Werewolf Suspense (Book 4): Outage 4 (The Reckoning) by T.W. Piperbrook Read Free Book Online Page B

underneath the door handle. He needed to reinforce it. He looked around the room. The place was bare, save some built-in cabinets and drawers and the bed he was sitting on.
    A violent bang shook the entrance. Sally and Katherine cried out in fright, quickly stifling themselves. Fingernails scraped the other side of the door; a man's voice bellowed for help. The man's cries were cut short by a guttural snarl. Abraham heard the slap of what could only be gums against flesh, a maw buried in a dead man's gut.  
    Oh, God…
    Abraham placed himself in front of Sally and Katherine, waiting for the moment when the creature realized they were here and battered down the door. A distant scream echoed down the hall, followed by the thud of a body. The beasts were seeking out the survivors a room at a time. The hospital had become a repository for flesh, a stocked preserve of human game.  
    The chewing sounds on the other side of the door seemed to go on forever. Abraham could only hope the victim was already dead, oblivious to being consumed.  
    He needed to do something.
    Could he move the bed? He inched away from Sally and Katherine. Sally shook her head, mouthing the word "no" when she saw what he had in store. But Abraham needed to try. In moments, the beast would finish its meal and move on to them . He let go of Sally and Katherine and inspected the bed's wheels. He needed to unlock them. He needed to roll it.
    A loud snort from a creature in the hall made Sally and Katherine jump. Abraham pointed to the cabinets in the wall. The lowest cabinet, at floor level, was about the size of a little girl.  
    "Help Katherine inside! I'll move the bed!" Abraham whispered to Sally.
    Sally collected Katherine and led her across the room as the beast's sickening, slurping sounds bled through the door. Abraham bent down and unlocked the first two wheels of the bed.
    Sally finished helping a scared Katherine into the cabinet. The girl curled her knees to her chest. Abraham caught a final glimpse of Katherine's terrified eyes as she was shut inside. In that moment, she looked much younger than eleven years old.  
    Abraham unlocked the third wheel and moved to the last one. But there was a problem. The lever was stuck. Sally hunkered next to him, frantically offering assistance.  
    Come on! He wanted to scream.  
    They fumbled with the rigid piece of metal.
    The beast had stopped consuming the man on the other side of the door. It chuffed and sniffed the air. Another scream erupted from close by. Abraham had the sudden, selfish thought that another survivor would preoccupy the beast, giving them time to unlock the bed. But that didn't happen.
    The beast rattled the door, whining and growling. The chair rose and fell with a bang. The noise prompted a cry from Katherine behind the cabinet door. Abraham held up his hands, as if she might quiet down, even though she couldn't see him. He pictured the girl sobbing and clutching her knees, willing herself to disappear. He stared desperately at the chair underneath the door, praying it'd remain in place. He stayed stock-still. The beast pawed the door, testing the weight. Abraham swallowed. Sweat poured from his brow. If they could stay quiet enough, maybe they'd—
    The door shook harder.
    Sally grabbed his arm. "Get the last wheel!" she cried.  
    With a tug and a grunt, Abraham and Sally pulled as hard as they could, unlocking the wheel with a snap. Frantically, they pushed the bed toward the door.
    The next bang was the sound of the door flying open. The chair clattered across the room, smashing into a wall. The beast's massive frame filled the threshold.  
    The thing was taller than the doorway. Its body was covered in gore; remains dripped from its claws. It ducked inside the room, rose to full height, and surveyed Abraham and Sally, stepping over the carcass it had devoured. Its mouth hung open, displaying a row of pointed teeth.
    Sally screamed. Abraham clutched his wife.
    Abraham's gaze