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“Because she knows what she’s talking about. ” Calhoun moved through the crowd. He looked haggard and held a tape recorder in his hand. “I’ve been taking care of the communication center, monitoring for alien transmissions. Got this instead. ” He held up a tape recorder and hit PLAY.

“If anyone can hear us, we were trying to get back to the fort, but we can’t get through. There are thousands of zombies near the junction of 16 and 1456. They’re everywhere. We had to make a run for it. We’re going to have to head back to the Baptist Encampment. Hello? Can you hear me?

This is Milo and Susan. We were trying to head back but they’re everywhere. ”

Katie tried to remember the junction they were talking about and realized quite quickly it was close to town.

“I gotcha,” Calhoun’s voice said on the tape. “You head back to the crazy Baptists and stay low. Make sure their demon-possessed leader don’t do nothing stupid. We’ll fight off the zombie clones and let you know when it’s clear. ”

“Thanks, Calhoun. Just thought I ’d give ya heads up,” the voice answered, then Calhoun hit STOP.

The silence was, as they say, deafening.

“We leave tonight then,” Ed said.

“Can I go with you?” a voice called out.

It was Belinda. Juan’s one time crush and Mike’s widow. She pushed through the people to Ed’s side. “I want to go, too. ”

Juan lowered his eyes and his mother squeezed his arm gently.

“Okay. You can come. Let’s roll within the hour,” Ed said.

Then the room was full of people arguing and crying.

Chaos filled the lobby and Katie put down her head and wept.

2. Sweet Sorrow

The paddock was full of people as Durangos were loaded up with carefully doled out ammunition and MREs. Jugs of water were rolled up to each vehicle and loaded. Bags of clothes and personal effects were tossed into the trucks. A small pink backpack full of toys was packed into a back seat.

Families gathered around departing members, in some cases still fighting bitterly, with others it was a tearful farewell.

Ed strode through the throng to his designated vehicle with Belinda in his wake. Gretchen stood nearby with a few other people and her gaze followed the old hunter. If she had designs on going with Ed, they were shot down by Belinda joining him. Ed’s sons were already in the backseat arguing over something, holding their shotguns.

Travis and Juan leaned against a nearby pallet loaded with bricks watching sadly. Six vehicles were leaving. Twenty-three people in all.

A young woman picked up her six year old daughter and pushed her into the back seat of a nearby truck, buckling her in, while two men climbed into the front of the Durango. Travis remembered her name was Cindy and he smiled slightly at her as she gave him a sad look. Then, determinedly, she circled the vehicle and climbed in.

“They’re probably all going to die,” Juan said finally.

“Yeah, but it’s their choice. ”

Ed saw to Belinda getting safely into his vehicle, then walked back to the two men. His grizzled face was worn and his eyes tired, but his jaw was set firmly. As he drew near, he thrust out his hand.

“Boys, it’s been good,” he said.

Travis didn’t hesitate to take his hand and clasp it tightly. “We’ll miss you. ”

“We did good here, but gotta move on,” Ed said.

Travis gave Ed’s hand one firm shake, then stepped back. Juan stepped forward to grip the older man’s hand tightly.

“Take care, man,” Juan said.

“I will. I’ll take care of Belinda, too. This place has been good and bad for all of us. Hope you guys make it through tomorrow okay. ”

“We will,” Travis said firmly. “We will. ”