Refuge From The Dead | Book 2 | Dead Summer

by Masters, A. L.

  “Got any more?” Ed asked him quietly.

  Cam poured him one.

  “When are you coming back, Ed?” Cam asked seriously.

  Ed was silent for a few minutes. “I don’t know, Cam. I just don’t know.”

  “I thought so,” he said, nodding his head.

  They went out onto the porch and drank in silence for a while.

  Eventually, Nick and Jim and Jack joined them.

  “Did Angie go on up?” Cam asked him.

  “Yeah, she said she wanted to be well rested for tomorrow.”

  Nick looked back and forth between them.

  “You guys have a really weird relationship. I hope you know that.”

  Cam groaned, Nick laughed, and Jack flushed a bit. Ed just shook his head.

  Ed finished his drink and stood up. “Well, I best hit the hay. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

  “’Night, Ed,” they said.

  “I better go too. I want to help Jess get the dishes done,” Jack said.

  “I think those two have something going on,” Nick said after Jack left.

  Cam thought he sounded disappointed by the fact.

  “I know they do,” Jim said.

  “Well, goodnight. I’ll be ready early,” Nick said.

  Cam and Jim sat in the dark together, sipping their drinks.

  “What are you doing, Cam?” Jim asked him quietly, seriously.

  “With Angie? Or with the island?” Cam asked, needing clarification.

  “Both.”

  Cam tilted his head back and rubbed his temples. He had been pushing away these kinds of thoughts, and he wished Jim would just do the same. He couldn’t quantify it, and he didn’t like things that he couldn’t quantify.

  “Fuck, I don’t know man. Do we have to put some kind of label on it? I’m in love with Angie, Angie’s in love with me. She loves you for some weird-ass reason that I can’t comprehend. You’re like my brother, man. That’s all I know,” Cam finally answered.

  “Soooo, we’re like…sister-wives except that I don’t sleep with Angie?” Jim asked, excited to have found a term to apply to their situation.

  “Dude, give it up already!” Cam shouted.

  “I will when you admit it,” Jim said.

  “Fine, that’s what we are,” Cam said

  “No, you have to say it.”

  “I’m not saying that shit!” Cam retorted.

  “Fine, I guess I’ll just have to keep bringing it up. Over and over and over. Maybe even when you and Angie are getting it on, too. Maybe I’ll just barge my way in and get in your face and keep asking you,” Jim kept on.

  “Shut up already!” Cam shouted.

  “Say it! Say, ‘Yes Jim, we are brother-husbands,” Jim said.

  “Idiot! We are brother-husbands, okay?! Is that the stupid shit you needed to hear?” Cam said, getting up and heading inside. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He wondered if Jim would find a way inside if he locked him out.

  “Hey, did you ever catch that show on T.V.? That guy had five wives’ man! Five! Imagine if Angie had five husbands.” He shook his head in incredulity.

  “We aren’t her husbands…and there will never be five of us,” Cam said irritably.

  He had enough of Officer Bozo for now. He wanted to get cleaned up and curl up with Angie.

  He hoped Bozo kept his damned, weird thoughts to himself from now on.

  Jessica

  Jessica cleared the dishes and got them washed with Jack’s help.

  He sent Jonah up to watch a movie with Bradley for a while. He kept glancing over at her while she was scrubbing, and she was starting to get really nervous.

  She wasn’t afraid of him, but she just didn’t know what to expect.

  “We’re about done here,” Jack said, brushing her forearm with his hand.

  “Yep, I’ll just finish getting these put away.”

  “No. Let me. You go on upstairs. Is it still okay if I come to your room?” he asked steadily.

  He must have seen her hesitation, because his face fell. “It’s okay. You go on and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  “No! I didn’t mean…I’m just nervous, that’s all.”

  She bit her lip and tried to think of a way to explain without sounding like a complete virgin, which she was, of course.

  “The thing is…I don’t have much experience with this sort of thing,” she said, wondering what he was thinking.

