The Night Sweeper: A Zombie Conspiracy Novel (The Sweeper Chronicles Book 1) by J. Steven Butler

Author:J. Steven Butler [Butler, J. Steven]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Belt Publishing
Published: 2013-02-23T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

We move through the dense jungle, our going arduous without tools to cut our way through the thick undergrowth. The heat and humidity are oppressive, and after a few minutes, we look like we've been dunked in a river. The jungle smells of mold and vegetation, and steam surrounds our feet as we trudge on, careful not to trip on roots and ferns.

Our first order of business is to find shelter, but finding fresh water would be nice too. Currently, that’s leading us deeper into the jungle and higher ground. Cray picked up on the sound long before I could with his finely attuned hearing, and we’ve been moving in the direction he indicated.

It's not long before I too can hear the crashing flow of a river not far ahead. Hopefully we can also use the high ground to get a better idea where we are and what surrounds us.

All around, the jungle is alive. It teems with all manner of creatures skittering and snaking and chirping.

“It's a very dangerous place, Mira.” Eckert's words keep resounding in my head. Dangerous place. Dangerous place. That could mean anything. And I have no way of knowing what horror could be waiting around the next tree trunk. Adrenaline courses through my body, and before long, my nerves are shot. Every little sound becomes something from my worst imaginations.

If Cray feels the same, it doesn't show. He probably doesn't. He knows nothing of this place, and he's confident in his ability to take care of himself. Ignorance is bliss.

I would feel better if we had a weapon, but the gun Cray took was out of ammo. He dropped it when I dragged him out of the plane. Or maybe he just says it was out of ammo, and he dropped it because I dragged him out of the plane. Either way, it's gone.

After a considerable time, we come to the border of a huge clearing, and I see the river cutting through the landscape. It’s beautiful, cascading over boulders and rocks after dropping from an enormous waterfall. In any other setting it would be breathtaking, but it barely draws a glance from us due to the other object sitting in its path. Cray curses low under his breath, and I stand there with my mouth hanging open.

Downstream from the waterfall is a massive, sprawling, steel and glass dome at least a hundred yards in length. The river flows into one side of it and out the other. Heavy vines wind around and over the edifice, giving it the appearance that it sprang up from the ground and camouflaged itself in the landscape. Cray and I glance at each other, both of us silent and alert, and approach the building slowly. There’s no one visible from here, but we still move in with caution.

The structure is fascinating. All around the sides, the lowest starting about fifty feet off the ground, panels have been removed. In their place are decks constructed of wood and other random materials.

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