Paradise Lost: Tales of the Dead Tropics Read Online Free
Author: Sue Edge
down and grabbed my ankle. Screaming, I kicked violently at her face with my other foot until she released me. Scrambling to my feet, I pelted desperately towards the doorway.
20 meters. Suddenly the doors flung open and the wonderful sight of our security men greeted me. I pushed past them as they spread out across the hallway. "There are people down there that need your help!" I gasped. "Please hurry."
"Don't worry, miss" An older man smiled at me. "We'll have this under control soon."
I clutched his arm. "They're completely insane! They're eating people!" He blinked and patted my hand reassuringly before moving off.
I drew back and tried to control my trembling limbs. I took in the scene. The woman missing half her face was reaching for a young security guard who pointed his weapon and shouted at her to stop. Two other maniacs were being circled by two armed officers while another two continued down the hall. I prayed that they were in time to save Ken and Emma.
Suddenly a shot rang out. My head snapped around to see the young security guard had fired a warning shot above the woman's head.
"What the hell, Jack!" The security officer standing next to me, yelled out. "These are patients! Use your taser!"
I watched on as the guards fired their tasers - with absolutely no effect. And in those precious wasted seconds, the maniacs reached out and grabbed the officers. The woman sunk her teeth eagerly into the young guard, Jack's arm and tore a chunk out. He screamed in disbelief and tried to fend her off. Further down the hall, the two guards were grappling with the two maniacs that I suddenly recognized as the miners I'd seen brought in.
Cries rang out as the struggles became increasingly desperate. The maniacs ripped into any part of the body they could reach- hands, ears, neck.
"Do something!" I shouted despairingly at the officer beside me. A quick check identified him as as the officer in charge. "Biggs!"
Biggs shook himself and pulled his gun out. "Shoot, shoot! Defend yourself if you have to!" He strode forward and and tried to find a clear shot. The woman with a jagged hole where her lips once were, pulled Jack close and sunk her teeth into the his cheek. He screamed again but seemed helpless to fight her off. Biggs pulled her away and aimed his gun at her. "Don't make me do this, lady."
She bared bloody teeth at him and lunged forward. He shot her in the chest. She stumbled back a few steps then moved towards him again. In incredulity, he shot her again. Again she reached for him. Desperate, he pointed his gun at her head and pulled the trigger. The woman collapsed instantly like a marionette, a bloody mess where her head had been.
The senior officer stared at her fallen body in disbelief. Around him, panic took hold as shots rang out without effect. "They aren't stopping!"
Horrified, I watched the older officer who had comforted me, drop his gun and stagger towards us. His yells became garbled and blood poured from a ragged wound in his throat.
Do something! Stepping forward, I yelled at the top of my voice. "Shoot them in the head! It works!"
Another guard took up the cry. "Go for the head!" A cacophony of gunshots followed as the three standing men desperately targeted the maniacs' heads.
As the noise died away, the officers stood surrounded by the corpses of the maniacs. They gazed at each other, stunned into somber silence. Suddenly, the sound of a woman's scream brought my head up sharply. Emma! She ran towards me from the far end of the corridor, waving her arms frantically. "Run! Run!" Behind her, I heard shots being fired and then Ken and the security guards came bolting around the corner. They were looking over their shoulders and yelling, "Move! Move!"
In the moment of frozen inaction that gripped me and the others, I saw them - a throng of blood-splattered creatures staggering around the corner. It is an image that will forever be burned in my memory. A doctor with arms that ended in bloody
20 meters. Suddenly the doors flung open and the wonderful sight of our security men greeted me. I pushed past them as they spread out across the hallway. "There are people down there that need your help!" I gasped. "Please hurry."
"Don't worry, miss" An older man smiled at me. "We'll have this under control soon."
I clutched his arm. "They're completely insane! They're eating people!" He blinked and patted my hand reassuringly before moving off.
I drew back and tried to control my trembling limbs. I took in the scene. The woman missing half her face was reaching for a young security guard who pointed his weapon and shouted at her to stop. Two other maniacs were being circled by two armed officers while another two continued down the hall. I prayed that they were in time to save Ken and Emma.
Suddenly a shot rang out. My head snapped around to see the young security guard had fired a warning shot above the woman's head.
"What the hell, Jack!" The security officer standing next to me, yelled out. "These are patients! Use your taser!"
I watched on as the guards fired their tasers - with absolutely no effect. And in those precious wasted seconds, the maniacs reached out and grabbed the officers. The woman sunk her teeth eagerly into the young guard, Jack's arm and tore a chunk out. He screamed in disbelief and tried to fend her off. Further down the hall, the two guards were grappling with the two maniacs that I suddenly recognized as the miners I'd seen brought in.
Cries rang out as the struggles became increasingly desperate. The maniacs ripped into any part of the body they could reach- hands, ears, neck.
"Do something!" I shouted despairingly at the officer beside me. A quick check identified him as as the officer in charge. "Biggs!"
Biggs shook himself and pulled his gun out. "Shoot, shoot! Defend yourself if you have to!" He strode forward and and tried to find a clear shot. The woman with a jagged hole where her lips once were, pulled Jack close and sunk her teeth into the his cheek. He screamed again but seemed helpless to fight her off. Biggs pulled her away and aimed his gun at her. "Don't make me do this, lady."
She bared bloody teeth at him and lunged forward. He shot her in the chest. She stumbled back a few steps then moved towards him again. In incredulity, he shot her again. Again she reached for him. Desperate, he pointed his gun at her head and pulled the trigger. The woman collapsed instantly like a marionette, a bloody mess where her head had been.
The senior officer stared at her fallen body in disbelief. Around him, panic took hold as shots rang out without effect. "They aren't stopping!"
Horrified, I watched the older officer who had comforted me, drop his gun and stagger towards us. His yells became garbled and blood poured from a ragged wound in his throat.
Do something! Stepping forward, I yelled at the top of my voice. "Shoot them in the head! It works!"
Another guard took up the cry. "Go for the head!" A cacophony of gunshots followed as the three standing men desperately targeted the maniacs' heads.
As the noise died away, the officers stood surrounded by the corpses of the maniacs. They gazed at each other, stunned into somber silence. Suddenly, the sound of a woman's scream brought my head up sharply. Emma! She ran towards me from the far end of the corridor, waving her arms frantically. "Run! Run!" Behind her, I heard shots being fired and then Ken and the security guards came bolting around the corner. They were looking over their shoulders and yelling, "Move! Move!"
In the moment of frozen inaction that gripped me and the others, I saw them - a throng of blood-splattered creatures staggering around the corner. It is an image that will forever be burned in my memory. A doctor with arms that ended in bloody
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