The Risen: Courage Read Online Free Page B

bull’s-eye.
    “No,” I say with more bruised ego then anger, “it is not. It is just the way it happens.”
    “A lot,” Marxx mutters, and I wonder when this conversation became a slapstick comedy hour. There are only rotting flesh-eaters ahead. Let’s all stop to make some jokes!
    “You ready?” Lawless’ mirth is still abundant, wearing my trust a little thin.
    “…or you could just wait for them to spot us while you two debate it till our deaths.” Marxx sinks to the floor, supporting Aimes with his body as her weight pushes his damaged arm to its limit.
    All of my anger fades as I realize my hesitation could be her death. If they spot us, Aimes cannot defend herself in this state. If we become over-ran, we would have to leave her as we fled. She would be left to them to destroy and feast. Survival isn’t pretty anymore. Everyday, we are taught a new lesson by it. I nod, signaling that I surrender again.
    “Run,” Lawless whispers.
    It is such a small word to inspire so much fear. My legs falter with it before I can gain traction. My body falters with a last chance to save itself from what I am about to do again.
    I hug the wall as close as I can, but still allow myself room to run. I know Lawless will be shooting over my shoulder to clear the biggest threats to me. He will have to wait though until I am closer than I want to be. The sooner he shoots, the sooner they will become aware.
    My boot’s flat heels click against the tiles as I see their heads cock in their hunting stage. They are attempting to use their ears to find a reason for the new noise, a noise that is slowly turning their heads towards me as I rapidly close the space between us. The glazed eyes from my nightmares will soon become focused on me. I can hear J.D. laughing in my mind, inspired by my constant mixture of “balls” and stupidity.
    My hand finds the hilt of my hunting knife as easily as the knife finds the skull of the first target. It falls without a sound to signal the one in front of it to my presence, but my flesh gives me away. Each of us has a scent that is our own. A scent that we as humans no longer can notice, losing so much of the hunters we once were. The Risen are pure hunters, so they notice. They notice fast.
    There is no gradual alert of me. They snap towards me, turning their bodies in whichever way they need to, with a sharp movement unlike anything I have seen from them before. The normal slow turning with strings is gone and replaced with a new attack. An attack they unleash with viciousness, reaching for me with hatred and hunger. I completely forget about the doors with them upon me.
    Nails dig into my arm like a bird of prey’s talons, preventing me from pulling away or risking more damage to my already pierced flesh. I scream with the fire-like pain and the female that holds me still smiles at me. My scream and the smell of my blood flowing to the floor around us bring forth a cry of victory from the cafeteria. It clenches my stomach tight and my body begins to sweat in panic. The only saving grace that I have is she only attacked my left arm. My right is still fully capable and proves it so as I arch my arm to connect the blade with her forehead.
    Her eyes follow the blade and, at the last moment, she pulls me off-center with her talons, landing the blow as a deep gash to her cheek. She smiles at me as if to say, “ My turn”, and she opens her jaw wide for her rebuttal.
    Its black coloring and its rotting tissue from her many meals of blood-filled flesh surround me with the scent of plagues. All logic leaves me as I watch her. I could try to bring my knife back up, hoping to still land a blow, but she has almost twisted me with my arms crossed, using her body to counterbalance me. They shouldn’t be able to plan this well. They shouldn’t be able to fight this smart. I really should stop running into the middle of them.
    The first shot finally comes, bouncing her head sideways with the hit. It