  He was quiet for a moment, then he turned and wiped his hands on a dishtowel.

  “Jess, I don’t want you to do anything that you don’t want to do. I don’t want you to feel obligated to sleep with me. I think it’s best if we just forget about tonight. Maybe we can watch a movie together instead? Bradley brought basically the whole collection,” he said, rolling his eyes.

  He was such a good man, which was probably extremely rare these days…though they seemed to have an abundance of them here on the island.

  Who knows, they may be the very last good men left in the state.

  That was a depressing thought.

  ◆◆◆

  Later, they were curled up on Jessica’s bed watching an old classic. It was Jessica’s favorite.

  “Why didn’t they just take shotguns to the birds?” he asked for the second time.

  “I don’t know. Maybe they didn’t have them?” she replied.

  He was analyzing every second of the movie and she was amused at his insights and comments.

  “So, why didn’t they load up and leave after the birds attacked the school? Why did they stick around for more?” he asked.

  Ok, it was getting a tad bit old now.

  “I don’t know,” she said.

  “But…why didn’t the police call in help? And how exactly did that woman get pecked to death by birds? I mean, these aren’t ostriches or dinosaur birds or anything! This makes no sense!” he finally said, throwing his hands up in the air.

  “Jack?” she said, getting his attention.

  “Yeah?”

  “It’s a movie.”

  He grinned sheepishly. “I know. I’m horrible. I just can’t keep my mouth shut about things. People stopped watching movies with me long ago. It’s going to take someone special to put up with my shit,” he said in a self-depreciating way.

  “Well, it’s a good thing I’m special then. What do you want to watch next? It’s still early,” she said, looking at her watch.

  “Tell you what. Let’s go get some wine and popcorn, and I’ll pick the next one,” he suggested.

  ◆◆◆

  Two hours later they had finished a bowl of popcorn, a bottle of wine, and the movie he had chosen.

  “You’re a Trekkie!” she shouted as the movie ended.

  “I am not!” he said, horrified.

  “Are too! I bet you’ve seen all the movies. I bet you secretly dressed up and went to the conventions, didn’t you!” she teased.

  “Hell no! Well…there was that one time. No, that didn’t count!” he said quickly.

  She laughed, clutching her sides. He reached over and tickled her, making her screech loudly in hysterics.

  “Stop!” she shrieked. “Please! Please stop,” she was out of breath and in fits of laughter.

  He looked over at her and shook his head. He reached over and pulled her against his side and rested his chin against her head.

  “Jack?” she said, serious now.

  “Hmmm?”

  “I’m not nervous anymore,” she said.

  He jumped up and threw her over his shoulder. She laughed again and grabbed his butt upside down, squeezing. It was only fair. He kept her upside down for one more moment, then tossed her gently on the bed.

  She lay back, leaving her arms spread wide, welcoming him. He lowered himself down on top of her, the length of his body along hers.

  “Tell me to stop,” he said in her ear, before moving his mouth down to her neck.

  He sucked on the delic
ate, sensitive skin there and she moaned at the exquisite sensations he was causing.

  “No,” she said finally.

  He growled and sat up on his knees. “Then let’s get these clothes off you darlin’, I’ve got a favor to return.”

  He stripped off his shirt and jeans before pulling her to the end of the bed. She watched him, eyes wide in anticipation…and a tiny bit of fear. He was magnificent. He had muscle in all the right places. She particularly loved his chest. He was so large and masculine. He knew what he was doing for sure.

  He looked like he wanted to eat her up.

  This was as far as she had ever been with a man in her entire life. She trembled a little and he noticed.

  “What’s wrong, baby? It won’t hurt,” he said. “You don’t have any reason to be nervous.”

  She bit her lip and looked to the side. “It will hurt.”

  He looked puzzled. “I don’t know what you mean, I won’t get rough with you, if that’s what you are worried about.” He took her chin in his hand and turned her to face him.

