As The World Dies Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3]

by Frater, Rhiannon

  Snagging a box of Marlboro Lights, she tucked it into the plastic bag she was using as a shopping cart and headed to the far side of the room where gloves, hats, and scarves were grouped. She needed a new pair of gloves, preferably leather.

  Coming around the corner of the aisle, she found Katie on the floor, going through boxes labeled WOMEN’S DRESSES. She looked frustrated as she dug down to the bottom of one of the big bins.

  “Looking for a new dress?” Nerit asked as she sorted through the box of gloves.

  “I got it into my head that I need one for the party tonight,” Katie confessed. Next to her was a very sexy pair of high heels. “I found the shoes, but no dress.”

  Nerit found a pair of soft leather gloves and pulled one on. “Nice shoes.” She flexed her hand in the glove, pretending to fire a gun. The leather was a little stiff, but it would soften up and mold to fit. “So, what brought on this need for a new dress?”

  Katie looked up at her, her expression a little embarrassed. A glow seeming to emanate from her face. She looked happy.

  Nerit grinned. “Oh, Travis.”

  Katie laughed. “That obvious, huh?”

  With a slight nod, Nerit said, “Well, yes, if someone was paying attention. You’ve played it very low-key. He has been far more obvious.”

  Yanking out another dress, Katie sighed.

  “This town wasn’t the hub of fashion,” Nerit said.

  “Yeah, I noticed.” Katie turned her attention to the next box.

  Nerit slid the gloves into her bag and looked around. A carton filled with Halloween costumes caught her eye. It had been part of the overstock in the grocery store that was taken in soon after this had all started.

  “What color do you like to wear?” she asked Katie, her mind swirling with ideas.

  “Purple. Lydia always liked me in purple or blue,” Katie said as she pulled out a plain navy dress several sizes too large for her.

  Drawing a purple sorceress outfit from the box of costumes, Nerit looked at Katie. “Like this?”

  “I am not wearing a Halloween costume.”

  “If we can locate a sewing kit, I can modify it,” Nerit assured her.

  “Really?”

  “Oh, yes. It won’t be as fancy as anything from Versace, but I can make it work.”

  “I’m desperate. If you think you can do it, I’m all for it,” Katie said with excitement and quickly looked for sewing supplies.

  Nerit laid the dress down on the floor and turned it this way and that, trying to figure out what she could do. “I am glad that you are moving on,” she said thoughtfully. “Letting go is always hard.”

  “I wasn’t sure I could,” Katie confessed as she found some small sewing kits in a basket. “Honestly, I still feel guilty about it.”

  “I had three husbands. I understand very well,” Nerit assured her. She was happy for Katie and confident that Travis and Katie being together was a good thing, but she also knew that Lydia would always be a part of Katie and never truly fade away.

  “I’m doing better than I was,” Katie admitted. “Accepting it more.”

  “It’s a journey,” Nerit agreed. “Just take one step at a time.

  Katie offered Nerit the sewing kits. Nerit saw an unspoken question in the younger woman’s eyes. “Yes?”

  “Can you make it sexy?”

  Nerit smirked. “Oh, yes. I can.”

  4.

  The Stage Is Set

  Travis stood up and stretched. He could no longer concentrate on his plans for walling in Main Street. He needed to take a break and not think about it for a while. He stretched again and felt the pleasant burn of the scratches Katie’s nails had left on his back. It felt good.

  He decided to walk around outside. Pushing the office door open, he moved down the hall, running his hand over his hair. It wasn’t until Katie left that morning that he realized they had made a major mistake. It had been months since he was last with a woman and that had been a monogamous relationship where she had been on the pill. And Katie had spent years with a woman, so she probably didn’t even think about contraception … .

  Of course, that wasn’t really an excuse. Their first time together, they had both had condoms ready to go.

  Stepping into the hot afternoon air, he wondered if maybe they hadn’t forgotten to use condoms “accidentally on purpose.” He knew that he was done looking. Katie was it. Now and forever. Maybe in some sort of Darwinian, subconscious way, he was trying to secure their relationship with a child.

