Dead Meat Box Set, Vol. 3 | Days 7-9 by Clausen Nick

Author:Clausen, Nick [Clausen, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Zombie Apocalypse
Published: 2021-09-29T22:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

When Dennis finally stops talking, his mouth is all dry and his palms are all sweaty.

He looks at Mom for a reaction. She just stands there for the longest time, staring back at him, her expression unreadable.

Dennis feels very uncomfortable. He’s certain Mom will explode, scold him badly or even strike him. This is probably the worst he has ever disrespected her authority, and of course there will be a punishment.

But Mom just stands there. It looks like she’s thinking.

“Mom?” Dennis says, moving restlessly on the spot. He wishes for some strange reason that he had brought the gun from the living room—not that he would use it on Mom, not even as a deterrent from her punishing him—but he longs for that feeling of confidence the gun gives him when he holds it. He feels grown-up. Right now, he feels more like a five-year-old who accidentally broke a plate.

Mom still doesn’t answer.

“Would you please say something, Mom?” Dennis urges. “You can yell at me if you want.”

Mom’s left eye grows a little narrower. “Yell at you?”

“Yes,” Dennis nods eagerly. “Or, you know … punish me. That’s okay, I totally understand …”

Mom steps closer to him, making Dennis flinch. But she doesn’t come at him; instead, she just stands in front of him, towering over him.

“You want me to treat you like an adult, Dennis?”

Dennis blinks with surprise. “Uhm, well, yes … I’d like that.”

“Then act like one.”

Dennis considers for a moment. Then he slowly straightens up. He lifts his chin, standing at his full height, which is almost enough to be at eye level with Mom.

“That’s better,” Mom says, her voice still betraying no emotion. And then, with the speed of a striking snake, her hand shoots up and grabs Dennis by the chin, her nails digging into his skin.

“Ouch!” he cries out and tries to pull back, but Mom holds him firmly.

She pulls his face close to hers and hisses very low: “That will be the last time you lie to me.”

“It will! It will, Mom, I swear!”

Dennis stands on his toes, shuffling to try and take the pressure of his throbbing chin. Mom holds on to him for another couple of seconds, then she finally releases him, and Dennis stumbles backwards, his hands going to his chin, expecting to feel blood, but amazingly, Mom’s nails don’t seem to have penetrated his skin.

Mom turns away from him and walks to the window. She reaches over the sink and pulls away the board covering the glass. She looks out into the courtyard for almost half a minute, not moving, not saying or doing anything.

From where Dennis is standing, he can make out the rear end of the van. He doesn’t dare to say anything, so he just stands there, rubbing his chin and waiting for Mom’s lead.

Finally, Mom puts the board back up in front of the window. She turns towards Dennis again. “The boy in the tunnel … was it the older or the younger one?”

“The … the younger.

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