The Returners Read Free

bigger than hers.
    Greenstone had a population of just over a thousand people. It was one of those small towns where everyone knew everyone else. The type of town were people helped each other out, the kind you grew up watching on old television sitcoms.
    At first the news reported it was some sort of drug-induced craziness that was making people attack one another. The reports were vague at best. It started out as just a few random attacks throughout different cities over a few weeks. Gradually the reports became more and more frequent. It was actually three months into the epidemic before the first attack happened in Greenstone.  
    One of Jessica's neighbors, an elderly man by the name of Roger Mills was returning home from the local drug store. When he pulled into the driveway and got out of his car he noticed his wife Martha standing in the doorway of the house. She was clothed in only her nightgown, staring blankly ahead.
    Roger took a few steps towards the house knowing something was wrong. Before he'd made it half way there Martha leaped from the doorway and came running at him. In a state of panic he dropped the bag he was carrying and screamed.              
    "Martha, what’s wrong?" Rogers voice filled with concern and fear. An odd blend that made his voice come out in a raspy croak.
    Martha never answered, never stopped, hitting him at full speed and knocking him to the ground. She herself fell from the impact. Scared and confused Mr. Mills got to his feet and looked at his wife with tears streaming down his face. With little effort Martha Mills pushed herself up from the ground and let out what could best be described as a snarl. It was then Roger noticed her lifeless milky-white eyes.
    Again he spoke to her, his voice breaking up as tears continued streaming down his face. "Martha, what’s wrong? Martha, Martha can you hear me?" She still didn't respond. Horrified at what was happening he turned and ran towards Jessica's house.
    Jessica was just coming out the front door to leave for work when this all took place. She watched the whole thing, frozen in fear. When she saw him running towards her with Mrs. Mill's not far behind. The only thing she could think to say was "Mr. Mills is everything okay?"
    Everything else after that was a giant blur. The next thing she remembered was sitting in the front seat of her car. Mrs. Mills was leaning over the top of Mr. Mills smashing his head off the pavement in her driveway. Mrs. Mills stopped and looked up at Jessica, her eyes lifeless and void of any emotion. She then stood up and began pounding on the window of her car.
    Jessica took her key and opened her glove compartment and pulled out a 9mm pistol. The gun had been a gift from her late husband Danny. He'd bought it for her for protection. She often worked late night shifts at McDaniel’s, the local truck stop and cafe in town. Danny always told her because of that he felt more comfortable knowing she had a way to defend herself if the need arose. He'd always feared some creep would follow her to her car and it gave him peace of mind.
    Growing up in a family that hunted her father had taught her how to shoot and use a gun safely at a young age. Handling the gun was something she was comfortable with and she had confidence she could use it to defend herself if necessary. That situation was happening right now.
    Mrs. Mills continued to pound on the window as Jessica chambered a round into the gun. The old lady was hitting the window with such force it shook the whole car. Jessica feared she would break through the glass if she kept pounding on it like that.             
    "Mrs. Mills, please stop." She looked down at the ground where Mr. Mills lay face down and unmoving. An expanding pool of blood was forming on the pavement under his head. 
    "Mrs. Mills, please Stop!"
    Jessica had no more than gotten the last word out when the window shattered and Mr. Mills grabbed her. She remembered