around me, though I didn’t feel cold. Not many cars on the side roads, I made good time, didn’t seem to get tired. I ran the second I saw my house, it was all lit up, car in the lane way and flashing TV glowing through the curtains. My things were in the pockets of my sweat pants, even the gun. Popped my trunk open and was glad when I seen my dry-cleaned clothes starring back at me.
Went into the garage and cleaned up at the sink. There was blood on my socks, the sight of it froze me. What happened? I searched myself, there was some gooey substance beneath my finger nails. The copper taste in my mouth and a numbness that vibrated through my body. I got dressed in my clean clothes, tried shaking the feeling off.
The house door opened, my twelve year old son Bryan came out with plastic recycling.
“Hey dad,” he said. “Mom’s been worried.”
“I know, lots of people out there.”
I tossed the clothes Vic gave me into the bag of leaves left over from fall and closed it up. Bryan was heading back in.
“Oh, I got up another six levels tonight.”
“Great, lots of catching up to do I guess.”
He laughed, “Admit it, you can’t handle me.”
“Oh really, well I’ve been practicing.”
“Not according to your login status, three days ago.”
The bugger was right, it’s rare to get one up on him. I liked all the time we were spending together. I followed him in. My hunger was insatiable. Headed right into the kitchen, so many options to choose from. Leftovers, cookies, chocolates. I grabbed one of my favorites, a chocolate fudge drop, my wife made them every year. I popped it into my mouth, the usually chocolaty taste was overpowered by ash. It felt mushy and almost burned my tongue.
I heaved it up and rinsed my mouth, even the water tasted off. My eyes were burning, it felt like they were on fire. Threw cold water on my face.
“Welcome home,” my wife said.
She closed in on me, her skin smelled like cherries. My body felt tight, I couldn’t move, how I wanted to hug her. Images plagued me, wanting me to devour her. My body moved closer, the dark face coming up, eager for a delicate meal. She was at the counter.
“Dad, you wanna play?” Bryan asked.
There was something in my throat, I couldn’t swallow. Opened my mouth and all that came out was a throaty groan. My wife walked up to me, placing the back of her hand on my forehead.
“You’re ice cold. Sit down, I know how to warm you up.”
She led me to a chair in the kitchen and helped me sit. My dear wife, she made a plate of food and presented it to me. Just a bite of her arm, it’s all I wanted.
“Now eat up.”
I wanted to yell, to tell her everything that happened. I wanted to devour her living flesh, it would sustain me. Her blood would flow through my body, my eyes blurred. My mind afraid of what I might do, it closed itself off. Surge of energy, I was on her. She could do nothing.
A walking nightmare. The sounds of Bryan’s game reverbed in my ears. I went to the living room, my body wet with his mother’s blood. He was facing the screen, he didn’t even feel the danger that was coming at him. Bryan was in my hands, I could feel what was coming, my soul quaked at the atrocity. I wanted him to fight, to run away and take his sister. She was next, I wanted her, to devour them both. My wife would be one with me, I just had a nibble of her. How could I do this?
Bryan was screaming and fighting back.
“DAAAAD!” He yelled.
Please run Bryan, don’t let me get you. But that’s not what I said. I hissed at him and lunged over the couch. My son broke free and was gone in a flash. I gave chase but stopped at the kitchen. My wife was on the floor, her eyes wide. Blood defaced the travertine tiles. She would be with me forever, just like we promised. I went to see our kids, because what is a parent without their children?
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Our souls wait and then we’re born into growing lives that are hard and torn. With hopes and dreams crushed at our feet, all life’s pleasures become sickly sweet. Whispering demons try to steal our lives and all the angels have prying eyes. We struggle and fight everyday, endlessly searching for one true way. Never finding peace of mind, all of us starving for one clear sign. In life there is only one true bet, that everyone will come to know death.
From an Ode to Death by Ivan Desabrais
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Thank You from Ian Desabrais
Thank you for reading this short story. I hope you enjoyed the journey.
Yours,
Ian Desabrais
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To the reader:
I wrote this free short story for my fans and my tweeple on twitter who follow @myzombiejournal and @iandesabrais. If you're interested in seeing more of my writing, check out my contact information below.
Thank you for reading this story.
Ian Desabrais
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Contact Information
You can reach me through facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ian-Desabrais/142740985812902
Twitter via
https://twitter.com/Iandesabrais
You can also check out my tumblr page
https://desabraisbros.tumblr.com
Also check out a book I write online with Ivan Desabrais.
https://twitter.com/myzombiejournal
Comments can be sent to
mailto:[email protected]
Amazon
Ian Desabrais
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Coming soon
Elnore - The first novel in the Saga
Elnore the bear was exiled form his home, he was forced to waste away his years in a small seaside village. His brother in war Thordon was embraced by the Lady Hel during the night and the maidens of death will lead him to the gods abode. During the funeral, Blood thirsty raiders kill and burn his world to the ground.
Elnore survives because of his son, Torim. The bear learns the raiders were sent by Loth, a would be king that wants him dead for killing his warmonger father. Elnore decides to give the gods one last battle to earn his place in Valhalla. With his war hound at his side he’s ready to take on an army but finds his son followed and swears to keep him alive.
@Myzombiejournal Part 1 - It's been a year
The year is 2014. We never saw it coming. Zombies are everywhere. Everybody I knew is gone.
@Myzombiejournal Part 2 - Now there's a reason
We're outnumbered. Raiders are hunting us. The world's gone crazy.
****
END
A Zombie For The Holidays Page 4