After The End (Book 1): The Furious Four by Rendle Samantha

Author:Rendle, Samantha [Rendle, Samantha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Zombies
Published: 2020-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

Home Sweet Home

The conflict rises and rises in intensity like boiling water, beginning with hissed reasoning and climbing to a loud crescendo of bubbling rage and death threats. Kerry watches, helpless, held back by Basil but not entirely resisting, as Gabriel points a gun square between Steve’s eyes, his body rigid with tension.

The Ailing grunt and growl on the ground below, growing restless in the wake of food they can’t reach. Fortunately they don’t seem to have increased in numbers overnight.

Sagging against Basil’s hard, warm chest, Kerry struggles to come to terms with what is happening. Ten o’clock has come and gone, and Beth and Preston still haven’t returned, which, according to Steve, confirms their deaths and/or abandonment. It’s time to take matters into his own hands, but Gabriel is less than cooperative.

At ten o’clock on the dot, Steve had gotten to his feet without a word and began collecting bottles of alcohol, air freshener and any other flammables he could find, until Gabriel got to his feet and demanded he stop. They’d argued, their voices rising, and Poppy had scuttled into a corner where she now cowers, shivering.

‘No one is setting fire to this place but me,’ he growls now, holding the gun steady.

‘Be my guest,’ says Steve levelly, offering him a bottle he makes no move to take.

‘We’re going to wait here until Mum gets back,’ he says firmly.

‘And what if she doesn’t come back, Gabriel?’

‘Then we’re going to be waiting here for a very long time.’

‘Gabriel,’ says Kerry resignedly, ‘just let him try. The ground is soaked anyway. For all we know it might do more good than harm.’

‘He doesn’t want to do good,’ spits Gabriel, ‘he wants to save his fat ass – by setting fire to the lot of us, of all the ways!’

A stone hitting the outer wall of the tree house jars their argument for a second, and they all look in the direction of the noise. It’s an acorn coming loose from an overhead branch, most likely, but it’s a distraction enough for Steve to smack the gun from Gabriel’s grasp, sending it skittering across the floor.

Gabriel lunges after it, but not before Steve can snake an arm around his waist and haul him off his feet, screaming. Kerry finds her voice then, struggling against Basil’s long, skinny arms in an attempt to save Gabriel, shouting expletives and violent threats. Below them, the Ailing moan along in a sick chorus, enthusiastic for the disturbance and hopeful that it results in breakfast. Poppy sobs quietly in the corner, clutching her phone for dear life, and the cat hisses at Steve from across the room.

‘JUST STOP,’ screams Basil, so close to Kerry’s ears that she hears ringing.

But silence only graces them for a heartbeat before Gabriel sinks his teeth into Steve’s bare arm, inciting a howl from the older man. He holds on like a dog playing tug of war, digging his sharp elbow painfully into Steve’s ribs.

‘Bloody kid,’ growls Steve, shoving Gabriel away,

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