Zombified (Book 1): Hudson Place by Char Robinson Page A
Authors: Char Robinson
Tags: Zombies
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As Charlie began his descent, he hesitated long enough to flick on his flashlight and take a quick look around and down the stairs before moving forward. He could almost feel Darrell breathing down his neck he was so close; Dexter was bringing up the rear. Halfway down, he paused again to sweep the beam over the railing to take a look at the next flight of stairs below.
“ Looks clear,” he said in a whisper. “So far, so good.”
He saw another beam of light from behind him flash over the stairs; Darrell was having a look for himself. They reached the landing and stood there for a minute, listening for any sounds and looking down the last flight of stairs.
Charlie heard Dexter clear his throat, he figured that must be his signal to get moving again, so he started down. Almost right in his ear, he heard Darrell gasp loudly and he turned around. Dexter hadn’t been clearing his throat. What Charlie saw sent a bolt of fear through him like he’d been hit by lightning. His light revealed Dexter struggling against a zombie, the thing was horrifying to look at; half of its leering, rotting face was in shreds and missing an eye. Dexter was trying to get the creature’s hands from around his throat, his face was turning red, and his eyes shone not with fear, but with something that looked to Charlie like cold and brutal fury. Before either Darrell or Charlie could react, Dexter reached down with one hand, drew his knife free and without a moment’s hesitation he slashed the zombie’s throat. It made a strangled, whistling noise and strings of blood dribbled from the mouth as more blood and gore from the neck wound gushed over Dexter’s chest. He slashed again, nearly severing the head this time; it finally released him and slid down the wall in a heap. Dexter calmly leaned down and wiped the blade on the zombie’s filthy pants.
Charlie stared at him in shock, Darrell was making funny little sounds somewhere between a sob and a scream.
“ You two better buck up,” Dexter said hoarsely, rubbing his throat with his free hand as he straightened up and placed the knife back in its sheath. “This ain’t no tea party and there’s probably worse to come.”
Although Dexter spoke with bravado, Charlie noticed his hand was shaking when he replaced the knife.
“ You ok?” Charlie finally managed to say and to his embarrassment, the question came out in a voice way too high and downright squeaky. Dexter chuckled grimly and even Darrell gave him an odd look. Feeling his face flush bright red, he drew himself up to his full height and managed to ask again in an almost normal voice. “Dexter, are you all right?”
“ I’m fine,” he replied with a shake of his head. He picked the flashlight up off the floor where he’d dropped it while fighting with the zombie and shone the light behind him and up the stairs they had just descended. “Little bastard snuck right up on us, I may not of heard him, but I sure as hell shoulda smelled him.”
Charlie turned his attention to Darrell, who was leaning against the wall. “Darrell?”
Darrell took a deep breath before replying. “I’m ok, wasn’t expecting that.” He gave a nervous, halfhearted laugh. “I guess we’ve been feeling so lucky that we let our guard down. I sure won’t make that mistake again.”
“ Don’t think any of us will,” Dexter muttered, still rubbing his neck. He eyed Charlie and Darrell. “Well ladies, are we going to stand here and chat all day until some more of those things find us, or are we gonna go get those people out of that shelter?”
“ Um, I prefer the second choice,” Charlie responded. “Let’s get moving.”
Perhaps it was the adrenaline still coursing through their veins, but the three men rushed down the last flight of stairs and headed at a fast clip off to the right. Charlie had to skid to a stop when he almost ran by the steel double doors with the
As Charlie began his descent, he hesitated long enough to flick on his flashlight and take a quick look around and down the stairs before moving forward. He could almost feel Darrell breathing down his neck he was so close; Dexter was bringing up the rear. Halfway down, he paused again to sweep the beam over the railing to take a look at the next flight of stairs below.
“ Looks clear,” he said in a whisper. “So far, so good.”
He saw another beam of light from behind him flash over the stairs; Darrell was having a look for himself. They reached the landing and stood there for a minute, listening for any sounds and looking down the last flight of stairs.
Charlie heard Dexter clear his throat, he figured that must be his signal to get moving again, so he started down. Almost right in his ear, he heard Darrell gasp loudly and he turned around. Dexter hadn’t been clearing his throat. What Charlie saw sent a bolt of fear through him like he’d been hit by lightning. His light revealed Dexter struggling against a zombie, the thing was horrifying to look at; half of its leering, rotting face was in shreds and missing an eye. Dexter was trying to get the creature’s hands from around his throat, his face was turning red, and his eyes shone not with fear, but with something that looked to Charlie like cold and brutal fury. Before either Darrell or Charlie could react, Dexter reached down with one hand, drew his knife free and without a moment’s hesitation he slashed the zombie’s throat. It made a strangled, whistling noise and strings of blood dribbled from the mouth as more blood and gore from the neck wound gushed over Dexter’s chest. He slashed again, nearly severing the head this time; it finally released him and slid down the wall in a heap. Dexter calmly leaned down and wiped the blade on the zombie’s filthy pants.
Charlie stared at him in shock, Darrell was making funny little sounds somewhere between a sob and a scream.
“ You two better buck up,” Dexter said hoarsely, rubbing his throat with his free hand as he straightened up and placed the knife back in its sheath. “This ain’t no tea party and there’s probably worse to come.”
Although Dexter spoke with bravado, Charlie noticed his hand was shaking when he replaced the knife.
“ You ok?” Charlie finally managed to say and to his embarrassment, the question came out in a voice way too high and downright squeaky. Dexter chuckled grimly and even Darrell gave him an odd look. Feeling his face flush bright red, he drew himself up to his full height and managed to ask again in an almost normal voice. “Dexter, are you all right?”
“ I’m fine,” he replied with a shake of his head. He picked the flashlight up off the floor where he’d dropped it while fighting with the zombie and shone the light behind him and up the stairs they had just descended. “Little bastard snuck right up on us, I may not of heard him, but I sure as hell shoulda smelled him.”
Charlie turned his attention to Darrell, who was leaning against the wall. “Darrell?”
Darrell took a deep breath before replying. “I’m ok, wasn’t expecting that.” He gave a nervous, halfhearted laugh. “I guess we’ve been feeling so lucky that we let our guard down. I sure won’t make that mistake again.”
“ Don’t think any of us will,” Dexter muttered, still rubbing his neck. He eyed Charlie and Darrell. “Well ladies, are we going to stand here and chat all day until some more of those things find us, or are we gonna go get those people out of that shelter?”
“ Um, I prefer the second choice,” Charlie responded. “Let’s get moving.”
Perhaps it was the adrenaline still coursing through their veins, but the three men rushed down the last flight of stairs and headed at a fast clip off to the right. Charlie had to skid to a stop when he almost ran by the steel double doors with the
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