In her sleep, Katie sighed.
“I love you, Katie.” Lydia kissed her wife.
“Lydia,” Katie whispered, opening her eyes.
The room was empty.
Katie rolled over, tucking the pillow under her head. Feeling more alone than she had in a very long time, she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.
2.
Danger Looms
Katie stirred when the first knock came at the door, but did not wake until the second.
Carefully maneuvering her growing self out of bed, she waddled to the door, using her hands to support the weight of her belly. “Hello?”
“Katie, it’s Curtis,” came the response. “I need to talk to you, okay? I need advice.”
“Okay, come in,” she said, opening the door to reveal his tearstained face and downcast posture.
He shook his head. “I can’t talk about it here. I need fresh air. Meet me on the wall near the hotel loading dock in like fifteen minutes?”
Katie glanced over her shoulder at the clock on the bedside table. “Curtis, it’s after midnight.”
“Please, Katie. I really need some advice. I’m desperate.”
He looked so pathetic that Katie couldn’t refuse. “Okay. I’ll get dressed and meet you there.”
“Thank you,” he said with a sigh. “Just don’t tell anyone, okay? I don’t want people talking about me and my problems.”
Katie nodded. “Okay, hon. I understand.”
Curtis lowered his red face. “Thanks, Katie. You’re a good woman.” He turned and walked away. With a sigh, Katie shut the door and rubbed her eyes, wondering what was troubling Curtis. She was exhausted, but sleep would have to wait.
* * *
Travis quietly unlocked the door to his room, trying not to wake his wife. He was surprised to find the lights on and Katie struggling into a T-shirt.
“Babe, what’s going on?”
Pulling the shirt down so her face popped into view, Katie said, “Curtis came by. He looked like shit. He says he needs to talk, so I told him I’d meet him in a few minutes at the corner of Morris and Main.”
Frowning, Travis gently stopped her as she reached for her jeans. “It’s after midnight. You’re exhausted. Why can’t it wait until later?”
Leaning against him, Katie sighed. “He looked so upset. I feel bad for him; I know things have been rough on him since Bill died and Monica became involved with Bette.”
Kissing the top of her head, Travis exhaled wearily. He laid his cheek on her soft hair and closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. As tired as he was, he could stand there forever, holding her. “I’ll go talk to him.”
“Travis, you’re tired, too,” Katie protested. She gazed up at him in a way that made him feel as if he could fight a million zombies and win.
“I would love nothing more than to lie down next to you and hold you in my arms as we sleep, but you’re right, Curtis is having a rough time right now. I think Bill may have been the closest thing he had to a best friend.” Travis pushed her gently down on the bed. “So, you go back to sleep and I’ll see if I can offer him some brotherly advice.”
Katie started to refuse, then sighed and lay back on the bed. One hand draped over her pregnant tummy, she gazed up at him. “Okay, okay, I won’t fight you. I’m too tired anyway.”
Travis kissed her belly, then her lips. “I’ll be back soon and we’ll have a few hours of nice, cozy sleep.”
“Yum,” Katie said, “that sounds wonderful.”
Travis smiled. “You’re wonderful.”
Running her hand lightly down the side of his face, she whispered, “Hurry back.”
“I will.” Travis leaned down and kissed her lips again softly. “Love you.”
“Love you,” Katie answered drowsily.
“Always and forever,” Travis added.
She snuggled into her pillow. “Send Curtis my love.”
“I will.”
He straightened the covers around her, then turned to go. A sudden chill flowed over his body and he froze, feeling the hair on his head stand up on end. Looking back, he saw that Katie was already asleep; the lamp next to the bed turned her hair into a halo.
There was nothing visibly wrong, but Travis couldn’t shake the fear that had washed over him. Taking a deep breath, he headed for the meeting with Curtis.
3.
Vigilante Justice
It had been many months since justice was dealt out at the fort. For a long time, the Vigilante watched and waited to see what the so-called leaders of the fort would do or say.
The Vigilante had not been satisfied. The time had come for the Vigilante to deliver justice to those who were weak and a burden to the fort.
