The Hunger (Book 2): Consumed Read Free

just as the track switched to Slave to the Grind .
    “Hey, I like that song,” Lance said.
    “Get us the hell out of here, dumbass.”
    “Thanks for the tip.  I had no idea we were trying to leave.”  Lance swung onto Freeport Road and steered in the direction of the boat, hopping over the concrete median with a jarring thud.  “But now that you said that, I’ll definitely try harder.”
    Cass backhanded him in the shoulder.  “Enough with the shit talking already!”
    The car lurched as it shifted, jerking forward again as the gear caught.
    “The transmission is toast.”  Lance looked at Brown in the rearview mirror.  “Hand some of that stuff up to Cass.  I’m going to pull up to the shore so you guys can get out and run.  Carry as much of the gear as you can.”
    Brown got to work, gathering up supplies and putting it back into the bags and baskets.
    “What are you going to do?” Cass asked Lance.
    “If there are any of them by the shore, I’m going to try to lead them away.  If they won’t follow, then I’ll run them over.”
    “Or you could get out with us and run for it.”
    “I will if there aren’t any of them there.”  Lance knew the odds of that were slim.  Since they dropped anchor there a few days ago, more and more of the infected had wandered the shores by them.  They had to move the boat up the river a hundred yards so they could quickly get off.
    Lance eased off the gas as they turned onto 910.  They drove by a garage and a few abandoned homes.  The road ended at a line of trees, which led to the river.
    Between the foliage and trucks, Lance could see the Duchess floating on the Allegheny.
    More than two dozen of the infected stalked along the edge of the water.
    “Damn.”  Lance slowed the car down, letting it coast the last hundred feet.  He pointed through the windshield.  “Get out here and hide behind that house.”
    Cass started to argue with him when he cut her off with a firm shake of his head.
    “Relax.  I’m not going to do anything stupid.  I’m going to turn around, honk the horn, and lead them away.  I’ll come back in a few minutes.  Easy, right?”
    “Nothing is easy for us anymore.”  Cass grabbed her baskets and got out.  “Don’t fuck around, Lance.”
    “Hey, you called me Lance.  That might be a first.”
    Brown cleared his throat.  “While I appreciate the humor of the two of you going back and forth, perhaps you could save it for later.  The fishing rods are still back here for you to take.”
    “Hurry up, dumbass.”  Cass gave him one last look before following Brown.  They jogged across an overgrown lawn, crouching beside the front porch of a cottage.
    The hoard of daywalkers streamed into view behind the car, filling the street in a tidal wave of death.  Lance pounded on the horn, focusing their attention on him.  The contingent by the water teetered around, mouths distorting in shrieks.
    “Come get it.”
    Lance put the car in reverse and mashed the accelerator down.
    The engine revved with vigor, but the car didn’t budge.
    “Oh shit.”

Chapter 2
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    L ance worked the gas pedal up and down, listening to the whine of the engine, but getting nowhere.  Fear tore at him as he slammed the shifter into drive and pushed on the pedal again.
    He didn’t move.  The transmission was shot.
    Cass stood up beside the cottage, hand reaching for her axe.
    Lance waved her off, motioning for her to stay down.  He wished he hadn’t honked the horn seconds before.  If shooting himself in the foot were an Olympic sport, he would have been a gold medalist.
    He threw the door open and stepped out, grabbing the fishing rods from the backseat.  The swarm of daywalkers behind him closed in, the clicks of their gnashing teeth audible over their pounding feet.
    Those by the river filtered between the trees, gaining momentum as they pushed through the undergrowth.
    Lance pointed at the cottage.  “Go inside!