Love in the Time of the Dead Read Online Free Page B

of the door was rocking steadily by the time the hole in the ceiling was wide enough for a man, and between shouted orders, Jarren and Guist were through to the attic to try to tear through roofing wood and layers of shingle.
    “Up you go, sweetheart,” Mitchell yelled over the noise of the banging door.
    She hesitated. They hadn’t had time to balance the furniture properly, and Mitchell would never make it up without falling. She didn’t have the upper body strength to lift him through the hole behind her.
    “You first, then lift me up!” she yelled.
    “No way, Laney. I—”
    “Don’t argue, Mitchell. I’m going to need you to lift me up. Now go!”
    Mitchell cursed under his breath and grabbed the back of her head, sliding his fingers into her hair. The pressure from his grip brought their lips together. His kiss was as unexpected as it was violent, and it left her wide-eyed and panicked.
    Mitchell held her gaze a moment longer. “Don’t be long.”
    He scrambled up the makeshift ladder and Laney lunged to hold it steady. The dresser that held back the Deads fell over as Mitchell made it to the attic, and with one fear-filled glance at the splintering door behind her, Laney scrambled clumsily up the unbalanced load. It rocked and swayed dangerously, starting to topple. She wouldn’t make it. She screamed, a frantic and terrified sound, arms flailing and reaching desperately for the hole in the ceiling that meant salvation.
    A strong hand caught her at the wrist and pulled. Mitchell grunted with the effort, and the attic beams strained and creaked under the new weight. A Dead caught her leg. It clawed and pulled and she kicked her feet frantically. Another pair of hands grabbed her arm and lifted her away from the rotting fingernails that scrabbled at her ankles. The furniture fell in a pile below her as Deads crawled on top of the pieces and jumped clumsily for the hole in the ceiling.
    Mitchell pulled her onto his chest and held her so tightly she couldn’t drag air into her lungs. Jarren covered the hole with a large piece of particle board. Guist hacked tirelessly through the final layer between them and sunset as a sheen of sweat trickled down the side of his neck.
    “It’s okay. You’re all right. You’re safe,” Mitchell cooed as Jarren screamed at them both for her being the last one up. She had scared him badly, but it couldn’t be helped. Mitchell would have been taken if they’d reversed the order.
    “Let me go!” Laney yelled, feeling weak.
    Hurt flashed in Mitchell’s eyes, but the look was quickly replaced by a sneer. “Sorry, Landry. I’ve just never heard you scream like a girl before. Made me think you were one for a second.”
    She punched him in the face. Hard. She didn’t know why. He always said stuff like that, but a combination of confusion over his kiss, fear, embarrassment, and a very near death experience had her desperate for an outlet for all of the roiling emotion consuming her. Mitchell’s sneering face made a fantastic outlet for it all.
    “What the hell, Landry?” Mitchell yelled as he rubbed his jaw.
    She turned before he could see her eyes water. Light seeped into the attic as a Dead got his fingers through the hole under the board and the weight ripped a piece of drywall off. Mitchell stomped at the decaying fingers that found purchase, and Laney balanced on attic beams to help with the hole for the roof access. Guist had the hole big enough for her small frame to fit, and he and Jarren hoisted her through. The ax was shoved through the escape hole so she could widen it for them at a more efficient angle. She checked her surroundings and then went to work. The ax swung its violent arc as she threw her entire body into every blow, chopping through the roof as fast as her injured hand would allow. She ignored the nagging pain completely until the boys were through the hole minutes later. As Jarren jumped through, she dropped the ax and held her bleeding hand