Pink Snowbunnies in Hell: A Flash Fiction Anthology by Debora Geary, Nichole Chase, Nathan Lowell, Barbra Annino, T. L. Haddix, Camille Laguire, Heather Marie Adkins, Julie Christensen, A. J. Braithwaite, Asher MacDonald Read Free Book Online Page B

into the dirt near my feet. “Don’t you think you’re being a tad melodramatic? I mean, how many of these things could there possibly be?”
    He sat on the edge of the hole, long legs dangling in. “They reproduce fast and are viable almost from birth. Do you really want to know how many I think there are now?”
    “I asked, didn’t I?” When he fell silent I glanced up.
    The calculator in his scientific mind worked at top speed; his dark eyes flickered back and forth. A few seconds later, he said, “Probably no more than half a million.”
    The shovel slipped from my fingers. “What?”
    He shrugged. “They aren’t all here. They spread fast, like locusts. After they eat everything in an area they move on.”
    I bent to pick up the shovel, trying to wrap my mind around the huge number. “Well, they haven’t eaten everything here yet.”
    “That’s why some of them are still here.” His voice had gone quiet near the end.
    “What are the chances you’re trying to scare me to get in my pants?” I turned to him, regretting the joke at once when I saw the hurt look on his face.
    “You know me better than that.” His expression softened as his eyes searched my face. “I wouldn’t turn down an invitation, though.”
    I smiled; I couldn’t help it. “Maybe if we live through sundown.”
    He jumped into the hole and reached for the shovel. His fingers brushed the back of my good hand. “Give your hand a rest.”
    I didn’t pull away from the warm touch. A trickle of sweat rolled down his bare chest and drew my eye. I’d forgotten the intoxicating, musky smell of him when he exerted himself. “You always did take good care of me.”
    His fingers traced over my wrist. “I tried, but you enjoy making it difficult.” He took hold of the shovel and lifted his chin. “Go sit down.”
    We traded off digging for the next few hours, though Jer did most of the work. When the pit was done, we filled the bottom with brush and then poured gasoline over the top. After covering the pit with more brush, we settled in to wait.
    As soon as the sun touched the edge of the horizon, they came. The mutated hares swarmed their prey like piranha, making up for their small size with numbers and ferocity. They tore over the open ground, making horrific squealing noises. Sharp canine teeth that never stopped growing bristled from two hundred hungry mouths.
    Thankfully, the twisted creatures weren’t intelligent. The first few fell into the pit, and the others poured in after them. They could probably jump out, but in the confusion they started turning on each other.
    Jer struck a road flare alight and tossed it into the pit. The gasoline caught with a low whoosh. Screams of the dying bunnies rose into the darkening night with the smell of burning fur.
    I sidled closer to Jer, slipping an arm around his waist. “The bunny barbeque was a good idea.”
    Amusement crinkled his eyes when he smiled at me. “Not so sorry you’re stuck with me now?”
    “Not even if we’re the last two men on Earth.” I pulled him closer and covered his mouth with mine.
    Read more short stories by Coral Moore and find out about her upcoming releases at  http://www.chaosandinsanity.com/ .

The Bunni and the Bird
    By Penny Cunningham
    This was my first time at a meet. Mike the Bat had vouched for me, so I was in. Didn’t hurt that I had a Firebird between my legs—every man from here to the edge of the country wanted her and I bet they only let me in to try and sneak a free ride, but she was mine. I paid for her with every last coin I could save; she purred only for me.
    I had never seen a big group of us together before. The noise was monstrous; it shook your whole body till bits of you started falling off. The smell of fuel and grease covered everything, which was probably a blessing. I was pretty sure none of the guys here had washed since their first time. I asked Mike about it and he said that the stench was permanent, like an invisible