With one hand pressed into my chest, he pushed me back and positioned himself in front of me, rifle raised. Another box slipped free to the ground, and my entire body flinched. Lawson didn’t fire his weapon with uncontrolled fear, like I had. Instead, he remained calm, his body tense but controlled. When a low, soft meow broke through the silence, I motherfucking whimpered.
“It’s a fucking cat,” I whisper hissed.
Some of the tension left Lawson’s body, but he still didn’t move. Another hesitant mewl came from the animal, and I went to my hands and knees reaching for the flashlight which had scattered out of reach. Wrapping one hand around it, I climbed back to my feet and shone the light on the destroyed shelving. Amongst the boxes of moisturizer and face wash, a fluffy black head appeared. The light reflected off big, orb-like eyes, and the cat squinted away from the brightness.
“Cat,” I said again, my voice no longer a shrill panic.
The cat meowed again, unfazed that I’d just tried to shoot its furry little head off. A small bark of uncontrollable laughter spilled from my lips.
“A freaking cat.”
Lawson lowered his gun, and I stepped around him.
“Here hold this,” I said, shoving my weapon and flashlight into his arms. Shining the light on the shelving, he was careful not to shine it right in the animal’s eyes again. “Hey pretty boy,” I said in a cajoling voice. “Or are you a girl?” Reaching out one hand, I wondered for just a moment if the cat might be infected. Would it suddenly attack me? It definitely wasn’t decaying, in fact, it looked rather healthy apart from maybe needing a good feed. “You look not much older than a kitten,” I noted as the animal took the last inch of space between us and rubbed its head over my hand with affection. “There you go, sorry for trying to shoot your ass. You shouldn’t have snuck up on me like that.”
Lifting the animal down from the shelf, I held it against my chest.
“It’s a cat!” Turning to face Lawson, I smiled. Not a zombie, not a remorseless human out for only themselves, but an innocent, little, fluffy, black cat.
Nodding, Lawson handed me my gun back, but kept the flashlight. The cat didn’t try and escape, content to just rest in my hand pressed against my chest. We checked the rest of the store together, which was a shit better plan than the split and seek we’d begun with. There was a locked door behind the back counter which had a rank odor seeping from it. There was no moaning or pounding to get free though, so I guessed whatever was behind there was likely dead, like dead dead. When Lawson started going through the rows of medicine with the flashlight, I glanced to the exit at the far end of the store.
“I’m going to pass this little fella off to Raleigh and the kids. I’ll be right back.”
His nod was a little distracted, but I knew he’d heard me. Moving quickly back through the darkness and toward the sunlight spilling in from outside, I finally climbed through the mangled gate and into the fresh air. The parking lot was still empty, apart from our vehicles and I raced around the side of the RV, Raleigh still carefully watching our surroundings.
“Boo, open up.”
The door sprung open, and Noah’s fearful eyes found mine.
“Look what I found?”
Her gaze dropped to my chest and that fear vanished, awe and delight replacing it.
“It’s a kitty,” she whispered in wonder.
“You wanna take her? I can’t help Lawson search and hold her at the same time.”
“It’s a girl?” Noah asked.
“Shit, no idea.” Taking a peek in the vicinity of the cat’s nether regions I found something that suggested she was in fact, a he. “Actually, I think she’s a he.”
“Can I give him a name?” Noah carefully took the kitten, bringing him up to her chest much the same way I had.
“Ummm, sure.” I had no idea how permanent a fixture the cat might be. We had no food for him, but he was tiny, so I assumed we’d find food easy enough. If Raleigh wasn’t fond of the idea of an animal in her RV, I could always let him travel in the Toyota with me and Lawson. Felix suddenly appeared from around Noah, his startled gaze landing on the cat.
“It’s a cat!” he exclaimed with the kind of excitement only a child could muster.
“It’s a boy,” Noah helpfully explained. “His name is Justin.”
My grin grew at the name. I knew she’d named him after Justin Bieber, and the glare she gave me dared me to object. Raising my hands, I shook my head.
“I think it’s a great name, Boo.”