  “Peggy, I am here to protest my treatment as a citizen of this city and the shoddy way that I have been treated since I arrived here in this fort that I did not vote on building. I was kept in that garage for over an hour being checked for bites. I do not allow anyone to bite me. I told this vampire once …”

  Travis turned to see Crazy Otis Calhoun being escorted to city hall by Monica, Juan’s cousin. Peggy was waiting for the town freak on the steps. She looked weary already. The old coot was carrying a video camera at his side and looked ready for an argument.

  “Life just keeps getting more interesting,” Travis muttered.

  Shane stepped out of the enclosure as Travis walked toward it. “Hey, Travis, keep the lesbos from making out on the job. Seriously, they could have gotten us killed. They were so busy making out with each other, they didn’t even see us getting ready to leave a while back.”

  Travis lifted an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

  “Now, I know you’re into the blonde and I’m sure you have all sorts of wild fantasies about her, but if that old Jewish hag is going to be running the guards, she better make sure her lesbos don’t make out on duty.”

  “Okay, I’ll let Nerit know,” Travis said calmly. Shane was obviously ready for a fight, but Travis wasn’t going to be the one to give it to him.

  “You better, because I’m not going to get my ass eaten because that blond lesbo chick can’t keep her hands off her girlfriend,” Shane spat, then stormed off.

  Beleaguered, Travis walked into the hotel. Some of the older people were gathered in the lobby, playing board games found in the Dollar Store. He smiled and waved at them. Old Man Watson grinned and returned the wave. Travis felt good about the decision to take the hotel. It definitely had created a real home for the survivors.

  Behind him, Calhoun and Peggy entered the lobby.

  “When did the town take over a privately owned building? This is socialism or communism, I can’t remember which. I don’t agree with you pushing your Amazonian agenda on the people of this fine town … .”

  Peggy sighed as she led Calhoun over to the front desk. “Could you shut up already? Are you staying or not? If you are, I’ll give you a room.

  When the older man saw Travis, he ignored Peggy and said, “That young man came here to build the old theater and now he’s breaking and entering into hotels. Why hasn’t he been arrested? If what Juan told me is true, he is the dangerous ringleader of this new cult … .”

  “Peggy, I’ll be in my room,” Travis said.

  “Oh, fine, just go away and leave me with …” Peggy gestured at Calhoun with frustration.

  Calhoun grinned at her. “I’m on to something, aren’t I? Getting close to the truth.”

  “Oh, dear God!” Peggy said with exasperation.

  Travis winked at a longsuffering Peggy, stepped into the elevator, and thankfully watched the doors slide shut. His bed was calling his name and he was going to take a nice long nap before he had to deal with anything else.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  1.

  The Characters Enter

  The ballroom was alive with music, people, and the rich smell of food. The seniors had arrived first and were settled happily at a table in one corner, nestled into the plush velvet chairs. Rosie’s dinner crew had laid out a fabulous buffet of chicken, Mexican rice, and assorted vegetables, plus big, flaky biscuits and two different desserts. Music played softly in the background over the hotel’s
PA system.

  Jason and Michelle made their way onto the patio, where the other teenagers and preteens had gathered in the gazebo. Someone had brought a boom box so they could play music they wanted to hear. They had a cooler full of soda, and Ricky, Michelle’s younger brother, was hunched down sipping cola and looking at an old magazine. Jason sat down on a pillow and Michelle sat down beside him as they joined the rest of the kids sitting in a circle on the floor.

  Altogether, there were a dozen kids in the fort. They tried to stick together as much as possible. The adults were always so worried and scared that they forgot the kids were just as anxious. Since their parents and other adults often tried to shield them from what was really going on, the younger survivors had found their own ways to get information.

  Melanie, the oldest at eighteen, and Dylan, seventeen, were smoking some of the pot they had found on the body of one of the waiters. That had been big news yesterday among the “shorties,” as they called themselves. It was cool that Melanie, Dylan, Michelle, and Jason had been allowed to work with the adults, but the discovery of contraband had been extra exciting.

