Free Devouring The Dead (Book 1) by Russ Watts Page A

and plummeted down.
    Christin a watched it disappear from view and she fell to the floor, her shaking hands grateful to be able to clutch the firm flooring. She rested her clammy forehead against the cool glass. It was unreal. Moments later, the building shook as a fireball billowed up from below.
    “Oh God,” she said , “what’s happening?” Never had Christina felt more alone.
    * * * *
    Thirty minutes earlier and with no information from Jill, Jackson decided they ought to try downstairs again and see if they could get out, or at least figure out what was going on. He talked to Freddy and Benzo who agreed with him, and they talked to Tom and Brad. Between them, they decided they had to risk it. There was no way Parker was going back down, so Brad decided to go with Tom. Sitting up on the sixteenth floor was getting them nowhere; people were starting to get hungry and whilst there was food in the kitchen, none of them liked the idea of sleeping at the office.
    “So, buddy, you good to go?” said Brad.
    “Yep, sure. We should stick together. Safety in numbers and all that.” Tom thought it was a good idea to check downstairs too. He still felt a bit like an outsider, being the new guy, but he wanted to get involved. He didn’t feel much like sitting around anyway; he wanted to do something useful. Brad seemed pretty dependable. Being able to hold a civil conversation was something that seemed to elude a lot of people these days, so Tom was thankful of his company.
    “Let’s get this done , then.” Brad strode off to the stairwell and Tom followed. As the door swung shut behind them, the office was again thrust into silence.
    On the way down , they didn’t speak. The stairs were illuminated by the emergency lighting; a strange orange light that only heightened Tom’s feeling of wariness. They descended the stairs and on each floor Brad tested the exits. Every door was unlocked; some swung open easily, some seemed to get stuck as if there was something lodged behind them. They didn’t venture any further than the doors, as there seemed no point at this stage. Upon reaching the ground floor, Brad stopped, resting his hand on the last door handle.
    “What’s up?” said Tom.
    “You ready for this?” asked Brad. “We don’t know what’s on the other side of that door, buddy. Could be nothing, could be a whole heap of trouble. You okay with that?”
    “I’m ready,” said Tom. He had to stop himself from smirking. In the office , he could tell that Brad was playing the hero; flexing his muscles both literally and metaphorically, but there was no need to do it down here. It was just the two of them and Brad was not Tom’s type: wrong sex for starters. Tom could tell that Brad was used to being in control and having his own way. Brad wasn’t really asking Tom if he was ready for trouble - he was asking him if he was a coward or a fighter. Brad just wanted to let Tom know who the boss was.
    “Go ahead, Brad , I’ve got your back,” said Tom, lowering his head submissively, but keeping his senses alert. Brad opened the door slowly and looked out. The lobby appeared empty. He pushed the door open further and took a step out. It was cold and dark. There were no lights on in the foyer aside from the emergency exit signs above the doors. The front desk was empty. Brad motioned for Tom to follow and he let the door swing behind him. Suddenly, he realised if it latched shut, they might not be able to get back in again and he grabbed the handle. Tom took his tie off and shoved it between the door and the frame, propping it open.
    “Can you see anything?” Tom whispered to Brad who was creeping forward.
    “No, it’s too dark outside. Look, the rain’s nearly stopped. I’m going to try the front door, see if it’s open yet.” Brad crept toward the huge glass doors and when he reached them he pulled on the handle, but they wouldn’t budge. He shook them harder, but they didn’t move an inch.
    “This is