Randall patted her head but said nothing. He was still smiling, but he looked uncertain. Like he didn’t know how to comfort the girl, or maybe he thought he might have done something wrong.
The door opened again, and another kid walked out. Calmer than the girl and more serious. He was ten, maybe, and slight, but like the girl, he resembled Randall even if his face wasn’t nearly as round.
“Lexi was worried,” the kid said, looking up at Randall. “Where’d you go?”
“She was hungry and sad, and I know she likes chocolate.” He pulled the smashed Hershey bar out of his pocket, smiling. “I got her some.”
The boy’s serious expression didn’t ease. “You can’t run off like that. You scared her.”
“I’m sorry, Mikey.” Randall hung his head, the hand still holding the chocolate bar dropping to his side and Lexi still clinging to his leg.
I didn’t miss that Mikey only said her.
After a moment, the little boy relaxed. “It’s okay, Uncle Randall.”
His uncle’s eyes lit up. “You can have some of the chocolate, too, Mikey.”
“Thanks,” the kid said, but when he took the candy bar from Randall, he knelt next to his sister and rubbed her back. “Look what Randall got you, Lexi.”
The girl pulled her face away from her uncle’s leg just enough that one eye was visible, but the second she saw the chocolate, she let him go and snatched it up. She was grinning as she tore into it, and Randall was next to her in a second.
Mikey stood, watching them as they shared the candy bar and talked. He was a serious kid, acting a lot older than his ten years, and I had a feeling he’d taken on more of the role of caring for his little sister than Randall had. Maybe he was even looking after his uncle a little.
The man with the ponytail shook his head, but he was smiling slightly he turned to face us. “I’m Buck, by the way.”
Devon stuck his hand out, “Nice to meet you, Buck.”
He introduced us while the three family members talked, then turned to face them. “And this must be Lexi and Mikey. Your uncle told us all about you.”
Lexi beamed up at him, her mouth too full of chocolate to respond.
Her brother frowned. “Mike. Only Randall still calls me Mikey.”
His uncle, who was smiling as wide as Lexi, didn’t even blink.
“Nice to meet you.” Devon said in his usual tone, not softening it or talking down to the kid at all, and he held his hand out like he was meeting a peer instead of a ten-year-old kid.
Mike took it without blinking, but I didn’t miss the appreciation that flashed in his eyes. He probably didn’t get a whole lot of respect because of his age, but I had a strong feeling he deserved it. From what Randall had indicated, his sister had been a single mom with three kids and a special needs brother to care for, and Mike had probably been the oldest, meaning he’d most likely grown up helping out.
“What do you say about those antibiotics?” Devon said, turning to Buck.
The older man sighed and ran his hand over his white hair. “Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d say yes. Unfortunately, it isn’t. We’re going to have to check with Corporal Miller about that.”
“Corporal Miller?” I asked.
Buck pressed his lips together like he was trying to decide what to say. “He was a soldier working at one of the nearby checkpoints when his team got sick and died. He’s kind of taken over running things. Having a military guy in charge has been a comfort to a lot of folks. I guess it makes them feel like the government isn’t really gone and eventually things will get back to normal.”
I could read between the lines. Buck wasn’t a fan of Corporal Miller for some reason.
“You’re also going to have to check with him about staying the night.” Again, he paused to press his lips together. “He has the room keys.”
“Well,” Devon said, sighing, “I guess we should meet him.”
Buck nodded but didn’t say anything before he headed off, waving for us to follow.
We headed after him as a group, silent and tense, leaving Randall and the kids where they were. I looked back as we walked away, curious, and found Mike watching us, his expression thoughtful and still serious. Kiaya caught my eye, and we exchanged a look. She was as worried as I was. We hadn’t voiced our concerns, but I knew it had to do with both the kids and the corporal we were about to meet. Buck’s uncertainty was very telling.
There weren’t a lot of rooms on the second level, making me doubt Randall’s assertion that they had over a dozen people staying here. No one came out as we passed, but a couple times the curtains moved and faces appeared in the windows, wide eyes watching us. Old and young, white and brown, men and women. Every face I saw was different, a menagerie of survivors banded together in this little town in the middle of nowhere, and it hit me that this was the future. People from different areas and different backgrounds—different races and religions, probably—united by one common goal. Survival. It put a new perspective on things, making issues from the past suddenly obsolete and even making some seem silly in the light of our new world of worries.
Buck stopped when we reached the end of the catwalk, outside the last door. He didn’t glance our way before knocking, and I looked down at the parking lot when the thud bounced off the motel. The area was clear, but figures were visible in the distance. Quite a few, actually. The sight of them sent a shiver down my spine, and my gaze shifted to the staircase closest to us, then the one at the other end of the catwalk. Those dressers weren’t going to be enough to keep the dead out once they realized where the survivors had congregated. They needed something more secure.
The door clicked, and I turned as it opened. The guy who stepped out frowned when he saw Buck, and when his gaze landed on Devon, it deepened. He was young, probably only a year or two older than I was, and several inches taller than Devon. Although not as fit. He was in uniform, the two stripes on his arm announcing his rank and the nametag on his chest proclaiming his name. Miller.