Yes, the time had come.
The Vigilante hesitated before the communication center and looked in the glass window set in the door. Smiling, the Vigilante studied Curtis’s features. The man had obviously been crying.
Curtis was weak.
But the Vigilante was strong.
It was time for justice.
CHAPTER THIRTY
1.
The Veil Falls
Travis trudged wearily up the stairs to the wall. The humidity hung in the air, making him feel sticky. This area of the wall was basically a dead end, and Travis wondered why Curtis had picked such an isolated place to talk. He supposed the younger man wanted to be sure no one would see him discussing his troubled love life with the mayor’s wife.
He heard a step on the catwalk and turned to see Curtis moving toward him.
“What’s up, Curtis?” he called out.
“Oh, Travis! Hi,” the younger man said awkwardly. Looking around swiftly, Curtis shifted uncomfortably on his feet.
“Katie’s asleep, Curtis. She’s real tired, what with all the hard work and the baby coming. She’s almost due. I told her I would offer you a sounding board. I know this is a really rough time for you.”
Curtis looked extremely uncomfortable. “Yeah, I guess … I just thought … Katie could give me some good advice. I didn’t know who else to go to. With Bill … you know…”
“I know,” Travis answered. “We’re all feeling his loss. And Jenni’s, and everyone else’s. It feels overwhelming sometimes.”
“Really?” Curtis said. “You don’t seem to be too affected.”
Travis heard an odd tone in Curtis’s voice, but replied calmly, “Of course I’m affected. I just don’t show it to everyone.”
“I guess you’re just good at hiding things. I know I’m too emotional.”
“Some people might say that I’m not emotional enough. You and I, we’re different people,” Travis answered carefully, hearing the sarcasm in Curtis’s tone. “We deal with things differently.”
“Yeah,” Curtis said, nodding. “Yeah, we do.”
* * *
“Nerit,” a voice called softly.
Standing on the shore of the Dead Sea, Nerit turned and raised a hand to shield her eyes from the blazing sun while she looked for the speaker. Wind made her long blond hair thrash around her face, and she felt sand and salt in the creases of her uniform, rubbing against her skin.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“Here. Come to me.” The voice was on the waves.
Feeling disoriented and afraid, Nerit nonetheless stepped into the sea.
“Deeper,” the voice called. “Come to me.”
“Ralph?” It sounded like her husband, but she wasn’t sure. The water was up to her waist; she felt the warm wavelets lapping around her.
The wind was howling, almost screaming in her ears.
“Don’t look behind you, Nerit, just come,” Ralph’s voice persisted.
Despite his words, she peered over her shoulder. The shore was filled with the screaming, howling undead. A few were wading into the Dead Sea, following her.
Suddenly a hand reached out of the water, grabbed her, and dragged her into the salty depths.
In the
clinic, Nerit’s eyes snapped open. As her eyes struggled to focus, she ignored the annoying ache of the IV in her wrist. Cautiously, she sat up and was surprised to find that her body responded without pain.
Ralph stepped out of the shadows and sat down in the chair at her bedside. Dressed in jeans and his favorite blue shirt, he looked just as he had on his last birthday. The day the zombies rose. He smiled warmly and laid his hand over hers. “Nerit, you’re okay. You’re awake.” He sighed. “It was hard to get you back, you were so far gone.”
“Ralph,” she whispered, placing her other hand over his. “I can feel your hand.”
“Only for a little bit, hon,” he said, giving her a small smile.
“Am I dreaming?”
“No, sweetheart. You’re awake. Out of the coma. Lots of prayers were going up for you, you know,” Ralph said with a wink.
“What’s happening?” Nerit asked cautiously.
Looking sad, Ralph squeezed her hand. “What happens next is gonna be hard. Not to my liking. Probably not to yours. But it is how it is.”
“Ralph, please, I know I have cancer—” Her voice broke. Was he here to take her for good?
“Not no more, Nerit. It’s gone.” He looked grief stricken, and Nerit squeezed his hand tightly. “I wanted you home with me, but you got an extension. They need you here.” He sighed, and then a corner of his mouth quirked up. “I even prayed for you to stay.”
