Empty Bodies (Book 2): Adaptation by Zach Bohannon Page A

other survivors? Joanne… this thing, had served its purpose. He could eliminate it, thus satisfying his hunger to destroy.
    David took two steps to his right, never letting his eyes leave those of the creature’s. He reached down to open the door, but it was locked. Frustrated, he pulled harder, but it wouldn’t open. He slammed his hand against the glass and watched as the Empty tried to raise up, almost as if it were toying with him. David let his forehead rest against the glass and he could feel the sweat drip down his brow.
    “So, we meet here once again, Mr. Ellis?”
    Startled, David looked over to Lawrence and sighed.
    Lawrence approached David. “Why are you here, David?”
    “I was just stretching my legs. Thought I’d come take a look at it again.” David nodded his head toward the restrained Empty.
    “Uh huh, I see.”
    “Maybe you guys should lock those God damned doors if you don’t want people coming back here. Aren’t you trying to hide this thing?”
    “Most everyone knows about Joanne. I only asked you earlier not to share that you’d been back here because the two women we picked up, Jessica and Melissa, they aren’t aware yet.”
    Lawrence stepped closer to him, and David clenched his fist, not sure what the man’s intentions were.
    “Humanity is devolving, Mr. Ellis. Just look. Between her and the ones we saw earlier, this is what we are becoming. It may take a long time to happen, but it will happen.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    “Because, this patient isn’t sick. If she’s not sick, I’m not sure how she can be cured. And if she can’t be cured, then, well…”
    David let the words hang in the air, waiting on Lawrence to finish his thought.
      “I want to go out again.”
    David narrowed his eyes. “We just fucking got back.”
      “I know, David. But aside from bringing back a few sedatives, we didn’t find anything. We need to find gasoline. The vehicles are running low, and we have a small emergency generator that runs off fuel as well. Aside from that, I know there are people out there who need our help. That thing I shot that had its hands on you at the clinic... I knew that man. He was my friend, Ray, a great veterinarian. And I fucking shot him.”
    Lawrence stopped to gather himself.
    “We can’t let people who need help just die out there when we have a type of sanctuary here.”
      “Get one of those other guys to go.”
    Lawrence put his hand on David’s shoulder, and David looked down at it before glaring up at the man.
    “I saw what you did today. Truth is, I’m not a hundred percent sure that I can trust you yet. But, I need you out there with me. Besides, I think you owe me. Twice now, if I remember correct.”
    David threw the man’s hand off his shoulder. “I don’t owe you shit.” He glared at Lawrence until he’d passed him, and headed for the main part of the hospital they were staying in. “I’ll be in my room.”
    ***
    Jessica
    “No, that’s fine, I’ll just take water and something small to eat,” Melissa said.
    Jessica smiled. “Okay. I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”
    “Sounds great.”
    As Jessica stepped out into the hallway, Lawrence came walking toward her from her right. Though he was wearing long sleeves, Jessica could see the blood stains on his hands, which she hadn’t noticed before, and she thought back to her encounter with David in the break room.
    Lawrence nodded at her as he approached her. “Jessica.”
    Jessica smiled, and as he walked by her, she stopped him. “Wait.”
    Lawrence turned around. “Yes?”
    She stepped toward him, and looked down at his exposed wrists. He cleared his throat and pulled his sleeves down.
    “I want to help,” she said.
    “Well, you are helping. I heard you helped out with the laundry earlier, and you’re keeping an eye on Mrs. Kessler.”
    Jessica shook her head. “No, I want to go with you.”
    “Go with me?”
    “On a run.”
    Lawrence crossed his arms and smiled