Read Online Bone And Cinder: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Zapheads Book 1) by Scott Nicholson, Joshua Simcox - Free Book Online
Authors: Scott Nicholson, Joshua Simcox
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a community . Help me run it. Help me protect it. You may have disappointed me as an employee before, but the fact that you trudged through Armageddon to reach your girl...that tells me what you’re really capable of. I need you here.”
“You’re insane,” Mackie said.
“Then give me a better option. We can stay here, scrape together a life for ourselves. Or we can go back out there and take our chances with the crazies in a world that’s never gonna be what it used to be.”
Mackie turned his head and locked eyes with Krider. “I know what you are. The end of the world hasn’t changed that. You want to control these people. Run things just like you always have.”
“You can think I’m a despicable piece of shit, Mackie, but the one thing I can do is lead . These people that are left besides us, that’s what they need now.”
“Go to hell. But first, do yourself the favor of killing me now. You keep me alive and I’ll separate your head from the rest of you and shove it so far up your ass you’ll shit gummy bears for a week.”
Herrera howled. “Thousand-pound cajones on this pendejo .”
Krider ran a hand across his beard. “We can do that, if that’s really how you want to play this. But what about her ?” He nodded at Allie. “You had an opportunity to give her a kind death, and you passed it up. I don’t think you would’ve done that if you didn’t have some hope that she could get better.”
“She won’t get better. I know that now.”
“What do any us really know at this point? God just hit the reset button on everything. Whatever the new rules are, we haven’t figured them out yet. What happened to Allie, we don’t know if it’s permanent. If you stay and work with me, we can take care of her. Other survivors will show up here at some point. Word will spread that we have a sustainable community. Maybe the day comes when a doctor arrives, or a scientist, or someone with some kind of answers. It doesn’t have to be over for her, Mackie. You’re her only chance.”
“I thought you said the rules were ‘survival of the fittest.’”
Krider stood. “If you want to play hard-ass and spout off lines to show me what a tough guy you are, you’re free to do that. But I also wouldn’t have a problem letting my guys rape Allie and this McAllister bitch while you watch before putting bullets in all three of you.” He turned to leave, but looked over his shoulder before walking away.
“ This is society now. Get on board or not. Let me know when you decide.”
Herrera winked at Mackie and followed Krider out of the library.
8.
Allie’s eyes were closed and her breathing was soft but steady. Whoever was administering the Haldol was careful to dose conservatively. Mackie stroked her forehead again as those glittering eyes tracked his face. There was no recognition in them, and barely any awareness. He wondered if she saw him as prey, or an irritant, or possibly a threat. He walked over to Kara.
“Kara. Whatever’s going through your head right now, we need to figure this out.”
“He was here,” Kara said softly. “All this time he was here. I saw him and I didn’t think it could really be him, and when I tried to pull your gun, it was too late.”
“You can’t think about that right now,” Mackie said.
“I sold you out.”
Mackie sighed. “Doesn’t matter.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be scared.”
“Krider is scary,” Mackie said. “But let’s deal with where we are now.”
Kara smiled sadly. “I heard everything he told you. We stay here and work with him, or we die. You’re a tough guy, Mackie, but there are more of them, and they have guns. And we wouldn’t have a chance out there against God-knows-how-many Zapheads.”
“I know.”
“And like he said, what else is left? Even if he was willing to let us leave, where could we go? We
“You’re insane,” Mackie said.
“Then give me a better option. We can stay here, scrape together a life for ourselves. Or we can go back out there and take our chances with the crazies in a world that’s never gonna be what it used to be.”
Mackie turned his head and locked eyes with Krider. “I know what you are. The end of the world hasn’t changed that. You want to control these people. Run things just like you always have.”
“You can think I’m a despicable piece of shit, Mackie, but the one thing I can do is lead . These people that are left besides us, that’s what they need now.”
“Go to hell. But first, do yourself the favor of killing me now. You keep me alive and I’ll separate your head from the rest of you and shove it so far up your ass you’ll shit gummy bears for a week.”
Herrera howled. “Thousand-pound cajones on this pendejo .”
Krider ran a hand across his beard. “We can do that, if that’s really how you want to play this. But what about her ?” He nodded at Allie. “You had an opportunity to give her a kind death, and you passed it up. I don’t think you would’ve done that if you didn’t have some hope that she could get better.”
“She won’t get better. I know that now.”
“What do any us really know at this point? God just hit the reset button on everything. Whatever the new rules are, we haven’t figured them out yet. What happened to Allie, we don’t know if it’s permanent. If you stay and work with me, we can take care of her. Other survivors will show up here at some point. Word will spread that we have a sustainable community. Maybe the day comes when a doctor arrives, or a scientist, or someone with some kind of answers. It doesn’t have to be over for her, Mackie. You’re her only chance.”
“I thought you said the rules were ‘survival of the fittest.’”
Krider stood. “If you want to play hard-ass and spout off lines to show me what a tough guy you are, you’re free to do that. But I also wouldn’t have a problem letting my guys rape Allie and this McAllister bitch while you watch before putting bullets in all three of you.” He turned to leave, but looked over his shoulder before walking away.
“ This is society now. Get on board or not. Let me know when you decide.”
Herrera winked at Mackie and followed Krider out of the library.
8.
Allie’s eyes were closed and her breathing was soft but steady. Whoever was administering the Haldol was careful to dose conservatively. Mackie stroked her forehead again as those glittering eyes tracked his face. There was no recognition in them, and barely any awareness. He wondered if she saw him as prey, or an irritant, or possibly a threat. He walked over to Kara.
“Kara. Whatever’s going through your head right now, we need to figure this out.”
“He was here,” Kara said softly. “All this time he was here. I saw him and I didn’t think it could really be him, and when I tried to pull your gun, it was too late.”
“You can’t think about that right now,” Mackie said.
“I sold you out.”
Mackie sighed. “Doesn’t matter.”
“I wasn’t supposed to be scared.”
“Krider is scary,” Mackie said. “But let’s deal with where we are now.”
Kara smiled sadly. “I heard everything he told you. We stay here and work with him, or we die. You’re a tough guy, Mackie, but there are more of them, and they have guns. And we wouldn’t have a chance out there against God-knows-how-many Zapheads.”
“I know.”
“And like he said, what else is left? Even if he was willing to let us leave, where could we go? We
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