Instead he ran up and swung his rifle stock. The weapon connected with its head, but the thing persisted. Frantic, Noah hit it again, but the creature continued to claw. He surveyed the landscape.
Something glistened in the grass. Caddy’s knife.
He grabbed hold of it and held it over the creature.
Noah plunged the blade into its skull, sending it reeling back onto the grass. Caddy rolled out from under it.
The thing writhed several times and then went still.
Noah struggled for breath, his lungs heaving. He tried to focus, but his body was exhausted. All around him was noise: the hum of the car engine, the thud of his heartbeat, the whimpers of Caddy and her mother. He closed his eyes and reopened them, but the noises didn’t go away. Instead they converged into one, like a single entity threatening to take him over.
His brain had reached its tipping point. Rather than fighting his way back to reality, Noah had tuned it all out.
He looked up at the sky. The eternal blue was as magnificent as it had ever been; the sun shone against the horizon. He let the rifle slip through his fingers and to the ground.
All around him was death and chaos, but the world above was as beautiful as it had been a few weeks ago, whispering promises of freedom and serenity. If only he could transport himself there…if only he could escape the nightmare he’d found himself in…
If only he could…
Noah collapsed.
9
He awoke to a face he didn’t recognize. A woman with shoulder-length brown hair was smiling at him, pressing a cloth to his forehead. He was resting on a soft surface, his body stiff and sore. He attempted to sit up, but his head was swimming.
“Who are you?” the woman asked.
Noah opened his mouth to answer. Another voice cut him off.
“This is Noah, Mom. He’s our guest.”
Noah turned his head to find Caddy standing beside him, her lips pursed with concern.
He tried to sit up, but his body was still weak.
“Lie down and relax,” she said.
“What happened?”
“You passed out.”
“Did we get all of them?”
“Yes. They’re gone for now. Don’t worry.”
Noah reclined on the bed, letting his shoulders sink into the pillow. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept in a bed. In fact, the last few nights he’d hardly slept at all.
The simple comfort of a mattress felt like heaven.
“Take this,” Caddy said, handing him a cup of water.
He creased his brow.
“It’s from a spring in the woods. Behind the house.” She beckoned toward the window. “After what you told me, I went out and filled a few containers.”
Noah took the cup, still confused. “How did you know where to find it?”
“I’ve lived here my entire life. I know these woods inside and out. Besides, I read a lot.”
“What about bacteria? Did you boil it first? If you didn’t boil it, we could—”
“Already did. My mother and I have a small camping stove. It won’t be the best thing you’ve ever tasted, but it’ll keep you hydrated.”
Noah took a long sip. The liquid was lukewarm but refreshing. He glanced over at Caddy’s mother and introduced himself.
“I’m Noah.”
“I’m Theresa,” the woman said. “Are you feeling better? You were asleep for most of the day.”
“I’m fine, thanks to you both.”
Theresa smiled, but he saw her brow furrow. In spite of her friendly demeanor, she seemed confused.
Caddy looked over at the woman. “Mom, can you give us a minute?”
Theresa padded from the room, giving a few confused glances over her shoulder on the way out. Caddy took a seat in her chair and pulled it close to the bed.
“My mother has Alzheimer’s,” she said. She looked down at her hands, wringing them together. “It’s been a hard road. We don’t have any other family, so things have been difficult. And now with all this going on…it feels like her confusion has gotten worse.”
“I can only imagine.”
“I’ve done my best to keep her calm, but it’s been difficult to explain all this. Even when I do, she forgets.”
Noah heaved a sigh. He couldn’t picture what the Theresa’s life must be like. It’d been hard for people without her disease to accept the situation.
“Leaving her alone makes me worried sick,” Caddy said.
She pointed to the doorway, where a slew of colored Post-It notes were attached to the doorframe. He read one of them. “Stay in the House. Be Back Soon.”
“Does she understand what they mean?”
“Usually, but not this last time. If we hadn’t gotten here, I’m not sure what would’ve happened. Thank God she didn’t leave the house.”
“I’m glad we got here in time.”
Caddy sighed.
“So what’s going on, Noah? Is this some kind of poison?”
“My understanding is that it’s a virus.”
Noah went on to explain everything he knew, narrating his journey from Albuquerque to White Mist, his subsequent travels with the other survivors, and their run-in with the agents.
“So this whole thing was planned?”
“It sounds that way. The people who did this are trying to wipe out the population. The infection didn’t get all of us, so they’ve been systematically eliminating the survivors. I think some of us might be immune. Have you seen any of the men in white coats in town?”
Caddy shook her head. “No, I haven’t, thank God. I’ve had enough on my plate with the creatures.”
The girl dipped her head. Noah tried to envision what her life had been like. When the infection had hit, he’d been traveling on the highway, miles away from the place he’d called home.
