Free Dead Winter: A gripping crime thriller full of suspense by Jack Parker

talking merrily. As I reached over to examine my handgun, I knocked over the television remote and the screen flickered on.
     
    "The infection is spreading at a faster rate than first anticipated, already reaching parts of Lincolnshire and other regions." the news-anchor said in a worried tone of voice, knowing full well that the infection might soon reach their doorsteps down in London.
     
    All it took was one person, one person with even a shred of resistance to travel to another area while they were still fine. Then all that had to happen was for the infection to take over. Just a tiny bit of fluid from any part of the body. Even a kiss could transfer the infection over to a new host.
     
    "Mate, turn that shit off. It's Christmas!" John called over the noise of the television. I leant down to pick up the remote, turning it over in my hands.
     
    But as I was about to turn it off, something flashed up on the screen in front of me in big black letters across the bottom half of the screen. Breaking News.
     
    "Hang on, hang on. Be quiet!" I hissed, paying close attention to every word that the news-anchor was saying to us.
     
    "To anyone still in the initial region, there is an evacuation point setting up on the northern side of the city, just off of the motorway. Anyone who is still alive should seek evacuation immediately." the news-anchor said as clear as she could.
     
    Huh?
     
    Chapter Eight
     
     
     
    Day Six (26th December – 9:04AM)
     
    Like a track stuck on repeat, my mind was replaying the scene from the previous night. After the news-anchor on the television had finished speaking, we had all stopped what we were doing.
     
    "An evacuation?" Dave had said to himself, his eyes fixed on the screen.
     
    I'm backtracking again.
     
    I vividly recalled John's expression, full of surprise as he placed his glass of whiskey onto the table while listening to the woman speak.
     
    "Well what do you know? They haven't forgotten about us after all." he'd called, raising his voice over the noise of the television. It had seemed as though John thought that the military and the government had completely abandoned us.
     
    Over the next couple of hours, we had begun to discuss our options. We finally decided that we would emerge from our temporary respite and venture out towards the promise of evacuation. We planned out our course through the city on a large A-Z map, deciding that we would head out in the morning.
     
    Back to the present.
     
    I raised my hand into the air above me, bringing it slowly down onto my face before I turned to glance at my watch for the time.
     
    9:04AM
     
    The promised time was upon me as I lifted myself up from the bed and changed into my clothes, fortunately they were fresh out of the wash. Heading downstairs to help everyone prepare for the trek across the city, I grabbed my bag and began to sort through our assortment of weapons.
     
    "Mornin' Ethan, once we're all packed we'll be heading straight out." Dave called from the kitchen towards me, busy packing his own bag.
     
    "Okay. Lemme just gather up all my things." I replied, placing items into my bag; magazines, my butterfly knife, my cleaver and some food and drink.
     
    This was an incredibly risky ordeal.
     
    Several minutes later, we were ready to leave. I had to say, I found that I would miss this house and its comforts, even though I had only been here for a couple of days. I wanted to stay here forever and never have to deal with the hardships out in the cold.
     
    "Ready?" John said to the rest of us, all shouldering our bags with a weapon in our hands. After a moment, we all nodded and John swung the door open, locking it behind us after we had left. He span the keys around on his finger for a moment before sliding them into his bag.
     
    I couldn't help but feel like we'd never return to this house.
     
    The wind-chill was bitter as we stepped out onto the pavement and walked towards the car. Climbing in, I shivered