“He’s a great guy. I hope you’re right,” I said.
Sara’s place is located in a newer development where many of the homes are still under construction and thankfully, we didn’t run into any zombies.
“Listen, Kristie and Eva; honk if you see any zombies approaching.”
“Okay,” replied Kristie. She picked up the Smith and Wesson and placed it on her lap.
“Can’t I come with?” asked Eva.
“No, it’s too dangerous. You’re much safer in here,” he replied.
It wasn’t the answer she was looking for. “Fine,” she sniffed.
“Let’s go, I can’t wait anymore,” said Sara. She opened the door and jumped out of the SUV. Bryce and I got out and followed her to the front door.
Sara pulled out her keys, but the door was unlocked. “Kevin?” she called, opening it. “Kevin, it’s me, Sara!”
The house was eerily quiet when we entered. Like my house, it was a split-level, but much larger and newer.
Sara tossed her keys onto a new granite counter and turned to us. “The bedroom is upstairs. He’s probably sleeping,” she said.
We followed Sara upstairs where there were three bedrooms and a bathroom. One of the doors was shut and that’s where she headed.
Bryce grabbed my arm. “Be ready,” he said into my ear.
I nodded as we followed her into the master bedroom. The room was huge with a built-in fireplace and cozy chenille chaise off to one side of the room, a private bathroom with a built-in whirlpool bath on the other. It was the nicest bedroom I’d ever been in considering its current state. Discarded clothing, used tissues, and empty food containers lay scattered all over plush carpeting.
“Oh, God,” moaned Sara, staring at the bed.
Chapter Twenty-Two
We followed Sara to the large maple sleigh bed where Kevin lay. As we gathered around the bed, she let out a sigh of relief.
“He’s just sleeping,” she said quietly, brushing the sandy brown hair from his eyes.
I turned to look at Bryce, who was frowning. He pulled me aside.
“Do you smell that?” he whispered.
I nodded; it was a smell I was getting all too familiar with.
Sara sat on the bed. “Kevin? Sweetheart, wake up. It’s me, Sara,” she said softly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
I took a step closer to the bed and noticed that Kevin’s face was gaunt, his lips pale and dry. There was movement under his eyelids, as if he was dreaming.
“You’re so cold,” Sara mumbled, touching his forehead. She stood up and lifted a goose down comforter from the floor that must have fallen. She spread it around him on the bed and tucked the edges under the mattress.
My heart was hammering in my chest. To me, he didn’t look like he was sleeping; he looked stiff and white, like a corpse. I cleared my throat. “Sara, maybe you should step back.”
She shook her head vehemently. “No, I know what you’re thinking. He’s just sleeping, Cassie. He…he’s…fine.” She glanced at me and I could see that her eyes were brimming with tears.
“What’s that?” I asked, grabbing a piece of paper from the nightstand. At the top of the page were the words Vaccination Side Effects. It listed the typical side effects of a regular flu shot. I showed it to Sara, who turned very pale.
“No…he didn’t get the vaccination. I don’t understand,” she said, scanning the flyer. She looked up and shook her head. “This just doesn’t make sense.”
Bryce took it from her and examined it. “Didn’t you mention the military was sending someone from their medical staff to check on him? They could have given it to him then.”
A deep moan escaped Kevin’s lips and his eyes slowly opened.
“Oh, God,” I whispered, putting my hand over my mouth. Kevin’s eyes were blood-rimmed and cold as death. They stared emotionlessly at Sara, who appeared oblivious to the truth.
“Hi,” she whispered, smiling down at him. She stroked his hand.
“Sara, don’t touch him,” demanded Bryce, pulling her away.
Kevin sat up and began making deep guttural noises. He started flailing his arms around and greenish-red foam bubbled from his mouth.
“No, Kevin,” she moaned, trying to reach out for him. “I’m here for you, honey.”
Bryce grabbed Sara and pulled her away just as Kevin lurched towards her, making hideous smacking noises with his mouth. When he noticed that he’d missed her, he let out an alarming screech that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
“Leave me be, Bryce!” Sara screamed as he tried to push her out of the bedroom. She eventually broke free and then rushed back towards Kevin, who was beginning to growl at her like rabid animal. She took a step back and stared at him in horror.