The Rabid Read Online Free Page B

know." She sent me a
glance. "I can't imagine what she was regaling you with, but it must have
sucked."
    Sheesh. She was
Lisa's best friend? "Maybe I like boring."
    Sylvia scoffed. "you're
just being nice."
    "I thought you guys were
like...good friends."
    A laugh escaped her. "Oh,
yeah, we are. I just like to speak my mind. I'm probably the most offensive
person you'll ever meet. Just an F-Y-I."
    That one statement told
me all I needed to know about the woman.
    "And in that same light,
I'll get right down to the point. Jack, let's fuck."
    The sentence was so
sudden I almost laughed. On instinct, my eyes widened as she leaned toward me.
In response, I leaned away.
    "Hold on, there." After
putting a protective hand out, I scooted backward in the sand. "I don't think
that's the best idea."
    She cocked her head to
the left. "And why not?" Her hand slowly slid up my leg toward my crotch, but I
caught it.
    "you're not my type. I'm
sorry."
    In an instant, she
snatched her hand away and put it on her hip. "Oh, what? I'm not your type
"cause I'm Latina?" She said the last word with tilt of her head and a thick
accent.
    "Oh, come on. don't play
that card."
    "Excuse me?" She stood
up, kicking a bit of sand my direction. "I'm not playing a card, man. you're
the one who's a racist!"
    "Hey, hey." I mirrored
her stance. "I enjoy a politically incorrect joke every now and then, but come
on. we're fucking adults, here. there's no need to treat this like a middle
school playground."
    The sassy look remained
on Sylvia's face. Her lips were pursed tightly together as if she'd spew forth
volcanic lava if she opened her mouth.
    " Lo que sea, culo.
Chico blanco est"pido . you'll come crawling back, because you know I'll
blow your mind." With that, she turned on her heel, put up her hand and
sashayed away like a model.
    I closed my eyes and let
out a long breath. "Thank God I don't speak Spanish."
    ***
    The crashing of
the waves lulled me to sleep, but something else woke me hours later. It was a
sort of shuffling sighing noise. I was halfway awake when a thump got my ass up.
    I sat up in the
sand. The fire had died down, but I could still see. A soft white light from
the moon washed over the beach. Its reflection swayed in the waves as they
jumped onto the shore. I swallowed hard.
    I heard the sigh
again. As I turned, that's when I saw it. A Biter was making its way toward the
car. The fire tossed orange shadows across its weathered face, highlighting the
foam dripping from its mouth in a surreal way.
    My thoughts
shifted toward an indifferent "oh well." I'd slept out in the sand because I
could protect my new friends if one them of happened by. But also because
Sylvia was one of those women who no doubt would make sure I'd get no sleep.
    I shook the rest
of my sleepy thoughts out of my head and reached for my gun. Except it wasn't
there. There was only empty sand. Panic set in. My heart began to thump against
my ribcage. As quietly as I could, I searched the beach in a few inch radiuses
around me, but found nothing. I must have left it on the seat in the SUV. Fuck.
    And as I looked
back toward the Biter, my stomach fell to my knees. Silas was sitting quietly
at the fire, grinning at me.
    "you're in
trouble now, ain't ya?"
    I swallowed hard,
trying to blink. Only I was frozen. My muscles refused to move. There was my
old friend " just sitting there like nothing had ever happened.
    "Hey!" Silas
turned and waved to the Biter. "Over here! Dude! Raw meat! Over here!" When the
thing didn't respond, he turned back and rolled his eyes. "The thing"s deaf."
    Finally, I shut
my eyes. And when I opened them again, Silas was gone. But the Biter wasn't. It
was fumbling closer and closer to the vehicle. It hand't seen me yet, so I
scrambled around the front of the car and quietly opened the driver"s side
door. After a brief search of the seats and glove compartment, I realized my
gun was still missing.
    Behind me,
someone stirred in their sleep. I did the first