Occupation Read Online Free Page B

protection.  For years before the slaughter, New Orleans had an extremely violent history.  Once dubbed ‘the murder capital’, the city was slowly eating itself away from the inside.  With its police department and many figures in political circles corrupt, the citizens of the city were often forced to defend themselves by any means necessary.  Considering the events of the past few months, the ruse worked on Gabriel.  Pretty long in the tooth in his golden years, the old man rarely suspected a thing. 
    Mapping out areas of the city where the most zombie activity occurred, the duo along with many others in the city took it upon themselv es to stake out and destroy any zombies lurking about.  Abandoned churches, stripped down storefronts and other closed down grocery stores were usually prime targets where zombies could be found in droves.  There was one glaring exception though.  No one, no matter who they were, was ever allowed in the designated ‘high crime zones’ which were the former neighborhoods known as the Calliope, St. Bernard, Melpomine, St. Thomas, and Magnolia Housing Projects.  These housing developments, the Magnolia especially, were some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city’s history.  Now they were strictly quarantined areas.  No one got the full story, but everyone had his or her suspicions.  There was only a matter of time before the truth would come out.  As for the kills, some teams went out, destroyed a few ‘nests’ as they were called before nightfall and would later celebrate a ‘good days’ kill’ at a local club or strip bar.  It was a little too surreal for Barabbas’ taste.  Here they were, makeshift vigilantes, knocking off former family members, friends and the like for sport and having beers and laughs later.  Some teams even compared scores of how many kills they made, if one could consider such a thing a sport.  The ultimate goal of this systematic purging of sorts was to never allow the infected entities to spill out in the other parts of the city.  It was quite scary actually.  Years ago, the citizens of New Orleans never dreamed that a major storm would ever break its levees and change the course of its history.  Yet here we were years later, and it seemed as though a storm of a more tragic nature was now upon us.  Not sufficient with destroying mere homes and other buildings, this storm seemed intent on destroying our very souls.  Ernest Hemingway once said, “The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.”   In these dark days that were now upon us, it certainly did not seem so.  With the very nature of humanity itself degenerating to such a disastrous state, at times it was uncertain as to who the real threat was- them or us .
    Nicodemus’ constant ramblings fell on deaf ears as Barabbas’ attention was distracted by news reports blaring from the television screen.  In the past few months, controversy arose over a supposed ‘miracle drug’ known as Viractyn.  With all the political debates heating up over healthcare in America, thousands were protesting in the streets of Detroit, Chicago and New York over this very issue.  Apparently, Viractyn was notoriously expensive; a drug that many Americans could not afford and was not covered by most insurance policies.  Only the wealthy could afford it, and this sparked increased demonstrations throughout the country over the plight of ‘the 99%’ as it were.
    “You have n’t been listening to a word I’ve said, have you?” Nicodemus demanded.  “Still thinking about earlier?  Or is Caroline back on the brain again?”
    Caroline .  The name alone snapped Barabbas out of his dogmatic musings with a vigor that straightened him in his seat.  Caroline Devereaux, the oldest child of the Devereaux clan had been a close friend of Barabbas’ since high school.  Now a brilliant doctor, the flame that existed between the two of them was one that could never be fully