At the end of the table, Alex’s older sister, Krissy, sat next to Steve, waiting for an opportunity to open her mouth. She was one of those people who loved their own voice. During her parents’ divorce, she had played both parties for money, ultimately ending up in Southern California with her mom. She always defended herself, saying, “It’s not about the money, it’s about the emotional anguish I’ve had to go through. You just don’t get it.” And most didn’t, until three totaled convertible Mustangs later. That ended any pity they had for her. They loved her, but everyone agreed she was a pretentious bitch.
Krissy dropped out of UCLA in her sophomore year to pursue acting, but didn’t get any attention until she coerced her mom into paying for her breast augmentation. The incriminating adulterous photos she used as leverage never found their way to Alex’s dad. The procedure upped her confidence and her bust, all the way to a 34DD.
“So, Steve, why don’t you move to California?” Krissy asked. “It’d be, like, so much fun. We could, like, live together. And I could, like, hook you up with some of my actor friends. It would be so cool!”
“Yeah, maybe,” Steve said, trying to keep that topic unheard.
David Forest, Krissy’s dad, sat across from Steve, stuffing his mouth with thick slices of prime rib and mashed potatoes.
“Yeah, Steve, what are you going to do after graduation?” he said, spitting out bits of potato as he talked.
Steve looked over at his dad, then quickly back to David. “Not too sure yet, Uncle Dave. Keeping my options open,” he replied, desperate to avoid a potential fight.
Collin stepped in and started asking David and Krissy some random questions to deflect the conversation. It worked. Steve lipped a “thanks” to Collin, who nodded. The rest of the meal passed without another word of Steve’s future.
1833 hours
One by one, people left and the dinner-table crowd grew thin. Some went for seconds or dessert, while others slumped on the couch in a food coma. It was a typical Brason party. As Tom finished his plate, intent on another helping of tri-tip steak, a group of his younger nieces and nephews ran over.
“Uncle Tom,” Collin’s little sister, Alexandria, said. “Why aren’t the TVs working?”
“I’m not sure, honey. Before I left I was switching over to satellite TV. It was supposed to be finished before we got back.”
David cut in. “What? No Sunday Night Football?” he whined.
“Sorry, Dave, doesn’t look like it,” Tom said. He looked down at Alexandria, who was giving him an innocent look of sadness. “I’ll tell you what. Steve keeps a million DVDs in the TV room. Why don’t you guys go pick out a few movies, and grab some candy and dessert? I’ll be in in a few minutes to set it up for you. How does that sound?”
Alexandria’s frown turned upside down, and she and the others ran into the house toward the TV room, making a quick stop at the dessert tray.
After everyone was finally done gorging, the remaining food was packaged in to-go Tupperware containers. Like clockwork, the party split. The adults stayed outside for drinks and desserts. The younger cousins and girls played around the house, waiting for Tom to set up the movie. Collin, Billy, Alex, Steve, and Mike headed upstairs to relax.
Inside the bonus room, the cousins sprawled out. The room was riddled with a variety of outdoors pictures, equipment, and guns. A black, L-shaped couch sat in the middle of the room. On one side was a computer, and on the other was a gun collection and desk. In the front, near the door, a huge plasma TV was mounted to the wall.
Billy and Alex took over the couch and played video games. They started with Grand Turismo, Alex’s favorite. After losing five consecutive races, Billy threw the PlayStation controller at the console, accidentally freezing the system.
“Fuck, my bad. I got it,” Billy said, crawling toward the PS3. “Why can I never get away from electrical work?”
“Karma. Just watch, you’ll be doing it forever!” Alex called out jokingly.
Mike sat on the La-Z-Boy adjacent to the couch. A small joint rested between his lips. He had the window cracked open to blow the smoke out, careful not to stink up the room. In his lap, he manicured a tiny little pot plant, petting it and talking to it like it was a baby.
Billy got the system working again, and both he and Alex took a quick drag from Mike’s joint and went back to playing. Alex didn’t notice until the game was loaded that Billy had switched the game to his favorite, Call of Duty.
