by Kate L. Mary
“We could do that, you know,” Riley says, pointing his corn on the cob at Jim.
“It would mean using twice as much gas,” I point out.
“But it would also mean having more storage and taking more supplies,” Riley counters.
Jim chews slowly, nodding as he thinks it through. “We could, although I don’t love the idea of us being in two cars. I think staying together in a situation like this is better.”
“But we’ll be following each other,” Tori says. “As long as we keep the other car in sight, it should be fine. Right?”
Jim nods again. “If we find another vehicle, then we can give it a shot.”
After dinner, Tori and Jim head upstairs to get some rest. Despite Jim’s assertion that he could nap during the day, he didn’t, and I know he has to be beat.
I stay downstairs with Riley. The sun has set, so we light as many candles as we can and put them around the living room. They don’t give off much light though, and every corner is blanketed in shadows. If Riley weren’t with me, I’d be totally creeped out.
We sit on the couch together sharing a thick blanket. The air is cooler than it was the night before, and all I can think about is winter and how rough it would be if we went up north. I hate the cold anyway, but I can’t imagine living where there’s lots of snow when we won’t have any heat to keep us warm.
“How far is it to Key West?” I whisper even though there’s no real reason to keep my voice down.
“Ten hours during normal driving conditions, but who knows what we’re going to run into out there. Could be blocked highways, or dangerous people. Hordes of zombies. It’s hard to say.”
I swallow and Riley’s arm tightens around my shoulders. “It will be okay.”
“We don’t know that for sure.”
“I know. But the important thing will be to keep calm and stick to the plan.”
“Yeah.”
We lapse back into silence and after a few seconds my eyelids start to get heavy. I know I should stay awake and keep Riley company, but no matter what I do my eyes refuse to stay open.
I wake when Riley shifts next to me.
“Sorry,” he whispers, moving me so he can stand up. “I want take a look around. Make sure it’s all still clear.”
I snuggle into the couch, barely awake enough to register what he’s saying. This old dusty couch is ugly, but surprisingly comfy, and I’m pulled back into sleep within seconds.
“Shit.”
Riley’s curse jerks me awake, and I try to jump to my feet. My legs get twisted in the blanket and I tumble off the couch, landing on my hands and knees. I kick until the blanket falls away, making it possible for me to stand. Then I hurry out of the room.
Riley is standing at the front door, looking out the window. I stop when I’m by his side, my heart pounding forcefully in my chest.
“What is it?” I hiss, trying to get a look. He’s taking up most of the space though, so I can’t see whatever he’s looking at.
“Not sure if it’s a person or a zombie, but there’s someone out there.”
He steps aside, giving me a chance to look out, and I peer through the glass. It takes a moment for my eyes to focus through the darkness, but once they do I see what he’s talking about. There’s a figure wandering down the driveway, but it’s still pretty far away. It isn’t moving fast, so my guess is it’s a zombie.
Riley lets out a deep sigh. “It wasn’t here a few minutes ago. I got up to pee and to make sure everything was still okay, and the yard was clear. I walked around to the back and checked it out, then went outside so I could pee behind a bush. When I came back I just had this weird feeling, so I took another look. There it was.”
“What do you want to do? Wake up Jim?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet, but I don’t really want to rush outside either. If it’s a person and they’re armed, they could shoot us. I was thinking I’d just wait until they got closer. See who or what it is before I make a move.”
“Sounds like a good idea. Or you could go out through the back and circle around the house. Hide in the bushes and surprise them.”
“Yeah.” Riley nods twice, then turns to face me. “You stay here, though. I don’t want to have to worry about you while I’m out there. If anything looks like it’s going wrong, get Jim.”
I don’t like the idea of him going out there by himself, but he has a point. I can stay here, keep an eye out. Alert Jim if things look bad. One person or one zombie doesn’t necessarily mean there’s going to be a problem.
Doesn’t mean there won’t be, though.
“Okay,” I say. “Be careful out there.”
Riley gives me a half smile, then nudges me with his elbow. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep Magnum safe.”
I roll my eyes.
He heads toward the kitchen while I turn back to the window. The figure is closer to the house, now, but still about halfway down the lane. Whoever it is, their pace is slow, but now that I’m able to get a better look, I notice that there’s no stagger in the walk. Maybe it isn’t a zombie after all.
Movement in the yard catches my eye, and I spot Riley darting behind a bush. He’s moving fast, keeping low to the ground, and I doubt anyone would be able to see him from the driveway. My body still tenses, and I still feel like I should be out there with him, but I do as I’m told and stay in the house.
Riley creeps along the fence lining the field, staying as low as possible. He doesn’t stop until he reaches the edge, then he hunkers down and waits.
The figure keeps moving and I can’t take my eyes off it. When it gets closer, I notice how small it is. A child, maybe?
My body gets more and more tense as the seconds pass. Then the figure reaches the point where the fields end and it’s even with Riley and I grip the window frame, practically pressing my nose against the glass. He has to be able to see who it is now, but he isn’t moving. Does that mean it isn’t a zombie? It must. If it was a zombie all he’d have to do is step out and stab the thing in the head. But he’s just sitting there!
