DeadBorn by C.M. Stunich Page A

and carry a big stick?” Martin jokes. He laughs, but neither Holly nor I do. He clears his throat and continues as we pause at window after window and try to peer into the darkness of the building. It isn't easy as most of the offices have their blinds down, but we keep trying anyway. Eventually we'll get a break or at least I hope that we do. I don't know how much hopelessness a single person can take before they crack. “Well, it's not as simple as you might think and I'm of the opinion that a lot of the guides that are out there are wrong.”
    “ There are guides?” I ask as we round a corner and pass by a row of green garbage cans.
    “ Yeah, tons of 'em. Handbooks, too, but I don't think most of them would work in this situation. These zombies are hardcore. I mean, that fire spitting thing was crazy.”
    “ Those aren't zombies,” Holly says as she slaps one of the windows in anger. “I can't see anything. We're just going to have to pick one and go for it.” I hand her my gun and she aims it at the center of the glass.
    “ If they're not zombies,” Martin asks as he stares down at his I Heart Daryl T-shirt with a weird mixture of awe and fear. “Then what are they?” Holly fires three shots at the glass and it comes crashing down like a crystal waterfall. For a split second, it's a thing of shattered beauty, all prisms and light and texture, then it hits the ground and blends into the wood chips below our feet. She looks back at Martin and in her eyes is an unease that sends chills down my spine.
    “ They're demons.”

    ***

    Eleven Hours and Fifteen Minutes After …

    The alarm system goes off, but Holly doesn't seem in any rush to turn it off. Instead, she unlocks the office door and props it open with a rubber wedge. I don't know about Holly and Martin, but secretly, I'm hoping the police will show up and arrest us. Then that would mean that everything is normal, everything is okay again. Even if I have to go to jail for breaking and entering, it would be better than living this nightmare for who knows how long.
    “ Come on,” Holly says as she gestures for us to follow her into the dark hallway. She turns on a switch and several fluorescent lights flicker to life along the length of the room. There are dead animals everywhere: geese, ducks, little brown and white songbirds. Their marble eyes stare down at me menacingly as if they, too, could suddenly take flight like the rotten angels and come crashing down on our heads. I pull my gaze away from them and try to focus on Holly's pretty blonde head. She's striding confidently down the blue-brown carpeting and turning the corner as if she's been here a hundred times. As far as I know, she's only been here once.
    “ I'm going to shut off the alarm and then we'll see if we can find some keys,” Holly shouts over the screeching wail of the security system. It sounds like a mix between an ambulance and the moaning water hags. I resist the urge to copy Martin and stuff my fingers in my ears as we approach another door. This one separates the offices from the part of the building that's open to the public. Luckily for us, we're on the side with the lock. Holly does the same thing with this door and leads us to the front. I can see Dawson sitting outside on the bench. I don't think he realizes we're watching him because fat, round tears are falling down his cheeks and splattering the fur of the tabby cat who's returned and draped herself over his lap.
    Holly and I exchange a glance as she opens the final door between her and the alarm system. She moves forward, flips down the white plastic panel and punches in a number. Seconds later, the ear piercing wail stops and silence settles over the building like a blanket. At first it's nice, a reprieve for my aching ears, but it quickly becomes stifling. The quiet gets swallowed down my throat and threatens to choke me.
    “ Should we load the stuff in now?” I ask Holly and my voice sounds loud in the little