A Flock of Ill Omens Read Online Free

came in through the back door.
    “…drawing near. It’s clear that the almighty is saying it’s time! The earthquakes that rock the heathen nations, the hurricanes that wash away the signs of greed. The time is upon us! Repent!”
    Sarah tried to get up as Sid came through the door with her arms full. Sid shut the back door with her foot and could have used some help, but Sarah's feet prickled so badly when she set them on the floor that she couldn't make herself stand. David was still intent on the television as he tore lettuce into a bowl and was oblivious to Sid's need for help.
    “What the heck are you watching?” Sid asked as she dropped her bags on the floor at the base of the stairs.
    “Didn’t you hear? The world is ending!” David said, dancing a little as he talked.
    Sarah rolled her eyes from her chair and finally heaved herself up, giving her feet a minute to adjust before taking a step to hug Sid.
    “I saw this guy for the five minutes I had the TV on in Lincoln City,” Sid said, “but I thought it was just a small town cable limitation.”
    “No. He’s everywhere.” Sarah’s tone was one of bored tolerance, but David was giggling.
    “He’s a hoot. He’s gone viral.”
    “Why?” Sid asked.
    “He says the end of the world is coming…” David said, like that resolved the issue.
    “Which happens about every six months—like that guy in Florida who spent all his money on billboards a couple years ago.” Sarah stuck a spoon in David's sauce.
    He stopped watching the TV long enough to swat her hand. “Yes, but this guy needs everybody’s money to spread the word and people are actually sending it.”
    “Why does this please you?” Sid asked.
    “It’s like a train wreck. You should cover this.”
    “I’ve been trying to avoid tabloids, thanks.”
    “No, seriously.”
    Sarah shook her head at David's determination to sell them on this story.
    “I’ve got other stuff to deal with. That dead bird thing down in Lincoln City…”
    “What dead…” David began.
    “The picture I showed you,” Sarah interrupted. “Sid sent it.”
    “That was Lincoln City? You saw that? In person?”
    Sid nodded. “Yeah. Pretty creepy.”
    “Why’d it happen? Didn’t look like a spill or anything.”
    “Bird flu,” Sid said as Grant came in the front door.
    “Welcome home,” he said giving Sid a huge kiss, then coming over to kiss Sarah and David. Sarah obliged and David frowned and avoided it when it was his turn.
    They all knew the kisses were platonic. Grant had been in his committed relationship with his partner for more than four years. Longer than Sarah and David had been together, in fact.
    “Good thing I already got my flu shot,” Grant said.
    “Oh no! Jeff said not to,” Sid said.
    “Why not?” Sarah said. She'd gotten an order at work to get the shot herself.
    “He just thought they rushed it out—that this one won’t fight the bird thing,” Sid turned to Sarah and David, “so don’t bother.”
    “Guess we’ll get another when they get it fixed,” Grant said.
    Sarah knew why they’d been so on top of it. Grant had come to her as a brand new nurse nearly four years ago when he found out his new love interest was HIV positive. Compromised immune systems made people pretty eager to get early vaccinations. So did nursing, but she had a little time before they'd require the proof at work, so she would see if she learned anything new about it before then.
     
    Sarah was physically exhausted, but her head still had a committee of trouble-makers shouting absurdities at her when she finally crawled into bed. She let her head fall heavily to her pillow, but knew sleep wouldn't come easily.
    David came out of their bathroom shaking his back side and turning in circles. It was his nightly dance, a ritual of theirs. Usually she shouted commands, but tonight her laugh was half-hearted. He lifted the sheet at the end of the bed and kissed her toes, but still only got a smile.
    “You