Free Wormwood Dawn (Episode I) by Edward Crae Page A

through.
    Nothing.
    He lowered the shotgun, stepping inside to peer into the dim light. He scowled as he sniffed the air. “It smells like cinnamon,” he said.
    “That’s better than shit,” Drew replied.
    He was right. However…
    “I think a candle is burning,” Dan whispered. “Someone must be inside.”
    “Cinnamon Apocalypse,” Drew said.
    They stepped in, quietly moving toward the flickering light. There was a candle burning on the coffee table, flickering in the wind they had just created. It was a large one, around three inches in diameter, and red. It cast eerie shadows in the room that dimly lit the bricks of the fireplace and cast shadows on the walls.
    Dan reached the end of the dividing wall between the hall and living room, where there was a short, two-step stairway that led down. The cocking of a shotgun startled him.
    There, on the couch, was Linda; Gary’s wife. She was still, staring at Dan fearfully. Dan raised his right hand, lowering his shotgun with the other. He swallowed, hoping Linda recognized him.
    “Linda,” he said. “It’s Dan.”
    She sobbed, lowering her shotgun and setting it beside her on the couch. Dan walked down the steps slowly, motioning for Drew to follow.
    “What happened?” he asked. “Where’s Gary?”
    Linda sniffed, sulking, before mumbling the words Dan was expecting. “I killed him,” she sobbed.
    Dan looked at Drew, whose face echoed his own pity. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Did he get sick?”
    Linda nodded. “Around noon yesterday,” she continued. “He just started choking and spitting blood. I wasn’t sure what was happening. I tried to get him in the car to take him to the hospital, but then he attacked me. I ran back into the house and got my gun.” She paused to sob, covering her mouth with her hand. “Then I shot him.”
    Dan sat down next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “Where is he now?”
    She sniffed hard, her face covered in tears. “I buried him in the garden,” she said. “His garden. I didn’t want anyone to find out.”
    Dan nodded. “Okay,” he said. “Are you alright?”
    Linda was silent, but she nodded, staring off into space.
    “This is my friend Drew,” Dan said. Linda just nodded slowly, not saying anything. “We were just out looking for supplies. We didn’t know anyone was here. We didn’t mean to scare you.”
    Linda chuckled humorlessly, turning to look at him. “At this point,” she whispered, “there is nothing that would shock me. It’s all over. Gary is gone. He’s gone…”
    She covered her face with her hands, breaking down and crying. Dan felt uncomfortable, but did the best he could not to show it. Drew fidgeted.
    “My house is safe for the moment,” Dan said. “You can come with us if you want. You shouldn’t be alone.”
    Linda continued sulking, curling her fingers over her eyes and shaking her head. “Dan,” she said, reaching for her shotgun. “You guys can take anything you need.” She suddenly put the barrel in her mouth and pulled the trigger.
    The blast spewed her brains all over the back wall, and splattered Dan with blood and chunks of skull as he fell back.
    “ Jesus fucking Christ!” he shouted as he rolled off the couch.
    Drew stood wide-eyed, watching the bits of flesh roll down the wall. Dan recovered, moving next to him as the two of them covered their mouths in shock.
    “What the fuck?” Dan said.
    “Oh my God,” Drew said, turning to puke behind them.
    Dan went up to the kitchen, setting the shotgun down on the counter and resting his face on his hands. His heart pounded, and he felt breathless. That was totally unexpected. Linda was never a weakling, he remembered. He never pictured her as someone who would take her own life in desperation. She was a survivor, like Gary.
    But Gary was gone.
    He sighed, catching his breath. That was it. She just couldn’t live without Gary. They were inseparable; apocalypse partners. And now, they were