Husk

by Rachel Autumn Deering

He didn’t look like he had been crying, which was all that really concerned him.

After thirteen months of bedding down in the desert it really don’t take a whole heck of a lot to please me.”

“How’d Derrick’s blood taste?” Miranda asked. Her voice sounded like a low hiss, full of venom and spite. Kevin shifted uneasily in his chair.

She reminded him of no one, and he admired her for it. She didn’t conjure any memories in him or trigger any old emotions. Looking at her and talking to her was a wholly new experience for Kevin, and he found he didn’t want it to end so soon.

“So you’re saying I’m cute? Is that it?” “I guess.” “There you go guessing again. Am I cute or ain’t I?” “You are. Sorry, I’m an idiot.”

I used to love the place, but coming back now, it just seems kindly lonely with them passed away.”

He imagined how she would laugh if she found out he had never even kissed a girl.

“Hmmm. Suit yourself. I like it.” She touched the tip of Kevin’s nose with her finger and he went cross-eyed to play along. They both laughed.

Kevin began hitting sour notes. And his tempo seemed to drag in spots and rush on others. Samantha watched as the smile fell from his face and his expression turned grave. He kept staring at something just off to his left.