Ravage: An Apocalyptic Horror Novel(125)

Danny shook his head and looked out of the window. “No. Maybe it had something to do with the dude that collapsed on the platform.”

“A guy collapsed?”

“Yeah, was bleeding everywhere like a stuck pig.”

“Gross.”

Danny let out a long breath as he thought about getting the guy’s blood on him. “Yeah, gross.”

“Well, I’ll be doing some pretty gross things with Stephanie later tonight. If I can get it up, that is, with all of the booze I’m gonna drink.”

Danny smiled. “Tonight is going to be hardcore.”

Joey bashed the car’s horn three times. “Hard-f*ckin’-core!”

Danny sneezed.

Joey opened the electric windows on both sides. “Dude, I can’t be doing with getting sick. You gonna start sneezing and shit, do it out the window. I can’t be driving three hours with Mr Sniffles.”

Danny wiped his nose with the back of his forearm. “Sorry, man. I don’t think I’m getting sick. I feel fine.”

Then he sneezed again.





PARASITES


Stephanie had just given Joey the shag of his life and he felt epic. His friends were having fun all around and it was all because of him. He would go down as a legend for this.

The motherf*cking party master.

Joey slid off his bed and got dressed while Stephanie used the shower in the en suite. The thought of her all wet and naked was enough to get him aroused all over again. But there would be time for that later. He had to play host; make sure his guests were having a time they would never forget.

He checked his watch. It was two-thirty in the morning. The night was still young.

He headed out onto the landing, passing by necking couples and chatting friends. They all gave Joey the thumbs-up as he passed them. Someone handed him a beer and he broke the tab merrily. He had never felt so good.

Except for the headache.

And a sore throat.

That git, Danny. I knew his sneezing was gonna get me sick.

Joey headed down the stairs, shoving people back against the wall if they dared get in his way. He knew it was stupid to blame his friend for passing on a harmless bug, but it was the worst timing. So much planning had gone into this party that he would kick off big style if he wasn’t able to enjoy it.

I’ll wring his bleedin’ neck.

He knew he would find Danny in the billiards room. The guy was a whiz with a cue and would no doubt be hustling the other guys out of their money.

Someone was coughing nearby. Somebody else sneezed.

Goddamn it. Did Danny catch the lergy or something?

The billiards room was just up ahead, off from the main lounge. Joey headed inside and spotted Danny on a stool behind the bar. He was chewing on some girl’s neck.

“Danny!” Joey shouted.

Danny moved the girl aside and looked over at him. “Hey, dude. How’s it going?”

Joey marched across the room. The girl that had been with Danny left, sporting a huge hickey on her neck.

Classy.

Danny headed behind the bar and stood in front of his friend, who was teetering unsteadily on the stool.

“What’s up?” Danny asked him.

Joey examined his buddy. He looked like hell. His eyes were swollen and red. His nose was dripping snot. Even his lips seemed sore.

Great, what the hell has he passed onto me?

“You don’t look good, man.”

Joey laughed. “I’m sound, mate. I’ve done so much coke tonight that I could shake off a stab wound like it was a mosquito bite.”

“Well, you passed whatever you have to me, you dirty little shit. I can’t be doing with feeling rough, man.”

Danny leant forward on his stool and almost fell off it. He put his hand on Joey’s shoulder. “I have the cure, dude. Don’t you worry.” He held up a small baggie of white powder.

Joey snatched the baggie and grinned. “Don’t go thinking this means I’ve forgiven you.”

He tipped the baggie upside down and emptied the powder onto the bar. Immediately, others in the billiards room drew in closer.

Coke parasites. Flash a bit of powder and they come out of the woodwork like lice.

Joey was pleased to find that there was enough in the bag for half-a-dozen lines. Enough to share and still get a buzz on. When he accidently sneezed on the powder and reduced the amount by one line, he was pretty pissed off. The anger only lasted a moment, though, as he and five others took a hit.

All of them got more than they bargained for.





DAWN OF THE DEAD TIRED


Gaz was exhausted. The coke he’d done at Joey’s had worn off and now he felt like shit. In fact, everyone at the party was generally feeling like shit. When he’d finally left, people had been puking all over the place or lying on the floor with a bad case of the sniffles.

Gaz had a headache and a sharp pain in his chest. His vision was also a little blurry. The thing he wanted now more than anything else in the world was his bed. But getting there might not be so easy.

At the back door to his house, Gaz checked the time on his phone: 06:00. The sun was just rising. He used his key to unlock the door and gently clasped the handle to go inside. When he stepped through into the kitchen, his mother was there waiting for him.

“Where the hell have you been?” she demanded.