I continued to watch Noah and Felix fuss over the cat and soon Raleigh popped her head out. As soon as she noticed the kitten, the hardness in her features softened.
“We’ve got some long-life milk, let’s see if he’s hungry.”
Thanking Raleigh with a simple nod, I closed the door to the RV, not leaving until I heard the lock engage. From the Toyota, I grabbed a couple of empty shopping bags before rejoining Lawson. Finding the kitten had been a stroke of luck. The animal’s life and normality would be the perfect distraction for Noah and Felix. In fact, I think it was pretty darn good for my own battered soul.
Track Twenty-Seven: Guns N’ Roses, Paradise City
CHAPTER 27
“It’s not due for another two weeks,” I whispered, embarrassed as hell to be discussing my monthly cycle with Mr. Sexy Soldier Lawson.
We were camped in a truck stop on the eastern side of Las Cruces. The city which would normally be ablaze with lights by this time of the evening was cloaked in darkness. Stars shone down upon us, the quarter moon resting above the jagged hills that overlooked the city. It was beautiful, even with the lack of humanity. From the drugstore, we’d managed to get our hands on the medicine Felix needed, as well as a stack of other supplies that filled up the back seat of the Toyota. After leaving, we’d run into a horde of zombies, staggering around a large community health center building. They seemed to be concentrated in that one particular area, and it made me wonder what might be inside that attracted the infected to that one place. While Lawson felt compelled to investigate, there were too many infected, and we didn’t have the manpower or weapons to clear a path inside, let alone get out again. Even if the building was full of healthy survivors, we had no way of getting to them or helping them. Driving away from the unnerving scene felt like a betrayal, but there was no point in getting ourselves killed when we didn’t even know what lay beyond the chained doors of the brick building. After putting an hour between ourselves and Las Cruces, we decided to stop. The sun was slowly beginning to dip over the horizon and all of us were feeling tired, hungry, and a little dejected. Noah and Felix were in the RV with Raleigh, playing with the kitten. Lawson and I were sitting on the roof, in the exact place we’d rocked ourselves to release only twenty-four hours ago. Only this time there was a space between our crossed legs, and a pregnancy test sitting in an innocuous pink box at my feet. My eyes were glued to the object as if it might attack me.
Lawson scribbled another note and handed me the torn and crumpled notepad. It had seen better days. He needed a new one.
The earliest you can check is five days before your period.
“So, what? I have to wait another nine days?”
Lawson nodded. Well fuck. My gaze drifted away from the test and to my packet of cigarettes. I wanted one so bad my skin was beginning to itch, and I felt restless. My head was pounding like I’d had the biggest night of my life, and I was a little lightheaded. Nicotine withdrawals sucked. I’d only tried giving up twice before and both times I hadn’t made it past a week. This was day two…and I already wanted to cry myself to sleep.
Lawson pulled something from the back of his cargo pants and held it up. A lollipop. My head rolled back, and I looked toward the twinkling stars that all seemed to be mocking me right now. Candy wasn’t going to help the withdrawal symptoms. It would barely work as a distraction.
“Can I use a patch or something?”
L
awson shook his head, no. He looked genuinely sorry. Taking a long deep breath in through my nose, I blew all the frustration out through my mouth, and took the pink lollipop from his hand.
“Fine, cold turkey it is. I mean, it was going to happen sooner or later…right?”
Lawson nodded.
“I’ve only got a few left anyway.”
The earnest look on his face, such sympathy and pity both warmed my heart and pissed me off. It was nice to have someone care, but at the same time, foreign. Cullen only cared when it benefited him. My parents stopped caring when things got too hard. Noah cared, but I spent most of the time refusing to let her worry about me, instead turning the attention back around on her. I didn’t know how to graciously accept Lawson’s affection.
“They’re only cigarettes. People quit every day, soldier. Stop looking so worried.”
The bastard smirked. Did he think I couldn’t quit? Did he think I would endanger the possible bean cooking in my stomach?
“I can quit,” I murmured. “I just never had the motivation. I’d never harm a baby.”
