The Bug - Episode 2 by Barry J. Hutchison Read Free Book Online

sorted out. Then you’ll be back with them.”
    Leanne glanced up at him. “That’s bollocks,” she said. “But thanks.”
    Hoon clapped her on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit. Right then, campers, let’s hit the road.” He made for the door, then hesitated. “Oh, but before we do, has anyone got the key for the gun cabinet?”
    Marshall shook his head. “No.”
    There was a jingling of metal as Hoon held up a hefty bunch of keys. “Good job I have then, eh?”

SHOP WISE GROCERY STORE, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS  
24th May, 8:55 PM
     
    Jaden flipped the keys once around his finger, then stared at the lemon-yellow monstrosity in front of him. “Holy shit,” he said. “That’s the ugliest car I’ve ever seen.”
    Col thought briefly about arguing, but decided it was a losing battle. Joe’s car was a rusted old Fiat Multipla, and while Col didn’t know a whole lot about cars, everything about this one, from its odd shape to the way it slouched to one side screamed ‘no’.
    “It’s got headlights on the windshield. Who builds a car with headlights on the windshield?” Jaden asked. “And who then chooses to buy said car?”
    Col shrugged. “You know, Joe’s old.”
    “Yes, old, not fucking blind ,” said Jaden. “Sorry, end of the world or not, I cannot be seen driving this thing.”
    He tossed Col the keys. Col fumbled for a moment, but managed to keep hold of them. There was a keyring with a little picture of Joe on it. A girl, maybe around four-years-old, was hugging him tightly. A granddaughter, Col guessed. “Poor Joe,” he said, then he unlocked the doors.
    The driver’s seat was pushed almost all the way forward. Col had to shove it all the way back so he could fit behind the wheel. Jaden jumped into the seat behind him and immediately wrinkled his nose. “Ew. It smells like old person.”
    “Jesus, Jaden, have some respect,” Col said. “Joe’s dead.”
    “Well then he isn’t going to take offence then, is he?” Jaden said. “Besides, we’re stealing his car, that’s not exactly respectful either.”
    “We’re not stealing it, we’re borrowing it,” said Jaden, turning the key and spluttering the engine reluctantly into life. “We’ll go find help. Flag down a cop or something, and get all this sorted out.”
    Jaden gave a dry laugh as Col reversed out of the parking bay. “You don’t get it, do you?” he said. “You still think it’s all going to be fine. Have you seen The Walking Dead? Dawn of the Dead? Pretty much anything with ‘dead’ in the title, actually? This is how it starts. This is the beginning of the end.”
    Col pulled up at the exit to the car park and stopped. “Yeah, but those are movies and TV shows,” he pointed out. “Real life doesn’t work that way.”
    “Tell that to Joe,” he said, then something off to the right caught his eye. “And if everything’s fine, what about that?”
    Col leaned forward and looked out through the passenger side window. A white hatchback was on its roof a hundred yards or so along the street. By the looks of it, it had rolled a few times before coming to rest.
    “That’s just an accident,” said Col. “Just an unfortunate accident.”
    “Yeah? Then where are the cops? Where are the paramedics?” Jaden asked. “In Heaven, that’s where. Because they’re all dead.”
    “Shut up,” said Col.
    “I’m fucking telling you, dude,” Jaden continued, but Col interrupted him before he could go any further.
    “No, Jaden, shut up. Look!”
    Jaden followed Col’s finger. At first, he thought his friend was pointing at the car, but then he saw it: a silver shape in the sky above the wreckage. It was big, and getting rapidly bigger. “Is that…?” Jaden’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit. Drive, drive, drive!”
    Col wheel spun out of the car park and skidded left onto the street. The car whined pathetically as he floored the accelerator. Col jumped up and down in the seat, as if that would somehow force the