What the hell was going on? I dropped my spoon into the bowl and scratched my head in confusion. A faint, grating sound had started up in the stunned silence, and I looked at Ali. She had her teeth clenched so hard I could hear them grinding!
The tension built, and Stephanie continued to stare at nothing while Ali glowered at her. Ali was on the point of eruption, something I'd seen many times before. Anger directed at Seth, mostly, but she had gone off on Wade a few times in Sundown too. Never had I felt I might need to intervene, but this time was different.
Then, thankfully, Ali closed her eyes and released her jaw, taking in a deep, settling breath. She didn't look happy when she opened her eyes, but the threat had passed. She shot me a harsh look, her eyes almost glowing with green fire, and strode to the kitchen to eat. She didn't come back out until she was done.
I was frustrated and unable to come up with a solution and kept sneaking glances at Stephanie throughout my meal. She never looked my way, but the angry set of her jaw seemed to have softened. She no longer looked sulky, but timid. Maybe she had thought she'd pushed it too far.
I decided to let it go for now. The moment had passed, and I would hopefully be able to talk to her tomorrow. Ali was glowering when she came back into the dining room, but that I could manage.
"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" I prodded, trying to distract her.
"Same as today." Her voice was tight, but at least she was willing to talk. "I need to find a vehicle I can get running." She ran her fingers through her hair, and for a moment seemed shocked by how short it was. She played with her hair a lot since she cut it. Sighing heavily, she continued. "I figured it would be easy, but this isn't Texas."
"I'll take first watch then. You get some sleep." I said. Ali looked at me thoughtfully before her eyes shifted to the table and landed on a stray grain of rice. She raised her hand to flick it away with her fingers.
"I guess I should try." She finally sighed. "Not sure how well I can manage it. Don't much feel like sleeping."
The sky outside had deepened from pink to violet as the sun went down, but it was too early for any of us to sleep. Stephanie lit candles and began to move around some, cleaning up our dinner bowls and getting the next meal of rice ready for the morning. She was clamoring around in the kitchen when Ali whispered softly to me, so softly that normal ears wouldn't hear.
"I think we need to get her out of here."
I perked up at the opportunity to talk about Stephanie's distressing behavior. Leaning closer to Ali, I whispered back as low as I could. "What's wrong with her?"
"Stress, probably." Ali looked toward the flickering light in the kitchen before continuing. "Pregnancy hormones. Who knows? See if she'll talk to you tomorrow while I'm gone. I think I've already fucked this up."
I blinked at that, taken aback by her blunt statement, but had no chance to ask. Ali had stood as soon as she said it, moving to the pallet we were now taking turns with. She fluffed up the thick blanket before lying down on top of it, and stared up at the ceiling with her hands folding across her belly. She gave no impression that she would be asleep anytime soon.
I grumbled loud enough for her to hear and thought her lips might have twitched into a grimace. Moving to the window, I grabbed a candle and a book from our growing pile. After one last frown at Ali, I glanced at the cover of the book. A dark figure wore a trench coat, and the setting behind him looked to be modern day, but he held a wizards staff. Curious. This should be interesting.
Once Stephanie was done washing up, she picked her way to her pallet carefully as if not to wake Ali, who was obviously not sleeping. Stephanie's shoulders slumped in a sheepish manner, no sign of her anger, and she quietly settled down. Long hours passed before either one of them fell asleep. Their uneven breathing and constant rustling was something normal ears might not have picked up, but it was distracting for me. Only after they both quieted was I able to become absorbed in the book.
I had never read much and was a really slow reader, but the book drew me in. As I read chapter after chapter, the night flew by, and I wasn't sure how much time had passed before I woke Ali for her shift. It was well past the appointed time, that much I was positive on. In the darkness, she wouldn't know right away what I had done, but she would figure it out as soon as the dawn came. I curled up on the pallet and stared into the dark corners of the café until the morning sun began to lighten the room.
