Die Dead Enough Read Online Free Page A

done for.
    "We need a place to hide, like right now," Gibby said staring out the side window at the massacre that now had the undead outnumbering the living. "What about the Arch?"
    "Fuck no!" Conor said. "That's a stupid idea. Even if you could get up to the top, you'd be trapped up there. You'd starve to death. When we drove by, the base was swarming with those bastards. No way."
    Gibby turned back to the window, feeling defeated. It had been a stupid idea, but what else could they do?
    "We need to reach the top of a building," Aiden said, staring at the nearby rooftops as they drove by. "But getting to the top... that's going to be nearly impossible."
    "Yeah, but that might be our only hope," Conor replied.
    They rounded a corner, turning left, feasting monsters covering the center of the street. As the headlight hit them, many of them turned, bloodshot eyes staring in insatiable hunger, entrails hanging from their teeth. Aiden swung the van wide, the tires going up on the sidewalk as he passed, clipping a mailbox and sending it rolling.
    They could hear and feel the zombies claw at the vehicle with a grating sound, like the proverbial chalkboard. Aiden accelerated, covering three blocks in no time, leaving the corpses behind. He took another left, having no other option. A burned out Greyhound bus blocked the street on the right and a brick building had collapsed straight ahead, flames licking the sky.
    As he straightened the van, his light hit a group of people sprinting down the sidewalk. About two-hundred yards ahead of them, a man stood holding a manhole cover open, helping others descend the iron rungs that led below.
    "That's it!" Aiden called out, pointing to the group. "The sewer tunnels are as safe as any place right now. Come on!"
    He slammed on the brakes just ahead of the man holding the sewer lid, the tires screeching much louder than he had intended. They could hear the man shouting at them but could not make out his words.
    "Right! Grab whatever's important to you and let's get the fuck out of here! Get the flashlight out of the glove compartment," Conor said. He reached over and pulled the keys from the ignition, then turned the volume knob on the radio all the way up.  He crossed into the back seat, then into the cargo area. He grabbed two guitar cases and passed one up front to Aiden. "No way I'm leaving this."
    "I heard that ," replied Aiden, motioning to the sliding side door next to Klaus. "Klaus? You ready, man? We gotta scoot."
    Klaus sighed and nodded slowly, reaching for the door handle.
    "You guys ready?" he said, looking from face to face.
    "Wait!" Gibby said, throwing his hands up. "What about my shit? Who's gonna help me ?"
    "You expect us to carry all of your drums down there?" Aiden asked. "Not gonna happen, dude. Besides, they're not gonna fit down that manhole. Leave it. We gotta go."
    Gibby grumbled, tucking his drumstick bag under his arm and staring at his equipment in the back of the van.
    That shit cost me an arm and a leg... and a nut.
    "Here we go, guys," Klaus said and threw the door to the side. The crazed sounds of the besieged city hit them as they jumped down to the street and they could feel the tension around them. Gibby was the last one out and he slammed the door behind him, praying that his drums remained unharmed.
    Conor glanced up and down the street. It seemed clear of zombies for now, but it was difficult to tell without working streetlights.
    "Go," he said and made a crouching run for the manhole and the dozen or so people that were in the process of entering it. The others were right behind him, their shoes scuffing the pavement loudly as they crossed.
    "No!" someone barked as they drew close. The man with supporting the manhole cover was shaking his head vigorously. "Get away. We found this place. You find your own. We'll be safe here and I don't trust anyone right now. Now get going!"
    "Quiet, buddy," Gibby said, finger to his lips. "Noises bring these things