Read Dead Hunger: The Flex Sheridan Chronicle for Free Online Page B

well, Jess is dead.  She drowned in the pool trying to escape her mom.”
    Gem’s face fell, and tears immediately formed in her eyes .  “Oh, Flex.  Oh, my God.  Not little Jess.”  Her expression became more distressed.  “ Where’s Trina?  Is she okay?”
    I nodded and pulled her against me again.  She put her head on my chest and I breathed her in.  “ Trina’s in my truck, locked in , lying on the floor .   She’s a good little hider , and she’s been really good, listening to what I’ve told her to do . ”
    Gem held onto me for another long moment, then pulled back.  “So this . . . grave.  It’s for Jess?”
    I nodded.  “She’s still in the pool.  I didn’t want to get her until . . . you know.”  I looked at the grave.  “I think it’s good enough now.”
    “Give me your keys,” she said.  “I need to go to Trina.”
    I fished them out of my pocket and handed them to her.  “I’m glad you’re here, Gem.  You are the one person I needed to see now.   I think the only person. ”
    She shrugged.  “It was the same with me.  Go get her, and I’ll sit with Trina for a bit.  But don’t finish this without me.  I want to see her.”
    I nodded and headed toward the pool, turning back to watch her walk to the Suburban.  The one that got away was back.  I must not have done everything wrong.
    I reached the edge of the pool again and scanned the water.  The zombie I’d killed was caught in the side ladder.  He’d floated into it and his arm was caught, so he was not sinking down to where Jesse ’s body lay.  I entered at the steps and just walked in.  When I was chest deep, I dove down and found her again.
     
    *****
     
    Back at the Suburban, I tapped on the window.  Trina sat beside Gem, another of her favorite big people in the world, and was talking animatedly.  I noticed a machine gun of some type on the dashboard, and noted to myself that this was not my weapon.  Gem rolled down the window.
    “ Is that an Uzi? ” I asked, shaking my head .  “I’m ready.   Bring that other comforter with you. ”
    She nodded.  No words were necessary.  Gem pulled the twin comforter from the floorboard, and turned to Trina.  “ On the f loor, door lock ed , not a peep, right?”
    “Like I’m playing hide and seek,” Trina said, smiling.
    “Just like that,” Gem responded.  “Shhh.”
    “Shhh, ” repeated Trina, crawling onto the floor.   Gem dropped the other comforter on top of her and rolled the driver’s side window back up.  She got out of the truck, clicked the lock and closed the door .
    “Let’s go,” she said.
    Back at the gravesite Gem knelt down over Jesse ’s body.  I had rested her on her back and had done my best to straighten her clothes and hair.  Despite her condition , her hair and clothes soaking wet, she still looked beautiful.
    “I never should have had to see you like this, Jesse ,” Gem said.  She stroked the child’s face and hair, then lowered her face to Jesse ’s and kissed her cheek, then her forehead.  “Rest in peace, little rabbit, you.”
    It was what she’d always called Jesse .  Jesse loved it, because she loved rabbits.  In fact, against her mother’s better judgment, Gem had convinced Jamie to let her read Watership Down to Jesse , who from the beginning , adored the tale of Fiver , Hazel and their warren of rabbits.
    When Gem was done with her good byes, I knelt down beside Jesse and touched her face.  I dropped down and put her cheek against mine.  “I love you, little one.  And I want you to know that wasn’t your mama you were running from.  She loves you.  Your mama would never do anything to hurt you.”
    I stared down at her for a long time, kissed her cheek and stood.  “Let’s wrap her.”
    Gem spread out the comforter and I picked Jesse up and placed her on it.  Gem carefully folded the blanket over and around her, tucking it in tightly on all sides.  Together, we lifted her and