Free The Dead Years - ORIGINS - Book Zero (A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller) by Jeff Olah Page B

help?”
     
    Stepping back into the room, Jason moved in quickly and pulled Joanne up by the collar and shoved her backward into the wall before turning to his uncle. “The police are gone, we already know that. No one… I mean no one is going to come help us out of this mess. It’s every man for himself. Dear uncle, I’m only going to ask you this once. Where are your weapons?”
     
    Looking across the table at Savannah and then to Lance, Gene began with, “I don’t have any…”
     
    Pushing away from his aunt, Jason removed the pistol from his waistband and fired one round into Joanne’s foot, sending fragmented flesh and blood in every direction as she collapsed to the floor. Turning back to his uncle, Jason was met with an enthusiastic fist to the chin. He grabbed his uncle’s arm and tossed him to the floor.
     
    Jumping from her chair, Savannah hurried to her aunt’s side. “Jason, what are you doing? They’re family… have you gone insane?”
     
    Also caught off guard and confused by the sadistic grin his brother now wore, Lance stepped between Jason and the others. “Dude, slow down. We didn’t come here for this. Let’s get what we need and get out. This isn’t right.”
     
    “Don’t either of you get it? There isn’t right or wrong anymore. That ended this morning. We are in charge of our own safety now. No one else. Haven’t you seen what’s going on out there? We’ll all probably be dead before nightfall.”
     
    “They’re family, let’s get the stuff and go… leave them alone.”
     
    Raising his weapon and pushing the warm barrel to his brother’s temple, Jason shook his head. “Lance, I guarantee you won’t see tomorrow if you talk to me like that one more time.”
     
    Lance walked away, although he continued to stare at his brother as he made his way into the garage.
     
    Her face flush and blood pulsing out of the massive wound, Joanne began to slide away from consciousness. Savannah slapped her lightly on the cheek. “Auntie, stay awake. We’re going to get you some help. Someone is coming to help, I promise.
     
    “Get up,” Jason said. “No one is coming to help, especially not for these two. They’re both so old they already have one foot in the grave.” He pulled Savannah away from Joanne and pointed her to the door. “Go with Lance, we’re leaving.”
     
    “JASON, WE HAVE TO HELP THEM!” Savannah shouted.
     
    “No we don’t… now go, before I change my mind about you too.”
     
    She wouldn’t budge and Jason didn’t appear to care as he turned away from her and focused once again on his aunt and uncle. He pulled the acrid stench of spent gunpowder and burnt flesh into his nostrils with two long drags, closed his eyes and savored the moment. Joanne had drifted off, obviously in shock as her husband closed the few feet between them and cradled her in his arms, whispering into her ear. His fate was sealed before he opened the front door for his nephews and although he knew better, he let them in.
     
    “FOUND THEM…” Lance shouted from the garage. “Let’s go, come on.”
     
    Standing over the couple, now completely ignoring him and wrapped tightly in their own fate, Jason tapped Gene on the top of the head with the barrel of his nine millimeter demanding attention. “You should have given me what I wanted the minute I asked you for it. You knew how this would end. This is your own fault.”
     
    Without giving Jason any acknowledgment, Gene spoke quietly as his wife whimpered, crying into his chest. “You have always been a sociopath; this new world is going to be perfect for you. You don’t scare me; my fate was written long before you were born. Get out of my home.” 
     
    “Uncle Gene, thanks for the provisions. I’m going to add a footnote to your life story. Goodbye…”
     
    Opening the garage door and heading for the car, Lance and Savannah only made it as far as the sidewalk as two gunshots thundered from inside the house.