He couldn’t imagine watching his hometown disintegrate.
“Are there any other survivors?” he asked.
“You’re the first person I’ve run into in days.”
“Well, thanks for stopping to help me. If you hadn’t, I would’ve been dead.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s nice to have company for a change. Besides, it’ll do my mother good. She loves visitors.”
As if on cue, Caddy’s mother called out from the other room.
“I should go check on her,” Caddy said. “I’ll be back.”
“No problem.”
“Stay here and rest. If anything happens, I’ll come get you.”
Caddy stood and slipped from the room. With his host gone, Noah studied his surroundings.
By the looks of it, he was in a guest bedroom on the first floor. The walls were an ocean blue, decorated with paintings of boats, sandbars, and seashells. A starfish sat above the doorframe. Even though they were a thousand miles from the ocean, the setting was calm and serene.
He closed his eyes and envisioned a swell of waves lapping at a beach outside. Anything was preferable to the nightmare he’d found himself in.
The last time he’d been to the beach was several years ago in Portland. He’d accompanied his parents to Cannon Beach, and they’d strolled on the sand for hours, admiring the magnificent rock outcroppings and taking in the scenery.
The memories hit him like a tidal wave. He tried to dismiss them and fall back asleep, but his mind was too restless.
He sat up. Muffled chatter filtered in from the other room. His head was still sore, and his body ached, but the rest had done him good.
His stomach rumbled. Although his thirst was quenched, he could still use some food.
He got to his feet. His clothes were ripped and stained, and he hadn’t showered in days. He fel
t a wave of embarrassment. Had the two women noticed when they’d carried him inside? He hoped not.
There were two windows in the room: one on the front wall and one on the right. Both had been covered by furniture and boards had been nailed across the panes.
He peered out the front window. Through a crack in the barricade, he was able to get a glimpse of the neighborhood. The houses were silent and still. He stared into the windows across the street, expecting to see faces peering back at him, but the houses appeared empty.
So Caddy hadn’t been lying. By the looks of it, she and her mother were the only survivors. If there’d been anyone else in the neighborhood, they’d already fled.
His thoughts roamed to the creatures in the backyard. Even though they’d disposed of that bunch, there were bound to be others. The three of them could hide here for a while, but they’d need food and weapons.
If they were going to stay, they’d need a plan.
“I thought you were asleep,” Caddy said. She frowned at Noah, her face filled with concern.
“My brain won’t shut off. It’ll be dark soon, anyway, and we need to keep watch.”
He peered around the living room. The center was wide open—all of the furniture had been shifted in front of the windows. It was as if magnets had been implanted into the walls, sucking the contents of the house against the sheetrock. Theresa sat in a lone armchair in the corner, a magazine on her lap.
He followed Caddy into the kitchen. With the sun setting, the house had taken on an eerie aura. Shadows crept into corners; shapes shifted on walls. Several times, Noah caught himself staring at boxes or pieces of furniture, certain the objects would come to life and grab him.
The kitchen windows were boarded, allowing little light into the room. Caddy led him to a counter near the sink. On top of it was a pile of supplies. He let his gaze wander over a pile of flashlights, batteries, and knives. He noticed there were no firearms.
“I’ve been collecting whatever I can,” Caddy whispered. “I got most of this from the neighborhood. A lot of the houses had already been picked over and the food was gone.”
“When did that happen?”
Caddy sighed.
“About two days after the infection. Two cars pulled through with looters. They wrecked what was left of the neighborhood and took everything they could find.”
“Did they come in here?”
“They tried, but I threatened to shoot them. I said there were others with me.”
“And they believed you?”
“The pistol helped.” Caddy gave a grim smile and patted the pistol at her waist. “I guess they figured I wasn’t worth the trouble. Unfortunately, I ran out of bullets.”
“Is this everything you have?”
“Yes. I was going to try and get more, but the infected had other plans.”
“The infected. That’s what I’ve been calling them, too.”
Caddy shrugged. “It seems to fit.”
“You don’t have anything else?”
“Nothing except your rifle.”
“We’ll have to figure something out,” Noah said. “But not tonight. We should plan on staying inside. It’s too dangerous to go out in the dark.”
“Agreed.”
“We’ll need food as well. I wouldn’t trust anything you got from town. The last thing we need is for one of us to get infected. I think our best bet is to check my truck. Maybe the men who attacked me left something behind.”
Caddy nodded.
Noah sifted through the weapons on the counter. Among them was a six-inch kitchen knife. As he inspected the blade, he shook his head in disbelief. Just a few days ago, his biggest worry had been keeping the gas tank filled and paying his rent every month.
Now he was searching for the most dangerous weapon he could find.
