Free Empty Bodies 3: Deliverance (Empty Bodies Series Book 3) by Zach Bohannon

around the corner from the entrance to the parking garage, Will was honestly surprised to not see any Empties yet. Normally, at least a few of the things hung around each side of the building. When they turned the corner, it was much the same. There was a large spot of light on the road that shined from the parking garage, and there still didn’t seem to be any creatures around.
    “You really think they all left?” Jessica asked.
    “Hopefully. Just gotta be on the lookout in the garage.”
    Will didn’t say it, but he hoped to God that the creatures hadn’t turned around and headed back to the top of the parking garage. His worst fear was that they’d reach the door leading back to the group, but that it would have been busted down, and the place overrun with Empties.
    Jessica pulled the Ford Escape into the entrance of the garage, and Will cracked his window. If any Empties were in here, their snarls would echo through the open concrete space.
    But he didn’t hear anything.
    With each level they moved up in the garage, a feeling of relief passed over Will. There wasn’t a single Empty in sight, and he was still unable to hear any.
    As they inched closer to the top level, he finally began to hear snarls. But when they came around the last corner and headed up the small incline, just two beasts stood at the top, near the door.
    “They must’ve not felt like following their friends out of here,” Jessica said. “You gonna shoot ‘em?”
    Will shook his head. “We don’t know how far those others made it. A gun shot in the garage will sound off a long way. Plus, I really don’t want to scare anyone inside.”
    “Alright, so what do you wanna do?”
    Will pushed the button to lower the window the rest of the way and he hung his head out the door. Putting his fingers to his lips, he whistled. The two creatures turned to face the vehicle, and they snarled louder.
    “What are you doing?” Jessica asked.
    The Empties walked toward the small SUV, standing almost shoulder to shoulder with each other.
    “Hit the gas,” Will said.
    She looked at him and narrowed her eyes. “And mess up a car we have keys to? No!”
    He ignored her. “Wait just a second. Let them get past where the fence used to be.”
    “I’m not going to hit them.”
    “Yes you are. We don’t need this car. There’s plenty others here if this one gets wrecked.”
    The two Empties walked past where the gate had once stood, and Will pointed toward them.
    “Now!”
    Jessica hit the gas, and the front end plowed into the two creatures, sending one over the top of the vehicle and cracking the windshield in the process. The other creature went under one of the tires.
    Will opened the glove box and grabbed the large kitchen knife he’d stored in there; then, he stepped out of the car.
    He went to the beast closest to the vehicle. It lay on its back, and one of its legs had been almost severed. This one had gone under the vehicle. It didn’t even put up a fight as Will leaned down and stabbed the knife into the side of its head.
    The other Empty sat up, and Will kicked it in the shoulder as he approached it, driving the knife down into its forehead. He hurried back to the vehicle and got inside.
    “Pull up close to the door,” Will said. He looked over to Jessica, who was staring at him, a look of concern over her face. “What?”
    “Do you feel any remorse when you kill them?” she asked.
    Will shook his head. “They aren’t human. Not anymore.”
    “But you still have to look into those eyes when you kill them.”
    “Their eyes are empty, and I have to stay convinced of that. If I start trying to tell myself there’s a person back there, I’ll hesitate. If I hesitate, I’ll die.”
    He used a towel that he found in the glove box to wipe down the blade of the knife.
    Jessica bowed her head.
    “What?” Will asked.
    “I’m just worried we’re going to lose all our humanity,” Jessica said. “That we’re all gonna become dark and