“You find some stragglers?” he asked, his hazel eyes focusing on Buck without looking at the rest of us. He ran his hand over his brown hair, which wasn’t long but was slightly shaggy, and he shook his head. “I thought we talked about this. We don’t have the resources to take anyone else in.”
“Randall found them,” Buck said. “He went out again and—”
“That fucking moron is going to get himself killed,” Miller broke in. “Then where will we be? I’m not taking care of a couple kids because their idiot uncle got his face eaten off.”
Buck frowned. “You won’t have to.”
I already didn’t like this guy, but when Devon shifted and Miller’s gaze snapped toward him, his eyes narrowing in a threatening way, my dislike grew.
“We’re just passing through.” Devon lifted his hands as if trying to surrender. “We’ll be gone in the morning.”
Miller’s lips puckered as he studied Devon, looking down at him in a way that made it seem like he was trying to intimidate the other man. For the first time, I was grateful Devon was so sure of himself. This asshole wasn’t going to make him feel small.
“I see,” Miller said slowly.
He finally looked past Devon to the rest of us, studying Hank briefly before turning his gaze on Kiaya. At the sight of her, his eyes lit up, his expression only growing friendlier when he looked at me.
Great.
He forced out a smile. “Well, I guess we can afford to be hospitable for one night.”
Devon’s back stiffened, and Buck shook his head, but Miller was still focused on me, and he didn’t see it.
The corporal stepped back, pushing the door open wide, and motioned for us to enter. “Come on in so I can get you set up with a room for the night.”
We did as we were told, and when Buck followed, Miller frowned like he wasn’t thrilled with the other man’s presence. It was obvious the moment Buck mentioned the corporal that he didn’t care for him, and I could tell
the feeling was mutual. I didn’t blame Buck one bit. Miller was a kid—as much as I hated to admit it since we were so close to the same age—but he was throwing his weight around and probably not listening to advice from anyone else just because he wore a uniform.
“Was there something else you needed?” Miller asked Buck.
“There was something we needed to discuss.” The older man nodded to Hank. “Go on and tell him.”
The teen stepped forward, his arm out and the bite visible, and repeated his story for Miller.
Unlike Buck, who had listened with a cautious light in his eyes, the corporal’s expression got more and more excited with each passing second, so that by the time Hank had finished, he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.
“This is fantastic news,” he said excitedly. “It’s what we’ve been wondering, and now that we know, it’s going to change everything. We don’t have to be as worried.”
Buck’s eyebrows lifted. “You don’t think we should be a little cautious?”
“Why?” Miller gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes. “Look at his arm. It’s obviously a human bite and it’s not very recent, yet the kid’s still standing.” He nodded a few times, his expression thoughtful. “You know, I’ve been going back and forth about staying here, but this decides it. Staying in an area where the population was so low is smarter. Safer.”
The last little bit was said quietly, almost like he was talking to himself.
Devon cleared his throat, grabbing Miller’s attention. “I hate to be a pessimist, but I agree with Buck. This is just one possible scenario.”
“What do you mean?” Miller asked, sounding annoyed.
“I mean, we could all react differently to this thing. Hank survived, but that doesn’t mean everyone will. Just like with the virus.”
Miller waved him off. “We were all immune to that, which is the only reason we’re standing here. So we must all be immune to this, too.”
Devon ground his teeth when the corporal gave him a condescending look.
Kiaya elbowed me and leaned closer until her lips were practically touching my ears. “Antibiotics.”
Right. Hank needed medicine, and there was no way in hell Devon was going to get anywhere by asking for them. If Kiaya or I did, however, Miller might be inclined to share. Just to get on our good sides.
Not that he had a chance in hell of that.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” I said, stepping forward and flashing Miller a big smile, “but Buck said we needed to talk to you about getting antibiotics.”
Miller’s expression changed, tensing for just a moment as he thought about it. His gaze moved down, sweeping over me, then to Kiaya, and by the time he was once again focused on my face, he was relaxed.
“I think we can manage that.”
I had to force the smile to stay on my face.
Buck nodded to Hank’s arm. “We can get somebody to take a look at that, too.”
“You have a doctor?” Devon asked.
“Just a nurse,” Miller said, as if having a nurse was nothing.
“She’s good,” Buck assured us.
Kiaya was the first to respond. “I’m sure she is.”
“We can have her look at your stitches, too.” Devon was focused on me, his expression concerned. “I want to make sure I didn’t screw something up.”
“I’m sure you did a good job.” I gave him a smile, and like on our way up, something sizzled between us that made it impossible to look away.
At least until Miller cleared his throat.
“We can have her come to your room after you get settled.” He looked at me again, thoughtfully, then narrowed his eyes on Devon. “I’m assuming two rooms would probably be better.”
“Whatever you have, we’re grateful for,” Devon replied.
Miller gave him a stiff and unfriendly nod.
16
The motel room was cleaner than the one in Vega, but plain and somewhat cold feeling despite the yellow and orange décor. It had all the typical furniture. Two beds, a small round table and two chairs that reminded me of something from the dorm, a mini fridge and microwave—that were now useless—a dresser, and a desk. All cheap, all cookie cutter, but nonetheless welcome because they didn’t smell like death.
