Free Glory (Book 3) by Michael McManamon Page B

hand . That same action copped from a war movie . "Stop!"
    Rick and Joe did as they were told. Any thoughts Rick had had of escape left him for the moment. He looked at their leader, unsure of what was going on . Maybe those things had come back. They might be charging them at this very moment . He reached down and grabbed his gun - the one he had taken from the gir l . As nervous as he was, he was ready for a fight. He wasn't going to go out without one.
    His fingers wrapped tightly around on the gun's grip, but he didn't pull it free. He wanted to see what Carl had to say first.
    Besides, if Carl turned around and saw Rick with a gun in his hand, who knew what was going to happen? Rick didn't want to find out.
    Carl turned and looked at him. His hand was still in the air. A closed fist now.
    "It's time to eat," he said.
    That was all.
    Rick was handed a chocolate bar. It wasn't much of a meal, though it was better than nothing. He thought about the steaks he had had back at camp the other night. And the beer. It might've been a bit warm, but it was definitely better than this.
    A chocolate bar?
    His friend didn't look too bothered with his food. He had opened the pack and had already eaten most of his bar.
    Good ol' Joe. Never complained about anything.
    Rick caught Joe's eye. Then he looked down at the chocolate bar. He put on a set o f sa d eyes for him.
    Joe smirked as he finished off his own bar and threw the wrapper onto the ground.
    Yeah, good ol' Joe.
    Rick shook his head, frustrated.
    "Something the matter?" Carl asked.
    It took Rick a second before he knew that Carl had been talking to him. He looked up. "What?"
    Carl looked annoyed. But that was nothing new. He usually looked bothered. "I asked if something was the matter," he repeated.
    Rick could feel Joe looking at him, nervously. "No…I…uh…was just thinking about this food." He held up his chocolate bar for Carl to see.
    "Is something the matter with it? Is it that you don't like that particular one?"
    "No, it isn't that. I was just thinking how nice it would be to be back at camp. Eating a steak and all."
    He shouldn't have said it. Sure, it was how he was feeling. But he should have just kept it to himself.
    Rick felt his fingers clasp around the chocolate bar and wished that it was his gun. He'd shoot this crazy fuck in the face and have done with it. He might even have time to actually do it. He could drop the bar, pull out the gun.
    Though maybe not quickly enough.
    Big Mike always had that shotgun in his hands. He was always on the look out.
    Big Mike . Shit, that guy was almost just as bad as Carl. Probably worse. The guy rarely talked. It was creepy. Unnatural.
    They were both fuckin' nuts.
    Rick continued to hold on to his chocolate bar. He started to feel a little like an upset child on the school playground, fighting with some of the other bullies. He'd usually been the bully.
    Not this time. Now he was the little cowering wimp.
    Rick hated that.
    Yeah, he should just grab his gun and start shooting. Fuck Carl. Fuck Big Mike. He was sure that Joe would help him. Maybe he'd have a chance. But shit...maybe he wouldn't.
    Rick watched their leader. The man's head cocked to one side. Then a slight smile came out on his lips. "Steak?" Carl said. "You'd like that?"
    "Well, yeah." Rick's voice wasn't as loud as he had hoped it would be, but he supposed that he was lucky that anything came out at all. That smile on Carl's face was really freaking him out.
    "Back at camp?"
    "Yeah."
    "With your little girl?"
    Rick couldn't answer. He felt his face redden. Though not with embarrassment. It was with anger. He didn't want this guy talking about her. He didn't want this guy even thinking about her.
    "Or I should sa y you r little girl." Carl pointed at both Rick and Joe.
    Rick looked at his friend, sure that Joe didn't want any part of her.
    He turned back to Carl and wanted to scream. Instead, he looked back at his chocolate bar.
    "I'm sorry," he heard Carl