The Weaponer (Coscom Entertainment Monster Novella Series) by Eric S. Brown

Author:Eric S. Brown [Brown, Eric S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Horror, Lang:en
Publisher: Coscom Entertainment
Published: 2012-03-30T14:05:55+00:00

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9

The West estate was the largest in all of Hyattsburg and its surrounding farmsteads. The bulk of the land was occupied by irrigated gardens and the old doctor’s “green houses.” His home, however, while not the sprawling mansion of the Gorios or the Camerons, was no less impressive to Alan now than it had been when he visited as a child with his dad. The building resembled the descriptions Alan’s grandfather had painted of a military bunker than a proper home. It was shaped like a rectangular pill box and its walls were made of steel. The few windows Alan saw as they rode up to it were covered over with thick iron bars. Its slanted roof glittered in the sun from the hundreds of mirror-like panels that covered every inch of its top. He helped Doc West get the young girl off the wagon so they could carry her to the house. Its front door opened. Heather and Kristen, the doctor's two daughters, rushed outside, each holding Winchesters, which he noticed instantly were the work of his father.

“Dad!” Kristen wailed.

“Help us get her in the house,” Doc West instructed them as Tam drove the wagon on to the next door stable to secure the horses.

“Where is everyone, Dad?” Heather asked, clearly surprised to see her mother and father back so soon and with only two people with them.

“This is it,” Doc said grimly. Heather and Kristen disappeared ahead of them into the house, clearing the path for them.

As soon as Alan stepped in he shot the Doc a startled look. “You have electricity!”

“A bit,” he replied, then barked, “Let’s put her over there.”

Alan helped him deposit the girl onto a comfortable-looking chair with real pillows on it, then turned to the Doc.

The Doc must have noticed the question in his gaze because he said, “It’s solar-powered, and extremely limited, right, girls?”

Heather moved towards the door and flicked a switch on the wall beside it. As the light on the ceiling went out, she said, “Sorry, Dad. I’ll get some candles.”

The black-haired girl began to stir as Tam joined them all inside and Doc West tugged the vault-like door closed.

“Come on, Alan,” he said, “Tam and the girls can take care of her. You and I, we need to talk.”

Alan followed the doctor to his study. Doc West took a seat at his desk, and lit up a cigar with a match. He motioned, offering Alan the seat across from him. “Bet folks in town wouldn’t think I’m so crazy now . . . if they were alive,” he said with a sad laugh. “I’m not worried about those freaks. They can’t get in here. Once this house is sealed up like this, an army couldn’t get in. The question is . . . what are we going to do about them? We can’t stay in here forever as much as I would like to sometimes.”

Alan had no answer.

“Did you and Zek figure out where they’re coming from? Who they are? All I know is they’re sick and they’re as hungry as the dead are.

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