Riley stands a second later and the figure stops moving. My heart pounds so hard it’s almost painful. I reach for the doorknob when the person turns to face Riley. He steps closer. They seem to be talking, and even though I’m worried that running out may scare whoever this is, I find myself moving. Turning the doorknob. Rushing out into the dark night.
The night is cool despite the slight humidity, and the ground is rough against my bare feet. Riley’s voice is audible, but too quiet for me to be able to make out at first. I move faster.
“So you’re all alone?” he says, the disbelief in his voice ringing louder than the actual words.
“My parents are gone. I came to see if the McMillians were still around.” The voice is soft and feminine. Young. Maybe early teens.
The closer I get, the clearer the girl becomes. She can’t be more than five feet tall, and thin. Her light hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail and it looks filthy. She turns to face me, and her eyes get big, but she doesn’t go for a weapon of any kind. If she has one. I don’t see anything, so she might not.
“Who are you?” she asks, looking back toward Riley, then turning completely to face me. Her eyes move over me, but she doesn’t say anything else.
“I’m Kyra. Are you okay?”
The girl nods, but it isn’t convincing. Her skin looks really pale in the darkness, and her brown eyes are big and full of an innocence that seems out-of-place in this world.
“I’m okay. Tired. Hungry. I walked here. It took hours.”
“Well, let’s get you inside and feed you,” Riley says, heading toward the house. “What’s your name anyway?”
“Sally,” she says quietly.
We head toward the house together, but she doesn’t say anything else. I take a good look at her, trying to size her up. She can’t be more than thirteen, and even for that age she’s small. She’s wearing jeans that are torn and filthy, and a heavy wool
sweater. It’s cool, but not cold enough for that, so I’m not sure why she’s dressed so warm.
“You run into any trouble on the road?” I ask as we reach the porch.
Sally shakes her head. “No. Just a lot of dead people.”
I’m not sure if she’s talking about bodies or the dead, but I don’t ask her to elaborate. She’s been through enough and she’s young.
When we get inside, Riley leads the way to the kitchen. I get busy lighting candles while he pulls a jar of peaches out of the pantry.
Sally’s face lights up when she sees them. “I love peaches!”
“Well, good. Why don’t you get some food in your stomach then we can get you settled in a bedroom upstairs. We can talk in the morning after you’ve gotten some rest.” Sally takes the jar and heads toward the dining room. She acts like she knows her way around the place, and she said she came here on purpose. She must have known these people pretty well.
I carry the candle to the dining room and take a seat next to Sally. “So you knew the people who lived here?”
She nods, but her mouth is too full of peaches to say anything.
“They were friends with my parents,” she says after she’s swallowed her food. “We used to come here after church on Sundays.”
“We don’t know what happened to them. I want you to know that. The house was empty when we got here, and there was no sign of them anywhere.”
Sally shrugs, but her face falls. “They’re probably dead just like everyone else.”
Something scrapes against the floor behind me and I turn to find Riley standing in the doorway. He’s watching the girl and his expression is sad. I love that he feels bad for her. Riley is an amazing guy. Better than a person could hope for in times like these. Hell, better than a person could hope for during normal times. He puts up with my sarcastic shit, even seems to admire it. It’s like he and I are a match made in apocalypse heaven.
Even though she was excited when she first saw the peaches, Sally doesn’t eat much. Her face scrunches up after only a couple bites and she pushes the jar away. Frowning like they’ve gone bad. “I’ve been so tired all day. I wasn’t sure I’d make it here.”
Riley pushes himself off the doorframe and nods toward the front of the house. “Kyra can help you get settled in, then. Okay?”
I smile at the girl as I get to my feet, and she doesn’t hesitate to return it. She’s too trusting, which worries me. She could have come across people who were dangerous. Who would hurt her. It’s something I need to talk to her about tomorrow.
Sally and I head upstairs and I lead her to the master bedroom since Tori and Jim are in the other one. I feel bad, thinking about Riley and me last night and the fact that the sheets aren’t exactly clean. The other alternative would be the couch, though, and I know she’d get better rest here.
“You want a t-shirt to sleep in?” I ask, setting the candle on the nightstand. “I can get one out of the dresser.”
Sally nods.
I pull a plain white t-shirt out of the top drawer and hand it to the girl. Her hand brushes mine when she takes it, and the chill to her skin sends a shiver up my spine. No wonder she has the sweater on.
She hugs the shirt close to her body and stares at me with huge eyes. Like she’s afraid I’m going to stand here and watch her change.
“I’ll leave,” I say, relieved that she’s able to show a little common sense.
Sally gives me a shaky smile and tugs at her sleeve nervously. “Th-thanks. I just don’t like changing in front of people.”
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Be sure to blow the candle out before you go to bed, and I’ll see you in the morning. Get some rest. Okay?”
Sally nods as I back out the door, shutting it gently behind me. The girl is young, but she seems like she’ll be able to pull through this thing okay.
Riley is on the couch when I get downstairs. As soon as he sees me he lifts the blanket and motions for me to climb under. He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I settle in next to him, scooting as close as possible and savoring the heat from his body. He slips his arm around my shoulders.
