Free Zombie Games by Kristen Middleton Page A

couch.
    “That’s my favorite movie!” he announced.
    “Hey, I thought you said your favorite movie was Beauty and the Beast?”
    “That’s my favorite too,” he replied.
    I smiled at him and ruffled his soft brown hair.
    “Where’s Bryce?” he asked.
    I looked at my watch, it was almost eight o’clock. “I think he’s still working. He’ll be coming soon to take you home, don’t worry.”
    Bobby’s face turned grim and he looked at his hands. “I don’t want to leave. I wish Bryce and I could stay here forever.”
    “Oh, really? Don’t you want to go home and see your mom? You must miss her. I’m sure she misses you.”
    He smiled sadly. “No. She only likes her juice.”
    “Her… juice?” I asked, puzzled.
    Bobby nodded. “Yes. Her brown juice. It smells yucky,” he said pinching his nose. ”I don’t like it when she drinks it. She says mean things.”
    I placed his hand in mine and took a deep breath. “Has she ever hurt you when she’s been drinking her juice?”
    He shook his head firmly. “No, not anymore. Bryce made her stop. He loves me the most.”
    I reached over and gave him a hug. When I finally let go, he gave me a lopsided grin. “You’re nice. I wish you were my mom.”
    “I’m a little young to be your mom, but, you want to know a secret?”
    He nodded.
    I whispered into his ear. “If you were my son, I’d love you the most.”
    His face broke out in a huge grin and my heart ached at the thought of anyone being intentionally cruel to such a sweet kid.
    I stood up to put the movie in the DVD player. “Bobby, do you want some popcorn?” I asked.
    “Popcorn is my favorite!” he shouted.
    ~~~
    Bobby fell asleep during the movie, sometime after nine o’clock. I covered him up with a warm fleece blanket and went upstairs to find that I was the only one, still awake. I, also was having a hard time trying to keep my eyes open.
    I yawned and shuffled into the kitchen for a drink of water. As I raised the glass to my lips, something in the window caught my eye. I leaned forward for a better glimpse and saw sporadic flashes lighting up the night. Puzzled, I flipped off the kitchen light and rushed over to the dining room balcony to step outside. Just as I slid the door open, I heard gunfire. Terrified, I slumped down on the ground.
    “You hear that too?” whispered Sara next to my ear.
    “Jesus,” I gasped. “Don’t ever sneak up on me again!”
    “Sorry,” she said. “I was in the bedroom when I heard the shots.”
    “I’m calling nine-one-one,” I stated, pulling out my phone. I quickly dialed and was put on hold for few minutes before the line went dead.
    “Let me try,” said Sara, pulling out her phone. After a few seconds, she hung up. “This is crazy. The line is temporarily out of service. It’s nine-one-one! How does that even happen?”
    There was more gunfire, this time followed by loud screams.
    “Oh My God!” gasped Sara, frantically closing and locking the door.
    “Did…did someone just get shot?” I asked her in horror.
    She touched my shoulder and nodded. “I think so. Your dad, he has guns right?”
    “Yes,” I said, trembling. “Yes, in the gun safe.”
    “Show me,” she said.
    We hurried downstairs to the cellar and I opened my dad’s gun safe.
    “Wow, he doesn’t mess around, does he? There’s got to be over twenty guns in here.” She pulled out a Smith and Wesson Ten millimeter revolver and nodded with approval. “This will do.”
    “You know how to fire a gun?” I asked as she loaded it.
    “Sure, I own a couple guns myself. I’m in the Reserves; you didn’t know?”
    I shook my head. “No, I didn’t. Nobody ever told me”
    “Well, now you do. Your mom’s mentioned that you can shoot. Maybe you should be armed too, just in case. Pick one out and follow me.”
    I grabbed my dad’s ten millimeter Colt Delta and some ammunition.
    “What’s going on?” asked my mom in a strangled voice. She stood on the stairs with