Zombie Day Care by Craig Halloran Page A

sharp needle sunk deep into his neck, injecting a fluid that burned like fire. His body went numb as he felt himself fall helpless onto his bed.

 
    CHAPTER 18
     
     
    “ What happened!? What happened!?”
    Henry was almost yelling. The distraught look on her sweet face unsettled him. They had been going at it for over fifteen minutes. Sitting on the car hood, arms folded, she kept her head buried in her chest. He knew how stubborn she could be. They’d been on again, off again, over the years, and that was a big reason why. She wouldn’t talk about some things to him. She left it deep inside, unwilling to share her past. This was another one of those times.
    He asked her again, cheeks reddening more by the second.
    “ Was it Jimmy? Did he say something perverted to you?”
    She shook her head back and forth, choking at the sound of the name.
    “ Come on … tell me what is wrong, you’re driving me crazy,” he said, immediately wishing he had not let those words out.
    “ What!” she said, raising her voice and head, mascara running from her eyes.
    “ I’m driving you crazy!?” She slipped off the hood of her car.
    Oh no, here we go. Henry stepped away.
    “ You leave me here—for two weeks—with these—perverts! Your sick bastard of a brother shows up and ogles me like a webcam slut … and you think I’m crazy!”
    He was being driven further backward, Tori’s fingernails poking into his chest, as her voice echoed off the concrete walls of the garage. There was nothing he could do now. Stanley warned him about those Italian women, and it wasn’t as cute as it used to be.
    “ I’m sorry,” he said as he slipped on some gravel, shielding himself with his hands. He never would have thought worrying about the feelings of a woman would make him want to crawl in a hole. Moments like this made him miss being a bachelor. He wanted to know what was wrong however, and stood his ground. He had to do something fast. In a quick gentle motion, he caught her up in his arms and squeezed.
    “ What are you doing—let go!” she demanded, trying to pound his chest.
    He didn’t though, holding her tight, hoping she wouldn’t knee him in the gonads like she had done once before.
    “ Forgive me. You don’t have to tell me anything.”
    His words softened her body and he could feel her pull close. Tori wrapped her arms behind his back. The smell of her exotic perfume, coupled by her warm body, aroused his senses. Things were beginning to feel better, as his and her longing were beginning to be intertwined by the rush of emotion and adrenaline. He wanted her now, and he felt she needed him. Her sobbing turned into low passionate whimpers as her hot lips pressed into his neck.
    The sound of the garage elevator opening interrupted his thoughts and he pulled away. Someone was rushing his way, he pushed Tori behind him.
    “ Is everything okay?” It was Rudy, his chubby face was flushed red.
    “ What do you mean, ‘is everything okay?’” Henry asked.
    “ Well,” the hairy man stopped to catch his breath, “… it was like you guys both disappeared. I’ve been trying to find you for the past twenty minutes.”
    “ Did you call my cell phone?”
    He received a glare.
    “ Yes!” Rudy retorted pointing at his waist.
    Reaching down, he realized his phone case was empty on his belt, and a quick pat down of his clothes revealed he was without the mobile device.
    “ Oh … sorry.”
    He wasn’t embarrassed however. Tori was still hugging him tight from the side. Rudy was giving her a funny look.
    “ Hey, were you guys about to get busy,” Rudy said, wiggling his hips.
    “ No!” she said.
    Henry intervened, “She’s just upset,” he felt her arms tighten around his waist, “… that I’ve been gone so long.” He did the best he could on the fly.
    His friend was rubbing his messy beard.
    “ Ah … so you weren’t getting busy. I get it.” Rudy winked and said, “Brown chicken, brown cow.”
    Henry stood