“I’m sorry.”
Aaron and Michael are going over our supplies as I join them, and I stare at the ammunition they’re dividing up. “We took this off the dead bandits,” Aaron says without looking up at me. “Everyone has a weapon now, and we’ve got a bit more ammunition, but we still have to be careful about wasting it.”
“How do the rest of our supplies look?”
“We have to leave behind the extra pair of clothes we packed to make room for the new ammunition, but we’ve still got the candy,” he says with disgust. “I can’t believe this is all we have to eat to survive. We won’t last long on a sugar rush.” He looks at Michael and sighs. “I hope you’re right about there still being supplies at this base. If not, we’re starting our new lives with no food.”
“Everything will work out,” Michael says, but he doesn’t sound like he totally believes that. “It has to. We need to stay strong if we’re going to make it to Dayton, but once we’re there, things are going to look up, Aaron. We’ll have food and weapons and then we’ll be in the air and on our way to Colorado.”
“How are we supposed to get to Dayton?” Todd asks. He eyes what’s left of the truck, lingering on the exploded out windows. “That sure as hell isn’t gonna run anymore. We can’t walk to Dayton.”
“We’ll find another vehicle,” Aaron says. He tries to look reassuring for what’s left of our group, but I see right through it. Aaron is finally having doubts about his plan, and he doesn’t want the others to know. “Until then, we’ll just have to tough it out on foot. We’ll stick together as a group and we’ll take care of each other. Now, let’s go.”
I sling my red backpack of candy over my shoulder, wishing we had more to eat than just junk food. However, I’ll take chocolate and sugar over an empty stomach any day.
With one final look at our temporary safe haven—and the place where Felicia will reside forever—we head off down the road. Several times, I have the strongest urge to stop and look over my shoulder, glancing at Felicia’s small, unmarked grave. But I know that if I do, I won’t be able to leave her, and I’ll die here with her.
So I force myself to hold my head up high and keep going.
*****
Our group walks in silence for nearly three hours, and we stop at a park that has been long abandoned to set up our camp for the night. Michael stands on a picnic table, keeping guard over all of us with a shotgun in his hands. I can feel his eyes on my back as I walk around, gathering firewood to make a small campfire that will hopefully keep us warm and safe during the night.
When I have a bundle of wood in my arms, I head back to the small circle where everyone is gathered. Janelle and Daisy are sitting with Todd while he tries to catch his breath, and I cast a quick, worried glance over at him. His black hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat, and his eyes look dark and lifeless. He looks like he may collapse at any moment and never get back up.
I pile the sticks in one of the park’s campfire pits while Janelle forces Todd to eat a candy bar. She watches him like a hawk, making sure he eats the entire thing. Seeing her watch over him makes me wonder if maybe Todd and Janelle are closer than he lets on. The way the two of them look at each other is almost like family, like the only thing the two of them have left in the whole world is each other.
“Daisy, will you toss me the box of matches and what’s left of the newspaper?” I ask.
Daisy roots around in the bag, and I try not to focus on the bandaging on her wrist. When she finds the box of matches, she tosses them over to me. The few remaining matches rattle in the box, and when I slide it open, I count only six left. I strike the match tip against the side of the box, producing a tiny, bright flame. Daisy crouches down beside me and dips the corner of the newspaper into the flame.
It catches instantly, and I shove the balled up newspaper under the pile of sticks. Then Daisy and I both hold our breath, waiting to make sure the tiny flame doesn’t go out, leaving us in the darkness. When the wood catches fire, Daisy and I both heave giant sighs of relief, and she inches closer so she can warm her hands.
Everyone moves closer to the fire, seeking warmth and protection. Aaron returns from scoping out the park, and he plops down beside me. “There aren’t any zombies out there at the moment, so we should be safe for now. We’ll finish eating and get some sleep. In the morning, we’ll see if we can’t find some more supplies, and possibly a vehicle.”
