Unpopular: An Unloved Ones Prequel #3 (The Unloved Ones) (7 page)

I wind up again, and release my fastball.

Strike two.

The crowd gets so excited that I feel the ground shaking. I look over and see old ladies with bloodlust in their eyes, clutching their school flags in their wrinkled hands. Small children, little boys with their faces painted hunter green and gold. The Sherriff is there in the front row, and Mr. Duko, and my mom. Gone are the wrinkles from her face. She looks sixteen again, her blonde hair glinting like a beacon in the sun, and her mouth open in a cheer.

The ball goes back to me. I hold it in my hand, and I turn back toward the batter. My body moves slow, as if I’m underwater. I can feel the fatigue taking over again. I want to sleep. I want to get out of the sun and into the dark, and I want to sleep and maybe die. Why can’t they just let me die?

“Strike three,” I hear a voice whisper. “Please God, strike three. Strike three, strike three, strike three.”

I look over, and see it’s my dad chanting. He’s got that look of a gambler again, shaking his hands up and down with excitement. All he is saying, over and over again, is Strike Three.

I blink through my grogginess. I lift my foot and pull my arm back, and when I heave my tired body forward, I release the ball with what has to be my hardest, fastest pitch ever.

It goes straight toward my dad and hits him in his good knee. The ball is traveling at such a velocity that it goes right through, snapping the leg in half in the process and sending a shower of hot bone and cartilage onto the grass.

He falls, his arms flailing uselessly in the air, and his face slams against the ground hard. He’ll never walk again.

He’s out.

Coming Soon
 

We hope you have enjoyed reading
Uninvited
, and invite you to return for the next installment of
The Unloved Ones Prequels
:

Also By Kevin Richey
 

Kevin Richey's
Zombie Fairy Tales
is a series of short stories set in a dark fairy tale universe plagued by zombies. Surreal and full of black humor, installments feature familiar childhood characters as they encounter a world of stark violence and horror—Cinderella is worked to death before the ball, Pinocchio is made from children's corpses, and Little Red Riding Hood finds more than wolves in the forest.

The series features overlapping elements, characters, and places for a more immersive experience for the dedicated fan, but can also be read as stand-alone entries in any order.

Note to Readers
 

We encourage all readers to leave a review for
The Unloved Ones Prequels
at both Amazon.com and GoodReads. Honest reviews help readers connect with new favorites, and help supply the community with fresh recommendations for years to come. It only takes a few minutes, and makes a world of difference.

If you have a comment or question that you want answered directly, you can email the author directly at
[email protected]
, or send a tweet on Twitter (@thekevinrichey).

Additionally, we make it a priority to copyedit before publication, but sometimes mistakes happen. If you notice a typo or obvious error in your edition of
Uninvited
, please tell us about it! We will correct the error and let you know of the easiest way to update your copy for free. You can reach us at
[email protected]
with any typos, feedback, or questions.