Page 105 of Afflicted

“That's what I'd do,” I offered, feeling uncomfortable promising anything that might not be true. “Hopefully you'll find them when we get there.”

Lacey opened her mouth to say something but a scream from outside drew our attention.

We all spun around towards the noise but before we could move, a gunshot went off.

“Katy!” I yelled as I sprinted from the room to get to her. I shouldn't have left her outside. Something awful had happened in this house and she was outside with one other girl and a pistol she could barely use. “I'm coming!”

Chapter Thirty Two

Kaitlyn

As we pulled into Lacey’s street, I could see that something was horribly wrong. Devastation reigned and the road was strewn with debris. Everything from an abandoned tricycle to a suitcase which had burst open, spilling clothes onto the tarmac.

My gut twisted as I glanced up at Lacey. Her face was a mask of horror as she craned her neck to see her house.

Tommy stirred by our feet, his arm reaching out suddenly to grasp my hand. He let out a strangled cry, tugging me down towards him.

“It’s okay. We're taking you to the city,” I said reassuringly as he pulled me down again so that I was forced to kneel beside him.

I lifted the pistol away from us, shoving it into a corner out of the way.

“Get it out!” Tommy hissed, his grip on me tightening painfully.

The truck stopped moving and Lacey let out a strangled cry. “Mom!” She leapt from the truck, landing heavily on the sidewalk.

“Wait-“ I tried to stand and follow her but Tommy yanked me back, his eyes wide and bloodshot as he glared at me.

“Shit. Stop her!” Lincoln shouted from the cab and Reese jumped out, sprinting after Lacey and disappearing inside.

Lincoln wasn't far behind, pausing to shout over his shoulder. “We need to get her out of there!”

He didn't wait to see if we were following him but Jason and Shilo leapt down and chased the rest of them into the house.

Rose hesitated, glancing back down at me and Tommy as she stood.

“They'll get her

,” she said decisively after a few seconds and sank back down to sit with me.

“Get. It. Out,” Tommy snarled as he yanked me lower again. His fingernails bit into the skin on my forearm and I hissed in pain.

“You're hurting me Tommy,” I gasped, trying to pull my hand away.

Rose moved forward and grabbed his wrist, trying to make him release me.

His gaze swivelled from me to her and he pulled his lips back from his teeth almost like a dog snarling.

“Get it out, Rosie Posey,” he said softly.

“Has he gone into shock or something?” she asked, looking at me.

“Get what out Tommy?” I asked.

“All of it. All of the rage,” he hissed.

“What?”

He yanked me towards him and swung his forehead at my face. I managed to twist aside at the last second and he caught me in the side of the jaw rather than breaking my nose. I lurched away from him as pain lanced through me and my head swam.