Night of the Living Dead by Christopher Andrews Read Free Book Online Page A

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    THE COOPERS
     
    "We’re lost."
     
    "No we’re not."
     
    "We are lost , Harry."
     
    "No, we are not . I know what I’m doing, Helen."
     
    Helen Cooper shrugged. "Fine. Just make sure we have some place to stay before it gets dark."
     
    Then she and her husband, Harry Cooper, lapsed into another cold silence.
     
    In the backseat, their daughter, Karen, quietly read her adventure book and made no comment, no "Are we there yet?" or "I have to go the bathroom" or any of the other outbursts a normal 10-year-old would be prone to after hours of riding in a car.
     
    Karen knew better. She knew her father, recognized his moods. She could tell from his tone of voice alone that her mother was right, that they were lost and he knew it, but would never admit it. So she remained still, calling no attention to herself, and read her book ... even though she did kind of have to go to the bathroom.
     
    Helen glanced over her shoulder, as though sensing her daughter’s discomfort. Karen met her gaze and smiled — Helen smiled back, and apologized with her eyes. Her sweet little girl shrugged and went back to her reading.
     
    Helen sighed under her breath and turned her eyes back to the road and the empty, rural setting on either side of it. She asked herself for the thousandth time: Is this really what’s best for Karen?
     
    Helen and Harry Cooper had decided some time ago that they no longer wanted to be married. They each claimed to still love  one another, they just didn’t particularly like one another anymore — Harry felt that Helen had gotten too "uppity" and aloof; Helen felt that Harry’s less-than-impressive height and premature hair-loss had made him too aggressive and antagonistic. But Harry’s parents had gotten divorced while he was in his teens and Helen’s had done the same while she was still in elementary school, so they had discussed the matter and chosen to remain together for Karen’s sake, at least until she had graduated high school and moved on to her own life. It was a choice that many parents made, but she was learning for herself why it was an unpopular one. Karen wasn’t fooled, not for a minute, so what was the point?
     
    "Is that ...?" Harry asked in a low voice, then muttered even lower, "Shit." He had spotted a couple of buildings, had probably hoped that one was a motel ... but no, they were just a diner and closed gas station. Helen wanted to point out that the occupants of Beekman’s Diner might be able to provide them with directions, but she saved her breath — if Harry thought it was his own idea, he might consider it, but not if she suggested it.
     
    But no, they passed through the three-way intersection and kept going. Helen rolled her eyes and stared out her side window. So long as Harry found a place for them to stay before it got dark, she didn’t really care .
     
    To be fair, it was partly her fault, anyway. She and Karen were only in this mess because she had opted to be nice to Harry and do him a favor.
     
    Harry’s annual sales convention had been held over this weekend — checking into the hotel on Friday evening; checking out on Sunday afternoon. While Harry had been too proud to come right out and ask her, he had dropped numerous hints about how it would "look better" for him if his entire family attended this year. Sure, it was boring as hell, but Karen had always been a well-behaved little girl, and if Harry came across as a successful "family man," it would impress his more conservative associates. Maybe make for a bonus, or even a promotion, this coming holiday season.
     
    So after a few days of these hints and comments — and as Harry’s attitude threatened to edge into passive-aggressive sulking — Helen had "suggested" that maybe she and Karen should come along, too. Harry had been very pleased, and for the remaining weeks leading up to the sales convention, he had been almost cheery for a change.
     
    When the