The Shelter

CHAPTER NINE: But, Mr. Holmes�.

CHAPTER NINE: But, Mr. Holmes….

“This guy’s been feeding us a line of crap since he got here,” Kyle said, spreading his venom. “And all of you fell for it…especially Katie, and now look where its gotten her.”

“That’s not fair, Dad,” Mack said defensively. “He saved Katie’s life.”

“Yeah, right…just so he could get into the shelter. It was his plan all along, Mack. Can’t you see that? His only real concern from the start was to steal our food.”

“Well, I don’t know, but he didn’t break his shoulder by himself.”

“Maybe the Crazies turned on him because he didn’t bring them enough of our food.”

“You’re an idiot, Kyle,” I said from between clenched teeth. “Katie was not alone when I found her. There were two others—a woman and a small boy. Next to them was a pile of food packets. Katie must have found the boy and his mother and had been smuggling them food all along. But the Crazies didn’t want it. They want flesh—they can’t or don’t want to eat your army rations. They want to eat…you.”

“You’re one of them!” Kyle screamed. “You’re just telling more lies. Somehow, you must have lured Katie to the surface so that your friends could get her. Whom are you going to lead outside next, Ray? Perhaps, one of Ben’s plump little boys, heh?”

“I’ve noticed you haven’t been eating anything, Kyle,” I accused him. “I think you’re infected—since when have you ever described Ben’s children as being plump little boys? There’s something wrong with you and you know it.”

“I haven’t felt well…just ask my wife—that’s why I haven’t been eating!”

“You’re changing. Pretty soon your craving for human flesh will be uncontrollable—everybody’s got to eat sooner or later, Kyle. Who's gonna be the first? Perhaps a plump little boy for starters.”

He stepped forward and cracked my skull with the butt of his shotgun.