White Ash on Bone: A Zombie Novel Read Online Free Page A

cared that Dr. Carson was married.  She had met the attractive Mrs. Alison Carson on a number of occasions, and felt the woman's icy stare.  Despite the stare, Mrs. Carson treated Kimberly with a measure of politeness.  Kimberly felt guilty about it, but it didn’t stop her from sessions in the utility closet with Dr. Carson.   
    In a few weeks, Kim and Dr. Carson would be traveling together to the Dominican Republic.  He told his wife he would be traveling to a medical conference in San Antonio, Texas.
    When Kimberly reported to the main desk of the ER, the room was in chaos.  Countless open wounds had canvassed the ER in a dark red macabre.  Curtains, windows, floors, and ER workers were spattered and sometimes splashed in an unhealthy dose of blood. 
    Kimberly was instructed to help with patient histories for the countless walking wounded who were turning up in increasing waves.  The hospital's ER could only handle so much traffic before the halls of the hospital were added to the triage system.  As the halls filled, Kimberly was instructed to help expand emergency capacity to the front parking lot of the hospital.
    Many of the patients arrived on foot and were frantic. Their story was universal; they claimed they were attacked by crazy people downtown.  The patients insisted that these lunatics attempted to bite and tear at them, but they had managed to get away.
    In the parking lot, a woman approached Kim, carrying what must have been her little girl. "You have to help my baby,” the woman shouted. “They hurt her real bad."  
    The mother’s clothing was marred with the blood of the girl.  It was obvious that the child had lost a dangerous amount.  The flesh that was not covered in blood appeared devoid of color.  The child hung like a rag doll in the mother's arms.  It looked devoid of life.
    Dr. Carson suddenly appeared from behind Kim and grabbed the child from the mother.  "My god," Carson said. 
    He placed the child on a gurney and bent over to check for vitals while applying pressure to the wound.  The child began to emit a slow groan from her frail form.  The child's eyes opened and fixed on Carson.  "It's going to be ok sweetheart," he said. 
    "Shh, baby, mommy is here," the mother said through a face-full of tears. “Mommy won't leave you.”
    The three of them were crouched over the child. Carson began to become puzzled that he couldn't find a pulse.  The child reached out for Carson's hand, and he realized three of the girl's fingers had been torn off.  A fourth finger hung by a small piece of skin.
    Kimberly felt bile begin to rise up from her stomach, and she fled to find the nearest restroom.
    Carson grabbed for the girl's wrist, and he applied pressure behind the wound.  The child’s face lunged at Carson's arm.  It sunk teeth deep into his flesh.  The mother desperately grabbed for her injured child, and Carson screamed out in pain. 
    "I need help,” shouted Carson, “someone hold her please."
    "What are you doing?” the mother gasped.  “You’re hurting her."  The mother tried to intervene and separate her daughter from Carson, but the child turned on her.  The child's teeth found the softness of her mother's neck.  Blood sprayed from the internal pressure of the mother's heart.
    Carson's eyes darted desperately around the parking lot.  He sought some source from which to call for help, but his eyes only took in a scene of utter anarchy.  A melee of several fights had started. People were thrashing and tearing at each other.  Some people attempted to stop the fights.  Others ran from the violence. Shouting and screams filled the air.
    Kimberly didn’t make it inside the hospital before she bent over to vomit.  It weakened her knees, and she felt dizzy on her feet.  She collapsed and just managed to sit upright on the sidewalk curb. 
    Glass shattered behind her, and she turned to see three women push a man through the window to the ground.  They fell