Safety Lost (Killing the Dead Book 3) Read Free Page A

seeing that.
    With little choice I decided the best option was to swim across as quickly as possible and as soon as possible. I could see that the other side of the river had a fairly gentle slope and some trees that were devoid of leaves. I would have no trouble making it up to the road, as long as I made it across the river alive.
    Heaving a great sigh I stepped into the water. The cold shot straight up my legs and I had to force myself to keep going. I was soon up to my knees in the water and I kept moving forward, slowly, trying to keep alert for anything moving in the water.
    When I was submerged to the waist I let myself slowly fall forward into the water and kicked out towards the opposite bank. I was not the strongest swimmer in the world but I could manage well enough. With broad strokes I crossed the river and was soon able to place my feet on the bottom with the water reaching my chest.
    I searched the bank to find the easiest place to climb out and spying a suitable spot between two trees I made my way towards it. The water was around my waist when something touched my leg and I froze in place. Another touch came and then something gripped my leg and pulled, I was dragged under the water with a startled cry.
    Water filled my mouth and I had no air to breathe. I was close to panic and kicked out wildly at whatever had hold of my leg as I tried to raise my head out of the river. Whatever had hold of me wasn’t letting go.
    The pressure on my leg wouldn’t give up and my lungs were starting to burn from lack of oxygen. In desperation I pulled the Stanley knife out of my pocket and reached towards my leg. With hands rapidly becoming numb from the cold water I stabbed down against whatever had hold of me.
    I stabbed several times before I realised that it wouldn’t work. The zombie wouldn’t feel the pain and if I accidently cut into my own flesh I would be infected. I changed tactics and began running the blade across the back of the wrist. I kept cutting until I severed the tendons and the hand released its grip on my leg.
    With desperate kicks I pushed away from the zombie that had taken hold of me and dragged myself from the water and onto the bank. I lay coughing up water and gasping for breath while I tried to keep a watchful gaze on the water. Whatever zombie lurked beneath the waves couldn’t seem to follow me, which I was deeply thankful for.
    An inspection of my leg revealed bruising but no broken skin. Once again I had survived a close encounter without becoming infected. If I had believed in any deity I would be offering prayers of thanks. I tried not to think of what I could have swallowed along with all the water and just hoped any bacteria I did pick up, wouldn’t harm me.
    I slowly pushed myself to my feet and began making my way up the banking towards the road that passed along the top. I paused behind a tree at the road edge and peered up and down the road. A great many cars and other vehicles filled the road, personal items and blood covered the tarmac and a number of undead wandered around. Fortunately none close to where I hid.
    Soaking wet, cold and hungry I had no intention of waiting around for long. I crept between the cars keeping an eye out for any zombies and anything that I could use as a weapon and soon reached the opposite side of the wide road. With a quick clamber over a fence, I was concealed in the bushes and tall grass.
    My passing had gone unnoticed and I moved away from the road. The bushes and scrub grass quickly gave way to muddy fields bordered by trees. I felt a great deal more secure away from the town centre and with nothing else to do I set off across the fields in the general direction of the golf course.
     

Chapter 3
    I arrived at the golf course sometime in the afternoon I guessed. I still hadn’t become used to not having a watch or a device that let me know the time. It was irritating not knowing the time or even the date.
    The golf course itself was fairly