Mr. Pakool's Spice

Months after the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, a father and his two young children struggle to survive in the wintry backwoods of Oregon, heading toward somewhere — anywhere — that might be safe.

They have gone too long without food and are growing weak from constant flight from the walking dead they call P.U.D.S. Between the cold, poor shelter, and exhaustion, survival itself is becoming uncertain. Worse still, the father has the uneasy feeling they are being followed — but it has become hard to tell whether the presence behind them is human… or something else.

Along the way they encounter a man in a strange hat who seems friendly enough, even sharing a bit of spice to make whatever food they might find taste better. Sometimes it's the small comforts that make survival possible. The man speaks of a rumored safe encampment — but something about him feels disturbingly familiar.

Uneasy, the family moves on without him.

But are they truly alone?

Is the man following them — or is something else out there in the winter darkness?

Also included in this ebook:

The Regent's Daughter — or, An Eye for an Eye, a short-short story previously available only in the anthology Hunger Pangs: Dark Confessions, and winner of a small online award.