Jenny

JENNY turned away from the dying woman and her newborn. Yet another tragedy in a night filled with them.

She pushed her emotions back, maintaining the guise of a professional, and looked for Randall. He and Clay had finished barricading the door and now Randall stood alone, staring off into the sea of blinking, flashing emergency lights. Jenny walked over and stood next to him, slipping her hand into his, welcoming the familiarity of his calluses.

"Do you think we'll be rescued?" she asked.

A silly question, because there was no way he could know, any more than she did. But Jenny wasn't seeking an answer. She just wanted to hear his voice.

"I'll make sure you and the kids get safe, Jenny."

His voice was cracking, and he looked away from her.

"Randall? What's wrong?"

He coughed and covered his mouth, but not before something fell from his lips and bounced onto the tar-papered roof.

A tooth.

"Oh, Randall..."

He stared at her, his eyes hooded, his pupils already starting to enlarge.

"I won't hurt you," he said. "I won't hurt you or the kids. I'll...I'll throw myself off the building before I let that happen."

He tried a pathetic smile, and more of his teeth dropped out. Jenny watched, revolted, as new ones breached the gums and began to grow in.

Clay was walking over.

"Randall, I need your help guarding the barricade...holy fuck!"

Clay raised his weapon, pointing it at her husband's head.

Without thinking, Jenny stepped between the men.

"No!"

"Get out of the way, Jenny! He's--"

"He's my husband! You're not going to kill him, Clayton Theel!"

Randall made a grunting sound, then doubled over and dropped to his knees. Jenny shoved Clay's gun away, and crouched next to Randall, keeping her arm around his shoulders.

"Jenny, you need to step away from the dracula."

"I know Randall. He won't hurt me. Will you, Randall?"

Randall violently shook his head. "Won't...hurt...no one. I...can...fight it."

Clay reached for Jenny, grabbing her arm, tugging her away. A millisecond later, Randall was on his feet, getting inside Clay's aim and grabbing the deputy by the throat.

"If I...lose...control...kill me. But...until then...fuck...off."

Randall released Clay, who immediately pointed the gun at him again. Once more, Jenny interceded, protecting Randall with her body.

Clay stuck out his jaw. "My girl, Shanna. She said if we find that Moorecook guy, we might be able to find a cure. His blood could have a vaccine, or antibodies, or something."

Randall cried out as his teeth tore through his cheeks. Then came an ear-splitting sound of screeching metal.

"They're here!" one of the boys screamed.

Jenny looked at the roof entrance, hoping she'd see cops and the military and rescue workers flooding in. But it wasn't the good guys. It was the draculas, pushing open the door, the air conditioning units scraping across the roof.

Randall pulled her tightly against him.

She felt his hot breath on her cheek, his warm, bloody drool dripping onto her neck.

"I...love...you..." her husband whispered.

Then he picked up his chainsaw and limped toward the oncoming horde.