The Dead Saga (Novella Part 2): Odium Origins by Claire C. Riley Read Free Book Online Page A

underneath it exploding into the night sky. It illuminates the car park and brings the dark world back into focus.
    I gasp, a low moan of terror building in the back of my throat as I stare straight ahead at the people stumbling toward me. Men, women, children—they are all coming forth as if called up from hell. Blood tracks their paths, gore and viscera hanging from different orifices.
    My vomit-covered hand comes to my mouth as I hold back another scream, and just before the first blood-covered hand pounds on the hood of my old Ford Festiva, I slam the car in gear and scream away in a trail of rubber and smoke.
     

Three.
     
    “Ken!” I pull the keys from the ignition and jump out of the car. It starts to roll backwards down the drive with the door still open, and I jog to catch up to it with a curse. I climb back in and pull the handbrake on before diving back out and running to the front door.
    I turn the handle and push forward, but the door doesn’t open and I slam into the dark wood with a pained cry. I step back in confusion and try the handle again, jiggling it in place, but it still doesn’t move. I look to the window to the left of the door, seeing the curtain twitch, and I frown in confusion.
    “Ken? Open the door,” I say more quietly. I glance behind me to see if I’ve been followed, but I’m all alone, apart from the bloody evidence of my recent murder dripping down the side of my car. I squeeze my eyes closed and open them again. “Ken, open the door,” I shout.
    “Keep your damn mouth shut, woman,” he calls back from inside.
    “Then open the door,” I whisper back. I look back behind me, the snapping of a twig somewhere making me feel nervous and edgy.
    “I can’t. How do I know that you’re not infected?”
    I look at him through the window, only being able to discern a small part of his face. “What are you talking about? I need help, I need the police.”
    “See, always bringing trouble to the door,” He huffs, and even through the door I can hear his annoyance.
    “It’s not my fault. There was a man, he attacked me, another woman might be in trouble.” I gasp as I think about the poor woman that I just left. “Oh, Ken, quickly—I need to call for help for her.”
    “How do I know you’re not one of them? One of those things that’s on the news.”
    I glance back behind me, hearing another explosion going off in the distance. My heart feels like it’s about to explode from my chest, and I don’t remember the last time I felt this livid with Ken. He’s finally showing exactly how much I mean to him and how selfish he really is, and where it should hurt it doesn’t; it just makes me angry. I hear talking coming from inside the house and realize that Phil must still be inside.
    “Phil? Open the door for me immediately,” I whisper-shout.
    “Don’t you speak to Phil like that, woman. That’s my boss and you have no right to—”
    I cut him off when I kick the bottom of the door. “Open the door NOW, Ken, before I kick the damn thing down. I’m not messing around anymore.” I kick the door again for good measure. I have no idea what is going on in this town tonight, but I do know that I’m about to completely lose my temper and smash a window if he doesn’t open the door for me. Three years of suppressed anger are slowly bubbling to the surface, and right now all I want to do is throttle him with my bare hands. When the door doesn’t open and I’m met with silence from within, I kick the door again and yell at him. “Ken, so help me…”
    “Hold your damn horses, you crazy bitch. I’m opening up,” he yells back.
    I turn around at the sound of footsteps, but I can’t see anything. The streetlights flicker and shut off. Seconds later they come back on, and I suppress the urge to yelp or scream. I hear the key in the door and the loud creak as Ken opens it up. He looks me up and down with a grimace.
    “Damn, woman, what did you do to yourself?” He points