Placing an unexpected hand over my stomach, Lawson clearly mouthed the words “I know”. The gesture shocked me speechless. Lost in thoughts, Lawson pulled his hand away and began writing something else on one ragged piece of paper. There was so much good in this man it humbled me. How had Noah and I come to be so lucky as to find him in this giant fucksicle of a world? When his note was shoved in front of my face, my awe-filled thoughts were cut short.
You would make a fucking awesome mom. You’re fierce, strong, kind, and protective. Don’t ever doubt what I see in you.
I could be a lot of things, but an awesome mom? I wasn’t so sure about that. Lawson’s belief in me was bewildering, he barely knew me. How could he be so sure?
“Shy.”
Noah’s shout had me shoving the pregnancy test to Lawson’s chest in a panic as I scrambled to my feet. The last thing I wanted to discuss with her right now was my possible pregnancy. She knew the basics when it came to sex. It was a conversation I’d had with her only twelve months ago when mom refused to talk about it. I’d be damned if I was going to let her know Lawson and I got jiggy with it on the roof of the RV without protection.
“Yeah, Boo?” I called out as I carefully edged around the sunroof and over to the ladder attached to the back end of the vehicle. When my feet hit the dirt, I spun around and almost walked straight into my sister. One glance at her face and I flipped from unplanned pregnancy panic, to who needs to be killed panic.
“What happened?”
Noah’s face was flushed, a sure sign she’d been crying. Her bottom lip trembled as she stood before me, trying so hard to be fucking brave. Another tear slipped free of her lashes, and I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the Toyota. Patting the hood, I encouraged her to climb up while I pulled a couple of blankets and pillows free from the trunk. After creating a cozy little nook for us to huddle into, I reached for Maybelle before jumping onto the hood myself, ignoring the thunks and groans from under my boots. The faded metal would certainly have dents in it tomorrow.
“Okay.” Laying Maybelle beside me, I pulled the blankets up over both of us and turned to face Noah. “Tell me what’s up and I’ll fix it.”
Noah’s tears had stopped, but she still looked like a kid who’d had her dog kicked. Or cat.
“Shit, is Justin okay?”
Nodding, she wiped her nose on the sleeve of her shirt and let out a long sigh.
“Felix said I was too dumb to look after a kitten. He said he didn’t say it to be mean, he was just being honest.”
Son of a bitch! Beating up a kid was wrong, even I knew that, but it didn’t mean I didn’t want to storm into that motorhome and throttle the little shit.
“Boo,” I whispered. “We’ve been through this before, it’s not you who’s stupid, it’s people like Felix. He’s an uneducated, prejudice bunghole, and we should feel sorry for him because he needs people like us right now, and we could just get in this piece of crap we’re lying on and leave him in our dust.”
Noah sniffled, but otherwise remained quiet.
“You’re not stupid, you’re smart, Noah. Mom even had you tested, your IQ is higher than average for a Down Syndrome teenager. You’re also creative, you do the most beautiful paintings, and that’s not even copying someone else’s work, it comes right from your own brain. And in a few months you’ll be playing the guitar like a rock goddess, so that’s proof you’re not dumb.”
“Yeah,” Noah finally murmured. “I just hate it when people call me dumb.”
My eyes drifted to the RV, and I just couldn’t help myself. Throwing the blanket aside, I slid from the hood and marched to the side door with Noah hissing my name from somewhere behind me. Giving two sharp nods, I pushed the door open.
“It’s just me.”
Stepping inside, I found the home mostly in darkness. The unmoving lump under the blankets on the bed at the far end indicated Raleigh was asleep. Felix was lying on the couch, a battery operated lamp glowing to one side, the kitten submerged under the blankets with only it’s tiny head peering out. Felix was awake, and looked a little nervous as I approached him. Dropping to my haunches right in front, I smiled.
“Hey buddy, I just came to get Noah’s cat. Thanks for watching out for him right now, but I’m thinking with your asthma we shouldn’t risk an attack, and I’d hate for you to develop an allergic reaction to the little beastie.” Reaching into the blanket, I pulled the kitten free. “I know you only had the kitten’s best interest in mind, but calling Noah dumb was mean, no matter how you sugarcoated it. You sleep well, okay.”
