the street where Roger stood. Looking in every direction he could, Roger found himself satisfied that their path was clear.
“The way looks clear. The bait shop is your building right, which is where you want to go?” Roger asked Bradley, who was surprised by Roger’s sudden “take-charge” attitude change.
“Yeah, once inside we go to the back of the store. I’ll run over first and check the building. When I am sure it’s clear I will signal for the rest of you.” The three nodded in understanding, and Bradley double checked the street.
As he made it across the street he pushed open the door to the bait shop and slowly entered while staying low to the ground. Moving quietly to the back he concluded that the store was empty. Opening the door to step back out onto the street he noticed that there was a man making his way down the side walk in front of the news building.
They did not plan well enough he realized, when he was not sure how to signal this to them. He held up his hand as to say, “stop”. Then he raised his index finger to show there was one fiend, and he pointed in the direction he was coming from. Guillermo gave a thumbs up in acknowledgement, understanding the impromptu sign language, and led the group behind a dumpster in the alley.
The fiend kept a slow pace as he moved down the sidewalk. Standing roughly six feet tall, the fiend’s long, slow stride was unbalanced yet steady. Blood stained the dead man’s legs, and it was a miracle his flip flops were still on his feet. Baggy Hawaiian floral swim trunks hung just below his waist.
His shirtless torso showed off what was once a muscular chest and well defined abs. Now, however, ribs poked through the thin gray flesh, and his stomach was distended from the buildup of gas. The man’s gray skin was probably darkly tanned while he was alive.
The neatly trimmed beard hasn’t changed since the day he died. It came down out of his shaggy, sandy blonde hair. In a thin line, it worked around his chin and back up the other side of his face. At least it would have, if the other half of his face was intact. His left eyeball bulged out of its socket, the flesh around it gone.
As he walked by the opening to the alley he came to a stop and looked around. His long body tensed up, and he quickly moved down the alley. Before the fiend could make it past the dumpster Roger stood up, drew his weapon back, and swung the wooden hook powerfully through the fiend’s temple. The force caused the left eye to fall free and hang above the lip.
Maybe I was wrong about Roger. He can handle himself out here just fine. Bradley thought to himself in amazement before signaling the trio across the empty street. “Nice work,” he complemented Roger, who ignored him as he walked into the shop.
Guillermo went through the ceiling first. Partly so he could check the next shop out, but mostly so he could hide the body of the little girl. He did not want Emalynn to see her and what he had to do. After a couple minutes of work he signaled the group to follow him through.
The sun was rising quickly through the sky even though it was still early. The group made their way out of the store and across the park where Bradley and Guillermo had first met. The stiff body of the fiend that attacked him was still lying in the grass, his brains gradually squeezing through the gash in his head.
Bradley would not mention this encounter to Emalynn. He only told her that this was the spot he ran into Guillermo. She would begin to worry if she knew what had happened even though he clearly survived the ordeal. Guillermo continued to lead the way, followed by Roger, Emalynn, and Bradley who kept an eye on things from the rear.
They made it safely to the back of Guillermo’s garage and he put the ladder in place. “Go ahead on up first, senorita. It is safe up there.”
After Emalynn made it through the window, Bradley followed. Before he reached the window, however, gunshots were heard
“The way looks clear. The bait shop is your building right, which is where you want to go?” Roger asked Bradley, who was surprised by Roger’s sudden “take-charge” attitude change.
“Yeah, once inside we go to the back of the store. I’ll run over first and check the building. When I am sure it’s clear I will signal for the rest of you.” The three nodded in understanding, and Bradley double checked the street.
As he made it across the street he pushed open the door to the bait shop and slowly entered while staying low to the ground. Moving quietly to the back he concluded that the store was empty. Opening the door to step back out onto the street he noticed that there was a man making his way down the side walk in front of the news building.
They did not plan well enough he realized, when he was not sure how to signal this to them. He held up his hand as to say, “stop”. Then he raised his index finger to show there was one fiend, and he pointed in the direction he was coming from. Guillermo gave a thumbs up in acknowledgement, understanding the impromptu sign language, and led the group behind a dumpster in the alley.
The fiend kept a slow pace as he moved down the sidewalk. Standing roughly six feet tall, the fiend’s long, slow stride was unbalanced yet steady. Blood stained the dead man’s legs, and it was a miracle his flip flops were still on his feet. Baggy Hawaiian floral swim trunks hung just below his waist.
His shirtless torso showed off what was once a muscular chest and well defined abs. Now, however, ribs poked through the thin gray flesh, and his stomach was distended from the buildup of gas. The man’s gray skin was probably darkly tanned while he was alive.
The neatly trimmed beard hasn’t changed since the day he died. It came down out of his shaggy, sandy blonde hair. In a thin line, it worked around his chin and back up the other side of his face. At least it would have, if the other half of his face was intact. His left eyeball bulged out of its socket, the flesh around it gone.
As he walked by the opening to the alley he came to a stop and looked around. His long body tensed up, and he quickly moved down the alley. Before the fiend could make it past the dumpster Roger stood up, drew his weapon back, and swung the wooden hook powerfully through the fiend’s temple. The force caused the left eye to fall free and hang above the lip.
Maybe I was wrong about Roger. He can handle himself out here just fine. Bradley thought to himself in amazement before signaling the trio across the empty street. “Nice work,” he complemented Roger, who ignored him as he walked into the shop.
Guillermo went through the ceiling first. Partly so he could check the next shop out, but mostly so he could hide the body of the little girl. He did not want Emalynn to see her and what he had to do. After a couple minutes of work he signaled the group to follow him through.
The sun was rising quickly through the sky even though it was still early. The group made their way out of the store and across the park where Bradley and Guillermo had first met. The stiff body of the fiend that attacked him was still lying in the grass, his brains gradually squeezing through the gash in his head.
Bradley would not mention this encounter to Emalynn. He only told her that this was the spot he ran into Guillermo. She would begin to worry if she knew what had happened even though he clearly survived the ordeal. Guillermo continued to lead the way, followed by Roger, Emalynn, and Bradley who kept an eye on things from the rear.
They made it safely to the back of Guillermo’s garage and he put the ladder in place. “Go ahead on up first, senorita. It is safe up there.”
After Emalynn made it through the window, Bradley followed. Before he reached the window, however, gunshots were heard
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