Read Online The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel by Edward P. Cardillo - Free Book Online

stopped driving it and decided he wanted to unload it. Said he was getting too old for a car like that.”
    “Wow.” She looked impressed that ol’ Mike once owned a car like that. “Can’t picture him in a muscle car.”
    “Why not? He was younger once.”
    “Oh, excuse me. So why did you get that car instead of a new Camaro or something?”
    “He practically gave it to me. Besides, there’s something cool about keeping a classic on the road. I’ll tell you, that car is timeless.”
    “Kinda like the carousel and Smuggler’s Bay for that matter.”
    Vinnie smiled at this. This girl got him.
    They practically ran into the Blackbeard’s Pier Arcade, Dharma in the lead, and Vinnie following right behind her. It gave him an opportunity to check out her ass.
    Because of the hour, the carousel was less crowded. All of the little kiddies were snug in bed back at their motels. Mike probably was too.
    Vinnie walked up to the ticket machine and reached for his wallet, but Dharma put her hand up. “I got this.”
    She fed the machine four dollars, and she pressed the button. Four orange tickets slid out.
    Vinnie put up his hands. “Oh, you shouldn’t have gotten me a ticket. You go. I’ll watch.”
    “Oh, no,” said Dharma, grabbing his hand again. “Not after all of this talk about classics and why we love ’em. The carousel is a classic, and you’re going on with me.”
    She let go of his hand and curled her right index finger, beckoning him to follow her, flashing him her best ‘come hither’ look.
    Vinnie cursed himself silently for not being able to resist. He got on the short line with her and looked around, hoping no one he knew saw him.
    Dharma started kneading his shoulders. “Loosen up, Vinnie. You’re always so nervous. You’re having fun, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, of course I am.”
    “Unless you’d rather be back at the meat market asking Benny girls to dance?”
    “That’s not fair.”
    “C’mon, I’m only joking.”
    “No, about the Bennies, I mean. They support this place.”
    “I know. That’s what my mom says, too. My Dad think’s they’re obnoxious, though.”
    “Well, some of them can be,” Vinnie conceded.
    The carousel operator that Vinnie only knew as Ethel (she was a new employee, around Mike’s age, maybe a little younger) opened the gate, and Dharma went skipping through.
    Dharma hopped onto the carousel and selected a blue seahorse. Vinnie chose the horse right next to hers. They hopped up and strapped themselves in. After a minute or two, the bell began to ring, and the horses slowly sprung to life.
    As the carousel picked up speed, Vinnie enjoyed the cool breeze on his face and in his hair. He remembered riding the carousel as a kid with his mother, the lights and electronic sounds passing by as he waved to his father.
    He looked at the pretty girl on the horse next to him and thought his mother would’ve been proud. Proud that he was out with such a pretty girl, and proud that she got him to ride the carousel again. He watched as the breeze tossed Dharma’s long, blond hair around. He marveled at her beautiful smile.
    This night couldn’t have been more perfect.
    The ride began to gradually slow until it came to a complete stop. Dharma quickly unstrapped herself and hopped off her horse. She waited for Vinnie, and they stepped off the ride and strolled out the exit, thanking Ethel on the way out.
    “I want some ice cream,” announced Dharma. She took his hand in hers and they were off to the frozen custard stand next door. Dharma ordered a vanilla cone, and Vinnie a chocolate one.
    “Let’s get a bench looking at the ocean,” Vinnie suggested.
    “Okay.”
    They walked, frozen custard in hand and Vinnie already sporting a brown mustache, over to the benches at the edge of the boardwalk on the side facing the ocean.
    They picked a pink reversible bench with the back set up so that they would be facing the boardwalk. Vinnie switched the back, pulling it