“I’ll go get you something to drink,” Grace said and rushed off.
Nick nodded and turned, letting his back slide against the metal barrel that served as waste disposal. He sat on the ground, leaning against it with his eyes closed, waiting for Grace to come back with a drink.
“I got you Sprite,” Grace said, kneeling down beside him.
He weakly lifted his hand and took the cup. “Thanks.”
“Do you want to go back to the car?” Grace asked. “I’ll go with you. I don’t think you should be alone right now, as sick as you are.”
Nick nodded.
“Okay, I’ll go and tell Troy and Alex. I saw them standing in line for another ride.”
Nick watched Grace’s butt as she scampered off, thinking it would be nice to be alone with her. He just wished that he didn’t feel so bad. Pushing himself up from the ground, he wiped his mouth on the wet napkin that had been wrapped around his drink and threw it in the trash. Stumbling along, he started toward the car.
Grace caught up with him when he was halfway there. “Why didn’t you wait for me? I would have helped you.”
She ducked under one of his arms and wrapped her arm around his waist.
He turned his head and smelled her hair. This was definitely a good idea, he thought.
Before long they were at the car. Grace helped Nick into the back seat, and went around the car and got in beside him.
He laid his head on her shoulder and moaned.
“Is that better?” she asked as she stroked his hair.
“Yes,” he sighed.
He was almost asleep when his stomach began to gurgle again. Hurriedly he sat up, opened the door, and threw up more blood. The dome light gave off enough of a glow for him to see that his vomit was red, but he was too weak, and his brain was too tired, to process what was happening to him.
Closing the door, he lay down, using Grace’s leg as a pillow. Soon he fell asleep. Not long after, so did she.
<+>
In her sleep, Grace didn’t notice when Nick stopped breathing and died. She didn’t notice when he opened his eyes again, or that they were now vacant and cloudy. But, she did notice when he started grabbing at her.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Grace mumbled as Nick’s rough handling woke her up.
“Maaaaaa!” Nick moaned, as he took a hold of her shoulders, violently pinning her to the seat.
“Get off me, Nick,” Grace yelled, beating on his chest. “You’re hurting me.”
He didn’t respond to her, just held her down and lowered his head toward hers. She thought he was trying to kiss her.
“No, damn it,” Grace said. “You’re such a creep.”
She brought her knee up and slammed it into his crotch, but it had no effect on him. Panicking, she threw open the car door and screamed; it was cut short as Nick clamped his teeth on her throat and tore out her windpipe.
Blood sprayed everywhere as he tossed his head back and forth, tearing off a chunk of flesh to enjoy. After chewing and swallowing, he bit off another, and another, devouring her until her blood went cold.
No longer satisfied with his kill, Nick staggered out of the open car door and followed his nose. He smelled blood–sweet, hot, living blood. People were close-by, and a lot of them.
His body was slow, not wanting to work like it used to. Inwardly he was frustrated at how long it was taking him to get to the food that he sensed was near.
Finally, he arrived at the ticket stand. The man behind the counter was alone, reading a book. He set it down without looking up.
“How many?” . . .
To continue reading ADMIT ONE, UNDEAD and read other zombie short stories by Rebecca Besser and Courtney Rene get your copy of Zombies Inside on Amazon.
Zpoc Exception Series (Book 2): Re-Civilize (Elaine) Page 10
