Free Jake's Law: A Zombie Novel by James Gurley Page A

emaciated it is and how slowly it moves. I call them Shamblers. It will die soon unless it feeds. They’re no real threat unless they outnumber you or catch you by surprise. The ones that chased you are more dangerous. They’re Runners. You can’t take chances with them. Others fit somewhere between Shamblers and Runners. The safe bet is to shoot all of them if they stray too close.”
    She nodded and raised the rifle to her left shoulder. At first, the barrel wave red in the air, but after a few moments, she took a deep breath and held it steady. He waited for the shot as the creature drew nearer. Nothing happened. Thinking she might have frozen, when the zombie was less than ten yards away, he raised his shotgun. Then she fired. Her first shot only grazed its shoulder, but she didn’t panic. She quickly ejected the shell, slid a fresh cartridge into the chamber, and fired again. This time, she hit it in the head. A large hole appeared just above its right eye, exiting through an orange-sized crater in the back of its skull. It took two more faltering steps before tripping over its own feet and falling forward onto the dirt. She flinched in surprise but didn’t turn and run.
    He let out a sigh of relief. She had passed his first test. He didn’t think he could have sent her packing even if she hadn’t, but he didn’t want her to know that. “Nice shot, but don’t wait so long next time,” he said, trying not to smile. “If you can’t get a head shot, aim for the legs and cripple them. They’re still dangerous, but only if you let them get too close.”
    “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I wanted to make sure I hit it.”
    “A little more practice will take care of that.”
    “ So, I can stay?” she asked, tilting her head and squinting at him.
    This time he smiled. “For now.”
    She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and handed him the rifle. As she walked back through the gate, she flung over her shoulder, “Good. You can dispose of him.”
    Sassy . He liked that in a woman.
    As he was getting ready to cart away the corpse, he noticed the sound of a dirt bike growing louder. He motioned for Jessica to hide. He loaded a round into the chamber of the rifle and waited beside the gate. It was another few minutes before the bike came into view. He relaxed when he saw the large frame of Alton Reed atop the little Kawasaki dirt bike, looking like a trained bear riding a toy clown scooter. He pulled up in a cloud of dust, removed his helmet, and said, “We’ve got trouble, Deputy.”
    Jake shook his head. “I told you I’m no deputy. What trouble? And how did you find me?”
    Reed glanced at the ground. “I followed your tire tracks.” Before Jake could comment, Reed continued, “A gang of eight or ten men came into Oracle last night in a five-ton truck and several motorcycles. They’re going door to door, looting and shooting anything that moves. They’re killing zombies, which I don’t mind, but they’re also killing people. I watched them murder an elderly couple just for the hell of it. We’ve got to stop them.”
    Jake frowned. Had the Ranger’s badge he wore given Reed the idea that he made a habit of helping people? His days as a cop were long over. He didn’t owe anyone anything. “Why should I interfere?”
    “ It’s our duty as human beings to help.”
    Jessica appeared from behind the wall, startling Reed. He stared at her, as she said, “He’s right. You can’t just let them murder people.”
    “Of course I can. I have no intention of tack ling ten armed men to save people I don’t know.” He looked at Reed. “My duty to society is finished. They’re your neighbors. You save therm.”
    “ It seems to me that anyone still alive is our neighbor,” Reed countered indignantly. He glanced at Jessica, smiled, and asked, “Who are you?”
    Jake made the introductions. “Jessica Hubley, meet Alton Reed, my new friend who’s trying to get us killed. Jessica might hang around for