  “What’s up?” Dylan asked as Jason reached out for the joint.

  “Just a bunch of old people listening to country music so far. The food looked good,” Jason answered.

  “We grabbed munchies,” Melanie said, sweeping her red hair out of her face. Handing a bag of chips to Michelle, she added, “We were thinking about setting off fireworks later. Dylan bought some off that asshole Shane yesterday.”

  “Sounds like fun.” Jason felt older than his years, smoking dope and swilling cola. He could feel Michelle’s hand lying on his leg. It made him nervous. Nerit’s talk about taking advantage of the good moments of life had really affected him. He was thinking about a lot of things in a different way. He had even made himself scarce earlier in the evening when it was obvious that Juan and Jenni needed time alone. Now it was time for him to chill out and try to enjoy life.

  “Has your mom remembered it’s your birthday yet?” Melanie asked.

  Jason shook his head. “Not yet. I keep waiting, but I’m not sure she even knows what month it is. She’s kinda an airhead at times.”

  Michelle took the joint and inhaled deeply and swatted her brother’s hand away when he reached for it. “You’re too young.”

  Ricky frowned. “I’ll tell Dad.”

  “Go ahead,” Michelle dared, and thunked him on the head.

  “Bitch,” Ricky said sullenly.

  The other kids joined them one by one. Soon, they were all joking and laughing, high on sugary soda and candy, buzzed from the caffeine in the cola, or just plain old stoned.

  Jason was feeling pretty good when Michelle gave him a kiss—the first real kiss of his life. He hadn’t expected that, so he blew it a little when she moved in by trying to ask her what she was doing. Her lips pretty much hit his teeth and tongue. She drew back, startled.

  “Sorry,” she muttered.

  “No, no, try it again,” Jason said quickly, and flung his arms around her.

  This sent Melanie and Dylan into guffaws of laughter, but Michelle smiled sweetly and kissed Jason firmly on the lips for about two seconds. It was enough to make him blush and grin.

  “Ugh, no making out in front of me,” Jenni said from above.

  Jason looked up to see her standing over him wearing a bright red tank top, a knee-length cotton skirt with black abstract designs on it, and sandals. Her long hair flowed loose around her face. Juan was at her side, a new cowboy hat looking far too neat on his tousled curls. Earlier, Jason had seen Juan trying to break in the hat, throwing it around and smacking it against things.

  “Busted,” Jason said quickly.

  “Yeah, you are,” said his mom.

  “Oh, gawd,” Jason moaned.

  “I’m sorry,” Michelle said quickly. “It’s his birthday, so …”

  Jenni laughed. “Yeah, yeah, I know.” She hugged Jason tightly and kissed his cheek, embarrassing him as only a mother could. She handed him a small brown bag as Juan sat down across from them. “Open it.”

  Jason smiled and opened the bag to find a copy of Ender’s Game, his favorite book.

  “I grabbed it a few weeks ago when we were scavenging the library,” Juan explained.

  Hugging his mom, he kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom.” To Juan’s surprise, he hugged his mom’s boyfriend, too. “Thanks, dude.”

  Juan nodded. “No problem. Hope you enjoy it.”

  Jenni leaned over and snagged the joint from Dylan, who was trying to hide it. “What’s this?”

  “Look, I … uh … found it on a waiter. I think it’s a cigarette … ,” Dylan mumbled.

  “Sure you do,” Jenni answered. She inhaled deeply and handed it to Juan.

  “I’ll pass,” Juan said, and handed it back to Dylan.

  “Shit,” Dylan whispered in awe, staring at the doorway to the ballroom.

  Jason turned to see Katie walking onto the patio. She was wearing a very slinky purple halter dress and high heels. She was wearing makeup and had let her hair fall free and curly to her shoulders and she looked absolutely hot. He must have been staring, because Michelle smacked his arm. Katie walked over to join them, her heels clicking on the patio. Juan whistled as Dylan just stared at her with his mouth open. With a grin, Katie sat next to Jenni and tucked her legs to one side.

