Wake Up Dead - an Undead Anthology Read Online Free

states. There are military strongholds left in the Midwest and West coast areas. As far as we know this is an outbreak of pandemic proportions. The government has issued curfews, and Marshall Law has been enacted.”
    Static broke up the message for a moment.
    “ Infection spreads easily via contamination with bodily fluids. The CDC stated that the virus cannot live for more than a minute outside of the host depending on the atmospheric conditions, the more moisture in the air, the longer it can survive. The government is working with the CDC on a cure, and all those who have been infected are urged to seek military help. Those still alive to take refuge find a safe place to wait for reinforcements.”
    The teenager turned off the radio. Walking away he stood in a corner with a blank look on his face as he stared into the loading area.
    Clare spoke up. “Okay, all we need to do is hold them off until they send help.”
    Frank started laughing, everybody turned to look at him.
    “Excuse me, but are you really that stupid? Do you actually think they’re going to rescue us in time?”
    “Not if the rest of the military is like you, good thing you deserted. You’re pathetic, it’s like you want to die. If you aren’t going to help, shut the hell up.”
    Looking down towards the loading area she saw more and more zombies, close to fifty now. Looking around the yard to see what they had to work with she spotted a fuel tank, wooden crates, and a dumpster.
    “Would it be possible to blow them up somehow using the fuel tank?”
    “Sure, if you want to blow us up too.” Frank stood next to her staring into the yard.
    “What if we just ruptured the fuel tank enough to ignite them, burning them to a crisp? The wooden boxes would keep things going for a bit too.” Clare threw out ideas desperately.
    “What do you plan on doing when the building catches fire?”
    “We use these,” she said holding up a fire extinguisher, “and when they’re empty we use our feet or hands. We do what it takes.”
    Frank nodded in agreement, but Clare saw a shadow in his eyes. His emotions were all over the place, but pain showed through the clearest.
    The teenager stepped forward. “I bet I could rig a pressure hose to spray the fuel onto the zombies. It would cut risk of the building catching fire, but there’s no way I’m going to go and do it with fifty of those things trying to eat me.”
    “What’s your name?” Clare asked.
    “Thomas.”
    “Okay, Thomas, I’m Clare. Frank and I will help you, so will the others.”
    “Who put you in charge? What makes you think we even want to do anything? We’re safe for now,” a stout woman said as she held her a small child close to her.
    Clare, irritated with their lack of survival instinct, had enough.
    “Look, I know you think we can hide in here forever, or perhaps by some miracle the military will parachute in and save us. The truth is, unless you start thinking about this second, this very moment, we’re going to die. Do you understand?”
    The people looked at one another, some unsure of what to say, others too terrified to speak.
    “We could just toss flaming rags at them from here for now, once they catch on fire I don’t think they’ll be smart enough to put themselves out,” a woman suggested.
    “We could drop some stuff from up here and create a mini barricade so when they catch fire they aren’t close to the building, buying us some time,” a man from the back spoke up
    Clare nodded. They were all good ideas, they just had to pick one and go with it. She glanced at Dana, she looked scared.
    Looking down below in the main warehouse area, she saw Frank and wondered what he was doing. Turning her head she stared out the window, praying.
    She tried to open one, but paint and rust sealed them shut years ago. Using her pipe she began to break them.
    “What are you doing?” The man with receding hair and a beer belly yelled at her.
    “What does it look like? I’m being