I pass Aaron a king-sized candy bar, and he and I eat in silence beside each other on the damp grass. The chocolate melts in my mouth, and I try not to think about how unfulfilling this candy will be for us in the long run. For now, I plan on enjoying this tiny, insignificant little pleasure. I’ll worry about the bad stuff later.
We toss our wrappers in the fire when we’re done. I lick the remaining chocolate from my fingers, and turn to Aaron. “Who takes first watch?”
“Michael’s gonna stay up while we get some sleep, and then I’ll relieve him around two.”
“Aaron, you and Michael need sleep as much as the rest of us do,” I point out. “Why don’t you let me and Janelle take turns on watch?” I look over at her, and she nods. “We can do it just as easily as you guys can.”
He sighs, and he looks so exhausted I know he isn’t going to argue with me. “Alright. You can take the first watch, and Janelle can—”
“Stop right there!” Michael shouts, startling all of us.
Aaron immediately grabs his weapon and jumps to his feet, striding over to where Michael is still standing on an old picnic table. “Michael?”
“There are figures moving out there,” he says quietly. “They don’t have the same mindless shuffle as the zombies. I think they’re alive.”
“Bandits?” Daisy asks, eyes widening in horror.
I can just barely make out the shapes of what looks to be six or seven people hovering at the edge of light created by our fire. I can’t make out any of their features, so I can’t even tell if they’re male or female, or if they’re possibly armed and dangerous.
“Identify yourselves!” Aaron shouts, his voice booming with authority despite how tired he is.
“Aaron? Is that you?”
Aaron and I trade quick glances, before he looks back out into the darkness. “Allen?”
The closest shapeless blob steps into the light, and I feel myself relax instantly. It is Allen. Aaron motions for Michael to put down his weapon, and Allen beckons to the rest of his group.
They slowly step forward and into the light, and I recognize the soldier from the school as he steps up next to Allen. Beside him is the pregnant woman who escaped, though she isn’t pregnant anymore. She holds a small bundle in her arms that can only be her child, and for the first time in awhile, I can feel my heart flutter with hope at the sight of the swaddled infant.
There are a couple of people missing from his group, but I refuse to think about what probably happened to them. Thinking about their fates will only cause my hope to diminish more than it already has in the past couple of days. So, I step forward and shake Allen’s hand when he offers it, trying not to look like I pity him as a leader
Allen gives me a tired smile, but he looks relieved to see a friendly face. I can’t say I blame him. With so few people left in the world, every friend counts, whether you know them well or not. And this friend was very helpful to us just a few days ago. Without the backpack full of supplies that Allen gave us, we might never have made it as far as we have. We owe Allen so much.
“Madison, you look like you’ve suffered since the last time we spoke.” He looks me up and down, and his gaze stops at the golden cross around my neck. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but that wasn’t there before.”
“No, it wasn’t. A friend of mine was recently killed, and I couldn’t let her go without some reminder of what kind of person she was.”
Allen sighs and puts his hand on my shoulder. “I know what it’s like to lose someone you care about. Hell, I’m sure by now we all kn
ow what that feeling is like. I’m very sorry for your loss, Madison. I hope you find peace.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly, looking away from Allen’s caring eyes.
“Allen, what are you still doing in the city?” Aaron asks, getting down to business. “I thought your plan was to head for Chicago days ago?”
Allen nods his head at the woman holding her baby. “We had an untimely surprise. With Kelsey in labor, there was simply no way for us to keep on the move. We had to find a safe place to lay low until the baby was born and she could get back on her feet.”
“You delivered a baby?” I ask, slightly in awe.
Allen shrugs. “I didn’t have to do much. Kelsey did most of the work. All I did was tell her to breathe, and then I caught her little boy, cleaned him up, and handed him over to her.” He looks over at Kelsey, who is sitting beside Daisy and Janelle while they coo over her baby. “It’s amazing how one little person can change your whole outlook on life.”
“Having a baby in your group is going to make things much more difficult for you,” Aaron points out.