“I almost jumped her,” he says, his lips pressed against my head. “In the dark it was hard to tell it was just a little girl and I was so jittery. I’m not sure I would have ever forgiven myself if I’d killed her.”
I twist around to face him, then run my fingers through his hair and pull his face down. His warm lips cover mine, slowly coaxing them open with his tongue, and I follow his lead.
“You did a good job,” I whisper against his lips. “You always do.”
Riley pulls me up until I’m on his lap, his mouth never leaving mine. His kiss deepens and his hands move down my back until he’s gripping the hem of my dress. I break away when he pulls it over my head. Then his mouth leaves mine and he kisses his way down my neck to my chest. My body is throbbing already, and when he shifts under me Magnum says hello.
Riley flips me onto my back and gets up long enough to pull his pants off while I shimmy out of my borrowed underwear. Then he’s on me again, kissing me. Touching me. Teasing me. Our lips are a flurry of activity, and even though I’m hot and ready—and so is he—we drag it out. Each second that passes in his arms has my heart beating faster.
He’s going out tomorrow. He might not come back.
I pull him closer, but it isn’t close enough. He moves so he’s between my thighs and I wrap my legs around him, needing him as close to me as possible. He starts to move and our gasps echo through the room, broken only by the sound of the ticking clock. It ticks and ticks and ticks, counting down the seconds until Riley leaves. Counting down the hours until we make it to Key West. Counting down the days or weeks or months until we die. Counting down to the end of the human race.
We finish amidst a tornado of gasps and groans and tremors, but even once we are both spent, he doesn’t move. He stays on top of me, staring into my eyes while he brushes the sweaty hair off my forehead. Then he brushes his lips against mine, soft and gentle, and I wrap my arms around him. The next kiss is so deep that I can feel it all the way to the tips of my toes.
Once we’ve settled back onto the couch, Riley pulls me against him. Encased in his arms with my head on his chest, it’s easy to forget that the world I’ve always known has disappeared. It’s also easy to imagine that life can start over again.
“So tomorrow we load up on supplies,” Riley says.
I swallow. “Sounds good.”
“I’m looking forward to Florida.” He runs his fingers down my spine. “Seeing you on the beach in a bikini. All tan. Sounds super-hot.”
I laugh even though that’s not exactly the future we have to look forward to. I’m sure there will be some beach time in between work, but for the most part it’s going to be rough. We’re going to have a lot to figure out.
But we’ll be together for it. Me and Riley, and Tori and Jim. And Sally, if she wants to come. I think it would be a good idea if she did, but I’ll leave it up to her. I’m not going to force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do.
“The beach sounds nice,” I say instead of arguing with him. “We can find a big house that overlooks the ocean and spend our days relaxing by the water. Fish. Swim in the ocean every day.”
“Like a vacation that lasts forever.” He presses his lips to the top of my head and I smile up at him. “Only better. Maybe, one day…” He chews on his bottom lip, then lets out a chuckle. “Never mind.”
“No. What were you going to say?”
“Nothing important. Just rambling about the future. Which is stupid. Thinking about the future is dangerous, right?”
“No. Thinking about the future is what will keep us alive. We have to focus on that so we have hope. Otherwise, what’s the point of trying?”
Riley hugs me tight and I close my eyes. I try to picture the future. Me and Riley on a beach. Living in a nice house. Growing older…
Having a family?
Chapter 8
Riley wakes me when it’s my turn to take watch. I know he would stay up all night if he and Jim weren’t going out to find supplies, but I made him promise to let me take a turn.
I give him the whole couch because I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep again, then spend the rest of the night sitting next to a candle squinting at a worn copy of Pride and Prejudice. I’ve read it a million times, and choosing one of the dozens of books I’ve never read crossed my mind, but with the dim light I figured a story I was familiar with would be better.
Every fifteen minutes or so—or at the end of every chapter—I get up and do a walk of the house, looking out to make sure nothing else is creeping up on us. But the landscape is clear and the house is so silent I have a hard time focusing on the book. My eyes keep threatening to close.
When the horizon turns a faint orange, I move into the kitchen to start breakfast. There are only a few sausage patties left, but we also found a box of sausage links, so I cook those up. The meal will represent the last food we were able to salvage from the freezer, though. What little bit that’s left was toward the top and thawed out first, and we all decided it would be unadvisable to cook it. We don’t want to risk food poisoning.
The coffee is made by the time Riley stumbles into the kitchen, and he’s just taking his first sip when Jim and Tori come down the stairs. The sun is still low, but the men want to get a head start on the day.
We fill them in on the previous night as we munch on sausage and peaches, which Tori declares are the best thing she’s ever eaten. She and Jim are as anxious to meet Sally as I thought they would be. Tori voices her concerns about the girl’s safety if she decides not to go with us, which makes me relax. I’ll have a valuable ally when I talk to Sally about heading down to the Keys with us.
When breakfast is done, Riley and Jim get ready to head out. Watching Riley tuck a hunting knife into his belt makes my stomach clench uncomfortably. I’ve just gotten used to him being around and I don’t want to lose him now.