Ali actually cursed softly under her breath when she realized how long she had slept, and I smiled into the fading darkness. Maybe she would scold me for it later, but for now, she didn't have to know I was awake. I lay quiet, and the room lightened considerably when I finally dozed off. It seemed it was just a second later when Ali was suddenly prodding me awake with her booted foot.
"Hate to do this to you, but I can't waste daylight." She said softly.
"No problem." I sat up, stretching my muscles. Stephanie lay curled in her pallet, and Ali was buckling on her harnesses. Thankfully the gun was included this time. I asked, "Do you need to eat?"
She eyed me, her eyes sparkling in the dim morning light, and replied pointedly. "Do you need to sleep?"
"No." I answered quickly, but found myself trying to stifle a yawn. She paused to put her hands on her hips and gave me a scolding look, but I waved her away. "I'm fine. Go."
Ali pursed her lips, frowning, but finally relented. "Okay, but I take first watch tonight."
After Ali left, the morning dragged on. Our brief conversation had not managed to wake Stephanie, and she slept for a good while, snoring softly. When she did wake, she did so abruptly, snorting loudly and sitting up in her pallet to look around with wide eyes.
"Are you okay?" I said, already sliding out of my booth to rush to her.
As soon as she saw me, she relaxed. Slim fingers reached up to smooth sweaty strands of hair from her face. "Sorry." Her voice was soft, bashful, and she was blushing. "It was just a bad dream."
I sat back. The small scare was enough to get my pulse thumping. The quiet that followed was particularly awkward after yesterday's events, and I was suddenly nervous. I actually stuttered when I spoke. "Do, uh... Do you want me to start breakfast?"
"No." She answered evenly. There was no hint of the curtness that was there yesterday. "It'll keep me busy for a bit. I like to do it."
She fetched a candle and lit it, then slipped to the men's bathroom. That bathroom didn't have a window for light, but at least the toilet in the stall drained... somewhere. A faint odor was building in there, but it wasn't any worse than anywhere else. Being in there was creepy as hell, but Stephanie didn't have much of an option.
The swinging door creaked as she moved from the men's bathroom to the women's. When she returned, her hair was wet and brushed. She riffled through the assortment of new clothes until she found something she liked, and disappeared one last time to change.
I should change too, I thought as I looked down at my shirt. The last time I had washed and changed was the night we had burned all the freaks. I lifted my arms to tentatively smell my pits, then shrugged. It wasn't horrible. I could wait till after breakfast to wash up. Stifling another yawn, I settled back into my booth.
Now that Stephanie was in a better mood, the lump in my stomach unknotted and I felt better. Taking in a deep breath, I relaxed against the wall and smiled. Maybe it was time to start reading again, but the booth was comfortable, and I didn't feel like getting up to fetch the book. With my legs stretched out in front of me, I opted to gaze out the window instead.
Stifling another yawn, I leaned my head against the wall. Maybe I should have gotten more sleep last night. The new calmness of the day wasn't helping. I never even noticed when my eyes drifted closed.
~ ~ ~ ~
Suddenly, someone was shaking my shoulder violently. I jolted awake, tearing myself from my dreams. My mind couldn't process the swift shift in realities.
"Seth?" I gasped, looking around wildly. We had been running from a horde o
f dead-brains, and Seth had fallen. I wasn't strong enough to get him back to his feet and the horde was closing in. My heart thundered in my chest.
Stephanie's brown eyes came into focus in front of me, and I blinked several times. Reality suddenly snapped back into place and my panic became real.
"What's wrong?" I gasped, pulling myself from the booth. Stephanie had leaned in from the other side. Her face was pale, drained of blood.
"Seth?" She looked at me blankly for a moment, chewing on words she couldn't spit out. Shaking her head as if to clear it, she pointed out the window. "Meg's outside."
That shook me. I shot to my feet, my mouth suddenly going dry, and looked out the window. Meg stood outside, a few yards from the door. She carried her rifle, but now it had a strap and was slung over her shoulder. She seemed... indecisive?
"How long has she been there?" I whispered, unsure of what to do.
"I don't know. Not long, I don't think." Stephanie matched my volume. "I was going through some of the clothes, and when I looked up, she was just there."
