Endless Night Read Free Page B

all right. Let’s go.”
    “I’ve gotta get dressed.”
    “Do it quick.” She turned away. She glanced at the corpse just to avoid stepping on it or in the thick mat of vomit. The sight of the body made an icy snake come alive in her guts. She stepped past it and carried her weapons to the bedroom door.
    She leaned her back against the door.
    Andy, standing beside his bed, bent over to pull up his jeans. He hadn’t bothered with undershorts. His rump looked very white and smooth.
    He didn’t know she was watching. When he started to turn around, she elbowed the light switch.
    “Let’s go,” she whispered.
    “I’m not done ...”
    “All you need are your pants. Let’s go. Be careful you don’t trip.”
    “Do you think he’s dead?”
    “If the bat didn’t kill him, I’m sure your puke did.”
    A strange, hushed laugh came through the darkness. “You’re weird, Jody.” He said nothing for a few seconds. Jody could hear him sneaking closer. “Maybe we can kill the other one.”
    “We might have to try. Do you want the machete or the bat?”
    “You keep the bat. You’re good with it.”
    “Fine.” She lifted the machete up from her side, moving it slowly until it was straight out in front of her, its blade upright. “I’m holding it out,” she said. “Don’t cut yourself.”
    Something in the darkness bumped her outstretched arm just below the elbow.
    I hope that’s Andy.
    “That you?” he whispered.
    “Yeah.”
    Both his hands found her arm. One held on while the other fingered its way to her hand. Jody let the machete go. When he released her arm, she reached out. Her hand met bare skin. She stroked him. His side, she guessed. Just a little down from his armpit.
    “Are you ready?” she whispered.
    “Not really.”
    “Yeah. Me neither.”
    “What’ll we do?”
    “Whatever we have to,” she said. “We’ll sneak out if we can. But if he sees us, we’d better run like hell.”
    “What if we can sneak up on him?”
    “I don’t know. Depends, I guess. If it really looks like we have a good chance of taking him by surprise, I guess we should try it. The thing is to get out of here alive. That’s the only thing that matters, okay?”
    “Okay.”
    “Ready?”
    “Will you hug me?”
    “Geez, Andy.”
    “Please? Everybody’s dead.”
    “Okay. But watch the machete.” With her hand on Andy’s side to guide her, she stepped forward and pressed herself lightly against him. He put an arm around her back. It hardly touched her, though.
    “I’ve always wanted ...” He went silent.
    “What?” Jody asked.
    “Something like this. To hold you like this. I mean, it really... it’s really nice.”
    She kissed his forehead.
    “I sure love you, Jody.”
    “Hey.”
    “I do. I love you so much.”
    “Hey.” She bent her knees enough to slide her down to where Andy’s mouth was. Then she hugged him hard with her free arm, squeezing herself against him, kissing him.
    With his free arm, he hugged her fiercely.
    When she finished kissing him, he said, “I won’t let anybody hurt you, Jody. Not ever.”
    She patted his side. “Just you ‘n’ me, kid.”
    “I’m ready when you are.”
    “Okay. Follow me.”
    “No. I’ll go first. I’m the guy.”
    “You’re the guy, fine. But I’m in charge. You follow me.”
    “But ...”
    “Shhh.” Taking his arm, she pulled him away from the door. She squatted at its edge herself, and rested the bat against her right shoulder. “Get behind me.”
    She felt one of his knees nudge her rump.
    “Here goes,” she whispered.
    Reaching up with her left hand, she found the doorknob. She turned the knob and swung the door inward.

Chapter Three
    Nobody stood waiting on the other side of the door.
    Jody lowered her knees to the carpet and shuffled to the middle of the doorway. There, she leaned forward and glanced both ways.
    The corridor looked deserted.
    Light still glowed from the master bedroom near its far end, and the music had resumed.