Read Online The Hungry 4: Rise of the Triad (The Sheriff Penny Miller Series) by Steven Booth, Harry Shannon - Free Book Online
Authors: Steven Booth, Harry Shannon
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pleasantly, just like the staff, but no one seemed to want to get drawn into a genuine conversation. Two teenaged boys were tossing a football back and forth. A dog ran between them, barking with joy. Sea birds swooped down and occasionally plucked a struggling fish from the rolling, white-capped waves. All was right with the world. Life and death went on elsewhere, but not in this bubble. Here, everything was picture perfect.
Time hung suspended. The universe shrank to embrace them like a lover. The beach was warm and the cool air fresh and clear. The rhythmic swoosh of the waves was soothing and hypnotized them both. They walked back and forth along the strand, turning back only when they saw a concrete boundary. They walked back and forth and back and forth. If the Serenity Center had stationed armed guards around the perimeter, Miller thought mildly, the sentries were certainly discreet. Perhaps the place was exactly what it claimed to be? The very question made her hesitate. She blinked until the numbness went away.
Miller said, “Let’s go back.”
“Why?” Scratch asked, genuinely puzzled.
“Let’s just go.”
Miller led the way. The late winter sun was sinking down into the southwest beyond the horizon when Scratch and Miller finally returned from the beach. A boat far out to sea blew a horn. The sea was a palate of colors drifting slowly into a cool darkness. A few stars already winked high above, where a half-moon waited to be noticed.
The beach was still sparsely populated with other Serenity Center residents. Once again, the others stayed pretty much to themselves. No one spoke. Each of the residents, or couples, seemed lost in their own thoughts. Scratch and Miller had been having too much fun to bother chasing down another denizen of the beach, especially to ask rude questions. Miller realized how badly she’d wanted to suspend disbelief, just pretend there was no other world to worry about. No zombie apocalypse, no Army scientists, no experimental zombie virus in her bloodstream waiting to torment her again. She deserved a break. Her life had been so stunningly complicated before tonight. The exquisite simplicity of making love to Scratch and walking on the beach had been a little taste of heaven. She needed to get back to work, but didn’t really want to work. She tried to focus on the others they had left behind in Colorado. Rat the beautiful mercenary soldier; Sheppard, the man who had helped to start the virus at the Army lab he’d nicknamed Crystal Palace. Their faces remained blurry to her now, their memories weirdly out of context.
The Serenity Center was lit up with spotlights when they walked closer, making it seem like a brand new amusement park. It twinkled like a magic castle, dazzling when set against the steadily darkening sky. Miller and Scratch held hands most of the way. The sea breeze had begun to cool and Miller’s exposed skin got a wave of goose bumps. They arrived at the main building.
When they came back inside the lobby, Ramon was waiting with two plush white bathrobes. They took the comfortable robes, which bore the Serenity Center logo, and covered up.
“Did you enjoy yourselves?” This time Ramon did grin, as if reading their thoughts. Miller realized that he had a pleasant smile. He wasn’t such a bad guy.
“Yes, very much,” said Miller. She almost giggled. She was feeling fine, as if the afterglow of sex was still upon her.
“Excellent. Orientation is about to start. Your questions will be answered shortly. Would you both follow me, please?”
Miller snuggled into her warm bathrobe. She held Scratch’s hand and they walked through the Serenity Center towards orientation. She wanted to worry about what was to come, but couldn’t. Scratch looked so handsome, his long hair clean through and through—she had seen to that personally. Ramon led them beyond the elevators and down another long, glassed-in corridor. Miller looked out the tall windows as they
Time hung suspended. The universe shrank to embrace them like a lover. The beach was warm and the cool air fresh and clear. The rhythmic swoosh of the waves was soothing and hypnotized them both. They walked back and forth along the strand, turning back only when they saw a concrete boundary. They walked back and forth and back and forth. If the Serenity Center had stationed armed guards around the perimeter, Miller thought mildly, the sentries were certainly discreet. Perhaps the place was exactly what it claimed to be? The very question made her hesitate. She blinked until the numbness went away.
Miller said, “Let’s go back.”
“Why?” Scratch asked, genuinely puzzled.
“Let’s just go.”
Miller led the way. The late winter sun was sinking down into the southwest beyond the horizon when Scratch and Miller finally returned from the beach. A boat far out to sea blew a horn. The sea was a palate of colors drifting slowly into a cool darkness. A few stars already winked high above, where a half-moon waited to be noticed.
The beach was still sparsely populated with other Serenity Center residents. Once again, the others stayed pretty much to themselves. No one spoke. Each of the residents, or couples, seemed lost in their own thoughts. Scratch and Miller had been having too much fun to bother chasing down another denizen of the beach, especially to ask rude questions. Miller realized how badly she’d wanted to suspend disbelief, just pretend there was no other world to worry about. No zombie apocalypse, no Army scientists, no experimental zombie virus in her bloodstream waiting to torment her again. She deserved a break. Her life had been so stunningly complicated before tonight. The exquisite simplicity of making love to Scratch and walking on the beach had been a little taste of heaven. She needed to get back to work, but didn’t really want to work. She tried to focus on the others they had left behind in Colorado. Rat the beautiful mercenary soldier; Sheppard, the man who had helped to start the virus at the Army lab he’d nicknamed Crystal Palace. Their faces remained blurry to her now, their memories weirdly out of context.
The Serenity Center was lit up with spotlights when they walked closer, making it seem like a brand new amusement park. It twinkled like a magic castle, dazzling when set against the steadily darkening sky. Miller and Scratch held hands most of the way. The sea breeze had begun to cool and Miller’s exposed skin got a wave of goose bumps. They arrived at the main building.
When they came back inside the lobby, Ramon was waiting with two plush white bathrobes. They took the comfortable robes, which bore the Serenity Center logo, and covered up.
“Did you enjoy yourselves?” This time Ramon did grin, as if reading their thoughts. Miller realized that he had a pleasant smile. He wasn’t such a bad guy.
“Yes, very much,” said Miller. She almost giggled. She was feeling fine, as if the afterglow of sex was still upon her.
“Excellent. Orientation is about to start. Your questions will be answered shortly. Would you both follow me, please?”
Miller snuggled into her warm bathrobe. She held Scratch’s hand and they walked through the Serenity Center towards orientation. She wanted to worry about what was to come, but couldn’t. Scratch looked so handsome, his long hair clean through and through—she had seen to that personally. Ramon led them beyond the elevators and down another long, glassed-in corridor. Miller looked out the tall windows as they
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