Flesh Eaters

Fear, Blood, and a Knife

Chapter 17 - Fear, Blood, and a Knife

*Grey's POV*

We walk down the dusty road in silence. I guess we're both in some sort of shock. Baird's a crazy doctor who wants to experiment on our brains and Mercedes is just an innocent bystander.

I look over at Murphy who walks next to me. He stares straight ahead with a thoughtful expression on his face. One of his hands hang off to his side and the other holds on the strap of his crossbow that lays across his broad chest.

"Knew there was somthin' off 'bout that guy," he says when he notices me looking at him.

I look away and stare at my shoes as I walk. He right, I didn't see it in the beginning like he did. Now I do. I see it in Baird's eyes. It's an unnaturally intelligent light. The kind of spark you see in a evil genius's eyes that makes you want to run away.

"Ya, you were right."

Murphy looks over at me, studying my face before he sighs and goes back to staring at the road in front of him.

"What," I ask as I brush a piece of my hair out of my face.

He shakes my head and says, "nothin'"

"What are we going to do about him? I mean we can't trust him now that we know what he's up to."

Murphy chews on the inside of his lip for a moment as he thinks. "We gotta talk to Mercedes before we make any decisions. Baird is her husband."

I nod and pick a small stick up off the road. It's not much but it's something to burn. Next to me Murphy does the same. We continue walking down the long dusty road picking up twigs, sticks, and branches.

We return back to the trucks just as the suns light leaves the sky. Mercedes greets us and helps us stack the wood we've gathered. Baird stays put in the truck, watching.

Once the woods stacked Murphy lights a match and drops it. The branches turn red as the flames slowly eat them. Grayish-black smoke rises into the night sky and small embers crack and drift through the air.

We stand around the fire for a moment, just soaking in the heat. The night is silent, almost peaceful.

After a while Murphy heads back to our truck and returns with the box of food. "Take your pick. One can per person. Mercedes, ya' can take one ta' Baird if ya' want."

We all gather around the box and search for something. I settle with a can of baked beans.

I find a place by the fire and sit down on the paved road with my food. A moment later Murphy joins me. Mercedes heads over to Baird with her food.

I sit still staring at my can wondering just how I'm going to open it. Next to me I hear a popping and tearing sound. I look over at Murphy and see he's stabbed a knife into his can and is sawing the top off.

When he finishes opening his can I hold mine up to him. "Please?"

He takes the can and stabs his knife into the lid. Carefully he saws around the edges. When the lid pops off and falls to the ground he grins and says, "Now ya' own me."

I take the can from him and smile. "Maybe one of these days I can save you."

He laughs once then plops a pear into his mouth. I turn back to my food and pour some beans in my mouth. As I'm chewing them I look up at Mercedes and Baird. She stands next to where Baird sits. She hold a can of food out to him but he completely ignores her. She tries a couple more times before she gives up and climbs in her side of the truck.