Casket for Sale, Only Used Once by Jeff Strand Read Free Book Online Page B

the shotgun barrel just a bit, and slammed it back down onto my chest. "Maybe the first one only wounded your wife. Maybe she'll bleed to death. Sound good to you?"
    Another gunshot.
    " Oooooh , I bet that one got your son. His brains are probably splattered all over one of those trees. Wanna go see?"
    Witch laughed and kicked Roger in the side.
    An agonized scream sounded from the woods.
    Joe, suddenly free of the blanket, hurried after Helen and the kids.
    Goblin frowned. "Was that Ogre?"
    Witch nodded. "Sounded like him."
    "Troll, go see what's going on."
    Another agonized scream echoed, but it wasn't one of physical pain.
    Troll rushed toward the woods, then stopped as Ogre emerged from behind the burning camper, holding the kid in his arms. The kid was limp, his shirt soaked with blood. "She got Ghoul!" Ogre screamed. "The bitch shot him!"
    Goblin turned away from me but kept the shotgun in place. "Oh, Christ, no. How bad is he hurt?"
    Ogre was almost in tears. "I dunno ... I think he's dying ... she got him really bad..."
    "Cover them," Goblin said to Witch as he hurried to the others. "Hey, Ghoul, can you hear me? You can hear me, right? You're gonna be okay, I promise!"
    Ogre crouched down and gently laid the kid on the ground. Goblin pulled up his shirt to examine the wound. "Aw, shit! Shit !" He ran his hand through Ghoul's hair. " It's fine, you'll be fine, we'll get you help."
    Witch looked like she desperately wanted to help, but she kept her shotgun pointed at Roger and me.
    "Get me something to stop the bleeding!" Goblin gestured frantically. "There! Get that dog's blanket!"
    Troll grabbed Kyle's blanket and tossed it to Goblin. Goblin pressed the corner of the blanket against Ghoul's chest. I couldn't see Ghoul's face, but he certainly didn't seem to be moving.
    Goblin kept one hand pressed against the blanket and wiped his eyes with the other. "What the hell is the matter with us today? We lost four of ' em , Ghoul got shot ... this is bullshit!"
    Ogre glared at me. "We'll make those two suffer."
    "Oh yeah," said Goblin. "We'll chop them up. We'll cut them down to the molecular level. Troll, go after the wife and kids. But be careful, it sounds like she still has a gun."
    Troll shook his head. "I'm staying with Ghoul."
    "I didn't say it was optional!"
    "I'll get them," said Ogre. "I'll rip off her head. She won't get far with two little kids."
    "Fine, you go then. But hurry!"
    Ogre ran into the woods.
    "How's he doing?" Witch asked.
    "He's coughing up blood ... I don't think he's going to..." Goblin trailed off. "Aw, Christ."
    "What?"
    "I think he's dead. Yeah, he is. He's gone."
    "Are you sure?"
    "I'm sure."
    Witch cursed under her breath as her eyes glistened.
    I kicked her in the shin as hard as I could and grabbed the barrel of the shotgun. Roger jumped up and lunged for the weapon as well, quickly wrenching it out of her grip. Before Goblin could open fire, Roger had the shotgun jammed against Witch's back.
    "Drop your gun or you'll lose another one!" Roger shouted as Goblin pointed the shotgun at me.
    "Just blow him away!" Witch demanded.
    Goblin hesitated.
    We stood in silence for a long moment. I cringed, expecting Goblin to pull the trigger at any instant.
    Then Goblin chuckled without humor. "This has been one unproductive day."
    "Drop the shotgun or I'll kill her!" Roger shouted. "I mean it!"
    "Really?" asked Goblin. "You're the kind of guy who would shoot a woman in the back, huh?"
    "If I have to, yeah."
    "And what if I call your bluff?"
    "Then we might have another four dead bodies here."
    Goblin considered Roger's threat. "So you're saying you and I would end up killing each other at the same time, right?"
    "That's right."
    "Seems unlikely. I think the more realistic scenario is three dead bodies, not four."
    "Maybe. But if I shoot you before you shoot me, I'll take out your friend back there, too. That's four."
    "But you only have two shells."
    On one hand, I wanted to call for an end to this