everything today,” Brian sighed.
“You’ll be fine.” Nicole touched his back and Alec saw jealousy spark in Erica’s eyes. Not sure what Brian was thinking when he cheated on his girl. Some guys can’t control their weenies.
Brian rubbed at the bags under his eyes. “How’s Alec doing?’
“He’s thrown up the last of it, I think. How are you?” Nicole pulled the stool closer to him, resting one hand on his arm.
Brian absently rubbed a finger along the rim of the tequila bottle, never bringing it to his lips. “This place is sinking and it’s drowning me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Financially, I’m done. I have to close it down.”
Nicole reached over and touched Brian’s wrist. A sister’s touch. Nothing sexual. I’m surprised they don’t see me standing here. A chocolate shake sounds good. His mind wandered. Brian placed a hand on top of Nicole’s. Both of them were thoroughly punished by icy cold stares from Erica. Erica was about to speak, about to voice her jealousy—
The entrance to the bar swung open. They all turned in their stools, no one noticing Alec in the hall. Another person? How many people are coming tonight?
A tall man wearing a leather jacket stood in the doorway. His hair was slicked back and he looked like he’d stepped out of the 1950s. Erica’s boyfriend: Tommy. Alec had met him once or twice. Not a fun guy to be around.
“Tommy!” Erica hopped off the stool. “Where have you been?” She froze when she got a good look at him.
Tommy stepped into the light, revealing a bleeding cut slashing across his face.
Erica grabbed him anxiously. “What happened?”
Brian and Nicole stepped off their stools.
Tommy heaved, strands of dark hair falling over his forehead. He threw them back with a quick head swing. He stared at Erica, then Nicole, and finally Brian. He too didn’t notice Alec. A cold whisper choked from his lips: “They’re coming.”
They ?
“Who?” Brian went to his office.
Tommy shook his head, confused. “Can-cannibals. I don’t know. It was dark. They attacked us at a gas station. They killed everyone. I barely escaped.”
Brian returned, his shotgun in one hand, a box of shells in the other. A determined badass. “How many?”
“A dozen or so. It all happened so fast.”
“Let me get this straight. You were at the gas station and attacked by, uh, cannibals?”
“I don’t know what they are. They ate two of my buddies and attacked the attendant. I think the survivors barricaded themselves inside the food mart. These things are strong. I had to run.”
“You swear you saw this?”
Tommy stumbled a step closer to Alec’s brother. “Do I look like the type of guy who would make this up?”
Brian, swinging the shotgun in one hand, pushed his way to Tommy.
“Brian,” Nicole cautioned, following closely behind.
“Nic, go get Alec. Bring him here.” Brian’s eyes stared directly into Tommy’s. “I’ve had one helluva night, kid. So no, I don’t think you’re making this up, considering I’m the one with the shotgun.”
Tommy nodded. “Well, load it already.”
Brian smiled. “Already loaded.”
Erica said, “You keep it loaded all the time?”
“Nicole, please go get Alec and bring him here.”
Enough of this nonsense. “Bring me here for what?” Alec leaned right outside the bathroom hall and wiped his mouth. They all stared at him. What? Do I still have vomit covering my face?
A stench of decay wrapped around Alec, and before he saw the source, a rotting hand grabbed his skull. Holy hell! Shoved forward, Alec smashed down onto his chest. Something scrambled on his back. He kicked, swung, clawed at the wooden floor to escape but he was overpowered. Trapped. A moan sank in his ears, cold breath crawled along his temples, and claws ripped his shirt. Rough fingers scathed his flesh.
“Alec!” Brian pumped his shotgun and
“You’ll be fine.” Nicole touched his back and Alec saw jealousy spark in Erica’s eyes. Not sure what Brian was thinking when he cheated on his girl. Some guys can’t control their weenies.
Brian rubbed at the bags under his eyes. “How’s Alec doing?’
“He’s thrown up the last of it, I think. How are you?” Nicole pulled the stool closer to him, resting one hand on his arm.
Brian absently rubbed a finger along the rim of the tequila bottle, never bringing it to his lips. “This place is sinking and it’s drowning me.”
“What do you mean?”
“Financially, I’m done. I have to close it down.”
Nicole reached over and touched Brian’s wrist. A sister’s touch. Nothing sexual. I’m surprised they don’t see me standing here. A chocolate shake sounds good. His mind wandered. Brian placed a hand on top of Nicole’s. Both of them were thoroughly punished by icy cold stares from Erica. Erica was about to speak, about to voice her jealousy—
The entrance to the bar swung open. They all turned in their stools, no one noticing Alec in the hall. Another person? How many people are coming tonight?
A tall man wearing a leather jacket stood in the doorway. His hair was slicked back and he looked like he’d stepped out of the 1950s. Erica’s boyfriend: Tommy. Alec had met him once or twice. Not a fun guy to be around.
“Tommy!” Erica hopped off the stool. “Where have you been?” She froze when she got a good look at him.
Tommy stepped into the light, revealing a bleeding cut slashing across his face.
Erica grabbed him anxiously. “What happened?”
Brian and Nicole stepped off their stools.
Tommy heaved, strands of dark hair falling over his forehead. He threw them back with a quick head swing. He stared at Erica, then Nicole, and finally Brian. He too didn’t notice Alec. A cold whisper choked from his lips: “They’re coming.”
They ?
“Who?” Brian went to his office.
Tommy shook his head, confused. “Can-cannibals. I don’t know. It was dark. They attacked us at a gas station. They killed everyone. I barely escaped.”
Brian returned, his shotgun in one hand, a box of shells in the other. A determined badass. “How many?”
“A dozen or so. It all happened so fast.”
“Let me get this straight. You were at the gas station and attacked by, uh, cannibals?”
“I don’t know what they are. They ate two of my buddies and attacked the attendant. I think the survivors barricaded themselves inside the food mart. These things are strong. I had to run.”
“You swear you saw this?”
Tommy stumbled a step closer to Alec’s brother. “Do I look like the type of guy who would make this up?”
Brian, swinging the shotgun in one hand, pushed his way to Tommy.
“Brian,” Nicole cautioned, following closely behind.
“Nic, go get Alec. Bring him here.” Brian’s eyes stared directly into Tommy’s. “I’ve had one helluva night, kid. So no, I don’t think you’re making this up, considering I’m the one with the shotgun.”
Tommy nodded. “Well, load it already.”
Brian smiled. “Already loaded.”
Erica said, “You keep it loaded all the time?”
“Nicole, please go get Alec and bring him here.”
Enough of this nonsense. “Bring me here for what?” Alec leaned right outside the bathroom hall and wiped his mouth. They all stared at him. What? Do I still have vomit covering my face?
A stench of decay wrapped around Alec, and before he saw the source, a rotting hand grabbed his skull. Holy hell! Shoved forward, Alec smashed down onto his chest. Something scrambled on his back. He kicked, swung, clawed at the wooden floor to escape but he was overpowered. Trapped. A moan sank in his ears, cold breath crawled along his temples, and claws ripped his shirt. Rough fingers scathed his flesh.
“Alec!” Brian pumped his shotgun and
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