The relief she felt was overwhelming. To fight on for the fort was all she wanted, and yet she felt sad not to be joining him. “Ralph, I’ll always love you.”
“I know, Nerit, but your place is here. And your being here changes everything. Some of us on the other side realized that. We saw it all: Past, Present, Future. There are points in time that the future hinges on. This is one of those moments.”
Nerit’s senses felt sharply focused. “I see.”
Ralph stood up. “I hope that the world lives on beyond tomorrow.”
“Ralph, there’s more, isn’t there?” She looked at him evenly. “I can tell by your expression.”
With a short nod of his head, Ralph said, “There’s trouble in the fort. …”
* * *
“When I see people doing shitty things to other people, I want to tell them that they need to shape up and get with the program. I want to tell them, ‘This is the law. You gotta obey it.’ But lately—” Curtis shook his head. “—I can’t find order anywhere, even in my own damned life.”
Tucking his hands into his jean pockets, Travis nodded slowly. “Yeah, I know what you mean. We’re all just doing our best.”
“But people keep dying, Travis.”
Measuring his words carefully, Travis answered, “This world is dominated by death, Curtis.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Curtis agreed. “But some of the living make it harder on the rest of us.”
Travis tried to keep his face neutral, but his body tensed. He studied the young policeman’s twitchy behavior and flushed face with growing concern. “We’re doing what we can, Curtis.”
“Yeah, right. Saving people. Bringing them here. Taking a fucking stand against religious people. But maybe they were right, Travis. Did you ever think of that? Your girl got all right and straight—” Curtis laughed sarcastically. “—but my girl went all queer when the mall folks came here. Do you even give a shit about that?”
“Monica and Bette—”
“Don’t say their names like they fucking belong together. They don’t! Monica, my Monica, was okay before those shitbags from the mall got here, those corrupters. And that nigger—”
“Hey!” Travis’s voice was harsh. “Don’t go there.”
Curtis glared at Travis. “This is the country, city boy. We talk different out here. And why the hell is an outsider leading us anyway?”
“Curtis, you know I’m just one of many people who make decisions—”
“You blew into town all fancy and handsome, got all the girls crazy about you and your fancy ways. Then all this shit hits and you’re the fucking king? If the mayor wasn’t such a pussy, we might have had a little more fucking luck taking care of our own before dragging every fucking faggot, raghead, nigger—”
“That’s enough, Curtis! You need to calm the hell down. I’ll drag your ass down to the clinic and sedate you if I have to.”
Curtis stepped forward. “Try it,” he said in a low whisper. A knife glittered in his fist.
* * *
Katie was fast asleep when she felt someone tug on her arm, cajoling her out of her dreams. Opening her eyes, she gazed into Jenni’s eyes.
“Jenni!” Katie gasped.
“Hi!” Jenni said with a perky smile and a small wave.
“I’m still asleep!” Katie was disoriented, but thrilled that she was seeing Jenni, even if it was in her dreams.
“Nope! You’re awake and I’m here!”
“You’re dead.”
“I know! I’m a ghost.” Jenni was beautiful. Her skin was pale but pink. Her dark eyes were brilliant and her dark hair fell silkily over her red sweater. “Don’t be such a stupid dork.”
“You’re really here,” Katie said, “and this isn’t a dream?”
Jenni shook her head. “Not a dream. I’m really here, but only for a short time. I’ve always been nearby, but I was waiting.”
Katie flung her arms around Jenni and felt flesh and blood in her grasp. “I can feel you!” Katie was laughing and crying at the same time. “Oh, my gawd, Jenni.”
“Isn’t it cool? And look at your tummy! You’re about to pop!” Jenni snuggled up to Katie. “You look so good, Mama.”
Katie sobbed with joy. “Oh, Jenni. I’ve missed you so much.”
“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m here now. I’m here to save you and Travis.”
“What do you mean?” Katie demanded, hearing the seriousness in Jenni’s tone.
