The Creeping Dead: A Zombie Novel by Edward P. Cardillo Page A

candy, and taffy plastered the frightened tourists. When all was said and done, and everyone was covered in sugar and nougat, Lenny and Billy were praised as heroes and given the key to the city.
    Lenny rolled over on his side and squeezed his pillow tightly, reveling in the glory of a super job well done. Smuggler’s Bay was safe…
    …for now.
     
    ***
     
    Chief Holbrook walked home from The Jolly Roger. He enjoyed this time of night. Smuggler’s Bay was quiet. The Bennies were back in their hotel beds with their families and friends sleeping peacefully. The Guidos were out of the bars and clubs and in their beds as well…or someone else’s if they were lucky.
    He was looking forward to taking Robbie on the boardwalk this weekend and going on some rides. This time of year it was difficult for Holbrook to break away and spend time with his son. There was always some kind of emergency or pressing matter.
    Robbie never complained though. Holbrook was grateful for that. He was a good kid. Despite growing up in Smuggler’s Bay, the kid never grew tired of the attractions, and he never took them for granted.
    Holbrook supposed it wasn’t just the games and the rides. It was time they spent together doing ‘guy stuff.’ Racing cars in the arcade, riding the water slides, driving the go karts…Holbrook relished these moments with Robbie.
    After Labor Day, when things slowed down to a crawl, he would have plenty of time to hang out with Robbie. Even though school started, they always had the weekends. The boardwalk was still open and there were no lines for anything. It was like they had the whole boardwalk to themselves.
    Holbrook strolled up to his front door, weary from the day’s work. It was a long, hot day, as was every day during peak season. He and his officers had their fill of public intoxication, fist fights, underage alcohol poisoning, and storeowner complaints. They’d wake up in a few hours and start all over again.
    But, for the moment, Smuggler’s Bay was quiet.
     

 
    Chapter 6
     
     
    August 21
     
     
    Chief Holbrook struggled to pull the man off his deputy, but his jaws locked on his deputy’s arm like a pit bull, and the driving rain made him slick. It was like trying to catch a greased pig.
    “Jesus, Jim, get this crazy fuck off me!”
    The man with dark circles under his eyes ripped off a chunk of Gary’s forearm with his teeth and began to chew it.
    Holbrook grabbed Gary and dragged him away from the cannibal, as Gary clamped a hand over his wound. Blood squirted between his fingers, and he groaned in pain.
    As the entire town of Smuggler’s Bay had inexplicably degenerated into rioting, the other officers were grappling with other attackers who were snapping their jaws at them like a bunch of land sharks.
    “Use the Tasers!”
    Officer Pike shoved a very sickly looking woman off of him and unsheathed his Taser. He aimed and fired the barbs right into her chest. The Taser clicked as it sent 50,000 volts into the woman.
    She didn’t even flinch.
    She lunged forward and grabbed the officer, closing the circuit. His body went stiff, and he fell to the ground, taking her with him.
    “Help him!” Gary shouted at Holbrook.
    Holbrook lowered Gary to the boardwalk and ran to his fallen officer, extending his baton. He began to swing, connecting with the woman’s arms, but she showed no indication of pain. Instead, she was rather intent on trying to bite Pike’s face.
    Her arms broke from Holbrook’s blows, which brought her closer to her target as she collapsed under her own weight. Pike palmed her forehead and pushed her teeth away from his face, bending her head backward at what should’ve been a painful angle. Her putrid breath made him want to puke.
    “Help me, Jim!”
    Holbrook didn’t know what drug this girl was on, but he’d never seen anything like this. The smell was beyond disgusting. He swung at her head, and he felt her skull crack under the force of his blow, but she kept