the end of the 23rd hour.
    “Hey!” I screamed, as I pulled Excalibur from the ground. I stumbled forward a few more feet and screamed again, and again it only sounded like a rabid growl. But this time I’d gotten the attention of the guys manning the machine gun nests. The spotlights quit sweeping across the field and all focused on me so with Excalibur raised in glaring defiance, I once again called out. With no other sound present, the growl just kind of hung in the air until the roar of the machine guns cut through the night.

Acknowledgment
This book would not have been possible if it wasn’t for my amazing family supporting me. I want to thank each and every one of them; my wife, kids, brother and sister, everyone who has helped me realize this crazy dream of mine.
    About the Author

    I am a graphic designer who decided to branch out into a new creative direction by trying my hand at writing. 23 Hours is my second book, preceded only by The Dark Genesis of Daniel James, but I have several more in the works including the sequel to Dark Genesis, Failed Exodus, and as the sequel to 23 Hours, After the End.
    When I’m not designing or writing I like to spend time with my wife and three kids, our cat, dogs, iguanas and dragons. I also like to spend time with my video games,