Geeks vs. Zombies Read Free Page B

official keeper of the sickos on the truck, Paul had keys to everywhere. He darted behind one of the chicken coops and scanned the windows of the library, two stories above him. They were lit with a soft orange glow from the candles the kids were burning. All the other windows were black squares. Most of the kids would be getting ready for bed in the main exhibition hall of the museum. The only risk of being seen was from one of Chris Marker’s lot, the bloody book nerds. He hoped they were too involved in their stupid event to notice anything going on out here. He’d do what he had to do and get away fast.
    He moved over to the truck in a low crouch and pushed the shutter up as quietly as he could, then scooted up onto the tailgate. He grabbed a flashlight from where it hung near the opening, and pulled aside the drapes. He pushed the button forward and shone the light on his three sickos, nudging them from their sleep. They hissed and gurned at him, angry at being disturbed.
    â€œTime to come out and play,” he said, sliding a key into the padlock that held their cage shut. “It’s judgment time.”
    He’d show the kids. Show them what the world was really like now, make them suffer like he had suffered, like his little sister Olivia had suffered. He rattled the padlock loose and swung open the door of the cage. He walked over to Cheryl. She waved her skinny arms at him. Her nails had grown long and horny, like claws. She was weak, though. By herself she could do very little, but with her friends, with Simon and Louis…Well, let’s face it, even the three of them wouldn’t do that much damage.
    Three against sixty wasn’t great odds.
    That was why Paul had already opened the doors in the basement of the museum as well. Behind those doors, shut away in the dark corridors, lurked an army of sickos, just waiting to enter the upper levels of the museum and feed. They’d found their way down there somehow, drawn by the scent of children. And now they would be able to find their way up to where the children lived.
    He unfastened the chains that held Cheryl in place, and kicked her as she made a move toward him. Then he went over to Louis and fiddled with his chain. The sicko snapped at Paul like an untrained guard dog and Paul slapped him away.
    â€œBehave yourself,” he said. “I’m letting you go, you stupid creep. It’s not me you want to attack.”
    He rattled the chain through the hoop. Louis seemed to smile now, as if he was grateful for being set free. Surely Paul had imagined it. Sickos didn’t have real thoughts, didn’t have real emotions. They were dumb beasts.
    Zombies.
    He crouched in front of Simon and fumbled at the buckles on his muzzle. Simon had powerful jaws and strong teeth.
    â€œIf you try and bite me, you dirty old bastard, I will kick all your teeth out,” Paul said. “You get me? Huh? One false move and you’re a dead sick duck.”
    He unchained Simon and let the chains clatter to the floor. The sicko sniffed the air like he always did, tasting Paul’s scent, but seemed to have no interest in attacking him. Paul hoped they weren’t all too weak and feeble. It was important to him that his three—Simon, Louis, and Cheryl—made a big impact. Important that the other kids saw exactly what dirty secrets were being kept chained up here, hidden away in the heart of their precious museum. The kids who called themselves Scientists had made these sickos what they were, and now they were going to reap their harvest.
    Finally, he kicked Cheryl into life and shuffled backward, not taking his eyes off the three sickos, keeping his flashlight shining in their faces. They hated bright light and shrank away from it. People called them zombies, but to Paul they were more like vampires—ready to suck his blood if he let them. He climbed down off the back of the truck, and once he was safely on the ground