Read Online What Happens in the Darkness by Monica J. O'Rourke - Free Book Online Page B

I don’t know where their loyalties would lie. I suppose we could try.” He looked pensive, as if trying to decide.
    Jeff glanced around the compound, looking for signs of human life. There were perhaps a couple dozen people left. He maintained the hope that a resourceful number of survivors were still scattered throughout the country, lying in wait, ready for the victory he hoped was inevitable.
    This was what Jeff was doing: waiting for the right moment, creating a plan of attack.
    But he wasn’t planning on doing it as a vampire.
    “There are what, seven of you? How are seven supposed to … I mean, mathematically, is it even possible to increase your numbers enough?”
    “I have the military to thank for some rather useful abilities. All their delightful experiments. If your people weren’t already dead, I’d kill them myself.”
    “That doesn’t answer my question. How many?”
    Martin didn’t answer.
    “You said it would be easy to defeat them. You think the enemy is just going to roll over and die for you? Once they catch on and see what they’re up against, they’ll find a way to stop you.”
    “Whose side are you on, Jeff?”
    “Just playing devil’s advocate. I want you prepared for all possibilities.”
    “Okay,” he said quietly, turning away. “Fair enough. Of course, there’s always the problem of now . We haven’t eaten in weeks.”
    “I’m sorry about that. But there wasn’t a food source available.”
    “We’re weak, need to build our strength. I’ll try to contain our meals to enemy soldiers, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
    “I understand.”
    “And Jeff—” Martin turned sharply to face him. “What about when this is over? Have you thought about that? You know we can’t go back to the way things were.”
    Jeff wished he had an answer. He turned away, refusing to look at Martin. There was shame in what he was thinking.
    He’d briefly wondered the same thing: Could they coexist? No, he’d decided. They couldn’t.
    When this war was finally over, there would be no way Jeff could allow them to survive. 
     
    *** 
     
    This was impossible.
    Janelle’s father was dead. She’d seen him lying in his bed, covered in blood, her mother shaking him, trying to wake him. Trying to bring him back from the dead.
    “No,” she cried. “No!”
    She lowered the flashlight to her side and squeezed her eyes shut. Sobbing now, her breath hitching.
    “Dah-daddy?” she stammered, terrified to look. More terrified he would answer.
    He laughed, but it wasn’t the laugh she knew. Whatever was standing in front of her, it wasn’t her father.
    Raising her arm was probably the bravest thing she’d ever had to do. She pointed the light toward the man’s face.
    He was gone.
    Janelle moaned. She shivered, suddenly so cold her head ached. She leaned forward and retched, her stomach heaving, legs shaking. Saliva dripped from her chin.
    Sounds behind her. Scrapes and scratches.
    And suddenly she was moving blindly through the tunnel. Not slowing, not stopping, barely breathing.
    She reached the Eighty-Sixth Street station again.
    “Harry!” she screamed as she threw herself on to the platform.
    “Harry? Please. Please wake up. You have to wake up!” She shook him, but he didn’t wake.
    She dropped to the ground and pulled her legs into her chest, tucked herself into as small a shape as possible. Eyes closed because she didn’t care any more, couldn’t fight this. It wasn’t fair. She was just a kid. Things like this aren’t supposed to happen to kids.
    If anything crawled out of the subway tunnel now …
    Ears strained for sounds from the tunnel. Heart pounding in her temples, stomach clenching.
    She wished she was dead. At least that way it would all be over. She would be with her family again.
    God how she wanted her mother. Her mother would know what to do. She would comfort Janelle, would pick her up and make soothing noises and stroke her hair.
    “Harry,” she whispered.