Free Empty Bodies (Book 2): Adaptation by Zach Bohannon

another hold on the scalpel.
    Lawrence took a deep breath, rolled over, and drove the small blade into the thing’s eye.
    Within moments, the grip on him loosened, and he rolled onto his back.
    Staring at the ceiling, Lawrence spread his arms out like an angel, and lay there, breathing heavily as the beast ceased moving for good.
    ***
    David
    David stood in the middle of the hallway in silence.
    Blood was everywhere. It coated the walls, covered the floor, and stained his clothes. He looked over and even saw crimson on the coat of one of the white dogs. It was barking at him, but he managed to block out every noise in the room, so all he saw was its jaw snapping. The bodies of the three Empties lay motionless nearby, and he stood over the final one he’d slain, the bloody knife still in his grasp. Mentally, he traveled to another place.
    As David walked toward the door, he saw something he hadn’t noticed before. There was a fourth carcass on the ground, much smaller than that of a human. Though there was hardly anything left, he could tell from the fur around the blood and entrails that it was the remains of a dog.
    He cocked his head, and smiled slightly at the sight of more death.
    David stepped over the animal, and the other two Empties, and walked back through the double doors.
    ***
    When he walked behind the front counter and entered the back room, the double doors to the O.R. were already open. David could see Lawrence sitting on the ground next to a large table with his back to him. He wasn’t moving, just sitting there with his shoulders steadily rising and falling.
    This is it.
    The man wasn’t fit to lead the group. David knew it. He could see so much potential in the hospital and the group that was there. David saw no reason to expand their group. They could survive with those they already had. Lawrence had other plans, and David could end those ideas right now.
    David sheathed the knife and pulled the handgun from his waist.
    Carefully, he crept closer to Lawrence. David was a damned good shot, and knew he wouldn’t have to get very close to blow the back of the man’s head out.
    He’d tasted the ceasing of the Empties moments earlier, and now he was ready to feed off the ending of a real life. The feeling, the desire, and the craving were inside him. He just had to fulfill them.
    The incessant barking of the dogs blocked out the sounds of his footsteps as well as the sound of him cocking the gun as he reached the door to the large room.  
    David raised the pistol and aimed.
    A noise distracted him, and David turned just as an Empty rushed out from a door and came at him.
    It was just about his size, wearing a white overcoat. The Empty had David around his neck, driving him against the wall while David clutched at its arms and tried to push back against his chest.
      A loud bang rang into David’s left ear, and the weight of the Empty left him as it fell to the ground.
    David looked over and saw Lawrence standing just five feet away from him, holding the gun up to the head level of where the Empty had stood. Like David, Lawrence had blood all over his clothes.
    Gasping, the black man looked at David. He reached into his pocket, and tossed David a set of keys, which he caught in his free hand.
    “Get me the fuck outta here,” Lawrence gasped. “You’re driving.”

CHAPTER TEN

    Will
    When Will opened his eyes again, he was lying on his stomach in a daze. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, and he could hardly remember where he was. His ears rang, and though he heard a distorted collection of noises around him, he couldn’t identify any of them. After a few moments, his vision, though blurry, began to return. His hands were resting on the carpeted interior lining the SUV’s cargo area floor, and he could feel the weight of something resting on the back of his legs.
    Will tried to push himself up but quickly fell back down. He felt his blood rush to his head, and put his hand near his temple