But he had no choice. To fight back was to stay alive. That was why he’d killed Kendall back in Arizona; that was why he’d killed those men in the woods…
“Are you all right?” Caddy asked.
Noah snapped to attention, realizing he was staring absently at the knife.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Just bad memories, that’s all.”
“I understand. I haven’t slept in days,” she confided.
He looked up at her. Despite the growing darkness, he could see dark circles beneath her eyes.
“I’m worried about my family,” Noah said. “I haven’t spoken to any of them in a week. The last family member I spoke to was my father, and I can hardly remember the conversation. It seems like a year ago that we talked.”
“Ever since the infection, the days last forever. And the nights—well, they’re even worse.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Things have to get better. That’s what I keep telling myself.”
Noah nodded and set the knife on the counter. “You’re lucky to have your mother here. It seems like having her here has kept you steady.”
“She’s the most important person in my life. And she’s also the most courageous. Every day she wakes up with a smile on her face, even though she has no idea what the day will bring…sometimes I think she’s better off not knowing.”
Caddy leaned over the sink, peering through the boards that barred the window.
“It’s getting dark outside. Do you want to watch the front or the back?”
“Why don’t you get some rest, Caddy? I can handle it. I’ll be lookout while you and your mother sleep.”
“But I should really—”
“I mean it.”
Hearing his insistence, Caddy backed away from the counter and thanked him. She handed him the rifle.
“There’re only three bullets left,” she warned. “Make ’em count.”
“Got it.”
Caddy smiled and exited the kitchen. He listened as she coaxed her mother from the chair, then led her upstairs and into one of the second-floor bedrooms.
Regardless of the violence and bloodshed she’d seen, Caddy had somehow managed to hold it together. Her resilience gave him a sense of hope, a sense that maybe Noah could see his own family again.
And at that moment, that was exactly what he needed.
10
Noah stared out the window, watching the shadows deepen. For the past few hours he’d been roaming the house, keeping vigil over the neighborhood. His hands blanched from holding the rifle. Although he’d slept, exhaustion had slipped back over him, reminding him of the sleep he’d lost.
Up until an hour ago, he’d still heard Caddy and Theresa tossing and turning in their beds upstairs, but they’d since quieted. He imagined neither of them had slept much since the infection had hit. He couldn’t blame them.
These days, to sleep was to risk one’s life.
He’d been lucky Caddy had found him in the woods. In spite of the misfortunes he’d suffered, Noah was alive, and that was enough to give him hope. Having survived the ordeal of the past few days, he was one step closer to Portland, one step closer to his family.
He’d get there. No matter what it took.
In the meantime, he needed food. His stomach was hollow and empty. The growl of hunger had grown to a roar over the course of the day. The last time he’d eaten had been twelve hours ago.
That morning, he’d pulled into an open field and torn into a box of rice cakes. He’d been rationing his food for days, only eating when absolutely necessary. By his calculations, the food from the salvage yard would’ve been enough to get him home.
And now it was all gone. Or so he suspected.
But he’d find out in the morning.
His brow furrowed as he peered out the window. Across the street, he saw what appeared to be a possum. He clenched his hands around the rifle. For a split second
, he contemplated stepping outside and stalking it down.
If it weren’t for the noise a gunshot would make, he might’ve killed it for food.
If there was nothing in his truck, they’d have to consider other options.
Noah sighed and stepped away from the window. He’d been watching out the front for several minutes, and it was time to change positions. He padded across the house and into the kitchen, gazing at the walls around him.
The last time he’d felt safe was in the salvage yard. He thought back to the RV he’d slept in and to the companions who’d kept him company.
He missed Delta most of all. He could still see her face clear as day, her blue eyes watering when he’d told her he was leaving. Ever since he’d departed, his guilt had weighed on his conscience, threatening to crush him. They hadn’t known each other long, but they’d shared a kiss, and he’d been thinking about her for days.
He hoped he’d see her again one day.
Noah took up residence in the kitchen. A few minutes later he switched positions to the front bedroom. The neighborhood remained calm and quiet. If there was anything lurking in the shadows, it remained hidden.
A few hours later, the sun crept over the distant hills, igniting the landscape with the promise of a new day.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs behind him.
Noah turned, holding the rifle against his shoulder.
“Good morning!” he said.
Caddy smiled at him as she walked into the living room. Her mother was right behind her. Theresa eyed him warily, brow furrowed.
“Who’s this, Caddy?”
“This is Noah, Mom. He’s watching over the house. Remember? I was telling you about him upstairs.”
Theresa looked unsure, but she smiled and extended her hand. Noah gave it a gentle squeeze.
“How’d you sleep?” he asked.
The older woman lit up. “Pretty well, thanks. I had the strangest dreams, though.”
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