Turning my back on Felixs’ shocked face, I stepped out of the door, Noah jumping out of my way and closing it behind me. She scurried along, following me and Justin as we climbed back onto the hood of the car. Once settled, I passed Justin back to his mama. Noah’s smile was sublime, and seeing it eased the fire that had been set ablaze inside of me.
“Thank you,” she said after a short silence.
“I always got your back, Boo.” Pulling Maybelle into my lap, I began to strum. “I’m not singing Bieber, but otherwise it’s your choice.”
Noah snorted and tucked the kitten under the blanket where he began purring loudly.
“You choose, I don’t care what you play, I like it all.”
Gah, this girl. Sifting through the thousands of songs that littered my mind, I recalled something I hadn’t played in a long-ass time. Baby Mine. It was something I learned to play as soon as I realized Noah was obsessed with the movie it came from, Dumbo. Even though I hadn’t played it in years, the lyrics and cords came back to me like it was just yesterday. By the time I finished, Noah was fast asleep at my side, her head on top of the pillow resting on the windshield, the cat under her chin. Gently pulling her glasses from her face, I put them to one side and placed Maybelle on the roof where she wouldn’t be accidentally knocked to the ground. Turning on my side, I watched Noah as my own eyes grew heavier. Knowing Lawson was on lookout and had my back, I allowed myself to be gently tugged into sleep.
Track Twenty-Eight: Lady Gaga, Born This Way
CHAPTER 28
Rain pelted down in heavy sheets, making the grey asphalt almost disappear before us. With the windows up in the car, it was hot and humid as hell. Yawning, I stretched my booted feet to rest on top of the dash. I’d switched shifts with Lawson for the last three hours of darkness, and the clouds had rolled in, thickening and getting heavier until they at last broke just an hour after sunrise. Feeling as miserable as the weather that had set upon us, I stared out the foggy window.
“Shy, check that out.” Noah’s excited voice thumped in my pounding head, and I followed her pointed finger to find an odd shaped building with the very familiar golden arches of McDonalds on its roof. Even through the heavy rain, I could make out the saucer-like shape of the U.F.O themed restaurant.
“Weird,
” I murmured.
Every now and again we spotted a zombie, but for the most part the streets were empty, and the UFO vibe seemed almost creepier than the flesh eating infected. Roswell was remote, and small, and apparently running hard with the UFO theme throughout the city. Raleigh was in front of us now, leading us in what she thought was the rough direction of her deceased husband’s friend. As we continued to twist our way through the streets, the rain began to let off. It didn’t completely disappear, and the clouds still felt thick and ominous, but at least we could see our surroundings more clearly. As buildings became sparse, the desert began to take over. It was a relief to be out of town and headed into more remote people and zombie free areas.
“Shy, how much longer?” Noah eventually asked as we followed Raleigh further and further into the outskirts of Roswell. We were on a major road which was all but deserted, and Raleigh was cruising along at thirty miles per hour as she surveyed the countryside. Every now and again she’d come to a complete stop for a minute or two, then she’d start out again. This stop and go meandering we’d been enduring for the better part of five hours was beginning to wear thin on all of us. When the motorhome came to another stop, I jumped out of the passenger seat and jogged over to the side door, knocking loudly. The door popped open, and Raleigh appeared before me. She looked drained and defeated. Felix lay on the sofa behind her, his thumb slipped into his mouth. Glancing over her shoulder, she took a step down from the RV and shook her head.
“It took us years to get him to stop sucking his damn thumb,” she muttered.
“It’s not causing anyone no harm,” I offered. “How much further do you think?”
Raleigh hesitated, her eyes wandering over the land around us.
“Alan said there was a large cactus at the front of the property, and it kinda looked like an elephant.”
A fucking elephant? Refraining from an eye roll, I leaned against the door. While I wished we could spend days, fuck, even weeks making sure Felix and Raleigh found their post-apocalyptic oasis, the reality was we couldn’t.
Zombie Playlist: A Rock Zombie Romance Page 20
