Capital Falling | Book 4 | Sever Winkless, Lance (most popular ebook readers TXT) 📖

mind attacking and I lower my M4 in case it’s that which is stopping the creature from doing so. I must know for sure if it sees me as prey or not, I won’t get a better chance than this.

Lowering my rifle causes no change in the creature’s behaviour. Eventually, the hideous and yet pitiful noise subsides. Slowly the creature’s mouth inches shut, and it just stands there, its head turned looking at me, it is then that I have no doubt that the Rabid definitely doesn’t see me as prey and I have my answer. I raise my rifle again and squeeze the trigger, shooting the poor woman through her forehead.

I watch the body fall to the ground and can do nothing but stare at it in pity for a moment, as dark red blood from its head soaks into the sand. I couldn’t let it continue to exist in that state of torment. I also couldn’t let it live and be washed away by the river when it rises. Who knows where it could have ended up?

Gathering myself, I turn away from the morbid scene at my feet and look out towards Josh and Alice in the boat. Josh is now standing along with Alice and they both stare back at me with looks of shock and pity, the same as mine. I give them a thumbs up and turn for the steps that lead up and off the beach.

Gunshots ring out suddenly and I drop down low, my rifle scanning for danger, but I can’t see any. The gunshots came from the boat behind me, that has floated a bit farther out from the beach, to a safer distance. Unable to see any threat ahead, I glance quickly back at the boat. Josh’s rifle is pointing at a steep angle, high up at the bridge and I follow his aim.

I am a good distance closer to the bridge and can see only its underbelly and a tight angle on its sides. Whatever Josh is shooting at is out of my field of view. He has seen Rabids on the bridge above, no doubt and if he is keeping them occupied, I can use it as a distraction to move.

Keeping low, my legs move in quick time down the narrow beach and to the steps, which have seen better days. Metal poles that shorten as they bring the steps down, are buried into the riverbed holding the steps aloft against the wall of the embankment. The end of the steps is submerged into the shallows of the river at their lowest point, and I will have to climb up onto them if I want to stay dry, which I do.

I slow, and approach with caution as I get close, the area under the steps doesn’t look inviting. Plastic bags and other rubbish are entangled in the supports and the cross members holding the steps up, the litter bobbing around in the water. Anything could be caught up with the litter and my imagination runs riot, fooling my eyes into thinking they see a bloated hand or a foot.

Nothing is lurking within the litter I eventually decide, and I move to the water’s edge, pushing my rifle around to my back. In one swift motion, I grab hold of one of the steps and swing my feet over the water, pulling myself up at the same time. The motion isn’t graceful, but it gets me onto the steps without touching the water. I stay low while I bring my rifle back around, gripping it in both hands.

Treading carefully up each step, I move up until the M4 and the top of my head rises just above the embankment wall. There I pause and scan the area around the top of the steps, the M4’s silencer leading the way.

An old, but smart looking stone building with columns sits on the wharf adjacent to the top of the steps. Next to that is a small office block that has another larger office block next to it. The road I am planning to use runs between the two office blocks, and I check behind me before my legs push to take me up onto the wharf’s footpath.

At the top, I make for cover, a tree with low hanging branches in front of the smaller office block. I scan the area again, but nothing moves so I swivel and turn to take my aim onto the bridge behind me. My height on the wharf has changed my angle and I can get a good look at the bridge, although I still can’t see onto the roadway. The bridge looks clear, and my head turns to see if Josh is still aiming up to it, since the gunshots have stopped. He is still aiming up, but his rifle moves back and forth across the bridge suggesting that he has no targets.

Bringing my rifle back down and around, I scan my area again before deciding it’s time to move into the city. The road that will take me away from the river runs between the two office blocks, it is narrow with the two buildings reaching up each side of it, robbing it of most of its light. Add to that the smoke haze that looks like it is going to get thicker as I move away from the open expanse of the river, means visibility on the road is poor.

Breaking cover and staying low behind the M4, I cross the wharf and move between the two office blocks. Two parked cars are next to the kerb on the righthand side of the road. I keep my distance from them and steadily begin to stalk down the road. My rifle constantly sweeps through the air between checking the way ahead, checking my six and clearing blind spots. My breathing is calm and steady despite the smoke irritating my chest, I don’t want to cough because if I do, I might not stop.

Almost at the end