Page 150

Raleigh opened up the armrest and was startled to see the car keys. He pulled them out and looked at the Senator in shock.

“At least you can do something right. ” She grabbed them from him and turned on the truck. With the ease of any rich soccer mom, she pulled the truck around to the front of the gas station and honked.

The two startled soldiers rushed out. They had been inside systematically killing the four zombies inside then looking through their pockets for keys.

“Get in,” she ordered, sliding into the center of the seat.

Charlie slid in behind the wheel while Ruben moved around to the other side of the truck. Already the fit was tight and Raleigh tried to make himself as small as possible.

“Get out and let him in first,” the Senator ordered.

Raleigh hesitated, then obeyed. His eyes flicked to the horde coming closer and closer.

Ruben slid in and pushed himself up tight to the Senator. Raleigh began to climb in when he saw the Senator smile then slam her foot down on Charlie’s as she shifted gears. The truck lurched forward, knocking Raleigh to the side.

He never realized how close the undead were until he saw one reaching down for him. He really should have gone with the others from the fort.

He really should have… * * * * * Inside the truck, Ruben shouted, “What the fuck?”

“We needed a distraction,” the Senator answered, leaning across Ruben’s lap to shut the door.

Shakily, Charlie continued driving, trying not to look at his mirrors.

“You are one cold-hearted bitch,” Ruben declared angrily.

“I could have driven off with him and left you,” the Senator answered coolly. “Remember that. ”

Behind them, the zombies feasted. Ruben averted his eyes from the mirrors and looked down at the M & M wrapper on the floor. He wondered if Raleigh tasted like chocolate.

2. When All is New

Everything had changed. Nothing was the same.

Katie jogged down Main Street, her pony tail swinging back and forth behind her head like a pendulum.

Overhead a helicopter was veering off toward the north. It was probably running some field workers out to a nearby ranch the fort was attempting to secure. Or maybe going to the farm. Or maybe taking someone to check on the water station. Or maybe it was just refueling at the nearby airstrip.

Helicopters… Who would have thought the fort would have helicopters back when they were just trying to survive. Jenni had joked about a handsome black leading man and helicopters when they were first on the road. She had been full of Romero film facts and tossed them out as if they were the zombie bible.

Katie’s eyes suddenly stung and she tried not to think of Jenni in her pink bathrobe riding shotgun beside her in that old white pickup.

Jogging around the corner she saw Nerit taking a calm stroll down the street. Her hands were tucked into her pockets and she looked more relaxed than Katie had ever seen her. Of course, with the influx of soldiers into the fort, Nerit’s job had become easier. Beside Nerit ambled her old hunting dog and Katie smiled at them as she jogged past.

How different Nerit was from the first time she saw her on the roof of Ralph’s Hunting store. The long braid was gone now. She had a younger hairdo, cut short and sassy to her shoulders. Ken had insisted on it along with the rinse that took the yellow caste from her silver locks. Nerit looked younger now and more at peace.

Katie almost felt resentful of Nerit moving on past Ralph. Of course, she had moved on past Lydia. Even her father’s death was muted now. She had assumed he was dead for months and to be given a chance to talk to him, share with him her new life, and say goodbye had been a gift.

But it was hard to let go of Jenni.

They had saved each other in so many ways so many times. In her heart she knew Jenni had done the right thing that day and so had she. It was only right that she fired the bullet that rescued Jenni from death at the hands of the zombies. But it still hurt.

Swinging around another corner, she jogged along the interior of the wall.

Above her, on a sturdy platform were Jason and some of the other teenagers. They were busy building a catapult. Even Jack was up on the platform, leashed in case he tried anything crazy like diving over the wall at a zombie.

Jason seemed better lately. Stronger. He had wept for days, but even through his tears, he kept saying that he knew his Mom was all right. He had seen her in a dream and knew she had come to comfort him. It was all right. Soon, he had crawled out of bed and started drawing defensive weapon schematics for the fort.

He was moving on… With a small frown, she ran under the platform and then turned down another street. Bill came into view wearing his new police uniform. The police force for the fort was now five former police officers. They all wore matching uniforms when on duty. Though crime was not a common occurrence in the fort, they did have to deal with a small load of petty theft, occasional fights, and sadly, domestic disputes. Since the council had made it clear that any major crime would result in immediate expulsion from the fort, those inclined toward crime were kept in check.