The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel by Edward P. Cardillo

the bent in gate, where Holbrook lay kicking, trying to get to his feet.
    Joann reached out and pulled at the woman’s blouse as she lunged at Holbrook. Gary was yelling something, but the storm was drowning him out. Holbrook saw the other maniacs flailing about on the boardwalk, knocked down by the raging surf.
    The young woman with the black eyes turned around and reached out for Joann as Holbrook kicked the assailant in the head. The bench that took Holbrook out before came crashing into the woman, pushing her underneath the bent-in gate and into Billy’s store.
    Holbrook got to his knees as Joann crawled over to him. “Are you all right, Jim?” she shouted over the wind.
    “Yeah. Thanks. That was close.”
    Holbrook looked around Joann and saw Gary, who was pale and looked like hammered shit, but gave him a thumbs up.
    There was another crash as Gary and Joann braced themselves against the metal gate. The rush of water swept Gary right under the bent-in gate and into Billy’s store.
    The whole thing had happened so quickly that the horror of what had happened took a minute to register on Holbrook and Joann.
    They heard Gary screaming inside.
    Holbrook pulled Joann close. He grabbed her gun from her. “Watch my back!” he shouted into her face.
    She nodded as he went down on the boardwalk and slid himself in a commando crawl under the gate. She produced her baton and extended it with the flick of her wrist as she took in the bedlam all around her.
    Inside the store, Holbrook saw the woman biting into Gary’s neck as he convulsed on the floor. Clothing racks were toppled and thrown all over, and water was everywhere.
    Holbrook took aim at the woman’s head as she crouched in front of Gary, chewing on his flesh, blood running down her chin and the front of her blouse. Gary screamed silently as he lay there helpless, a rack of short shorts reading ‘Succulent’ on the backs falling across his chest.
    Another rush of water swept Holbrook farther into the store and right at the girl. She reached out for him, still chewing, as he shot her through her left eye socket, blowing her brains out the back of her head.
    She fell limp over Gary’s body as Holbrook washed up against them. He grabbed his fallen officer and pulled himself over his friend. He rolled the inert woman’s body off and gazed into his friend’s wide eyes. He lay there completely still, blood still spurting out of the mortal wound on his neck.
    Holbrook buried his face into Gary’s soaked shirt, crying. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t have been happening.
    Holbrook looked up when he heard gunfire outside the store. He saw Joann’s face appear under the gate. “Are you all right?”
    “Gary’s dead!”
    Another rush of water flowed into the store, and Holbrook felt Gary’s body move under the current. He wiped his eyes and looked at his friend.
    Gary was looking at him.
    Holbrook froze as he gazed into Gary’s wild eyes. Gary screamed as he reached out for him. He sat up and grabbed Holbrook, pulling him close. He opened his jaws.
    Holbrook pulled his right arm, his hand still clutching Joann’s gun, out of the water and jammed the gun inside Gary’s mouth.
    Gary bit down on the metal, and Holbrook pulled the trigger.
     
    ***
     
    Three Weeks Prior
     
    Vinnie came out of the shower feeling like a new man. He threw on his Marco’s Pizza tee-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts, and a pair of cargo shorts.
    He barreled into the kitchen to find his father pouring a bowl of cereal. “You want some of this?”
    “No thanks. I’m meeting Mike at the Breakfast Shoppe.”
    “Oh, right. It’s Friday. You were out late last night.”
    “I was out with a girl. Then I ran into Billy Blake and we shot a game of pool.”
    “Was it that girl from the Sunglass Hut?”
    “Yeah, how’d you know?”
    “She’s had her eye on you all summer.”
    “God, am I the only one who didn’t know this?”
    “Apparently. She a nice girl?”
    “She’s cool.