Page 36 of Desiderium
“Graauuragher…”
Ah shit. That was closer…Muchcloser. I can definitely smell the dingy stench of death breathing down my neck as the hair on the back of it rises.
No. Nope. Nope. Nope. Not today, Satan. I might be deliciously nutritious, but I am not going to turn around to see a fucking zombie frothing at the mouth for me. Nope. Not gonna happen.
I turn my head to the side ever so slightly. Over there, in my periphery, less than an arm’s length away, I see the thing groaning out the sound.
“Mr. Johnson, I presume?”
He looks fucking awful, if I do say so myself. I have no idea what he looked like when he was alive but damn, dude needs a spa day or something. Half his face is gone. I have no idea where it went but, where there should be skin, muscle and whatever else that makes up the gooey bits, there’s just bone and… well, goo. Lots of fucking goo. It's oozing out of him. His damn eyeball is hanging out of his eye socket like it’s a paddle ball, just dangling there and shit.
I look down at the rest of him and notice his arm looks broken, if the contorted weird angle it’s hanging at is any indication. Doesn’t seem to be bothering him though. His clothes are torn, filthy and falling off of him but I’d like to think that his fashion choices are the least of his problems right now. Drool, blood and pus drip out of his gaping mouth as he stares at me,almost as if he ordered Grub Hub and I was delivered to him for dinner.
“Looking a little juicy there, bud. Not in a good way either, sorry to say.”
“Grararururugh...”
Poor guy must have gotten infected, turned, and then got trapped in here. Can’t think about that though—the humanity of it all. At this point it’s him or me. And I need his shit. So it’s gonna be me.
Haha! Cue the awesome song change in my head!
I quickly run through my options. I can turn and shoot him, but he’s so close he might get me before I get him. I can turn and run to the boat. I’m fast. I can make it. But that thought flutters away as I sigh internally.
The fucking oars…
I can’t go anywhere without the oars. Without them I’m a sitting duck out on the lake. Up the river, literally without a paddle. So, I guess I have no choice but to take option one, then. Yippee.
His teeth clack together, chittering his need to attack, as I ready myself, slowly raising my hand to the pistol on my leg and counting down.
One…
Two…
Three…
Breathe...
The entire world slows down as I turn, raise my weapon, and aim but the asshole lunges at me just as I do so.Shit.It’s not high enough. I needed to shoot him in the head but only managed to tag him in the chest. It knocks him back enough, however, allowing me some room to move and shoot again. This time it hits its mark and the zombie formerly known as Mr. Johnson drops to the floor.
“Holy motherfucking shit...” I rush out the words on a breath I can’t seem to replenish. I bend over, resting my hands on my knees, blinking my eyes and trying to rationalize what the fuck just happened.
“That was not... fucking nice... Mr. Johnson! Hawk isNOTwhat’s for dinner!” I keep my gun pointed at him as my heart beats out of my chest to a cadence I barely hold the reigns to. “I swear to God, your motherfucking wife better not bum-rush me from out of the shadows or so help me I will stick one of those damn firecrackers I chucked outside right up her ass and light her up like it’s the fucking Fourth of July!” My adrenaline is still spiked, but it’s beginning to slowly descend from hyperdrive.
Breathe...
That was fucking close. Too close. Fuck, I need a drink. Or a joint. Or Aly. Fuck, maybe all three.
Breathe...
The thought of Aly calms me enough to get my shit back together. I’ve wasted enough time dealing with this bullshit. I need to hurry my ass up and get back to them.To her.
Damn, I’m gonna fuck her so hard later. Holy shit.
I eventually find the stupid oars in the very back corner under a tangled-up set of fishing poles. They clatter to the ground as I toss them and take the oars in my arms, leaving the death shack for good.
Heave hoe-ing the boat down the muddy strip of land, I push it into the water, lift myself into it and get comfortable, setting my sights on the swimming dock in the distance while I put a song in my head and start rowing.
Chapter Nineteen
