least.
A particularly strong gust of wind cooled the sweat on Rhys’ brow and drove the strong reek of rot into his face. Rhys screwed his nose up against the tang and continued to watch the crowd of diseased.
Some of them caught his eye more than others. A big, fat woman stood near the front. The hole in the side of her neck looked like someone had removed a ten-ounce steak from it. It glistened with a yellowish tinge as if it had started to ooze pus already. Her loose-fitting shirt had been torn open and one of her massive saggy breasts hung from it like an old, half-filled sack.
Behind and to the left of the woman, a small boy bit at the air. No older than Flynn, he looked scared and confused, like he needed direction on who to bite. Half of his hair had been ripped off and revealed a dark-red, tacky scalp. Blood ran down his arm from a deep bite mark in his bicep.
Most of the infected wore suits, but some wore the official uniform of the Summit City police or fire brigade.
Wet squelches joined the moans and groans. Many of the diseased existed as animated wounds. The heavy, phlegmy death rattle and clickof snapping teeth added percussion to the low-level hum of suffering.
It took all of Rhys’ energy to hold his gasp in when Oscar yanked him back. “What are you doing ?” he said. “Are you trying to get them to notice you or something?”
So far back now that he couldn’t see them and they couldn’t see him, Rhys said, “I was just watching them. They’re not mad like they have been every other time I’ve bumped into them. Do you think the effects of the virus are wearing off?”
A sharp shake of his head and Oscar laughed without humour. “ No , of course they’re not. They just haven’t seen us yet,” he raised an eyebrow at Rhys, “although if you keep on trying to give us away like you are…”
Heat rushed to Rhys’ cheeks and he looked down. Oscar may have been a prick, but Rhys had no defence for his actions. He could have given them away just because of his curiosity.
“What goes through your head, Rhys?”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a fucking child .”
“Stop behaving like one then.”
“Whatever,” Rhys said. Before the big man could reply, he added, “Anyway, it’s not like I’m giving us away. They obviously know we’re in the shop. Why would they be gathered around outside if they didn’t?”
“Of course they know we’re in here, but that’s no reason to confirm it by showing them. If they don’t see something to get wound up about then they won’t get wound up, will they?”
“Okay,” Rhys said, “so if you know so much about them, what do we do now?”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know? Your new girlfriend knew a lot of shit about the diseased. What would Vicky do?”
The comment caught Rhys off guard. He watched Oscar through narrowed eyes and studied his features for his reaction. “I’ve not told you her name yet.”
The moment of uncertainty Rhys had seen with the whole Adam / Alan incident didn’t present itself like he’d expected it to. “You’ve said it about ten times already. She’s all you talk about. I have a good memory for names.” A playful smile and he shook his head. “ Clearly much better than yours.”
The signs may have been less obvious this time, but Rhys hadn’t mentioned Vicky by name. It had been a conscious choice; the less he told the big man, the better.
But Oscar didn’t budge and regarded Rhys with his cool and unwavering glare.
There didn’t seem to be any point in pursuing the matter. Neither man would budge. Oscar had the fighting skills to help get Rhys to The Alpha Tower. After that, they could go their separate ways and be done with it.
In the silence, an idea hit Rhys and he held a finger in the air. “Wait there.”
He walked over to the card reader and swiped his card through it. The red light turned green and he pulled the door open. The hinges groaned again. As he ran
A particularly strong gust of wind cooled the sweat on Rhys’ brow and drove the strong reek of rot into his face. Rhys screwed his nose up against the tang and continued to watch the crowd of diseased.
Some of them caught his eye more than others. A big, fat woman stood near the front. The hole in the side of her neck looked like someone had removed a ten-ounce steak from it. It glistened with a yellowish tinge as if it had started to ooze pus already. Her loose-fitting shirt had been torn open and one of her massive saggy breasts hung from it like an old, half-filled sack.
Behind and to the left of the woman, a small boy bit at the air. No older than Flynn, he looked scared and confused, like he needed direction on who to bite. Half of his hair had been ripped off and revealed a dark-red, tacky scalp. Blood ran down his arm from a deep bite mark in his bicep.
Most of the infected wore suits, but some wore the official uniform of the Summit City police or fire brigade.
Wet squelches joined the moans and groans. Many of the diseased existed as animated wounds. The heavy, phlegmy death rattle and clickof snapping teeth added percussion to the low-level hum of suffering.
It took all of Rhys’ energy to hold his gasp in when Oscar yanked him back. “What are you doing ?” he said. “Are you trying to get them to notice you or something?”
So far back now that he couldn’t see them and they couldn’t see him, Rhys said, “I was just watching them. They’re not mad like they have been every other time I’ve bumped into them. Do you think the effects of the virus are wearing off?”
A sharp shake of his head and Oscar laughed without humour. “ No , of course they’re not. They just haven’t seen us yet,” he raised an eyebrow at Rhys, “although if you keep on trying to give us away like you are…”
Heat rushed to Rhys’ cheeks and he looked down. Oscar may have been a prick, but Rhys had no defence for his actions. He could have given them away just because of his curiosity.
“What goes through your head, Rhys?”
“Don’t talk to me like I’m a fucking child .”
“Stop behaving like one then.”
“Whatever,” Rhys said. Before the big man could reply, he added, “Anyway, it’s not like I’m giving us away. They obviously know we’re in the shop. Why would they be gathered around outside if they didn’t?”
“Of course they know we’re in here, but that’s no reason to confirm it by showing them. If they don’t see something to get wound up about then they won’t get wound up, will they?”
“Okay,” Rhys said, “so if you know so much about them, what do we do now?”
“How the fuck am I supposed to know? Your new girlfriend knew a lot of shit about the diseased. What would Vicky do?”
The comment caught Rhys off guard. He watched Oscar through narrowed eyes and studied his features for his reaction. “I’ve not told you her name yet.”
The moment of uncertainty Rhys had seen with the whole Adam / Alan incident didn’t present itself like he’d expected it to. “You’ve said it about ten times already. She’s all you talk about. I have a good memory for names.” A playful smile and he shook his head. “ Clearly much better than yours.”
The signs may have been less obvious this time, but Rhys hadn’t mentioned Vicky by name. It had been a conscious choice; the less he told the big man, the better.
But Oscar didn’t budge and regarded Rhys with his cool and unwavering glare.
There didn’t seem to be any point in pursuing the matter. Neither man would budge. Oscar had the fighting skills to help get Rhys to The Alpha Tower. After that, they could go their separate ways and be done with it.
In the silence, an idea hit Rhys and he held a finger in the air. “Wait there.”
He walked over to the card reader and swiped his card through it. The red light turned green and he pulled the door open. The hinges groaned again. As he ran
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