Collin and Steve sat in the corner of the room with the guns. Steve had his Sig on the table, disassembled but clean. Collin took Tom’s Magnum from the mantle and cycled the rounds.
“He just doesn’t get it. He’s so damn stubborn,” Steve said.
“I talked with him for a little. He loves you. You know that. He just really wants you to serve. He just wanted to keep the tradition going, ya know.”
“I know, but he needs to understand I just want to be me.”
“I think his main concern is just that you didn’t even tell him you were applying to grad school. He said he knew before we left for the hunt. He got the mail when you were out and opened it.”
“Of all the days it had to come.”
From the town of Fullertown below, the distant sounds of gunfire drifted towards the house, sounding like fireworks and partying. Outside, the adults were too occupied with booze, loud music and chatter to notice.
1947 hours
Many hours and multiple cocktails later, the party continued to rage on. Patty and Mary brought out a few bottles of tequila and lined up shot glasses, convincing everyone, even the designated drivers, to do a shot.
“Looks like that’s my cue,” Tom said, avoiding the pressure to do a shot. He saw the trashcans filling with plates and cans and went to take them out. On his way to the side, David stopped him.
“Tom, I got that, man. You have done way too much.”
“Thanks, Dave.”
David grabbed the bags and took off. “And the kids have a problem with the DVD player. Sorry to do you like that.”
“And here I am, thinking you’re being genuine. Gotta love family.” Tom said, walking into the house.
David could hear the sounds of ambulances and police sirens, but paid no attention. As he walked around the pool to the side yard, a cat jumped out of the bushes, startling him. He dropped the bags and cursed. After collecting the bags once more, he continued to the trash area. He lifted the bins and tossed the bags in. As he turned back, he noticed someone running down the street toward him. He thought the person’s outstretched hands were a signal or something; the person, whoever it was, was making guttural sounds that seemed like muffled pleas.
“Is everything okay?” David asked wearily. “If it’s the music, I’m sorry. When I get back, I’ll have Tom turn it down.”
Through the gradually-thickening evening fog, David couldn’t make out the neighbor’s appearance. They said nothing, but kept approaching.
David was unsure of how to respond. “I’m going to get Tom,” he said, turning heel back to the party.
The unknown neighbor picked up his speed and lunged at David, tackling him into the bins. The neighbor’s jaws clasped tightly around David’s neck. David swung the infected man around, and the force released the man, but took off a chunk of his neck in the process.
“What the fuck, man?” David screamed, pressing his hand against his blood-spurting neck.
David stumbled back against the wall and watched the man, or whatever it was, pull itself up. He saw the open wound on its face and multiple gashes on its shirtless body. David slammed the gate closed, leaving the shirtless attacker locked inside the garbage area.
David made it around the pool but collapsed on the wooden patio. Alarmed and unsure of what had happened, a few of the other adults ran toward him, but it was too late. Within twenty seconds, David died from blood loss.
Patty, a registered nurse, tried to administer CPR. As she leaned in to check for a pulse, David�
��s eyes opened, and he clamped down hard on her neck, creating the same kind of wound, but worse. The carotid artery pulled and snapped like a rubber-band, instantly sending Patty to the ground.
The man from the street had escaped the bin area and now made his way over the gate and attacked Billy’s mom, Mary. Tom heard the screams and ran out to the back. What he saw was more horrifying than any war zone he had ever been deployed to. Everyone ran around, shocked and confused. Panic turned into pure chaos. Family members were dying, waking up, and attacking the living. And not just attacking, but eating.
“What the hell?” Tom muttered, before jumping back.
Tom’s brother-in-law, John, broke through the sliding glass door. Tom used his military training and put John down with hand to hand maneuvers. Using an arm bar, Tom tried to talk him down, but John was unresponsive.
