Legacy of the Living
By
Sean Liebling
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner.
All Electronic and Print Editions
Copyright © 2013 Sean Liebling
All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the author.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real persons, events, or places are purely coincidental; any references to actual places, people, or brands are fictitious. All rights reserved.
Cover Art by Shaed Studios, http://www.shaedstudios.com
Monique Happy Editorial Services
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http://www.moniquehappy.com
Please visit us at http://www.seanliebling.com for additional content to this book, including expanded scenes and upcoming new releases.
Dedications:
Acknowledgements:
Author Note:
The Virus:
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Epilog
Author Afterword
Dedications:
To all those I love and cherish in my life, whether or not they supported me in this endeavor.
To all the brave men and women either currently in or having served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America, including all Police, Fire and Emergency Response personnel. From a Marine to all of you, I Salute You with Honor! Thank you for all that you do and have done.
Most of all, to those precious tiny souls and brave heroes who saw their lives cut short in the Newton, CT Massacre. More than anything, this book is dedicated to all of you, and to all the children in the world. You are our future.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to acknowledge a few people who inspired me and ultimately made me decide to write my own series of books.
Ian Woodhead: His horror is par excellence and you can find his books on Amazon. Beware, he writes with a Yorkshire accent yet does so brilliantly. You can find out more information about him and links to his books by visiting his website at:
http://www.IanWoodhead.com
Shawn Chesser: An up-and-coming indie author whose carefully crafted novels are supreme in their realism of human psychology and survival tactics in the Dawn of a Zombie Apocalypse. Just search him out on Amazon and start with 'Trudge.' You can also find him on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/Shawn.Chesser
To my family, especially little Emma who in real life is exactly like little Emma in my book, and last of all to all my friends who provided support and encouragement during the writing process and late night monthly BS sessions before, during, and after development.
The following people helped tremendously with getting book two out. My Beta Group I love you. Special thanks to all of them with special mention to Mary Philo, Norman Meredith, Mark Hewitt, my editor and friend Monique Happy, the RZT subchapter of the Massachusetts Militia and Alethea Baldwin. Johnny Clark was also instrumental in helping with dialog and interaction between the disabled as Johnny has Cerebral Palsy. Direct any complaints to him please. His contact information is on my website. But this is reality. Let's keep it that way.
Super thanks to Shannon Sharpe for teaching me better character development before killing those characters off. I needed that honestly.
You guys are the best.
Author Note:
Fans and new readers, you are about to embark on Legacy of the Living which is book 2 of the Blood, Brains and Bullets series. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. My novels are a bit different from most others in this genre in that first they are filled with hope for the survival of the human race in some semblance of cohesiveness. They are also much longer than most other zombie or horror books in that I write large which means my books are longer than most others are. They also use the sacrifice of good men and women to help our species survive. I believe in heroes and when you read my books, you will find this apparent.
Another unique feature in my book that few others have is that I used very real characters with real names in Legacy of the Living. Some authors have started doing this and I thought it was a great way to involve my fans in the writing and developing process. They love it and I enjoy making my fans happy. Part o these is the introduction of a real life militia group from Massachusetts, the Red Zone Tactical. They are extremely important in book 3.
Please go to my website at http://www.seanliebling.com for additional information, including expanded sections of this book, which I reluctantly removed. You'll find a slew of useful zombie information, weapons and techniques, including artwork and excerpts from new books coming out, plus additional information.
For all those who really dislike sexual situations in a zombie book or any book, I honestly can't help your intense dislike of sex. Please go to my website. There is a huge page of links from clinical studies proving that sex does indeed substantially increase during life and death situations. Special thanks to Mary Philo for putting that together and doing the research. My books are REAL and as such will contain real information about the daily activities during an apocalypse.
You know, the concept of zombies is a fascinating one. Could they actually exist and in what form? Why of course! The technology has been in routine use for at least five decades, perhaps six, and in this day and age of biotechnology and DNA sequencing, it would be relatively simple. A manmade virus killing off most of the population is more credible but zombies do take all forms. Of the hundreds of zombie books I've read, zombies have resembled vampires, demons, slow walkers, fast walkers, DNA changers, and literally everything in between. At least I tried to keep mine within the realms of real science. Consultation with a close friend who happens to be a medical doctor kept me on the straight and narrow. I also made a conscious effort not to include esoteric medical terminology, mainly because I do not understand all that stuff myself but I did put in a breakdown of the virus in the following page. This was originally put together by Dr. Mansk who is a real life Medical Doctor with research experience and also Norman Meredith who among other things was a combat medic. It's real and it can be created today. Actually, who's to say it hasn't already been created? Scary.