“It doesn’t matter,” Allen says. “We have hope now. We have a reason to keep fighting and never give up.” He looks at me again. “What reason do you have for never giving up, Madison?”
I think about Todd and my heart starts to beat a little faster. Losing Felicia was hard enough, but if I were to lose Todd as well, I don’t know if I would be able to keep going. Right now, Todd may be one of only two things keeping me from giving up all together. He and Aaron are the most important people in my life, and they give me hope to keep going, especially in light of what happened earlier.
My throat tightens at the thought of Felicia, and my hand clutches the small, golden cross that hangs between my breasts. When I look up again, I see Allen staring at me with eyes that look so unbearably sad, like he can see right through me, straight to the tragedy I suffered not too long ago. I can see the question in his eyes, but I can’t answer, so I look away, staring out into the darkness around us.
Aaron clears his throat. “Allen, if your group would like to stay with us, you’re more than welcome to. I’m afraid we don’t have any food to spare, but we do have a warm fire and good company to offer.”
Allen nods his head and smiles gratefully at us. “Thank you for your offer. Sleeping on our bus is a nightmare.”
Everyone spreads out to find a comfortable place to sleep, and as I lie next to Todd, I can’t help but think of all the things that have gone wrong over the past few days. I lie awake for hours, crying silently to myself, until exhaustion finally takes over.
Chapter Seventeen
The next morning, I awake with groggy eyes. With only two or three hours of sleep, I barely have the motivation to do anything, at least until the food gets passed out. We eat a very unfulfilling breakfast of candy bars in the dark of early morning, and Allen takes pity on our group. He passes out a handful of canned fruit, and I inhale the sweet goodness so fast I nearly choke on it. When Todd sees me coughing, he laughs, looking almost cheerful for the first time in a while. He thumps me on the back with his fist, careful not to hurt me, and succeeds in dislodging the piece of fruit.
His eyes meet and hold mine, and I feel my lips turn up in a hint of a smile. He bumps his knee against mine, and his hand slides over until his fingertips are touching mine. I curl my hand around his, holding onto it as tightly as I can. “How are you holding up?” he asks quietly, turning his back to the rest of our group and our guests.
I think long and hard about his question before I answer, hoping that I can find an answer that will satisfy him. How am I holding up? Felicia’s empty, lifeless eyes flash through my mind, and I squeeze down on Todd’s hand to keep from shuddering. I think about Felicia’s laugh, which could always calm my nerves, even though I only heard it on a few rare occasions. And lastly, I think about the golden cross that now hangs around my neck, and the way Felicia used to grab it as tightly as she could, and even though I couldn’t hear the words she whispered to herself, I knew she was praying for guidance when things got rough.
I take a deep breath, hoping that I don’t cry. “It’ll take some time, but I’ll be alright eventually. It’s still so recent, and sometimes I think I’ll wake up and find out that it was nothing more than a nightmare.”
“I know you’ll be fine eventually. You’re strong, Madison. You’ll get past this, and I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“I know,” I say, giving his hand a tight squeeze. “And thank you for that. I mean it, Todd. Thank you.”
Aaron clears his throat nearby, and Todd and I turn around. “Maddy, I need you for a minute. I’m going to talk to Allen, and I’d like you to be there with me.”
I nod my head. “Of course.” I give Todd’s hand one more squeeze before getting up. I dust off my pants and follow Aaron over to where Allen is waiting for us. Beside Allen is the single remaining soldier from the school, and he doesn’t look happy about it.
Aaron is the first person to speak. “Allen, are you and your group still planning on making the trip to Chicago? It’ll be much harder with a baby tagging along.”
“Yes. We have a running bus that fits everyone in my group, and we’ll be taking it hopefully the whole way. Your group is welcome to join us, Aaron. We have plenty of room on the bus.”
“Thanks, but we’ve got our own plan, and it doesn’t involve going to Chicago.”
Allen nods. “Where are you going?”
