Beyond Death (Book 2): Apocalypse Read Online Free Page B

replied, her voice hoarse. “Truthfully, I a little concerned myself, especially down the road as the pregnancy goes on, that I’ll become a burden.”
    “Don’t worry. You won’t. A baby, I mean that’s big. And each of us are willing to take up any extra to accommodate for such a blessing in such a dire time. In fact, as far as morale goes, something like this could be just what we all need to keep going, to keep fighting.”
    “At some point I will weigh down the team,” she said. “No pun intended.”
    “Did you hear what I just said?” Chase laughed. “I will keep you safe.”
    “How when I won’t be able to run or fight?”
    “I’ll run for you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. I promise you, I won’t screw up again.”
    With that, he just walked forward toward the gas station, listening for her to follow close behind him. He was set on keeping his promises to her this time. He may not have to live up to his vows anymore, but Richard was no longer in a place to, and damn it, he would this time keep her safe.
    * * * * *
    Richard held the gun against Dax’s head. The metal felt cool in his hand, even though he knew that after laying in the sun it shouldn’t. The heat burdened him, even though it wouldn’t even reach eighty degrees today. Sweat rolled down his forehead into his eyes. He swore his brain was melting. He couldn’t keep a thought together.
    As his anger burned, he whispered whatever words he could find into Dax’s ear.
    “Damn…Ass. You fucking…Ass. I’ll…shit. I’ll shoot. Damn ass,” Richard went on and on.
    The words, whatever he could get out, released the pressure in his head and his chest. All he could concentrate on was Jayda, the fact she was with Chase instead of him. He yelled across the road to Sherri and that damn boy, whatever his name was. With the gun he waved them over.
    Once they started to move, he pushed the gun back at Dax. He waited. The gun got too heavy and started to shake. He propped it on Dax’s head to help himself remain standing.
    “We’re leaving,” he announced to the group once Sherri and the boy got close enough to hear him.
    “We have no gas,” Dax said.
    “We’re walking. Forest,” he got out and motioned the gun toward the trees.
    His arms felt sore. His legs shook. His brain focused on only one thing.
    “I’m going to kill Chase,” he announced as he used the gun to push Dax into motion.
    * * * * *
    Chase stopped cold. He pushed Jayda behind him, Focused on the head that had just popped out from behind the gas pump, he gripped the handle of his gun tighter, and moved forward to kill. In a few steps, he could see that the man was alive.
    “Hey, where’d you come from?” the old man in relatively nice clothes still, asked as he pumped gas into a container.
    Chase said nothing, but he lowered his gun. His finger remained on the trigger, though. He held out his arm to keep Jayda behind him, though he could feel her strain to see around his shoulder.
    “So, what are you doing here?” the man continued on. He had a strained smile on his face that set off some alarm bells in Chase’s still fast beating heart.
    “Guessing gas,” the man answered for Chase.
    “Yes,” Chase got out as he stepped closer with great care.
    “No worries. There’s enough for us both, I’m sure. Look, I’ll go grab you another container from inside,” the guy offered.
    “I don’t like him,” Jayda whispered in Chase’s ear as the guy moved away from them.
    “I feel the same,” Chase agreed. “Just stay behind me until we figure him out.”
    “Sure,” Jayda sighed.
    Chase didn’t have time to marvel at her easy response. The guy came back out with another container in one hand, a bucket hung from his arm and some sort of tool in his other hand.
    “The pumps aren’t working, but I’m sure there is gas down in the chamber. Used to work in one of these places. Gas gets low, the pressure fails. But I can