“This is it,” Miller announced, waving around the room like he’d singlehandedly decorated it.
If he had, he shouldn’t brag.
“Thank you so much,” I said, forcing out a smile.
Kiaya dropped her bag to the floor, frowning at the corporal who was staring at me with a Cheshire smile on his face. “I’m going to check on Randall and the kids. See if they need anything.”
I turned my back to Miller and shot her a look, my eyes wide as I silently pleaded for her not to leave me. Kiaya only shrugged before heading for the door.
Seriously? I thought she was supposed to be the considerate one.
“Alone at last,” Miller pronounced the second the door had clicked shut.
My entire body stiffened.
Before I could even turn around to face him, someone knocked on the adjoining door. Saved by the knock!
I rushed to get it without looking at the corporal, and when I pulled it open to find Devon standing there with Hank right behind him, I let out a sigh of relief.
“Kiaya said you’re getting settled in,” Devon said, shooting me a wink.
I took back every bad thing I’d ever thought about her. Kiaya was a saint.
“We’re working on it,” I said, giving him a relieved smile before turning to face Miller. “Thank you so much for letting us crash here.”
“Of course,” he said, trying to sound gallant but failing because he was glaring at Devon.
Another knock sounded, this one on the front door, and the corporal’s smile faded even more.
“What now?” he grumbled as he headed toward it.
A woman in her mid-to-late thirties stood outside the door. When she saw Miller, she frowned as if confused, but it turned into a smile when she looked past him and saw us.
“One of my patients, I’m assuming,” she said as she walked in, a red bag in her hand.
“I’m Rowan, and yes,” I said then waved to where Hank stood at Devon’s back. “And the other one is Hank.”
Her smile widened and she stuck out her hand. “Lisa. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” I said, taking her hand.
So far, everyone we’d met seemed awesome with the exception of Miller. Maybe he needed to be on his way.
As if I had magic powers, he cleared his throat and said, “I guess I’ll head out.”
The smile I gave him was more sincere this time since I was so thankful to have him leaving. “Thanks again.”
He nodded but said nothing else before slipping from the room.
Once he was gone, Lisa tossed her bag on the bed and nodded toward a chair. “Let me see what I have to work with.”
I did as I was told, taking a seat and turning before reaching back to lift my shirt.
The cut was covered by gauze—which was saturated in blood by now—and at the sight of it, Hank let out a groan. “I’m out of here. Blood isn’t my thing.”
He rushed back into the other room, not shutting the door completely but leaving only a crack.
I got it. I wasn’t totally immune to feeling a little lightheaded at the sight of blood, but I figured it was the perfect time to toughen up. Hank needed too as well, but that was obviously a conversation for another day.
Cold hands touched my back, and I winced when Lisa pulled the medical tape from my skin. It tugged at the hairs on my back and the cut throbbed, only making it worse. Despite how hard I tried to bite it back, I let out a hiss of pain.
“Sorry,” Lisa said, looking up to give a sympathetic smile.
At first glance, I’d thought she was in her thirties, but now I wasn’t so sure. She had fantastic skin, which told me she’d worked hard to take care of it, but the root
s of her brown hair were about a quarter of an inch long and streaked in gray. She’d probably had an appointment to get a touchup that had been interrupted by the zombie apocalypse. I knew the feeling, since my last nail appointment was supposed to be next week.
Lisa’s brown eyes moved back to my wound. “It was deep?”
“It was,” Devon answered for me.
He was standing over us, watching as Lisa inspected his handiwork, a slightly worried expression on his face. I didn’t know why, though. He’d done the best he could, and no one could fault him if the stitches were crooked or I ended up with a jagged scar. It wasn’t like I would have been able to do the same if our situation were reversed.
“I wish I could irrigate the wound, but it’s a little late for that.” Lisa glanced at him, still smiling. “Not that I’m criticizing. You did more than most people could, and the stitches are good. It looks like one tore, but we should be okay without replacing it.” She focused on me, her expression getting stern. “You just need to take it easy.”
“So, no hand to hand combat with the dead?” I half-joked.
Lisa snorted and rolled her eyes. “Exactly, as crazy as that still sounds.”
She wiped the cut down with alcohol before grabbing some clean gauze from the bag she’d brought, then taped it over the wound.
“That’s it!” she said, standing.
I turned to face her, smiling. “Thank you.”
“You are very welcome,” she said, looking between me and Devon, “and thank you for bringing us such good news. I’ve been trying to decide what to do. If I should risk moving on or stay here, and knowing a bite doesn’t mean certain doom makes it easier.”
Devon frowned, only hesitating for a moment before saying, “I’m not sure we really know that for sure, despite Hank’s good fortune.”
“What do you mean?” Lisa paused in the middle of twisting her thick hair into a bun at the base of her neck.
“Well, you have medical training, you tell me. Does the same virus affect people differently? Is it possible for one person to be okay while others are still affected?”
Far Series (Book 1): Far From Home Page 21
