“Geez, hon…I was going to cuddle with you, but you’re like eleven hundred degrees.” Laura reached around and touched her husband’s forehead. Her hand was wet with sweat when she pulled it away. “Fever must be from the cold water.”
Marcus grunted a reply.
Laura fell back to sleep, hoping he would be better in the morning. When she awoke, a thick ribbon of bright sunlight was streaming through the sidelight window.
“Better,” she said as she sat up and stretched. She reached over to shake her husband awake. “How are you feeling?” He was slow to turn; when he did, she screamed. His face was blue, mottled with lines of red and purple. His eyes were clouded over and opaque. The thumping at the door, which had continued through the entire night, increased as the boy sensed that his prize was now in danger of being claimed by another.
“Marcus…?” Laura asked, simultaneously wanting to help him and get away. An alien sound gurgled forth from his throat and open mouth. Marcus sat up, his eyes never leaving his wife’s. If he had not gotten tangled by the small mountain of sweaters wrapped around his legs, he would have grabbed hold of her long before she could get her feet underneath her.
“Stop!” she pleaded as she headed for the door, thankful that she had heeded her husband’s advice and not barricaded it. She still had the child to think of, but between the two dangers she was exposed to, she’d take her chance with the smaller. “Come on, come on!” She fumbled with the lock, never daring to take her gaze off her husband. When she opened the door, she realized the boy had brought his entire extended family with him to the party. She tried to shut and latch the door again. It was all in vain as her head was wrenched violently back. Blood plumed from the rend in her flesh. The boy zombie and his father came to join in the feast, when they were done they headed out to the boardwalk in search of another meal.