Human Extinction Level Loss (Book 2): Substation (The Last Stand of Gary Sykes) by Philip A. McClimon Page B

turned as one towards the sound.  Beverly froze for the second time and a smothering blanket of tension fell upon the space between them.  The crowd of the Undead and Beverly stared each other down across the parking lot.  It was like a gunslingers’ duel, the calm before the storm as the Universe waited to see who would blink first.  What seemed like an eternity to Beverly but in reality was only the space of seconds transpired, then as if on cue and acting as one, the horde broke into a run after her.  Reason fled from Beverly, as out of pure instinct alone, she grabbed her purse and bolted back towards the plant.
    Beverly threw herself at the door she had just exited and put her hand on the handle.  Her mind froze and refused to accept the reality that hit her like a wrecking ball to the stomach.  The handle did not budge.  She screamed and pulled on the door that had locked behind her.  She whirled around and witnessed the horrific wave of bodies coming at her.  She shoved away from the door and sprinted down the length of the wall that formed the perimeter of the building and headed for the fenced in yard.  The Dead did not break stride, shifting direction, threatening to outflank her. 
    As Beverly ran around the corner of the building, the wall gave way to chain-link fence.  She thought about the gate entrance and whether she could make it that far before they caught her, and what if she did make it? How would she get in?  There was nobody there to open it for her.   
    “Screw it!” she shouted as she hurled her purse over the top of the fence and began to climb.  Her fingers curled over the top just as the impact of a hundred bodies shook the fence.  Beverly’s foot slipped and she dropped down precious inches.  The chain-link cut into her hands but she only felt the probing hands below as they batted and swiped at her dangling foot.  In a burst of fear fueled adrenaline, Beverly hauled herself up and found her footing.  At the top she swung her legs over and started down the other side.  The Dead began to shake and rattle the fence in a frenzied tantrum.  Beverly tried to hold on, but the shaking and swaying of the fence loosened her grip.  She fell hard on her back, her head thumping solidly on the gravel.  Beverly lay on the ground with the breath knocked out of her and her head ringing.  She stared blankly, unable to separate the stars in the sky from the ones dancing in her eyes.  Everything was silent and she felt suddenly tired and wanted to go to sleep.  Her eyes began to close.    A new  sound pushed its way into her ears, the scratch of something moving across the gravel.  Her eyes flew open,  but instead of the stars in the sky, above her were the ruined faces of three Zombies.  She bolted up, as more began to gather around her.  Beyond the fence, the high pitched sound of the chain-link being assaulted mixed with the groans and howls of the Things on the other side and spurred her to action.  She grabbed her purse and raced towards the trucks, her eyes scanning the yard for number three.  As she ran, she plunged her hands into her purse and searched for the truck keys. Her eyes found truck three at the same moment her hands seized upon the keys.  She cast her purse away and careened towards the truck.  Beverly grabbed the handle and the door flew open, sending her crashing to the gravel for the second time.  Not wasting any time, she leaped up and climbed into the cab of the repair truck and slammed the door.
    Beverly’s hands were shaking as she fumbled the keys into the ignition.  The big engine rumbled to life and she headed for the front gate. 
    In front of her the gate was closed.  She stopped the truck and was about to hit the remote to open the gate when she noticed movement in the side mirror.    The Dead that had pursued her to the fence won their battle.  She watched in renewed horror as the fence gave way, sagging to the ground under their