Z. Apocalypse Read Online Free

nightmares when the final crisis was near, the game-over moment that would rip him awake.
    And then his captor became visible.
    It was a giant, birdlike monster with a body as big as an elephant and a face that was little more than a vast beak – easily big enough to swallow him whole with room to spare. The beast’s upperjaw ended in a kind of circular crest, crusted in blood. Its eyes shone black, each the size of a dinner plate. But it was the thing’s wings that held him transfixed – colossal sails of scaly flesh rippling over an intricate framework of bone. Stretched out as it was, its wingspan was easily greater than a light aircraft.
    Not just a pterosaur. A Z. pterosaur .
    Adam let out a long shaky breath,transfixed by the meat-hook talons on its feet, the way its chest rose and fell and the great jaws twitched. Abruptly the creature folded its wings against its scaly flanks with machine-like precision and – K-KLAKK! – closed its jaws. Splayed teeth protruded top and bottom like huge spikes about the mouth. The bulk of the beast’s body tapered into a thick sinewy tail –a diamond-shaped flap ofskin at the end lending it the look of a rudder.
    The beast was real. Impossible but real.
    And, oh my God, it could kill me in a second .
    Instead the creature stared, slowly tilting its head to one side, eyes unblinking. Fixed on him.
    ‘Can . . .’ Adam’s voice died. He licked his lips, tried again. ‘Can you understand me?’
    A ghostly chittering built somewhere in the belly of the beast. Its jawsbegan to open.
    Then suddenly the creature went into spasm. It flung its wings wide open, rearing up as if angry or afraid. One wing smashed into a brick chimney, flattening it in a storm of rubble, and a weird, keening cry erupted from its jaws.
    Adam’s fate seemed measured in moments as, eyes narrowed and claws raised, the pterosaur-beast launched itself straight at him.

Chapter 3: In the Aftermath
    ADAM THREW HIS hands up in front of his face – as if that could save him. But the Z. pterosaur twisted away from him and crashed instead into the rooftop parapet, smashing it to bits. A trickle of watery blood ran from one of its eyes as it lay twitching in the rubble, gasping wildly.
    It’s sick , Adam thought. Despite his fear, a little sympathy stirred somewhere insidehim. Maybe it’s crazy. That’s why it didn’t kill me .
    Whatever, I’m not sticking around .
    Adam’s legs felt so unsteady he could barely stand, but he skirted round the creature until he reached the door to the roof-access stairwell. It was locked. He pulled out his mobile, but there was no signal; everyone in the whole of DC must be calling or being called. He heard a helicopter somewhere overhead,wondered if it might see him. The pterosaur was still twitching, one wing splayed out awkwardly, like a colossal broken umbrella. If it wakes up and sees me  . . .
    Suddenly the door in front of him burst open. Adam yelled out in shock, jumped away—
    And was snatched up by his father and crushed into a hug. ‘Ad! Oh my God, Adam . . .’
    ‘Dad!’ Adam winced and pulled away, his ribs still bruised.‘How’d you find me?’
    ‘When we were separated I went to get help. The police tried to evacuate me, then I saw you being carried through the air . . .’ He trailed off, slack-jawed as he took in the giant bird-creature sprawled against the canopy. ‘Jeez, Adam, that thing had you—?’
    ‘Don’t move!’ An armed police officer, panting for breath, appeared in the doorway, covering Adam and his dad witha handgun.
    Still dazed, Mr Adlar looked set to protest when another officer pushed past the first and grabbed him, bundling him onto the ground. ‘Hands behind your head!’
    ‘Get off him!’ Adam pointed to the pterosaur. ‘It’s that thing you want to point your guns at!’
    The first officer was already gawking at the sprawled monstrosity. ‘What in the name of sweet heaven . . .?’
    ‘I don’t