Free Deadies: Run for Your Life by Krystell Lake Page A

crying. Why was I surprised by her reaction? Ray was in this house first. He was the postal worker and this is a post office. It was Ray’s keys that opened the doors of this safe haven. Joe looked the same as always, cold, emotionless. Joe had washed the blood from his face but his clothing was still blood-stained.
    There was a recount of the actions that led to Ray’s death. I didn’t hear one clear sentence. I just stood next to Nick, spaced out. My brain was not functioning properly. It was like my body was in the room but my mind was on vacation.
    The house was in mourning for a week. There was little talk, no disagreements and very little movement. Nick and I talked quietly in the attic. It was our own private confessional. It was the place where we could share our thoughts without fear of being judged.
    Nick and I got ready for bed. I felt the need to talk. I missed Ray. I had one less person to talk to and it felt lonely without Ray, like a piece of my family was missing. Nick was sitting in his chair fiddling with one of his handguns as I sat on the mattress.
    “ What were you doing before I came.” I asked.
    “ What do you mean?” Nick raised an eyebrow.
    “ Like for fun?” I was vague.
    “ You guys have been here for weeks with just one woman.” Nick continued to load the bullets into his gun. I watched closely. It was the gun he called the Magnum. “Did you have sex with Michelle?” Too blunt but I had already put it out there.
    “ No way, she’s a librarian.”
    “ Yeah but she’s pretty.” I fished for more intel.
    “ Spongebob smarty pants, no way.”
    “ So you like dumb girls?” I know I was being weird but whatever.
    Nick stopped and glared at me. “You’re not dumb. You’re way smarter than you look but you don’t go around throwing it up in everybody’s faces. If you hadn’t noticed, Michelle’s a bitch. Let the doctor have her.”
    I did notice she was a bitch. “Stop making love to the Magnum.” I stood and walked over to Nick. I planted myself right in front of him and pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it. Nick placed the gun under his seat. Nick sat back in his chair. I love the way he looks at my body. He squints his eyes and his top lip curls up. He is so incredibly sexy. In my past life I thought I had a thing for the worldly sensitive artistic type. I never would have thought I could fall for a mechanic.
    I hopped on Nick’s lap, straddling him. I leaned into his lips and kissed him as if this was our last day on earth. We both knew that it could very well be. Our lovemaking is always hot, steamy, passionate and loving. We merged on four different occasions and this would be number five. It makes no sense, it could be a life and death illusion. But, I may love him.
    I woke the next morning with a feeling of euphoria. I opened my eyes and Nick was gone. He may be with Joe. I sat up and realized I was nude. I grabbed one of Nick’s dirty t-shirts off the floor and put it on. For some unknown reason the deadies were attracted to light. At night it was pitch black in the old house. It was a scary eerie feeling I still hadn’t gotten used to. We all had flashlights but it wasn’t wise to use them. If we had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night we couldn’t flush the toilet. The deadies were also attracted to sound.
    At night was when they were the most active. In the quiet of night you could hear them wailing in the darkness. It’s a horrid sound that only dissipated with the dawn of a new day. It was hard to sleep with a sound of death seeping through the walls and worst the sometimes banging at the doors and windows when a few would wonder onto the postal property in search of blood.
    I lived for the daylight and I’m sure I was not alone. I looked toward the window at the sun shining through. A new day of light and life.
    I heard the footsteps coming up to the attic. Nick was standing in the doorway with a magazine rolled up in his hand, probably a