Snatchers (Book 9): The Dead Don't Scream by Shaun Whittington Page B

approached her husband and she asked, "Has it got any better?"
    He shook his head.
    There was no point in sugar-coating the situation.
    He urged her to take a look for herself. When she did, she placed her hand over her mouth and sobbed, falling to the floor.
    In the first week, they hid in their home for days until the place was cleared up by volunteers, and even though the scene outside was bad, back in the first week, this was a lot worse.
    Henry bent down to comfort his wife, but she was beyond comforting. She slapped him away, hurting his feelings, and screamed, "We should have gone in the first week! We should have fled when we had the chance!"
    "It was too dangerous in the first week." Henry was now in tears and sat down next to his wife. "We wouldn't have survived out there. We would have been dead within a week."
    She looked up at him with her heartbroken face and said, "I can't do this."
    They both jumped when they heard glass shatter, followed by a thud that came from downstairs, and both looked at one another with fright in their eyes. Henry smiled thinly at his wife and caressed her cheek. He then leaned over and kissed her on the head, stood to his feet and left the room. She asked where he was going, but he never answered.
    He returned, holding a sawn-off shotgun and she gasped, "What are you doing with that? Aren't you supposed to hand them in at the Lea Hall building after your shift?"
    He never gave her an answer.
    He gazed at his wife and said, "I love you," before blasting her in the chest, killing her instantly. Then, with no hesitation, he turned the gun on himself, placed both barrels under his chin and squeezed the trigger.

Chapter Sixteen
     
    Holding a knife, Lee James shivered with fright as he hypnotically gazed at the same species of beings that had taken away his family. He had been in situations before where there had been dozens to cope with, when out on runs, but his confidence was always high because of the good team he would have around him. He was no coward, but he still got scared.
    This was one of those moments. He had never seen so many.
    He could see from his bedroom window, that looked onto Sandy Lane, that although the burning tanker had attracted them from afar, they were aware that it was of no use to them and were moving away from the burning vehicle and towards the houses on the main road. Because there were so many, a lot were going into Hill Street, through to the back gardens, and some were being pushed by the ones from behind through the living room windows of the houses on Sandy Lane.
    Still holding his knife, Lee went to the back bedroom that overlooked his back garden. It was dark, but for now it seemed clear of those things. He knew that if he ran over the garden and climbed the fence, he'd be in Cross Road. That was where they parked their vehicles, and he had the keys for the Corsa. The pickup was used more than any other vehicle, and the keys for that vehicle was always left inside it. He already had the keys to the Corsa, so it would be selfish to take the pickup. Somebody else may need that.
    He deliberated on what to do. If he left, he'd be leaving people behind to die, but at least he'd still be alive. He knew that if he fled, he would never be able to show his face again. If he left, that was it. He was on his own.
    He paced the floor, heart beating out of his chest, undecided on what to do. A shatter of glass from a house next door to him had made his mind up. He put his coat on, put the knife into his pocket and ran downstairs.
    The plan?
    The plan was to take a car, the Corsa, then drive to the end of Burnthill Lane. Once he had reached Burnthill Lane, he would get out of the vehicle and take the HGV, if it was still there. Maybe the guards that were at the barrier had already fled with the lorry. If the lorry was missing, he would continue in the Corsa.
    "Ah, fuck it!"
    As far as Lee was concerned, it was now every man for himself. He hadn't come this far to