Those Lazy Sundays: A Novel of the Undead Read Online Free Page A

a “tip” of a buck seventy-five), they left their cash on the counter and exited the store, the jangling of the bells the only goodbye they received.
     Kate opened the sliding door of the van and placed her purchases on the seat. She started climbing in, but abruptly stopped. She turned around and looked at Andy, who was opening the front door.
    “Where’s Jack?” she asked. She gestured toward the empty seat in the back where their friend had been sleeping.
    “Oh for Christ’s sake,” Andy said, and turned around, looking toward the store.
    “What is it?” Kyle asked worriedly, glancing from Kate to Andy and back again.
    “Jack went for a walk or something,” Andy replied. “Hey Jack!” he yelled. “Get your ass back here!”
    They paused and waited for a reply. As Andy drew a deep breath to yell again, they heard Jack’s voice from around the side of the store.
    “Check out this guy!”
    Andy sighed and glanced skeptically at the other four, then began walking towards the direction of Jack’s voice. Kyle chased after him, the three girls shaking their heads at each other before following. They rounded the corner to the far side of the store, where Jack was standing. A lip of concrete continued around the side of the building, ending at a steep ten-foot embankment leading into an expansive meadow consisting of knee-high grass and some wilting flowers that had probably been spectacular in the summer.
    Jack pointed into the field. His friends turned towards the field, and saw what it was that had grabbed his attention: at least a dozen figures were coming through the meadow towards them. They all walked strangely, some with a limp, some slightly hunched over, and others just slightly off-balance.
    The six friends stared at the shambling figures without a word.
    Kate broke the silence.
    “What’re they doing?”
    “I’m not sure,” Jack replied. “I’ve been watching them for a good five minutes. They’re just walking like that. Not really doing anything. Doesn't seem like they've noticed me either.”
    “They look pretty fucked up,” said Andy. “Probably people from some hippy commune who smoked a little too much…” he brought his fingers to his mouth and mimicked smoking a joint.
    Everyone else ignored him and continued to stare, mesmerized, at the bizarre scene. Two of the figures were getting closer, the details of their facial features and clothing becoming discernible. One of them was a man in what appeared to be a gray business suit. The other was a woman in jeans and a pink blouse or sweater.
    “Let’s get going,” Mary said, alarmed. She turned towards the car.
    “Hang on,” Jack said, “I'm actually kind of intrigued by this.”
    “Hello!” Andy yelled, waving his arms wildly.
    “Andy, knock it off,” said Sarah. “Mary’s right. Let’s go. We need to get back on the road anyway. I’d love to get home sometime before midnight.”
    “Excuse me, sir? Hello?” Andy yelled again, ignoring his girlfriend’s plea.
    “Jesus Christ, Andy!” Sarah said sternly.
    “Seriously guys, we need to get out of here. Whoever they are, they seem pretty out of it.” Kyle said, agreeing with the Sarah and Mary. Not waiting for his friends, he started towards the van, Sarah, Mary, and Kate following behind, leaving Jack and Andy still standing next to the store, staring.
    “Holy fucking shit!” Jack’s voice boomed from around the corner. His four friends stopped in their tracks.
    They looked at each other worriedly, and then hurried back around the side of the store. Andy and Jack were both slowly sidestepping away from the embankment towards the parking lot. Joining them, the rest of the group looked into the field.
    The man and woman were now close enough that their faces were clear – or what was left of them. The woman’s curly brown hair was matted with a dark, sticky maroon. A gash split across her face from the corner of her forehead down to her chin, revealing her