Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Booming Rabid

Evangeline knew her husband was going to die. She saw the rabid fall upon him and despite his order for her to stay back she ran toward him, grabbing a hammer from the cart seat and swinging it with all her might.

Screams and obscenities left her mouth that would have made her mother's dainty toes curl. She had learned quite a few colorful ones since meeting Colt and she made up a few as she ran.

She would not lose Colt; and, if she did lose Colt than she wanted to go with him. She wanted to go down fighting to save him. Living without him was not an option.

Evangeline was nearly to the spot where he lay fighting desperately when she saw him place that gun to his temple. Her entire world ceased to spin. Seconds ticked on as long as minutes as Evangeline tried to prepare herself for the sound of the gunshot that would tear Colt away from her forever.

It never came.

Instead a hatchet was suddenly thrust into the head of one of the rabid on top of Colt and a loud war cry filled the air just before Comanche came galloping past on his paint horse and leapt into the fray of rabid, slinging a double ended spear.

Evangeline snapped out of the temporary haze her shock at seeing Colt with that gun had sent her into and ran ahead again. She brought her hammer down on the head of the third rabid pinning her husband and then began to throw the rabid off while Comanche, Ox Silas, Jedidiah and Charlotte formed a line between them and the rabid, keeping the monsters from coming any closer to the groups fallen leader.

Colt leapt to his feet and found Evangeline's lips in a hot, searing joining that stole her breath and shook her knees.

Just as quickly Colt pulled away, took her hand in his and fired his last shot into the head of a rabid that had been attempting to bite into Charlotte's arm.

"Let's get into the house!" he yelled.

Just as Evangeline had known he would, Colt waited until everyone else was inside before closing the door. Comanche and Ox worked together to slide a heavy wooden cabinet in front of the door.

"Check for more doors and open windows!" Colt ordered and Silas, Charlotte, Rachel and Jedidiah ran off to do just that.

Evangeline busied herself ensuring the locks were secured on the windows. By some miracle this house has windows made of thick glass and the rabid were unable to get through them, though if they continued to assault the house they would no doubt find a way.

"It was good to sacrifice those horses on the carts. The rabid are more concerned with their meal than with us." Comanche spoke up.

"Still we need to deal with them." Colt admitted.

Evangeline went to Comanche then and rose onto her toes so she could throw her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you came back. Thank you."

Thank you was so pitiful a statement to show the gratitude she felt toward the man. He had just saved Colt's life and that alone was a debt she could never repay.

"I should never have left." Comanche replied quietly as he awkwardly patted her back.

"How are we gonna get rid of them before they get in here?" Ox asked and Susette let out a cry of fear when a rabid hit the window hard enough to nearly crack the glass. Its face remained pressed against the clear barrier as more rabid piled behind it.

The rabid's jaw was nearly fully dislocated and blood leaked from between his dirty teeth. Those gray lifeless eyes seemed to be boring holes into Evangeline and she shivered before feeling Colt's arms slide around her waist.