(eng) Pauline Creeden - Sanctuary by Unshaken

Author:Unshaken [Unshaken]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

10

Haley leapt toward the door and barked at it ferociously. She always did that, whether the person on the other side was friend or foe. It made no difference. The sound of a hand rapping against a door set off a Pavlovian response in the German shepherd. Anna pulled herself out of the frozen place she stood and headed toward the door slowly. The pounding continued in regular but erratic intervals. It didn’t just sound like someone knocking politely, but someone wanted to be let in immediately. She held a finger to her lips to signal Laurel to stay quiet.

Laurel nodded, her eyes wide and fixed on the door.

Anna stood up against the door and laid her hand upon it to steady herself. The pounding on the door continued and she felt the vibrations through her hand. She peered through the peep-hole in the door, happy that the Johnsons even had one as her own doorway at home did not.

Standing on the concrete porch of the Johnson’s house was Bill Gibbs, the homeowner’s association president. His eyes seemed clear and from what Anna could see, he didn’t have any injuries. From what she could see of the yard through the hole, it appeared as empty as it had been when she’d first come into the house. She cleared her throat. “Bill, is that you?”

“Anna?” His constant banging against the door stopped. “You in there? Is Laurel with you?”

Anna turned the deadbolt and opened the door. Bill stood there with his hands in his pockets, his eyes darting about in his large framed glasses. Bill was about forty years old, but his receding hairline and bulging waist made him appear a few years older than Anna rather than a few years younger. He rubbed his hands on his slacks, and his gaze kept returning to Mark, flailing in the car.

“The neighborhood association is gathering at the clubhouse if you’d like to join us. We’re trying to determine what supplies we all have so that we can make it through this crisis together. Is Laurel here with you?”

“I’m here,” Laurel answered from right behind Anna, setting a hand on her shoulder.

“Good. That’s good.” He nodded, his gaze flicking toward Mark again.

Anna nodded. “How many people are uninjured? On the news they’re talking about how the people who get injured by the aliens are not behaving like themselves.”

“Zombies. Mark…” Laurel’s voice trailed off as she pointed in the direction of the car.

A knowing look of pity filled Bill’s eyes, but he didn’t look the direction she’d pointed. “I noticed already. I’m really sorry about your husband.”

Laurel whimpered, and Anna stepped back to put an arm around the woman’s shoulders.

“What about John, Anna?” Bill wouldn’t stop fidgeting, and stepped back once onto the step below the porch, looking down the street this time.

“He was called out this morning for a Search and Rescue operation on the beachfront.” Anna couldn’t help but step out on the porch after giving Laurel’s shoulders a squeeze. Her eyes trained the same direction as Bill had been glancing, but she could see nothing.

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