“Damnit, John, don’t make me break your arm!” Tom yelled. Tom twisted John’s arm so far that his shoulder snapped, but John didn’t even wince. What the hell? Tom thought. There was no way any human could endure the pain he administered. Tom knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what. He kicked John away and finally noticed his eyes. Slowly, Tom backed up next to the fireplace and picked up a poker, waiving it at his deranged brother-in-law. “John, damnit! I don’t want to, but I will hurt you if you don’t stop!”
The threat had no effect and John dove at him. In self-defense, Tom jammed the poker through his brother-in-law’s eye, dropping him instantly. Tom ran to the alarm panel near the wall and pushed the emergency button, calling for emergency services and screeching an ear-piercing sound throughout the residence.
Mike and Steve had only heard that sound one time before, as a test when it was installed. All five of the cousins upstairs sprang up and covered their ears. They tried to call out to one another, but no one knew what was going on.
“Follow me,” Steve tried yelling over the screeching. He grabbed his Sig and threw in a magazine. Collin followed, loading six rounds into the Magnum.
As they raced down the stairs, the cousins witnessed the carnage. Aunts, uncles, and cousins were running around screaming or cowering in a corner. Some were alive, others weren’t. Blood stained everything and windows were smashed, covering the ground with shards of glass. Tom cocked a shotgun and ran into the five of them at the base of the staircase. None of them had ever seen him that scared.
“Dad, what the hell is going on?” Steve asked hysterically.
“I have no idea what’s happening, but everyone is getting attacked, then getting up and attacking the others. It’s like they’re insane or something.” Tom paused to shoot, hitting their Aunt Mary in the back of the head, putting her down for good.
“Dad! You just killed Aunt Mary!” Mike yelled.
“Mom?” Billy mumbled. He tried to run toward his mother, but Tom stopped him and ordered him to stay put.
“You guys don’t get it. I saw her get tackled and literally fed on until she stopped moving. Now she’s up and running. Something happens to them once they get bit. I don’t know why, but they’ve been coming back to life, mad.”
Billy, Alex, Collin, Mike, and Steve stood in disbelief, mouths open, unable to fully comprehend what was going on.
“Good, you have some guns. Are they loaded?” Tom asked quickly.
Steve’s voice trembled as he spoke. “Yeah, but just me and Collin.”
“Okay, the rest of you, find something and use it to defend yourself. Anything. And this next part is going to be hard boys, so listen carefully. If you run into anyone who looks different, you have to put them down. Believe me, you’ll know. Do not let them attack you under any circumstances. Do you hear me?”
“Put them down?” Alex asked, confused. “Like, kill them?”
“Yes, Alex. I know it sounds terrible, but you have to do it. Now, there’s no time. Get the children from the TV room and head to RV. I’ll meet you there in five minutes. I want you to load it and then we are going to get the hell out of here. I’m going to see if there’s anyone left alive,” Tom ordered. He shoved them onward before they could protest.
Steve took the lead and the others grabbed whatever they could. Bloody handprints marked the walls on their route to the opposite end of the house. They got to the TV room and opened the double doors, but immediately wished they hadn’t. Dozens of bodies laid lifeless on the ground, while others fed on them. They didn’t know who, but someone had gotten to them.
Their little cousin, Shawna, lifted her head from Krissy’s mangled corpse. Bits of silicone-infused flesh hung from her teeth. Krissy’s body had been torn to shreds.
“Krissy,” Alex whimpered, dropping a metal statue he was using as a weapon.
“Shawna?” the others said under their breath.
All of them saw her eyes and knew immediately what Tom had meant. Her eyes were veiny and completely dilated. Her face was lifeless, but alive at the same time. Her teeth were stained with blood, and she let out a gargled cry. She jumped up and leapt over Krissy’s body, heading toward the door.
Neither Collin nor Steve was prepared to take a shot, to kill their little cousin. Steve raised his gun but couldn’t pull the trigger. As she rushed, Alex kicked her in the stomach, sending her back five feet. Billy and Mike grabbed both the door handles and slammed them shut, locking Shawna inside. There was nothing more they could do, so they left. As they marched on, the handles shook violently.