“Colorado, hopefully.” Aaron looks back at what’s left of our group and sighs. “I’m not sure if everyone has what it takes to get there. We’ve lost so many people in the last few days. I don’t think we can keep going like this. Sooner or later, someone will give up.”
“How do you all plan on getting to Colorado?” Allen asks, trying not to sound too skeptic.
“We’ll be flying.” Allen raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything. “There’s a place in Dayton that was occupied by the military, and when it fell, some of the helicopters remained. Michael is a pilot. If we get him to a helicopter, he can fly it. We should be able to make it to Colorado once we’re in the air. And, best part, there’s no zombies up there in the sky.”
“What’s your plan for getting to this helicopter?”
Aaron sighs. “I don’t know yet. We don’t know exactly what condition this base is in. We know it got overrun, but we don’t know how bad the situation still is. Things might have cooled down, or they could have gotten exponentially worse. And we’re running very low on weapons and supplies.”
“Not to mention it’s kind of hard to form a plan when you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” Allen says.
“This is the only chance we’ve got of making it to Colorado in one piece,” Aaron says quietly. “We’ve already lost too many people in the city. Out there on the open road, where any number of things could go wrong…we can’t risk it. We either fly there, or we die here.”
The soldier snorts. “Sounds to me like you’re gonna die trying to get there. It can’t be done, not with the weapons you people have.”
“Michael hopes that when the place got overrun, some of the weapons and supplies might have been left behind. And having some military grade weapons will be a huge help. Not to mention the other supplies we’ll hopefully be able to find there.”
Allen and the soldier look at each other, and the soldier sighs. “It’s your call, Allen.”
Allen nods his head and faces Aaron. “I think I can help you. Dayton is on our way to Chicago, and like I said, we’ve got room on our bus for you and your group if you want to hitch a ride with us.”
“Allen—”
“Aaron, our group is running low on weapons as well, and if this base has them, it will benefit us to check things out. I can’t promise you that I can get your group to your helicopter, but I can certainly get you to the base. What do you say, Aaron? Need a lift?”
Aaron sighs gratefully. “Thank you for doing this
, Allen. I don’t know how we’ll ever be able to repay you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Allen says seriously. “This is going to benefit my group as much as it does yours. I’m just trying to look out for them; helping you is secondary to that. No offense.”
“None taken,” Aaron says. “When do we leave?”
“Now. The sooner we leave, the sooner we’ll get this over with. I’m going to go and talk to the rest of my group and let them know the plan. You should start packing up what’s left of your supplies and get ready to leave.”
Everyone rushes around our makeshift camp, packing up everything we have. Todd and I put out the fire with handfuls of dirt, and we bury the ashes to make sure nothing catches fire after we leave. If New York caught fire and there was nobody around to put out the flames, it could spread and envelop the entire state, destroying everything in its path. The thought of running from zombies, bandits, and flames is not a good one.
Finally, everyone is ready to go, and Allen leads both groups out of the park. The bus is waiting for us at the bottom of a hill, and we all climb aboard. Todd and I sit together on one of the smaller seats in back, with our bags at our feet. Aaron and Michael sit a few seats ahead of us, and I can hear them talking about strategies for getting us into the base once we get to Dayton. Daisy and Janelle are sitting together, and as Allen starts the bus, they begin to braid each other’s dirty hair and tell jokes with one another.
For a little while, Todd and I pass the time by staring out the window as we drive through the remnants of New York City. However, it quickly becomes apparent that staring at the ruins of our home is not a good idea, and I feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness begin to creep up inside of me.
Everywhere I look, I see the results of destruction and mayhem. Overturned cars line every single road, blocking our path in some places and slowing our journey. I see pools of tacky blood, broken out windows, scorched buildings, and bodies lying everywhere. Some of them are in further states of decomposition than others. One body we pass is so fresh he’s still twitching as a handful of zombies dig into his stomach, pulling out handfuls of intestines and organs.
Zombie Country (Zombie Apocalypse #2) Page 22
