The Hollow Men (Book 1): Crave Read Online Free
Author: Jonathan Teague
Tags: Zombie Apocalypse
advice of the CDC, the New York state government required that the high school semi-final games be played behind closed doors, shutting down attendance to protect the public from itself. The confrontation with government officials almost turned ugly. Just in time, local television sports anchors intervened, soothing angry parents and fans by promising not just NFL-worthy broadcasts of the games but special feature pieces highlighting each one of the High School Senior players to help them woo the scouts of college football teams.
In quarantining the semi-final games, the government won a short term victory but lost the bigger fight. People were even hungrier to see the final game in person. This time pressure was too high and a violent reaction seemed probable. Officials let the championship game go forward.
As a result, a crowd of approximately 49,000 people were descending on the stadium—just short of the attendance record.
Tom raced down I-81. The game would be starting in an hour, and he wasn’t going to be late. His fifteen-year-old son Chase played first-string varsity football for the Warriors. Chase was a husky kid, already six feet tall. His bourgeoning power and agility made the young running back a high school all-star with 1,989 yards rushing and 37 touchdowns in one season. He was a key reason the Warriors had made it to the state championship. Chase’s parents had been excited to watch their son play in what they anticipated would be the first of many such championships.
A knot formed in Tom’s stomach when he glanced at the empty passenger seat, missing the company of his wife Ridley and eight-year-old daughter Katie.
Ridley grew up in San Diego, near Camp Pendleton where Tom was stationed with the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force. She was a “surfer girl” all the way: blond hair, blue eyes, athletically thin, and tall enough in heels to reach six feet. In perfect counterbalance to Tom’s intensity, she had the relaxed nature of someone who had grown up near a sunny beach on the Pacific Ocean, warmly embracing each new day.
Tom first saw her sitting on a park bench alone. He saw a radiance that shone from within her. She was engrossed in a Dean Koontz novel and barely acknowledged Tom when he walked over. He sat next to her and waited patiently, not speaking a word. When she looked up at him, he asked about her book and what else she enjoyed reading. Their conversation flowed as naturally as if they had known each other a lifetime. They fit together perfectly, as if fate had conspired to bring them together.
Ridley made Tom work for it. Even though she confessed to him right away that she was interested, she told him she wasn’t a lock. He had to demonstrate patience, persistence, and commitment to making their relationship strong. On the second anniversary of meeting her in the park, Ridley finally accepted his proposal. They were married five months later.
When Tom learned that Ridley was pregnant with a baby boy, he felt simultaneously excited and worried. He wanted Chase to be strong in body and mind without needing to undergo the kind of pain he had growing up in Australia. From the minute his son was born, he whispered to him every night the kind of man he expected Chase to become: strong, courageous, kind, confident. Tom poured all of his hopes and dreams into his son.
Six years later, his sweet daughter Katie was born. He believed he was just hitting his stride in being the father of a boy. Now he needed to figure it out all over again. Like he did his son, he raised his daughter to be tough both physically and mentally.
He and Ridley got her into lacrosse as soon as she was strong enough to hold her stick. Off the field, she had the sunny personality of her mother. On the field, she was the strongest on her team in both body and will, which often got her into trouble skirmishing with other players. Tom encouraged her competitiveness and was blind to her edginess. To him, she was his
In quarantining the semi-final games, the government won a short term victory but lost the bigger fight. People were even hungrier to see the final game in person. This time pressure was too high and a violent reaction seemed probable. Officials let the championship game go forward.
As a result, a crowd of approximately 49,000 people were descending on the stadium—just short of the attendance record.
Tom raced down I-81. The game would be starting in an hour, and he wasn’t going to be late. His fifteen-year-old son Chase played first-string varsity football for the Warriors. Chase was a husky kid, already six feet tall. His bourgeoning power and agility made the young running back a high school all-star with 1,989 yards rushing and 37 touchdowns in one season. He was a key reason the Warriors had made it to the state championship. Chase’s parents had been excited to watch their son play in what they anticipated would be the first of many such championships.
A knot formed in Tom’s stomach when he glanced at the empty passenger seat, missing the company of his wife Ridley and eight-year-old daughter Katie.
Ridley grew up in San Diego, near Camp Pendleton where Tom was stationed with the 1 Marine Expeditionary Force. She was a “surfer girl” all the way: blond hair, blue eyes, athletically thin, and tall enough in heels to reach six feet. In perfect counterbalance to Tom’s intensity, she had the relaxed nature of someone who had grown up near a sunny beach on the Pacific Ocean, warmly embracing each new day.
Tom first saw her sitting on a park bench alone. He saw a radiance that shone from within her. She was engrossed in a Dean Koontz novel and barely acknowledged Tom when he walked over. He sat next to her and waited patiently, not speaking a word. When she looked up at him, he asked about her book and what else she enjoyed reading. Their conversation flowed as naturally as if they had known each other a lifetime. They fit together perfectly, as if fate had conspired to bring them together.
Ridley made Tom work for it. Even though she confessed to him right away that she was interested, she told him she wasn’t a lock. He had to demonstrate patience, persistence, and commitment to making their relationship strong. On the second anniversary of meeting her in the park, Ridley finally accepted his proposal. They were married five months later.
When Tom learned that Ridley was pregnant with a baby boy, he felt simultaneously excited and worried. He wanted Chase to be strong in body and mind without needing to undergo the kind of pain he had growing up in Australia. From the minute his son was born, he whispered to him every night the kind of man he expected Chase to become: strong, courageous, kind, confident. Tom poured all of his hopes and dreams into his son.
Six years later, his sweet daughter Katie was born. He believed he was just hitting his stride in being the father of a boy. Now he needed to figure it out all over again. Like he did his son, he raised his daughter to be tough both physically and mentally.
He and Ridley got her into lacrosse as soon as she was strong enough to hold her stick. Off the field, she had the sunny personality of her mother. On the field, she was the strongest on her team in both body and will, which often got her into trouble skirmishing with other players. Tom encouraged her competitiveness and was blind to her edginess. To him, she was his
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