Free The Dog by Amy Cross

however, and I push against his legs, causing him to slip on the wet wood. He tumbles back and lets out a cry as he falls down onto the grass, and I quickly hurry back to my spot at the top of the steps and turn to him again. Whatever else happens, I have to defend Jon and the cabin.
    “Fucking animal!” he hisses.
    “Were you trying to rob me?” Jon asks incredulously. “Where's the money from the drawer?”
    “It's every man for himself now!” Richard replies, his voice trembling with anger. “Do you really think you can trust anyone? We're all just fighting to survive.” He lets out a gasp as he examines the bite wound on his arm. “Do you have any medical supplies? You owe me that much, at least. This thing could get fucking infected!”
    “I don't owe you a goddamn thing,” Jon replies, before turning and heading inside. “I'll give you back the food you brought, though. And then you need to get the hell out of here.”
    I can tell from the look in his eyes that Richard is considering another attack, so I keep snarling, determined to make him stay back. A moment later, however, I spot a hint of movement behind him, as if someone else is coming this way through the darkness. I lower my front a little, ready to spring forward if necessary, but the wind and rain are making it difficult to pick up any strong scents. For the first time in my life, there are so many impressions all around, I feel as if the world is filled with chaos.
    “What the fuck are you looking at?” Richard asks, clearly unaware that someone is approaching him from behind. “You'd have been better off with me anyway. At least I know how to survive. At least I'm not some naive, dumb-ass hick who can be plied with a bottle of whiskey and -”
    Suddenly he screams and clutches his throat, and when he stumbles forward I see that the man from the gas station's parking lot has bitten deep into his neck.
    “Get it off me!” Richard yells, with blood spraying from the wound. He tries to turn away, only for the man to drag him down onto the grass and bite his neck again.
    “What the hell's going on out there?” Jon shouts, rushing back onto the porch but stopping as soon as he sees the rotten man tearing a thick knot of flesh and meat from Richard's bloodied throat. “What the...”
    “Help me!” Richard screams, reaching toward us with a trembling, blood-stained hand. “For the love of God, kill it!”
    Still barking, I take a step forward, hoping to scare them both away. Only Jon and I should be here, and I want everyone else to leave the cabin and the field right now. Richard is trying to crawl to the bottom of the steps, but he's already lost a lot of blood and the rotten man is still biting huge chunks away from his neck and shoulder. Already, enough meat is missing for Richard's bones to start glistening in the rain.
    “Stay back,” Jon stammers, grabbing my collar. “Harry, this is -”
    “Help me!” Richard shouts again, rolling onto his back and trying to put the attacker away. Suddenly, however, the rotten man bites down hard on his belly, digging his teeth through the shirt and clawing at his flesh. Sobbing, Richard lets out a gurgled moan as more blood sprays from his ravaged neck, but he can no longer even try to drag himself toward us. Instead, his shaking hands are simply clutching the wet grass as more rain comes down, and I can just about hear a juicy sucking sound as his belly is torn apart.
    “That thing's insane,” Jon says, before turning and grabbing the rifle.
    Still barking, I take a step back and watch as the rotten man continues to feed on Richard.
    “I'm sorry,” Jon says firmly, stepping past me and aiming at the rotten creature, “but I have to do this.”
    Suddenly the gun fires, blasting the creature's face apart and sending it slumping down against Richard's trembling body.
    “It must have walked all the way up here from the gas station,” Jon says, taking a cautious step forward while still