Life Among The Dead (Book 3): A Bittersweet Victory by Daniel Cotton

smile before letting him
down gently, “I’m fine on the recliner.”
    “Are you sure? Army cots aren’t exactly known
for their comfort. This could be the last real bed you see for some
time.”
    “I’m sure. I’ll be fine. Honestly, I can
sleep anywhere.”
    “Suit yourself.” Brad props himself against
the headboard, adding more bourbon to his soda. “I guess there are
worse things to wake up to than a sore neck.”

 
5
     
    Jessie surprised Marko by suggesting the
highway patrol station as their headquarters when Marko drew a
blank as to where to go after ransacking the store in Worchester. It must be his turn with the brain , he thought. The place would be perfect
since it’s practically invisible from the road due to heavy
overgrowth, and it should yield guns and ammo. The only drawback is
how far north it is, halfway to Fallen.
    The men had taken all they could from the
little market: booze, smokes, snacks, even porno magazines. They
knew they could always come back, but were overwhelmed by the
temptation to take more. With the booty stowed in the beds of their
trucks, they have made their way to their safe house. Marko is
compelled to settle in before nightfall and plans to return to
Worchester first thing in the morning to get whatever they’ve left
behind.
    Now they sit in the lot of the patrol
station, watching for movement. Marko’s partners are getting
anxious as they wait while crammed into the smaller red truck, but
he knows they need to proceed with caution. The last thing he wants
is to get bitten or killed and lose this once in a lifetime
opportunity.
    Marko finally exits his truck, holding a hand
up to tell his companions to stay put. He heads to the door with
his AK-47 and stops halfway up the walk. The lights are on, the
patrolmen are still inside, but he can tell they are dead on their
feet. They lazily travel over the industrial carpeting in aimless
circles.
    Marko pulls one of the double doors open and
locks the hinge to keep it that way. There are four walking
corpses, and likely more throughout the station. He knows this
place will have guns and ammunition, but not for his assault rifle.
That weapon will have to be used sparingly until he can get to a
gun store. The dead he lures out are certainly worth spending the
rounds on, but he has a better plan. Something he could only dream
of before.
    “Little pigs, little pigs, let me in!”
    As the dead cops exit the station, Marko
waves for his buddies to join him. “Save your ammo for now,” he
tells Biff when the man aims his shotgun at one of the
deputies.
    The zombies spread out to claim the closest
meal. Marko takes advantage of the confusion to prepare himself,
then he slams the butt of his gun into the first dead cop that
closes in on him. Stunned, the zombie falters on his feet. Before
he can find his balance, Marko beats him savagely.
    Biff and Jessie aren’t so enthusiastic about
the close quarters, but they do as they are told and resist firing
their weapons. The two men back away from the three zombies that
pursue them.
    Looking up from the concave mess he’s made of
his corpse, Marko finds his companions are in over their heads.
“Either hit ‘em or grab a bow,” he says. “Save me one!”
    Jessie rushes to the red truck, never taking
his eyes off the dead. In the bed, under cases of beer and sacks of
various snacks, he locates his compound bow. Using the reusable
projectiles, he takes down the first two ghouls that near him and
Biff, leaving one per Marko’s instruction.
    “He’s all yours, Marko.” Jessie keeps an
arrow ready to fire as he retreats in a skipping shuffle to
maintain distance between the zombie and himself.
    “Grab him for me,” Marko commands.
    “What?” Jessie asks with panic.
    “Grab the pig. There’s something I wanna
do.”
    Jessie creeps from his position of safety to
sneak up on the ghoul getting dreadfully close to Biff. He shoves
the zombie cop down on his face then drops all of his