Vernon opened his front door and went inside, mindlessly following his normal routine while his thoughts were elsewhere. He hung his keys on the small hook next to the coat rack. I don’t know how many ways I can tell Gary that I can’t make paint dry any faster. He unzipped his coveralls and…

  “I guess I kinda thought when the world ended it’d be relaxing.” The Santa Anna winds blew the hot smell of rotting flesh, and wildfires across his face. The herd was, maybe a mile out, so they still had some down time.   “What do you mean?” Braeden didn’t really care, but he said…

  Eric Kenner was beginning to nod when the tires crunched on the gravelly side of the interstate.  He jumped awake and swerved back into his place, thankful that no one was around to see him.  Or hit him.  He had tried turning on the air conditioning to full blast, and that had helped for…

I suppose you could call what I have: ‘Locked-In syndrome.’ I’d ask a doctor, a neurosurgeon perhaps, if I could, which I can’t, and if they weren’t in such short supply. It’s always the way with epidemics. Medical staff get hit hardest. First responders as well: the police and the paramedics, and then the army,…

Lady Judith Jane Geronimo glided up the staircase, ignoring the claustrophobic press of the metal around her and the gallop of her pulse.  Eyes half-closed, she made a game of her worries, as she always did, part of method acting.  She imagined the announcer’s baritone, Voicing Over the soap opera’s opening teaser. “Today, the role…

“I’m sorry Donovan,” I knew she was. I could see it in her eyes, even as mine were finishing their necrotic glaze, I could still see her sorrow. I shambled a little closer, and leaned my head onto the point of her revolver. I couldn’t speak; I couldn’t tell her how much I had realized…

  We stagger into the thick bush, pushing aside branches and debris. I can’t see clearly; the sun is too bright, and it’s right in my eyes. It blinds me. But dusk is only two hours from now, and we can’t afford any delay. Jack is a few meters ahead – she prefers scouting the…

Things Fall Apart Sammi Milva barely contained the shudder which threatened to roll up her spine.  Once had been bad, twice had been worse.  But this would have been the third shudder in the five minutes after she awoke, and she thought that that might drive her mad.  Assuming, that was, that she wasn’t mad…

Corbin had been a physician for five years when his Vanessa hung herself in the garage. It was a Thursday, and his wife had left the car out on the street rather than pulling in to her normal spot. It’s strange, what you remember about these things. Fuck the car and fuck you, Ness, he…