Free The Seventh Day by Tara Brown writing as A.E. Watson Page B

him a note saying I was coming here.”
    “Well, you girls come inside and we’ll
start the genny up.”
    I shake my head. “When we hunt here in the
fall, my dad doesn’t turn on the generator. He always says in the daytime it’ll
scare the animals or draw the predators. I don't think we want to do either.”
    Mr. Milson points at me. “Your dad is a
very smart man. We should listen to that advice. We don't need extra attention
at all.”
    Mrs. Milson swallows hard. “Okay. Sure.
Your father would know how to survive. He’s been military for over twenty
years.”
    “How bad is it down there?” The words slip
out, even though I don't actually want the answer.
    She looks at the ground but Mr. Milson
replies with a quiet tone, “We saw a lot of little kids. They were scared and
running. Jack, our old neighbor attacked Bernie, his wife, right on the lawn.
He bit her and then fell dead away to the grass. She got up and acted funny and
then walked off, leaving Jack there. I went out to see if Jack was dead but he
wasn’t. He was just weak and sick and acting really odd. Didn’t seem to recall
a single thing.” He nods at his wife. “Betty brought him in and gave him some
soup and he slept for hours. When he woke up, he was groggy and disoriented,
but he seemed like he might be all right. He headed off to find Bernie, the
poor thing.”
    Trying to keep up with the way his story
differed from mine brings a scowl to my suddenly numb lips. “He got up? He got
up and walked around and was fine?”
    He nods. “Yeah. He was in some kind of bad
shape the day before. Said the only thing he recalled was a great white light,
like God was there. It was so bright he couldn’t stand it.”
    “Did he find Bernie?” How the hell was he fine after all that? Could
my mom be fine?
    He shakes his head. “Not sure. We left. The
power was out and the city water shut off and there was no reason to stay. We
could hear them out there in the yard, screaming.”
    “Who?”
    His eyes go dark as he lowers his heavy
brow. “The ones that didn't seem to come back after the bite. Jack was the only
one we saw who seemed fine afterward.”
    Blood is draining from my face. I can feel
the loss of it in my head. It makes me dizzy with confusion.
    “Oh honey, do you want to stay with us?”
Mrs. Milson says, no doubt judging by the panic-stricken look on my face. I
force my eyes to hers, taking in the severity of her overly dyed, frizzy red
hair and shocking amount of red lipstick for the situation we are in. She gives
me a teary smile. “Bring the girls over here and I’ll make you a proper meal.” Neither
of us takes a single step toward the other.
    I nod, taking a step back. It’s a great
feeling, knowing there are at least two other people here and they’re adults,
but it’s going to take a minute to trust their health and my safety. Especially
since I have three little people depending on my discretion.
    “I’ll get the girls. I have Gus too, is
that okay?”
    “God, yes. If anyone will keep us safe,
it’s that great huge hound.” She smiles like a grandma would—like my
grandma would.
    Oh
snap, my grandma.
    I wonder if she’s all right in
Florida—her fall and winter home away from home. My stomach sinks a
little as I crunch my way back to the house, less cautious and more disturbed.
I don't even make it back to the house, and the three of them are already in
the window waving at me. I sigh, wishing they would at least listen to me. I
wave for them to come, even though it’s getting to be dusk and the world is
considerably less safe at night, in my opinion.
    The three of them come barreling out of the
front door with Furgus hot on their heels. “Are they safe?”
    I nod. “Mrs. Milson wants to make you guys
a proper meal.” Gus is already running for their house, leaving us in the dust.
    “Oh, thank God,” Joey shouts, running past
me to the cabin next door, following the dog completely. I almost tell her to
stop and