Books of the Dead (Book 1): Sanctuary From The Dead by R.J. Spears Page A

paused and looked around on the ground and finally spotted something.  He reached out of view and came up with two soda cans.  After taking a quick measure of the wind and distance, he tossed them over the truck and into the street.  They clattered on the asphalt and the zombies took immediate notice. 
    We’re not sure just how smart or dumb they really are.  Sometimes a jackhammer could be running next to their heads and they wouldn’t notice, but other times the gentle bump of a shoe on a wooden staircase could bring them running.  What we had noticed was that noises out of the ordinary or ones that broke the silence usually caught their attention.  We never knew if it was all-out ravenous hunger that brought them or if there was some sense of human curiosity still buried deep down in their zombie brains.  Whatever it was, the four in the street were on their way. 
    We ducked down low and out of view.  The shuffling feet came closer and closer .  Mike held a finger to his lips, telling us to be quiet as he edged around the front of the truck to take a look.  He pulled back and gave us the “wait a minute” sign, then turned his attention back to the zombies.  We all waited for the cue.  Fear filled my stomach with ice, but Brandon seemed more than ready for battle, a mischievous smile caught on his face. 
    The footfalls got closer and Mike pulled his bat up to his side and then stood up giving us the all-go signal.  If this were a movie, the scene would have been in slow motion giving the audience a scene of “beautiful violence” – orchestrated, yet savage.
    Mike reared back with his bat and swung from his heels on the old woman in the house coat.  She never saw it coming.  His bat connected with a resounding and vicious alumi num ping smashing in the her forehead.  An ugly crunching noise followed the impact and the woman went over backwards. 
    I saw a flash of silver as Brandon’s sword cut through the air with deadly speed, but he aimed a little low catching the teenage girl on the top of the shoulder, the blade digging in deep.  The force of the blow knocked her off her feet and down onto the ground pulling the sword from Brandon’s hands.  He moved forward , but had to press his foot to the girls arm to yank his sword out.  Once freed, he brought the sword down in a ferocious arc and the girls head left her body. 
    Aaron and I had to wait for our two. 
    “You get the suit,” Aaron said.  “I’ll get the ZZ-Top guy.”
    I gave him a look as he half sang his next words, “Women go crazy about dead and bloody zombies.”  I got it, but didn’t give him the notice he deserved.
    The “Suit” lurched down the street towards Mike but once he saw me, he changed course and sped up, snarling with hunger.  Aaron stepped into the street with me , a few feet to my right.  He had to wait on ZZ-Top who had trouble navigating for some reason.  Maybe it was the beard.
    The suit bore down on me, intent on making me a meal.  For a moment, I wondered who he had been.  Probably minding his own business one day at the office when the world’s worst shit storm swept in and changed everything.  My detour of imagination ended and I didn’t care who he was because he didn’t care or, better put, what he was now didn’t care.  I was just food and the tastiest thing on the menu at that minute.
    I brought my bat up over my head, timing my blow for the right second.  His arms extended to their fullest as he reached for me, his fingers black with dirt and dried blood.  His face was gray and his eyes lifeless.  His jaws opened and closed expectantly for that first bite.  Just as his fingers were inches from me, I brought the bat down and my timing was perfect.  The bat caved in the top of the zombie’s skull, driving him to the street, where he ceased to move. 
    Aaron moved in on ZZ Top and instead of going for the immediate headshot like the rest of our group, he swept his sword across