I will also say that the strategies and techniques in my book will work in real life and are the product of countless ‘BS’ sessions between me and select others over more than a few beers or Red Stag on the rocks. Those select others do include a medical doctor, a psychologist, various law enforcement personnel, and some others. Through their urging to keep a semblanc
e of reality in this story, I also made the survivors within my novel a normal, real survival mix of some men, but mostly women and children. I'm not even interested if you disagree. Instead, I suggest you simply read world history of every single recorded crisis throughout the ages.
I have read a great many apocalyptic books and found something useful in every single one, so kudos to all those authors. That genre fascinates me, whether I actually believe it will happen or not. The fact is that it 'could' happen. So do me a favor and stay prepared.
I also wish to say that I deliberately wrote my book the way I did. I emphasized the good in some people, and in the process, perhaps made them larger than life. However, I am a romantic and believe in HEROES, both men and women, and wish to believe that when TSHTF good people will step up and do what's needed. I read about heroes every day in the news. Men and women who do the right thing even when they suffer in the process. The aftermath of an apocalypse is no different. Perhaps more intense but that simply means we go that extra two miles, instead of one.
The world can be a cruel and evil place at times. I hope you can escape for a bit reading my book. That was my goal.
One last thing my friends. I deliberately left several cliff hangers at the end of this rather long book. Don't worry. All your questions will be answered by the middle to end of July as Book 3 'Sacrifice of the Damned' is right at three quarters complete. That will be a must read book because it's all action and revelation.
Best always to you and yours,
Sean Liebling
The Virus:
Here is a breakdown of the virus within my novels. It is not science fiction, it's real. This was originally written by Doctor Mansk, a real medical doctor and then expanded on by Norman Meredith, a combat medic and current EMT.
The zombie virus is a DNA bounded parasitic virus that binds with the Brain stem and Cerebellum. Once the virus binds it takes over all the functions of the body once it kills the host. The virus once lodged takes over the major nervous pathways to be able to seek food/energy. How the virus makes the dead animate is it combines into a Hive mind with an essential chemical chain using the major nervous system as its highway.
Because of the chemical reactions within its own biosphere, the virus acts like a generator providing energy along with a feral need for food to maintain and animate its host. When the virus chain is disrupted the effect is similar to cutting a power line, that fluid, limb or other fluid immediately dies. Because of this recombinant chain it is impossible for the virus to spread unless a zombie subject was restrained and a IV line is run from the zombie subject to a human subject. The human subject would die and turn into a zombie as the virus chain has been extended. But if the IV line is removed, the new zombie will die as it is not receiving information or energy to survive as it is still in original host mode. Think of the genetically engineered molds used for oil spill breakdown.
It is hypothesized that a zombie will go into a form of hibernation, but still maintains awareness if food should enter its space. It will then attack and consume its victim to replenish the energy the virus needs. From survivor’s observation, zombies will go for children over adults. It has been suggested that the parasite is like a magnet that is attracted to the benign virus that children were inoculated with from the Rogue governments "so called" flu vaccine". For reasons unknown the virus mutated differently in children and adults. It has been suggested that as a DNA virus it was engineered for children and meant to kill not mutate adults.
Now you must read book 3 for the entire story!
Prologue
The Reaper paused, slowly moving his right hand skyward, and then clenched it. The two soldiers behind him froze, motionless. His gaze traveled over the scene before him, and a scowl appeared on his weather-beaten, tanned face. Sounds of activity came from in front of their position: low groans of agony from a human source, meaty tearing sounds and the crunch of teeth from inhuman sources. He split the leaves before him carefully with two fingers, looked at the scene before him, and made a soft grunting sound. Quickly, he lowered his Remington 700 on its sling and slid the silenced Ruger Mk II .22 from the holster strapped across his chest. He felt more than heard the men behind him tense, as he slid the long tubular barrel through the leaves.
