Read Online After the Bite by David Lovato, Seth Thomas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Lovato, Seth Thomas
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thought from the back of his mind moved forward. Far forward.
Garrett fought back the tears. He tried one more time to call her back from wherever it was Marice, the real Marice, the kind and beautiful and harmless Marice, had gone. Her gnashing teeth told Garrett that this was not possible.
Garrett shoved her off of him. As soon as he got to his feet Marice was heading toward him. Garrett looked around for something with which to defend himself. He found nothing. He lifted his hands, and looked at them.
Marice leapt upon him. He caught her throat in his hands. What had always been a silky, warm neck was now cold and hard. Garrett squeezed.
Even as he restricted the air from her lungs, as he crushed the life out of her, she showed no sign of relent. Her eyes told Garrett they wanted nothing but his death. Up until they began to shut, her hand lowered, and the gurgling noises she was making subsided, there was nothing to her but death.
Garrett wasn ’t sure how long things stayed that way: Marice on top of him, his hands wrapped around her throat to the point where his fingers were near interlacing, still squeezing, her not moving at all. But it was far too long. He cried out in pain. He forced himself to let go, to shove her off of him, still not wanting to believe this, tears falling from his eyes.
He sat on his living room couch for a moment, trying as best as he could to collect himself. The door was wide open, and after a few minutes, he realized he was looking out through it. In the distance, over the tops of the hills and houses, he could see a church.
There was nothing left here, and there was no time to lose.
Garrett went outside, got into his car, and drove. He didn’t care about the speed limit. He ran over another crazy person on his way. Outside of the church was a small group of people, including an older woman. He slowed as he passed them.
“Everybody get inside the church! ” he said. “Barricade the doors and windows! We have to create a safe place.” The people looked at each other. “Quickly! I’m going to get us some weapons. I’ll be back soon. And spread the word!” He sped off, unsure of whether they would actually do it.
Garrett stopped the car in the fire lane outside of Wal-Mart. There were people around, but not many. For that he thanked God.
There were people inside Wal-Mart, and it was difficult to tell who was and wasn ’t crazy. Garrett shut them all out, he avoided everyone. He ignored the cries for help from the people attempting to claw their way out from under hoards of crazies. And it hurt.
He headed for the gun section. There was no one there. Garrett grabbed a tire iron as he passed an endcap and pulled a duffel bag from the back wall. He smashed the glass of the gun case. Garrett started stuffing the bag full of guns and ammunition. He’d been to the firing range a few times, usually with friends, and though everyone said he knew his way around a gun, he’d never owned one. He filled the bag, ran back to the wall and grabbed another one, brought it back, and began filling it. Then he heard a voice from behind him.
“What the fuck! Looting! At a time like this!”
Garrett glanced back at the man standing behind him.
“There are survivors gathering in a nearby church,” he said. “I ’m getting these to defend them with. We’re setting up a safe zone while we still can.”
“I ’ll fucking bet you are,” the man said.
“Look around you . Something isn’t right. I don’t think now is the time to argue about stealing.” Garrett continued to fill the bag, and decided to leave some space for food.
“ You look around. I don’t see any white guys looting.”
Garrett turned to the man with a nine millimeter pistol in his hand. He opened a box of ammunition and loaded it. The man’s eyes grew wide. Garrett offered the man the gun. He looked from the gun to Garrett, realized he was not being threatened, and then took it.
“You just did,” Garrett
Garrett fought back the tears. He tried one more time to call her back from wherever it was Marice, the real Marice, the kind and beautiful and harmless Marice, had gone. Her gnashing teeth told Garrett that this was not possible.
Garrett shoved her off of him. As soon as he got to his feet Marice was heading toward him. Garrett looked around for something with which to defend himself. He found nothing. He lifted his hands, and looked at them.
Marice leapt upon him. He caught her throat in his hands. What had always been a silky, warm neck was now cold and hard. Garrett squeezed.
Even as he restricted the air from her lungs, as he crushed the life out of her, she showed no sign of relent. Her eyes told Garrett they wanted nothing but his death. Up until they began to shut, her hand lowered, and the gurgling noises she was making subsided, there was nothing to her but death.
Garrett wasn ’t sure how long things stayed that way: Marice on top of him, his hands wrapped around her throat to the point where his fingers were near interlacing, still squeezing, her not moving at all. But it was far too long. He cried out in pain. He forced himself to let go, to shove her off of him, still not wanting to believe this, tears falling from his eyes.
He sat on his living room couch for a moment, trying as best as he could to collect himself. The door was wide open, and after a few minutes, he realized he was looking out through it. In the distance, over the tops of the hills and houses, he could see a church.
There was nothing left here, and there was no time to lose.
Garrett went outside, got into his car, and drove. He didn’t care about the speed limit. He ran over another crazy person on his way. Outside of the church was a small group of people, including an older woman. He slowed as he passed them.
“Everybody get inside the church! ” he said. “Barricade the doors and windows! We have to create a safe place.” The people looked at each other. “Quickly! I’m going to get us some weapons. I’ll be back soon. And spread the word!” He sped off, unsure of whether they would actually do it.
Garrett stopped the car in the fire lane outside of Wal-Mart. There were people around, but not many. For that he thanked God.
There were people inside Wal-Mart, and it was difficult to tell who was and wasn ’t crazy. Garrett shut them all out, he avoided everyone. He ignored the cries for help from the people attempting to claw their way out from under hoards of crazies. And it hurt.
He headed for the gun section. There was no one there. Garrett grabbed a tire iron as he passed an endcap and pulled a duffel bag from the back wall. He smashed the glass of the gun case. Garrett started stuffing the bag full of guns and ammunition. He’d been to the firing range a few times, usually with friends, and though everyone said he knew his way around a gun, he’d never owned one. He filled the bag, ran back to the wall and grabbed another one, brought it back, and began filling it. Then he heard a voice from behind him.
“What the fuck! Looting! At a time like this!”
Garrett glanced back at the man standing behind him.
“There are survivors gathering in a nearby church,” he said. “I ’m getting these to defend them with. We’re setting up a safe zone while we still can.”
“I ’ll fucking bet you are,” the man said.
“Look around you . Something isn’t right. I don’t think now is the time to argue about stealing.” Garrett continued to fill the bag, and decided to leave some space for food.
“ You look around. I don’t see any white guys looting.”
Garrett turned to the man with a nine millimeter pistol in his hand. He opened a box of ammunition and loaded it. The man’s eyes grew wide. Garrett offered the man the gun. He looked from the gun to Garrett, realized he was not being threatened, and then took it.
“You just did,” Garrett
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