Ž
The Hummer was loaded up and the fuel tank topped off. Bobby had several five-gallon cans of fuel in the back and the vehicle was filled with the fumes of gas. It was giving him a headache.
“On our way out of town, I want to swing by Rigby’s Hardware. They’ve got trailers and I wanna put those gas cans on a trailer. I don’t think I can drive around sniffin’ gas fumes. Not to mention I’m afraid to smoke one of my stogies,” Bobby said and laughed.
“We can also pick up more gas cans and strap them to the trailer. Hells bells, we could pick up a whole lot of supplies and pack it back there,” Avery said.
“Slow down tiger, one thing at a time.” Bobby pulled down a treelined lane. The houses were well kept and expensive looking. There were zombies wandering around and Bobby snorted.
“What?” Avery asked, looking over at him.
“It don’t matter how rich or how poor you are. These damned zombies bring down the neighborhood,” Bobby said and laughed.
“I ‘spect property values have dropped all across the country,” Avery said and sniggered. Bobby eyed the younger man and wondered if he were drunk. He smelled liquor on him but hell, he’d had a beer this morning himself. He mentally shrugged. He saw the house and a cruel smile slid across his face. There were several zombies in the yard. He slowed down and stopped the Humvee in front of a mid-century modern. There were several magnolias and their sweet scent competed with the stench of rot.
“Where are we?” Avery asked, looking at Bobby.
“This here is my ex’s house. Cost me a lot. Pretty, ain’t it?” Bobby said and his mouth twisted bitterly.
“What are we doing here?”
“Just stopped by, wanted to see if Esther got bit or not.” Bobby rolled down the window and honked the horn and waited. The zombies turned toward the vehicle and Avery shifted nervously. A slow smile crept over Bobby’s face when the front door to the house cracked open. Then he saw Esther and she looked a little worse for wear. There were dark circles under her eyes and her skinned appeared blotchy, from crying, he thought. Her mouth opened in a silent scream and she threw open the door and ran down the stairs.
“My Lord, you came!” she cried as she ran toward the vehicle. Bobby lifted his gun and shot Esther in the thigh before Avery or Esther realized what he was doing. She let out a pain filled scream and fell hard to the manicured lawn, holding her leg and rolled in pain. The zombies turned from the Humvee and headed toward Esther.
“What did you do?” Avery screamed, his hands twisted in his hair and his eyes wide with horror.
“I paid the bitch back,” Bobby said and smiled over at Avery. They both looked over when Esther’s screams became howls as three zombies attacked her. One had fallen to his knees and was biting her bloody thigh, while another was chewing on her hand as she tried to fend it off. The third zombie fell to the ground in front of Esther and dug his hands into Esther’s soft middle and her screams reached an unimaginable pitch. She thrashed about wildly and Bobby heard Avery whimpering beside him.
“Die slow, you old cow,” Bobby said and spit out the window. He turned and smiled at a terrified and stunned Avery, who was shaking his head in denial. Avery shrank down in his seat. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out.
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Bobby said in a jovial voice and pulled away from the still struggling Esther.
Avery sat completely numb in the seat; his brain was frozen with absolute horror. How could Bobby do that to his wife? He thought the zombies were monsters but it was looking more and more like Bobby was the living breathing monster. He needed to get away. Avery knew deep down that Bobby would throw him into the pits of hell if it served his purpose. Bobby was a bully and he was evil. Avery saw that now.
Bobby had done nothing when that little girl screamed in the store. He’d helped no one but himself. When Avery got his chance, he’d leave the old bastard and head for his cousin’s house. If he stayed with Bobby, he would either die or his soul would end up in hell.
Ž
Zahara sat in one of the rocking chairs on the veranda, she was sipping sweet ice tea and watched the shit show in front of her. A slight smile creased her lips as Ethan and Xander argued. They’d come back a few hours ago and she’d helped Xander clean out the back of the truck which was full of old blood, fresh blood and gore. She’d also cleaned her sword and placed it back in the truck, she would sharpen it later. They held the burial for Rose’s uncle and Rose had wept as had the children. Shay and the boys had been put down for a nap, they seemed drain after the funeral. Rose had gone to lay down as well. Lauren was sitting on the porch swing watching the two men argue.
She and Xander planned on leaving soon and she was glad. She liked Rose but she longed for the cabin in the woods. This was not her home. Neither was the cabin, but she was now feeling territorial over it. The week she’d spent at the cabin with Xander had been the happiest time