Jenni glanced at the clock. Her hand, in Katie’s, was beginning to feel thinner, less solid. “It’s almost time. Crap. I forgot what time was like. It’s different on the other side.”
“Jenni, what do you mean?”
“I’m here to save you and Travis,” Jenni repeated.
“Jenni, you’re scaring the hell out of me! What’s going on?”
“Curtis is about to kill Travis! We have to hurry!” Jenni grabbed Katie’s hand, but their fingers passed through one another. “Oh, damn! I’m already fading!”
“Jenni, what do you mean Curtis is going to kill Travis?” Katie felt as if she couldn’t breathe.
“You need to get help to Travis right away! Curtis is the Vigilante,” Jenni replied. “Do it quick!”
Katie scrambled into action as Jenni vanished.
* * *
Juan woke to the ringing of the phone on the bedside table. He fumbled for the receiver.
“Hello?”
“Juan, it’s Katie! Curtis is the Vigilante and he’s going to kill Travis.”
“Huh?” Juan couldn’t process what he was hearing.
“Juan, you have to help me! Everyone is asleep and Jenni says I only have a few seconds to sound the alarm!”
Struggling to wake up, Juan listened as Katie repeated herself and added the location where Travis was to meet Curtis. “Katie, what do you mean Jenni told you—?”
Katie made an inarticulate noise and slammed the phone down. Juan winced at the sound, his fingers already dialing Kevin’s number.
* * *
“Curtis,” Travis said, “you don’t want to do this.”
“Actually, I do.” Curtis took a step forward, moving with deadly confidence. His expression was calm; his eyes were hard and his jaw set. He seemed more self-assured than Travis had ever seen him.
Travis watched the knife warily. His heart was thundering in his ears as he stayed alert, ready to evade any attack.
Curtis smiled triumphantly. “You know, originally, I was going to push Katie over the wall. Let you see how it feels to lose the woman you love. But you dying work
s just fine.”
Travis took a long breath to calm himself, knowing that he needed to think clearly and not let his emotions get in the way. Taking another step back, Travis felt the catwalk sway slightly. He scrutinized his surroundings with a sinking heart. Curtis had picked one of the best places in the entire fort for an attack. The area was isolated at the best of times. In the middle of the night, no one would notice anything.
“Who knows? Maybe your lesbo wife will hook up with Bette and return my girl to me. That could work.” Curtis methodically advanced on Travis.
“Curtis, think about what you’re saying. You’re speaking about murder,” Travis said in a measured voice.
“I call it justice. I got rid of the people when you wouldn’t. I took care of the fort when you didn’t. You all blamed Blanche, but she was just a stupid whore. I did what was necessary!”
“So you killed them? Ritchie, Jimmy, Phil, Shane…” Travis tried to push his shock away and focus on the moment.
“And a few others you don’t know about.”
Travis knew he had to act soon before the younger man backed him into a dead end.
A low moan froze both men in place. A zombie staggered into the alley below.
“Well, that is perfect timing. Guess he heard the lunch bell,” Curtis said with a grin. He lunged at Travis.
Travis avoided the knife and smashed into Curtis with his shoulder, knocking him back. Curtis fell, but didn’t drop the knife. Travis kicked, aiming for the wrist of Curtis’s knife hand. He missed and Curtis grabbed Travis’s leg and tried to pull him off his feet. Travis gripped the handrail and fought to keep his balance.
Curtis raised the knife. “It’s better for the fort this way.”
“No!” Katie crashed into Curtis; the impact pitched Travis over the wall. Somehow Travis remembered to tuck and roll as he hit the ground, but he landed with a shock of pain and bit the inside of his mouth. In a panic, not sure where the zombie was, he struggled to his feet. Moaning filled his ears and Travis kicked out, catching the monster squarely in its torso. The zombie fell to the ground.
Bracing himself against the wall, Travis feverishly searched for a weapon. To his surprise and relief, he saw Curtis’s knife glittering on the ground nearby. He kicked the zombie again as it tried to scramble to its feet, then snatched up the knife.
As The World Dies Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3] Page 93
