Free Wake Up Dead - an Undead Anthology by Adam Millard, Guy James, Suzanne Robb, Chantal Boudreau, Mia Darien, Douglas Vance Castagna, Rebecca Snow, Caitlin Gunn, R.d Teun

Randy could not see his face.
    Three men circled Randy. There was silence for a brief moment when the men were sizing him up. They figured that he wasn't armed or he would have pulled out his weapon already. Assuming that they had the upper hand, the big man spoke.
    "What are you doing, walking the streets?"
    "Yeah what are ya doin'?" the tall kid echoed.
    "Just what is that shit all over your face, anyway?" the big man continued.
    The peace man chimed in, "That's that disease, the one that's all over the news."
    "Shit, I never seen anybody that far gone," said the big man.
    "Isn't this that faggot disease?"
    "That's right, it is. We got ourselves a faggot. Tell me, faggot, what were you doing with that woman?" said the big man, pointing at Randy with his bat.
    "Yeah, what were you doing?" parroted the kid.
    Randy looked at them, his eyes brimming over with ageless hatred. Nevertheless, he tried nothing hoping they would leave him alone. Actually, he hoped the big man would sharpen the bat and drive it through his heart.
    "Aw look, the little girl is going to cry," said the peace man. Looking over his shoulder he called to his friend.
    "C'mon, let's teach this homo a lesson."
    "Teach him a lesson," the kid repeated.
    The man standing by the car shook his head. "Leave him alone. You said you wanted to scare him. You did, let's go."
    " Finished ?" asked the big man. "Not by a long shot. I don't want no diseased faggot touching the neighborhood women."
    The big man raised the bat and swung.
    Randy raised his arm, trying to ward off the blow.
    "No, you don't understand," was what Randy was beginning to say when the bat shattered his right forearm and dislocated his shoulder.
    He fell to the ground, knocking over the garbage cans.
    He looked helpless, flailing his legs in the rotting debris.
    "Please, please, leave me alone," he begged.
    "Look at him whine. Should I give him another?" asked the big man.
    "He's had enough. Leave him alone, damn it," said the man by the car, advancing a step.
    "Give him another, said the kid, offering him the tire iron.
    "No thanks, Joey I got something better in mind."
    He grinned at his friends. Several teeth were missing from his mouth, the ones that remained were stained brown from tobacco.
    He threw the bat to the floor and looked at the peace man.
    "Give me the knife, Billy," demanded the big man.
    "Sure thing," Billy said.
    Billy reached into his pocket and pulled out the switchblade. Before handing it over he said, "Be careful Al. It's very sharp."
    "The sharper the better," said Al.
    "Watch it Al. You might get his blood on you," warned Billy.
    "Don't worry about me," Al said. He pulled a stained handkerchief from his back pocket and wrapped it around his hand. "I'm only gonna stab him once. Right in his fag heart."
    The man who had been standing by the car had joined the group now.
    He was a black man in his thirties. His face was strong and badly scarred.
    "This has gone far enough. Give me the knife," he said.
    "What are you? In love with this fag?" asked Al.
    By this time, Randy had managed to stand up, being ever so careful not to move his ruined arm.
    Joey saw him standing there and swung the tire iron.
    It missed its mark, striking the brick wall behind Randy.
    The noise distracted Al, and the black man made his move. He swung his foot in an arc, connecting with Billy's face. Billy crumpled instantly. The black man delivered an elbow to Al's solar plexus. Al doubled over, dropping the knife.
    Joey advanced, swinging the tire iron wildly. "You're dead you fucking nigger," screamed Joey, as he brought the weapon down with blinding speed and force.
    Again, Joey missed his mark. The black man had dived to the ground and rolled. As he got up, he grabbed a garbage can lid and threw it like a frisbee at Joey. It hit Joey's knee, and Joey fell down. The weapon was wrenched from his hand and he was kicked to the ground.
    The black man then walked over to Randy.
    "Are you all right?" he said