Hunting Season by Erik Williams Read Free Book Online

out like that.
    "Hey, want to go watch the sunset real quick?" Bonita said.
    "What about the food?"
    "It's done.  It needs to cool anyway."
    "Sure, let's go."
    The walk to the beach was short.  They lived in a cottage a block away.  Already a good-sized crowd stood on the Pier, watching the sun go down over the Pacific.  Martin led Bonita past it and onto the beach.  They sat, curling their feet through the sand.  On the water, small fishing boats bobbed on gentle waves.  Near the horizon, a merchant vessel sailed north.  Probably to the Port of Los Angeles.
    "Even after everything we've been through, it's still hard to believe life is normal here," Bonita said, her arm wrapped around his, her chin on his shoulder.
    She was right.  They had managed to carve out a life with thousands of other survivors in the small town of Imperial Beach and north on the Coronado Peninsula.  Both were easy to defend.  They had access to food (Thank you, Mr. Pacific).  Life was good, considering.  They'd even established trade with other communities of survivors up and down the coast.
    "It's a slice of heaven onthe edge of hell," Martin said.
    Bonita slapped his shoulder gently and giggled.  "Way to ruin a mood."
    "Sorry."  Martin hugged her tight.  "It's a slice of heaven.  How's that?"
    "Better."
    As the sun touched the horizon, Bonita said, "Do you think we'll ever have kids?"
    Martin frowned and kept his eyes on the ocean.  They'd been trying for so long now with no luck.  But what could he say?  No?  And kill that little bit of hope she had?
    "One day, honey.  One day."
    The sun disappeared on the other side of the world and the sky flashed green.
    "Did you see it?" Bonita said.
    "Yeah, I saw it."
     
    *  *  *  *  *
     
    Martin kissed Bonita hard and pushed deep into her.  She rocked her hips up to meet his thrust, in perfect rhythm with him.  His lips moved to her cheek and then her neck and to her ear where he nibbled on the lobe.  She moaned and dug her nails into his back.
    "Now?" he said.
    "Not yet," she said.  "Just a little longer."
    Over the town loudspeaker, a hallow voice rang out.  "All snipers to their towers.  All snipers to their towers."
    Martin froze and grunted.  "Shit."
    "Don't go."
    "I have to."
    He pushed off her, sliding out unceremoniously, and started pulling clothes on.
    Bonita sat up and pulled the sheet over her waist.  "You could have finished.  You were almost there."
    "Don't start.  They wouldn't call all of us in unless there were a horde of Munchers on the Wall.  I got to go."
    "Screw the Wall.  I want my husband for one uninterrupted night."
    It's the wine talking, Martin thought.  They had polished off two bottles since coming back from the beach.  Let it go.
    "The Wall protects us and I protect the Wall.  Remember the slice of heaven we both love?  Thank the Wall."
    "No point in having a slice of heaven if you won't give me a baby."
    Martin stared at her a long moment; at her gentle eyes which had suddenly grown cold, at pursed lips which had only minutes before been kissing his own.  It always came back to a baby.
    In vino veritas, he thought.
    "I'm sorry I haven't given you a baby."  Martin slid his Glock in its holster.  "It's not like I haven't tried.  Maybe we need to face the fact we aren't meant to have one."
    "Maybe you can't make one."
    It's the wine, he thought, gritting his teeth.  No truth.  Just wine.  Let it go.
    "I've got to go."  Martin stood in the doorway to the bedroom and looked back at her.  "I love you."
    "Yeah."
    Martin clenched his fists but let it go.  He'd deal with it later.  Right now, he had to get to work.
     
    *  *  *  *  *
     
    Two hours later, Martin walked back up to the front door.  The outer fence had been breached again and this time forty Munchers had swarmed through.  Three made it through the inner fence before the snipers took them and the rest down.  Something was going to have to be done if they were going