  “Katie, you’re totally hot,” Dylan said.

  “Thank you!” Katie beamed.

  “Yeah, totally,” Jason said. Michelle smacked him again and he looked at her and said, “Well, you are, too. Seriously, you are.” He kissed her cheek. Her smile was a relief.

  “Yeah, I did her makeup and fixed her hair. She has a hot date tonight,” Jenni said.

  “With who?” Melanie looked very curious. “I didn’t think there were other gay girls in the fort.”

  “With Travis, actually. I’m—” Katie faltered. “—open-minded.”

  Jason knew this wasn’t the case at all, but figured Katie didn’t feel like going into details. He was glad Katie was happy, because for a long time, she had been sad.

  “Cool,” Dylan said with a wide grin that had Melanie glaring at him. “Wanna smoke?”

  Katie took the joint and arched an eyebrow. “You do realize I was a prosecutor before the zombies?”

  Dylan blinked. “Oh.”

  Katie shrugged. “Oh, well. I haven’t done any since college.” She took a drag and handed it back. Jason couldn’t help but stare as the smoke unfurled from her lips. She was really, really hot tonight. Ricky again reached for the joint. Michelle smacked his hand again. There was a brief tussle and lots of giggling between the siblings. The world on top of the hotel was full of laughter. Jason found himself smiling more than he had for a long time.

  When his mom and Juan helped Katie to her feet so they could go join the other adults inside, he stood up and hugged them all again.

  “Travis is pretty lucky,” he said to Katie.

  “So is Michelle,” Katie replied.

  Jason blushed and sat back down as the adults left.

  “Super damn hot,” Dylan said, watching Katie walk away.

  Jason smirked as Melanie smacked Dylan. He turned to Michelle and kissed her very firmly on the lips.

  It was an okay birthday after all.

  2.

  Hell Erupts

  Katie felt a little embarrassed as she entered the ballroom. Nerit’s amazing work on the Halloween costume had resulted in a slinky dress that made her slim, athletic build look very womanly. The dress tied behind her neck and revealed her strong shoulders before gliding down over her hips and ending in a slanted hemline that accentuated the curve of her legs. Despite all her bruises, she looked amazing.

  She felt very much like a girl and that made her a little nervous. She was most comfortable in her running clothes or a pair of jeans and a tank top. Lydia had been good at dressing up while Katie had just tried her best to look presentable when th
ey went out. But tonight, she had achieved a level of femininity that was new territory for her. She felt like a bombshell.

  Feeling a bit light-headed and giddy from the pot, she moved to the bar where Felix was playing bartender.

  “A glass of wine,” she said, and blushed under his awed stare.

  Sipping the chilled white wine, she made her way around the ballroom, greeting people and trying not to look too anxiously for Travis.

  Juan and Jenni were out on the dance floor, laughing and hoofing it up to some country music. Their moves were fluid and graceful. A few older people were on the floor as well, moving slower but obviously enjoying themselves.

  Peggy was trying hard to get away from a tall, older man who smelled so bad that Katie winced. She recognized him as the guy who had arrived on the scooter. He was talking rapidly and waving a video camera around.

  “ … so you can tell the mayor that I don’t believe he’s not feeling well. I think he is avoiding me as he always does, because I alone know the real truth of what he is planning to do. I plan to write to the media and report how he has blocked their transmissions to this town so he can—”

  “I swear to God, Otis Calhoun, if you do not leave me alone, I will have your ass dragged out of here,” Peggy snapped.

  “That’s harassment!” he protested before stomping away.

  As the two of them passed Katie, Peggy whispered, “Nice dress.”

  Finishing her glass of wine, she went back for another and found Bill at the bar, drinking a beer.

  “Nice dress, Katie,” he said with an appreciative smile.

  “Thanks, Bill. I’m trying to impress someone tonight.”

  “Well, I’m impressed, if that counts.”

  She grinned. “Yes, it does. How are you doing?”

  “Still trying to figure out this vigilante business.”

  “If anyone can sort it out, it’s you, Bill.” She was feeling very light-headed and a bit tipsy.