“We’ve been taking care of her since she changed. We don’t have it in us to kill her even though Chloe wanted to after she killed Daddy. That’s when she stopped talking, if you didn’t know. That was a horrible day.”
“No, please don’t, no,” Paul cried out.
Mother slowly moved towards Paul, her head bobbing up and down and her teeth chattering, making the most terrifying sound.
“Chloe, please, no,” Paul begged.
Mother ran up to Paul and grabbed him by the neck, her long thick nails digging in. She leaned close and stared into his eyes.
“Since she became this way, we’ve been feeding her strangers that decide to wander by. This way it saves our food supply,” Claire explained. “Mother seems to have a real taste for human flesh.”
Mother tightened her grip on his neck.
Paul groaned in pain.
“Go ahead, Mother, you can eat now,” Claire said, turning away.
Mother let out a screech just before coming down on his face with her open mouth.
Paul wailed.
Claire exited the barn with Chloe. “Sorry, baby sis.”
Chloe shrugged and walked off towards the house.
Claire closed the barn door.
Paul’s cries lasted for another minute before going silent.
EPILOGUE
THE FARM, EAST OF TYHEE, IDAHO
JUNE 26, 2020
Claire thumbed through a cookbook, fretting over what to make for dinner. “Do you like potpie?”
Chloe nodded.
“Oh, I know, what about pasta puttanesca?” Claire asked.
Chloe shrugged.
“It’s a simple pasta dish, spaghetti, tomatoes, garlic…”
Chloe nodded and rubbed her tummy at the same time.
“It does sound good, doesn’t it?” Claire said.
Chloe wrote on her board. MOTHER?
“I checked, the signs are still there. No one is coming by. I know she’s hungry. I wish I knew what to do,” Claire complained. They hadn’t had a visitor since Paul was given to Mother, meaning she hadn’t eaten since.
“Someone will come by soon, I just know it,” Claire said, getting up from the dinette table. She walked to the counter and began to set up her dinner prep.
Knocking at the front door. “Hello!” a woman’s voice called out.
Claire turned to Chloe and smiled. “See, like I said, someone will come by soon. Now go hide. Do what we always do.”
The obedient sister, Chloe ran off.
Claire took off her apron, straightened her clothes and adjusted her ponytail. She practiced smiling and even said hello in the mirror.
“Hello, anyone here?” the woman called out from the front door.
Claire stepped to leave but stopped when she realized she’d forgotten one thing. She opened a drawer and pulled out the cleaver. With her favorite weapon in hand, she went to the front door. Before opening it, she peeked out.
The woman wasn’t alone. Two other women and a man were with her.
“Who are you?” Claire asked through the door.
“We need food, water, shelter,” the woman answered. “Do you have any? The signs said you do.”
“We do. Can I trust you?” Claire asked playing the part.
“You can. We mean you no harm,” the woman said.
Not worried, Claire unlocked the door, opened it and stepped aside.
The woman followed by the others came inside and looked around curiously.
“Hello,” Claire said, extending her right arm and keeping her left behind her back, holding the cleaver.
“Hello, nice to meet you,” the woman said, taking Claire’s hand and shaking it.
“What can I help you with?” Claire asked.
“Like I said, food, water and a place to sleep. We’ve been on the road. It’s hell out there,” she replied.
The others gathered in the living room leaving only Claire and the woman in the foyer.
“We can help you with that,” Claire said.
“We? So you’re not alone?” the woman asked.
“No, I’m not alone. Oh, by the way, my name is Claire.”
“Hi, Claire, my name is Sabrina and this is Ashley and Trent,” Sabrina said pointing at them. “And she is Natalie, a new edition to our group. We picked her up a few days ago outside of Twin Falls.”
Natalie waved and said, “I’ve been so lucky lately, I come to Idaho for some needed vacation time and the world ends. I thought I was going to die then these guys helped me, now we find you and you’re charming farm house.” Natalie looked carefully at some trinkets on a small table. “These look like antiques.”
“They were my mother’s, she collected,” Claire said.
“I used to buy and sell rare items before, not much use for that now,” Natalie said.
“Thank you for opening your house,” Sabrina said.
“You’re very welcome. Glad we can help,” Claire said, closing the door.
“Are your parents here?” Sabrina asked, taking off her backpack.
“Just me and my sister, Chloe,” Claire said carefully placing the cleaver in a drawer without anyone noticing.
Trent walked over to the fireplace mantel and ogled some of the framed pictures. “Is this Mom? Wow, she’s hot. I would have loved to meet her,” he joked, holding up a picture of Mother while making inappropriate facial gestures..
Disgusted by his comment, Claire marched over and ripped the picture from his hand. “We don’t disrespect Mother.” Claire made sure to keep the cleaver hidden behind her back by pivoting away from the others.
“Sorry, I was just joking; plus it was really a compliment, who doesn’t like—”
“Enough, Trent,” Sabrina scolded.
Holding the picture tenderly, Claire walked towards the kitchen and said under her breath, “You'll regret saying that when you meet her.”
“What did you say?” Sabrina asked.
Claire stopped, turned and with a sweet smile said, “I said dinner will be served soon. I hope you like pasta puttanesca.”
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
G. Michael Hopf is the best-selling author of THE NEW WORLD series. He spent two decades living a life of adventure before he settled down and became a novelist full time. He is a combat veteran of the Marine Corps and former executive protection agent.
He lives with his family in San Diego, CA
Please feel free to contact him at [email protected] with any questions or comments.
www.gmichaelhopf.com
www.facebook.com/gmichaelhopf
Detour: A Post-Apocalyptic Horror Story Page 17