  “Tell me what’s wrong. What’s this all about?” he asked.

  She squeezed her eyes closed.

  “You’re my first,” she finally said.

  He drew in a breath and lowered his forehead to hers. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Because I didn’t want you to think I was weird or something, I don’t know. I always wanted to wait for the right man to come along and—” She stopped as she realized what she was saying. She was putting her foot in her mouth again.

  His look became inscrutable.

  “You are telling me that you want me to be the one. You saved yourself for me?” he asked intensely.

  She nodded, staring into his eyes. “I like you a lot, Jack.”

  “Fuck…you have no idea how that makes me feel. You’re going to be mine, all mine,” he said grabbing her face. He kissed her for what felt like hours, until she wasn’t nervous at all anymore.

  “Jack, hurry up,” she urged.

  He chuckled darkly. “Baby, we have all night.”

  ◆◆◆

  “Is it always that good?” she asked him.

  He pulled her over onto his chest. “Nope, that was special.”

  She went and cleaned herself up before laying back down.

  She sighed contentedly and snuggled into his chest. They fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  ◆◆◆

  A little while later, Jessica awoke in the dark, hearing Jack’s even breathing. She scooted up on her elbows and leaned over to him.

  “Jack?” she whispered.

  No response.

  “Jack?” she said again, this time placing her hand on his hip.

  He his thigh flexed under her hand. “What?” he asked sleepily.

  “Can we do it again?” she asked sweetly.

  He groaned and pulled her on top of him. She got what she asked for.

  Angie

  Angie woke the next morning, tangled up in Cam and the sheets. It was unfortunate that they had to get up and get ready to go, she might have taken advantage of the situation.

  She gently shook Cam’s leg. If she smacked his butt, she was liable to take a fist to the face, and she had had enough of that for one lifetime, thanks.

  He still startled awake as she touched his leg, and she stepped back.

  “It’s me. It’s time to get up,” she said gently.

  He rolled over and put his pillow over his head.

  She jumped on his back and bounced until he groaned.

  “What are you doing, woman? Trying to squash me to death?” he asked sleepily.

  “Trying to wake you up. We’ve got to get ready,” she said.

  He twisted beneath her, and she giggled.

  “I’m already ready,” he said.

  She leaned down and kissed him hard. “Me too.”

  Suddenly, she was tucked under Cam’s body. He pinned her arms above her head tightly.

  “Gotcha,” Cam said, rubbing his nose against hers. Then he leaned down and kissed her.

  She was really enjoying it until he started growling and biting her neck like a zombie. She yelled and cringed away, ticklish beyond belief.

  She hooked a leg, chopped his elbows, and flipped him over.

  He was startled into letting her go. “That was hot.”

  She smirked, turned on the water and brushed her teeth and washed her face. When she stepped back out of the bathroom, she saw Cam was dressed already.

  “Want to go wake Jim? I need to go downstairs and make sure Nick is ready. Jess ought to have breakfast going by now too,” Cam said, kissing her.

  “Sure.” She kissed him.

  She went to Jim’s room and knocked on the door. There was no answer. She cracked it. “Jim? She whispered. “Time to get up.”

  He just laid there like a lazy lump, the only things showing were his feet. She grinned and got closer. He was going to learn the hard way to lock his door.

  She slapped his ass hard and ran out laughing.

  “Angel! You’ll pay for that!” he shouted.

  ◆◆◆

  A smiling, luminous Jessica greeted them downstairs. She and Jack had laid out a huge breakfast.

  Angie noticed they were going out of their way to touch each other more than usual. She had a pretty good idea of why too.

  Jack’s possessive gazes toward Jess kind of gave it all away.

  She was happy for them. Poor Jack, losing his wife, he needed a little happiness in his life. She only hoped Jonah was okay with it. He was a good kid.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Ed said as he and Nick entered the room.

  Jean was right behind them, prodding Ed to hurry up.

