Okay … I’ve been asked a couple times and since I just re-read my opening and well … it still grosses me out (yes, yes, weird, I know) … I figured I’d throw it out there to you to decide or wonder or go … huh? to or … something. 🙂
After almost 42,000 words in the story, here are the first 340 words of First Kiss(es).
A gloved hand reached upward from the depths of the pebbled, gray earth. The low keening of a moan, surrounded by the ever present hum of night insects, added a chill along the length of my arm. The wind gave a low whistle, blew at the few stragglers of leaves among the trees.
As if on cue, the temperature dropped, caused a shiver to run through my body.
The ground swelled as the form emerged; one battered hand clenched and released as the other escaped from hidden depths. I crossed my arms, moved them back to my front and worried one thumb over the other. A scream built at the back of my throat; the dirt-stained, blackened and tattered body pushed itself up farther.
“I gotta —”
“Shh, Ree.” Casey’s eyes focused on the scene before us.
I whipped my head around as the only lights which gave me visibility, flickered.
“Case—”
“Shh.”
I moved my hands to rub at the edge of my jeans. The groaning grew louder, filled my ears with with pulses of sound. I shifted to one side, strained to distract myself though my eyes failed to obey my internal demands. The zombified form had extracted itself to its waist, continued to push itself out of the ground. A high pitched wail exited its mouth, followed by hundreds of flying insects.
My heartbeat pounded in my chest as my eyes stared, entranced. I waved away the insects which swarmed in a bunch toward me. “No!” My harried screech drew another round of ‘Shhs’.
The insects passed as a waft of frigid air hit my shoulders, caused me to wrap my arms around my chest again.
“Casey—”
“Sit still, Ree.”
I wanted to tell her ‘no’, to get out as fast as I could, but I’d promised — something I vowed never to do again.
The creature pushed to its feet, began a slow shuffle and slide toward us.
I turned to Casey, tugged at her sleeve.
She swatted my hand away.
With each step, death moved closer.
And there you go. Would you read on or have I lost ya?