Zombified (Book 1): Hudson Place by Char Robinson Page B
Authors: Char Robinson
Tags: Zombies
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word Shelter marked in bold black letters.
“ We’re here, you two keep an eye out while I try to get someone to come to the door,” Charlie whispered, though for the life of him he didn’t know why he was trying to be quiet. He withdrew the .45 from its holster again and rapped on the door.
“ Hello! Anyone in there?” he shouted, and then continued. “This is Charlie Thompson! I’m here with two of my friends to get you out!”
He paused and put his ear against the door to listen. He almost jumped out of his skin when a bolt was shot back and the door flew open.
“ Dad! I knew you’d come, I just knew it!” Jenny Thompson threw her arms around her father’s neck and gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek. Although she was as filthy as everyone else crowding behind her to see what was going on, Charlie thought she looked wonderful. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her sparkling blue eyes, so much like her father’s, smiled up at him. She turned her head to look behind her. “C’mere everybody and meet my Dad!”
Even though the room behind Jenny was lit only by candles and one small lantern, Charlie could see several figures standing behind Jenny and he smiled and raised a hand in greeting. “Howdy everyone, I’m Charlie,” he said with a huge grin.
****
After Charlie, Dexter, and Darrell had spent two hours swapping stories with the townspeople of Shady Oaks, it was decided that the most able bodied would leave the shelter in order to see what was going on in the town.
Jenny sat next to Charlie on a grimy cot, holding his hand and staring at him as though he were going to disappear any moment. “I want to go too,” she said in a low voice so only Charlie could hear. “You taught me how to shoot, I can help.”
Charlie grimaced as he put an arm around her shoulders to give her a hug. “I know you can, but if you go out there, I’m gonna be worried about you and not paying full attention to what needs to be done. Please, do me a favor and stay here for the first few sweeps we do, after that you can join us, ok?”
Jenny studied him for a moment, and then said with an exaggerated sigh, “Ok, you macho types go on out first, then us poor little helpless ones will come up later.”
Charlie glanced at her and was relieved to see her smiling at him.
“ Just teasin’ Dad. It’s ok, really,” she assured him. “What you’re saying makes sense.”
“ Thanks honey, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe down here,” Charlie said, relief coursing through him.
Charlie glanced around at the group. Several of the men were elderly, but most seemed spry enough to help. There were a couple of younger men, but they were out of commission due to injuries or illness. Jenny pointed to one man with short, dark red hair lying on a cot; he was the new doctor in town. She told Charlie his name was Jake Weaver, and he’d only been in town a month before he’d been stricken with appendicitis. His surgery in Ambrose had gone smoothly, but he’d developed an infection that he was recovering from. Jenny remarked that they were lucky to have him there and Charlie agreed. He wondered why Jenny thought it important to point Jake out, but decided he’d save it for later.
From what Charlie had been able to gather, most of the men in town had stayed outside the shelter to protect the group inside. No one had come back. There were several women who could handle a weapon and that was a plus; some of them would be joining the first group outside. Charlie had counted about fifteen children, including two infants. There were six teens and they did their best to look bored about the whole thing until they realized they could be out of the shelter by nightfall. Charlie chuckled to himself as they tried to contain their excitement and still look cool. One of the teens, Travis Vaughn, had been hunting
“ We’re here, you two keep an eye out while I try to get someone to come to the door,” Charlie whispered, though for the life of him he didn’t know why he was trying to be quiet. He withdrew the .45 from its holster again and rapped on the door.
“ Hello! Anyone in there?” he shouted, and then continued. “This is Charlie Thompson! I’m here with two of my friends to get you out!”
He paused and put his ear against the door to listen. He almost jumped out of his skin when a bolt was shot back and the door flew open.
“ Dad! I knew you’d come, I just knew it!” Jenny Thompson threw her arms around her father’s neck and gave him a noisy kiss on the cheek. Although she was as filthy as everyone else crowding behind her to see what was going on, Charlie thought she looked wonderful. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her sparkling blue eyes, so much like her father’s, smiled up at him. She turned her head to look behind her. “C’mere everybody and meet my Dad!”
Even though the room behind Jenny was lit only by candles and one small lantern, Charlie could see several figures standing behind Jenny and he smiled and raised a hand in greeting. “Howdy everyone, I’m Charlie,” he said with a huge grin.
****
After Charlie, Dexter, and Darrell had spent two hours swapping stories with the townspeople of Shady Oaks, it was decided that the most able bodied would leave the shelter in order to see what was going on in the town.
Jenny sat next to Charlie on a grimy cot, holding his hand and staring at him as though he were going to disappear any moment. “I want to go too,” she said in a low voice so only Charlie could hear. “You taught me how to shoot, I can help.”
Charlie grimaced as he put an arm around her shoulders to give her a hug. “I know you can, but if you go out there, I’m gonna be worried about you and not paying full attention to what needs to be done. Please, do me a favor and stay here for the first few sweeps we do, after that you can join us, ok?”
Jenny studied him for a moment, and then said with an exaggerated sigh, “Ok, you macho types go on out first, then us poor little helpless ones will come up later.”
Charlie glanced at her and was relieved to see her smiling at him.
“ Just teasin’ Dad. It’s ok, really,” she assured him. “What you’re saying makes sense.”
“ Thanks honey, I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe down here,” Charlie said, relief coursing through him.
Charlie glanced around at the group. Several of the men were elderly, but most seemed spry enough to help. There were a couple of younger men, but they were out of commission due to injuries or illness. Jenny pointed to one man with short, dark red hair lying on a cot; he was the new doctor in town. She told Charlie his name was Jake Weaver, and he’d only been in town a month before he’d been stricken with appendicitis. His surgery in Ambrose had gone smoothly, but he’d developed an infection that he was recovering from. Jenny remarked that they were lucky to have him there and Charlie agreed. He wondered why Jenny thought it important to point Jake out, but decided he’d save it for later.
From what Charlie had been able to gather, most of the men in town had stayed outside the shelter to protect the group inside. No one had come back. There were several women who could handle a weapon and that was a plus; some of them would be joining the first group outside. Charlie had counted about fifteen children, including two infants. There were six teens and they did their best to look bored about the whole thing until they realized they could be out of the shelter by nightfall. Charlie chuckled to himself as they tried to contain their excitement and still look cool. One of the teens, Travis Vaughn, had been hunting
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