  “You old coot! You’re walking so slow, the apocalypse will be all over and done with before I get my breakfast!” Jean huffed.

  “It’ll be over right now if we just send you out there to face down the zombie hoards, Jean. They’ll take one look at you and volunteer to be put down!” Ed retorted.

  Angie thought it was good to hear them bickering again. It had been a while since Jean had managed to engage Ed in banter.

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about, old fool. Once you get home, the only people you’ll have left to talk to are zombies. You’ll appreciate me then!” she said sagely.

  “Not likely. I think I’d prefer to talk to the dead. They don’t talk nearly as much nonsense. They also know when to shut up,” Ed returned.

  Jean just spread about a quart of butter on her biscuit and took a large bite. Angie shook her head.

  She was going to miss Ed terribly. She hoped he made it back okay.

  “When are you planning to come back, Ed?” she asked.

  He glanced quickly at Cam. “Oh, I don’t know. It all depends, I guess.”

  She didn’t like that at all. Depends on what?

  Before she could ask, the rest of the team came in to eat. Even the cat showed up.

  Jessica tossed it a piece of bacon and Jonah glared at her. Jack didn’t seem to notice, but Angie sure did.

  Cam finished his breakfast and stood up while the others ate theirs.

  “Does everyone staying here remember their tasks?” he asked sternly.

  “Yes sir,” Brad said seriously.

  Cam let it go this time. Angie thought maybe it was because if he took his position as the leader more seriously, they were likely to follow his orders to the letter. It could keep them all safer, which was the goal here.

  “Jack, you’re in charge while Jim and I are gone. Appoint a second in command, and make sure you keep up the patrols throughout the day and night. Do you remember our rendezvous point in case you guys have to leave here in a hurry?” Cam asked him.

  “Yes, it’s the rock quarry five miles to the south. We hang an orange flag on the stop sign at the end of that road if we had to evacuate this place.”

  “Good,” he said nodding.

  Angie could tell he had no do
ubts about Jack’s capabilities.

  “All right, let’s load up. Everyone, we’ll see you in a few days.”

  Everyone staying behind said their goodbyes to Ed and the team that was leaving. Jean’s acerbic comments rang out across the yard toward Ed’s retreating form.

  It was like she thought if she could insult him enough, he just might stay.

  Angie thought she saw Ed’s eyes turning red, but that could have been a trick of the light.

  “Everyone on the boat,” Jim ordered.

  Angie took her place, rifle by her side, and her knife and pistol on her hip. She felt much more comfortable with weapons now that she knew the basics. She was looking forward to getting the military grade rifles and machine guns. She was itching to try them out.

  She wondered if Cam would let her throw a few grenades…

  Once they crossed the water and made it back to the parking lot, it was like crossing into a different world.

  Everyone was alert, and there was no joking around. Angie tried to use her newly learned skills to emulate the men.

  They filed off the boat and cleared the parking lot. It was a particularly nasty disembarking. The corpses that Cam had laid to waste several weeks ago were rotting horribly in the sun.

  Maggots, flies, and putrid stench filled the air.

  She attempted to tiptoe through the gore and breathed through her mouth, so she didn’t puke. It was the worst thing she had ever seen.

  “Angie, pull security on the left of the lot, facing the woods. Nick, you take the right. Do not fire your weapons unless ordered. Is that clear?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir,” Nick replied.

  Angie felt weird about calling Cam ‘sir’, so she just nodded and took up her position.

  She scanned the woods carefully, using a technique that Cam had taught her. It was called SLLS, he pronounced it “sills.” It meant to stop, look, listen, and smell. He said remembering it would help her remain vigilant while on patrols and on night watches.

  She moved back and forth, head swiveling, scanning her entire area. She saw nothing out of the ordinary. She heard an engine start and glanced back. Ed was ready to go.

  Cam motioned them to come back, and she jogged over, Nick copying her movement across the parking lot.