Emerging from Darkness (Darkness Falls, Book Two) *SAMPLE*

Six - Something Sinister Awaits

Phoenix

Rian swivels her head from side to side, taking in our surroundings. "So this is what a prison looks like."

I nod, warily. When the outbreak first happened, people were encouraged to make their way to the prisons. They were emptied of the Degenerates, and the rest of the civilian survivors were to find their way to the nearest jail or prison facility and take shelter behind the gates. The government was rumored to be the sole form of protection. As I too let my eyes fall upon the tall gates before us, something feels off, wrong. Not a soul is in sight. If I didn't know any better, I'd say the place is empty. What's even more disconcerting is there is no sign of biters either. I can see them walking in the distance, but it's almost as if someone has been cleaning up their kills.

I quickly glance at Rian and I don't even have to say a word before she is pulling out the gun and holding it protectively in front of her. We are limited on bullets, but I am just thankful we are both armed.

I inhale deeply, touching the back of my pants to ensure the knife Rian stole from the Degenerates is still there. A feeling of uneasiness is washing over me like waves. A piercing noise attacks my ears, and then I hear a voice over what sounds like an intercom. "Drop your weapons."

Rian locks eyes with me in a panic.

They have seen Rian's gun at this moment, but no one knows I am armed with a knife, and I intend to keep it that way.

I nod at Rian slightly giving her the okay. She bends down, setting it onto the ground.

We have no idea what or who we are dealing with, and the possibility of them having us surrounded is too great to disobey their orders. I glance back at the biters I noticed earlier, taking note that they have closed quite a bit of distance on us. There is a group of five descending upon Rian and me, but I can't make any sudden movements. I have to keep my knife hidden. I swallow loudly, attempting to calm my rising heartbeat.

Bullets whiz past our faces as I notice all of the biters get taken out in one fell swoop. My heart is in my throat. My eyes scan the guard towers, but I still have limited visibility. Finally, I notice two males and a female approaching the gates from the inside. Two of them are carrying rifles. None of them are wearing military fatigues, and my bad feeling continues to intensify. The female is older, in her mid-forties with short blond hair and brown eyes. She has muscular arms and a prominent jawline. She is quite masculine looking. The two men are younger. One appears to be in his early thirties and Hispanic, while the other is probably no older than me and African-American. They look dirty, and none of them wear inviting expressions on their faces. In fact, the youngest of the three wears what appears to be a permanent scowl on his face.

Once they have us secured inside the gates, the older male turns to the other two. "Search them."

My heartbeat accelerates as I feel Rian glancing my way. There is no way they will overlook the knife now. I watch as the woman pats down Rian, and then the younger male approaches me. He takes his time running his hands up and down my legs. I can tell he is taking pleasure in his job. He slides his hand down the middle of my chest in between my breasts and lingers there. I want to kick him in the balls, but I already know we are in deeper than I'd like us to be. He circles around me to the back, and yet again takes the liberty of fondling my breasts during his search. I think I may get away with the knife tucked inside of the back of my pants, when his hands finally come into contact with it.

"What is this?" he asks in a sinister voice as he pulls it out slowly. I hear Rian gasp, and then I see the female grab her arms and hold her back. She is thrashing around in an attempt to free herself as the male who had been searching me brings the knife up to my throat.