I had no idea how long I had been asleep, or where Ali had gone. So many possibilities flashed through my mind as to why Meg was standing outside our door, and I was hesitant to find out. Stephanie, who had faded toward the back of the café, looked anxiously from Meg to me. Her hands were clasped together at her chest. Her knuckles white from the pressure she was putting on them.
Turning back to the window, I made my decision. I couldn't let Meg leave without finding out why she was here. Something could have happened. Taking a deep breath, I stepped outside.
Meg tensed when she saw me, but slowly relaxed over the next few seconds. I took a few cautious steps from the door.
"Hi, Joss." Meg said politely. That wasn't what I had been expecting. Our first meeting had not gone as well.
"Hi," I stumbled over the greeting, rattled. "Uh, Meg."
Meg shifted from one foot to the other and I realized she was as nervous as I was. "How is Stephanie?"
"Good." I answered, not sure if that was something I should expand on. Meg had obviously shown true concern over Stephanie and the baby, but I really wished Ali was here to take the lead. I wasn't prepared for this.
Meg nodded and glanced around the plaza. "I'd like to talk to Ali some more if she's willing. She didn't mention how long you guys were going to stick around."
I cocked my head to the side, studying her. I wasn't as good a judge of character as Ali was, but Meg sure didn't look like a threat. Ali hadn't mentioned anything about feeling threatened by her, and I knew she wanted to talk to Meg again.
"She will." I finally said. "She's looking for supplies right now."
"What kind of supplies?" Meg asked quickly, her nervousness showing. She wasn't very trusting.
"Food and trade goods."
Meg looked at me curiously, the question plain on her face. She probably didn't know the worth of trading since she had been here the entire time. She glanced down, her brow furrowed in contemplation, and she nodded to herself as if coming to a decision.
"Most of my supply runs have been east of here, so head that way, "Meg pointed toward the highway. "I know there's a few stores down Flamingo and Tropicana that I never hit."
I nodded my thanks, and then the conversation stalled. There were so many questions I wanted to ask her, but I feared I might ruin it for Ali if I did. I shifted awkwardly, not sure what to say.
"Well," Meg broke the silence first. "If you could let Ali know I'd like to talk to her again, I'd appreciate it. I'll meet her at dusk. Same place we talked before."
Meg smiled at me, a half smile. It was awkward and forced, and I returned the same. Our conversation over, Meg turned to go, and I took a deep breath to calm my racing pulse. As soon as I stepped into the café, Stephanie pressed me.
"What did she want?" She asked, wringing her hands together. Her face was drawn with worry.
"Ali." I answered. "She wants to meet with her again."
"That's good, right? Maybe she wants to help us?" Hope rang clear in Stephanie's voice, and suddenly I was afraid she could be setting herself up for disappointment. If Meg was here with someone else that wasn't infected, what could she offer us that would help Stephanie?
"I don't know." I said firmly, hoping it would calm her. "I'm sure Ali will meet with her, but we'll have to wait until then. I know Ali wants to get us out of here as soon as possible, so even if Meg doesn't want to help us, Ali will stick to our plan."
Stephanie seemed taken aback by that, and suddenly I was afraid she was going to revert to the same bitter mood that had overcome her yesterday. I stifled a groan. I did not want to go through that again.
"I'm sorry I fell asleep." I said, trying to change the subject. I was so relieved when I saw a slight smile curve the edges of her lips.
"It's okay." She replied. "I think I'm safe enough in here from the red-eyes."
I dropped my head in my hands as I sat, running my fingers through my hair. It was starting to get long, longer than Ali's even. "I didn't sleep well last night."
"Nightmares?" She joined me at the table almost timidly. Perhaps an acknowledgment of her odd behavior from yesterday. I considered what Ali had said about stress and hormones. That seemed likely, and I decided to let it go. We all had our bad days.
"No." I shrugged, sliding back into my booth and kicking up my legs. "Just couldn't sleep. It happens sometimes."
"Who's Seth?" Stephanie asked after a short moment of silence.
