Page 23 of Creepy
“It won’t do any good, the truck died.”
“Well, hell.I’ve got to get you off the ground.”Troy helped me into the truck, anyway.“You’ll have to stay here until I go get a vehicle.”
I studied the zombie on the ground and shook my head, no.“Why were you biking?”
“I should ask you.”
I gave him a bewildered look.
“I followed you last week.I saw your friends, those motorcycle men, leave your diner to chase me down.”
“The Stayers are not my friends.”
“Stayers, huh?Is that what they call themselves?I gave them the shaft.Haven’t seen them again.But this morning I was over at the Pump and Shop, looking for caffeine.And this crazy motherfucker comes out of nowhere, warning me to stay away from you.He slit my tires and escaped on bike.But the fucker didn’t realize, I had a bike too, found it earlier this week.Still had it in the back of the Suburban.I rode after his ass.I almost had him, but he let out some zombies on me.He one of your friends?”
“No...Well, he may be my ex.If that was Rowan, but I didn’t know he was in town, I swear...He might be my stalker.”I thought about all the flowers and was sure it was Rowan who’d left them.We’d dated before I dated Dillon, and he always brought me the most beautiful flowers from his mother’s flower shop.
“What’s the deal with these Stayers?You can’t tell me you don’t know them.I saw them at your diner and your house.”
Fuck.“You know where I live?”I asked but worried about him knowing about Dillon and me.
“I told you I was watching you.Not in a sinister way.”
“Then why were you?”
“I was worried about you after those men came around.”
I wanted to trust that.
“Listen.If I wanted to kill you, rape you, don’t you think I would’ve by now?”
“I don’t know you.”
“Here’s a fact about me.I don’t hurt women.I don’t rape women.Or men, come to think of it.I don’t rape.Period.To be honest, I think your cute, maybe even sexy, but I wouldn’t rape you.So, how about you be honest and tell me about those men?”
“I do know the Stayers and Dillon their leader, but they’re not my friends.They’re bad news.They are murderers and rapists.”
“Come on.I saw a motorcycle leave your place Sunday night at a real friendly hour.”
I didn’t like being interrogated, especially when I needed medical care.“Dillon is my ex too.He’s my ex-fiancé,” I added, so it wouldn’t sound so slutty.“He’s blackmailing me, so he pretty much comes and goes as he pleases.”
“Girl, you sound like trouble.Where are your friends?”
“I have none.Well, I have one now.”
“That’s mighty sweet of you.”
I laughed, and it hurt to do so.“Besides you.A guy showed up in town.”
“Dude in the Prime truck.”
Dude was right.“Yes.You know about him too?”
“I saw him going through town.”
I was feeling woozier.“I’m going to have to get this bite cleaned.”
Troy’s expression changed like he remembered I was hurt.“I know.I got you.”Troy gingerly shoveled me into his massive arms.