Lying on the ground in the partial clearing was a man almost dead, and crouched over his broken form were three of the minions of Hell. Why the man was still alive with both legs and arms mostly gone was a wonder. Jason didn't give it another thought as he fired his initial sub-sonic round, hitting the poor figure on the ground in the center of his forehead. The man's form relaxed, after it convulsed. The clack of the slide chambering a new round attracted the attention of the undead, for they quickly turned, looking in his direction. The Reaper did what he did best now. He ended them with three shots, hitting their heads in under two seconds, watching as they slumped over the figure of their prey.
He was currently on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, just north of Walker, and circling a suburb of homes in a neat little cul-de-sac. In his company, were two rangers from Major Weston's company. He'd been reluctant to bring them along, but after working with them for an hour Jason had decided they might be useful after all. Johnson and Reeves were very good at what they did. Killing. No questions asked.
He lifted his rucksack and stealthily slipped through the underbrush while giving the waved hand signal for the others to follow. He approached the fallen figure silently, and gazed down at what moments before had been a living, breathing human. The .22 slid home in its sheath as he reached down, closing the man’s lifeless eyes. Rest in peace brother, he silently thought the homage. The undead he did not bother thinking about, for they were Satan's minions. He was already aware of his surroundings, and knew there were no more of the undead within sight. A filled child's backpack was lying to the side, and he crouched, unzipping it slowly. Inside there were canned goods, some crackers, and bottled water. In addition, there was a child's coloring book with pink unicorns prancing on its cover, and a new box of crayons. The Reaper's eyes widened and he motioned for the two soldiers to approach. They did, moving equally silent, and stood with their sides to him, both pivoting in opposite directions to watch as much of their surroundings as they could.
"Look," the Reaper spoke in a breathy whisper, while pointing to the coloring book and crayons. Both soldiers grimaced and tight expressions of concentration appeared on their faces. He didn't explain further, as no explanation was needed. This poor man, now dead, had been gathering food. Equally obvious, the coloring book and crayons indicated a child needed that food. The Reaper carefully rolled the child's book up, storing it and the crayons at the top of his ruck.
"We track," Jason murmured to the others before turning around and finally finding what was left of the man's feet. Black sneakers with tattered bits of flesh and bone poking out through the openings were lying to the side. He nudged one over with the tip of his boot, examining the sole carefully, and then started walking in a semi-circle. There! He found the path the man had been on, and the direction he had been headed. Johnson and Reeves crouched beside him to look, after also examining the shoes. Soft sounds filtered to them, and movement within the dense wooded brush line alerted them to hostiles. They proceeded cautiously in a triangle, grouping the Reaper in the lead; their three crouched forms were listening and watching carefully for any movements.
The path they followed wound around the end of the cul-de-sac of homes, and Jason saw where a newer path had been created leading to the back of one of those buildings. Multiple fresh imprints of the man's soles were apparent in the dirt, indicating this had been his starting point and return destination more than once. Faintly, they heard feminine crying coming from within, then a harsh slap and the guttural growl of an angry male voice.
The Reaper motioned to Johnson and pointed at the house. The man nodded as his eyes gave the perimeter a quick check, then slipped through the brush while running bent over with his M4 Carbine ready.
Reaching the corner of the house, he crouched even lower before retrieving a small mirror from his top pocket. Extending it on the attached slender rod, he gently slid it straight up to just over the bottom edge of the window, angling it back and forth while tilting his head up to watch. Slowly, he eased it back down; his left hand extended outward, giving signals as his right gripped his gun tightly: four enemy, eight hostages. The Reaper frowned, then nodded, signaling Johnson's return. They spoke in whispers.
"Reaper, looks like four bad ones, all males. Three adult females and five kids are being held captive." Quickly, Johnson told them what he glimpsed while simultaneously sketching a map of the room and its occupants in the dirt. Two of the men were holding the eight against the far wall, while two others were abusing one of the adult women on a table in the center of the room.
The Reaper frowned then stood, walking toward the home. A large burly man in his late 50’s with his camouflage clothing at slight odds with his salt and pepper hair and bushy beard, he nonetheless cut an imposing figure as he strode purposely forward. Johnson and Reeves glanced at each other, shrugged and then followed.
At the rear door of the small bungalow the Reaper paused, then pointing his rifle downward, raised his right foot and kicked the door in with a loud crunch while immediately walking inside. Johnson and Reeves followed behind him while fanning to either side, red dot sites on their M4's highlighting the chests of the two men guarding the group of captives huddled against the wall.
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