I grunted, remembering what had happened when she had woken me. I stared at the wood grain patterns on the table top, not wanting to meet her eyes. "My brother."
"He's gone, isn't he?"
There was a deep concern in her voice, but I didn't want to talk about him. I had shared my memories with Becky during a special moment as we both lay dying, but I wasn't sure I was ready to open up to Stephanie. I sat for a moment, considering her.
I had one arm stretched out along the table, and Stephanie reached across to gently take my hand in both of hers. Her voice was soft, coaxing. "Tell me about him."
She had opened up to me already, so maybe it was only fair. Taking a deep breath, I thought about where to start. Despite the loss and sadness, I smiled as the memories came rushing back.
CHAPTER 7 – ALI
I folded my hands over my chest and grumbled. The dually truck I leaned against was old and rusted, but it was the closest diesel I had found. It sat in an employee parking garage less than a mile from the café, but the distance was uncomfortably far considering the hours I would have to spend working on it. Not the best situation, but I would have to make do.
The cab had been unlocked, but no sign of the keys. Annoying little problem, but I'd already made sure I could jump it once I found a fresh battery to slap in there. If I found a fresh battery...
Abruptly, I groaned in frustration and kicked the tire. We were stuck. Mired in the middle of a freak-filled city and a safe evacuation rested entirely on getting this rust-bucket started. I needed a battery, probably a battery charger and a generator to power it, not to mention the kerosene and oil which I had found no sign of yet. So many pieces were up in the air, and it could all prove a waste of time.
And Reed was out there.
A tingle of fear ran down my spine as it always did when I thought of that one-eyed bastard. It was the push I needed to commit myself to the impossible chore. Determined, I pulled the map from my back pocket and sectioned off the first area I would sweep in hopes of finding some of the needed items.
Hours later, the sun was high in the sky but drifting to the west, and I hadn't found anything. Irritated with the situation and trying not to become discouraged, I decided to head back to the café for lunch. That would mean I might have to deal with Stephanie's obnoxious behavior, but hopefully she was over her hissy fit by now.
I had stayed out past dusk yesterday just to avoid her. At least I had a little extra time to play around with the old slot machines a
nd card tables in the hotel, but I couldn't enjoy it. It annoyed me that I allowed her behavior to affect me at all.
I sneered, but managed to hold back the tide of unpleasant thoughts that threatened to rush through me. The girl was young and traumatized. I was the adult here. I was the one who needed to get past it and make sure we held together, but this was something I wasn't prepared for. Freaks I could deal with, but this made my palms sweat.
Stopping at a small, Asian grocery that I'd already picked through, I grabbed the bags that I'd left sitting inside the door. It was mostly different types of noodles and dry spices, but that should put a little variety in our meals. Joss seemed to be in love with his sugary rice, but I was ready to try something new.
I jogged back to the cafe, the noodles rattling in the bags like dice in a cup. Joss opened the door as soon as I entered the plaza, and he waved me on almost frantically. I increased my speed, but the smile I could see on his face kept the panic at bay.
"Meg came by!" He said excitedly when I drew closer.
"What?" My eyes widened in surprise.
"She wants to see you again." He reached for one of the bags I carried and practically pulled me into the café. "She said she would be at the place you first met."
"What else?"
Joss shook his head as he began to dig through the bag he held. He pulled out a container of mixed spices and frowned at it as he read the label, then smiled. "She said search the stores on the other side of the highway. She hasn't spent much time there."
My eyebrows rose thoughtfully, "Well, that's helpful."
I tossed the other bags with the rest of our growing stash. We would have to spend some time sorting through it all before we left, but for now, I was hauling in everything I thought looked useful. Sorting could wait until later. A nervous excitement was starting to bubble up inside me.
"When did she want to meet?" I asked. Stephanie had moved from her booth and was nervously heading toward us. I eyed her for a moment, but looked away, not wanting to incite anything.
"Dusk." Joss was opening the spice bottle. He sprinkled a little out into the palm of his hand and tasted it. He sneezed. "You should learn to hunt."
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