The cousins made it down the hall and almost to the door leading into the garage. Suddenly, a man came crashing through the door in front of them. It was Collin’s dad, Randy. His face was bloody, and eyes were just as black as their little cousin’s. Randy scrambled to get up, let out a throaty howl, and then rushed at the group.
“Dad! Stop!” Collin yelled.
The others joined in. “Uncle Randy. Stop, please!”
Collin raised his gun and pointed at his dad. “Dad, I don’t want to, but I will shoot you. So please, stop! Dad?”
Randy continued his sprint, screaming and hurling his body at them. Collin pulled back the hammer on the Magnum and fired.
The shot tore through Randy’s upper chest and sent him to the ground. Rather than staying down, he scrambled to his feel, let out a pained howl, and tried again. This was the last thing they ever expected. A normal bullet at that range and location would have put down a Kodiak bear. Collin squeezed the trigger again, and this time the bullet pierced the top of Randy’s skull, splattering bone and brain fragments all over the hallway.
“You guys saw that right?” Collin asked, his voice shaking as much as his hands.
It took Collin’s action for them to realize the magnitude of the situation. All hell was breaking loose. Something terrible, something sinister and completely unrealistic had turned their world upside down. Their family was killing each other. Tom had been right. These things, whatever they had become, were no longer their family. They would have to be taken out.
Billy put his hand over Collin’s, lowering the gun. “Yeah, cuz. We all saw it.”
“Guys, we have to keep moving, before more come,” Steve said, motioning toward the garage door.
The coast was clear inside the garage, giving the cousins a chance to exchange their blunt instruments for the weapons on the shelves. They grabbed a couple crates of ammo and guns and tossed them inside the RV.
“All right, guys, let’s form a perimeter. Make sure they are changed before you shoot,” Collin said, ordering the cousins to different locations.
From down the street, more infected ran toward the Brason residence. Dozens of empty shells and casings covered the ground as the cousins unloaded on the incoming threats. Besides Collin, none had ever killed another human. The firefight lasted for what felt like an eternity until, out of nowhere, Tom burst through the side door of the garage.
“Where is everyone?” he yelled.
“They’re all dead, Uncle Tom. How about you?” Collin called back. But he took Tom’s solitude and lack of an answer
to mean the worst.
“Did you guys get the RV ready?”
“Yeah, we grabbed what we could, but more started coming,” Steve said. “Are we going?"
“All right, let’s pack it up. We are Oscar Mike.” The old military in Tom resurfaced. Everything about him changed.
Collin shouted for the cousins to pile into the RV, then peeled off toward the driver’s door, taking out two incoming infected. He swung the door open and turned. Behind him, Tom had gone back for something, and what Collin saw made his heart drop.
Coming through the side garage door, Alexandria staggered, white dress drenched in blood. She had not been changed, but was overwhelmed and crying hysterically.
Halfway to the RV, Tom noticed her and made his way back. He was just steps away when she was tackled and bitten from behind by her mother.
Tom skidded to a halt. “Lexi,” he said under his breath. There was nothing more he could do for her. Tom turned to run back, and Steve noticed the back door opening. It was in Tom’s blind-spot, leaving him oblivious to the threat. Steve yelled to his dad and tried to raise his gun, but his hands froze, locking in place.
David knocked Tom to the ground. Luckily, Tom used his training to spin off the impact and brace himself for the fall. On the ground, David had a half mount, clawing and snapping his jaws at the veteran. From sheer panic, Steve stayed frozen, and time slowed all around him.
Collin looked to Steve, then to Tom, then back at Steve. He ran back, grabbed Steve’s rifle, aimed it, and fired. The bullet tore through David’s skull, but it was a second too late. While trying to keep David’s mouth away from major areas, Tom sustained a bite to the wrist. The bullet woke Steve up, and he rushed toward his dad. Tom struggled to his feet and met Steve halfway.
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