Page 12

Knowing I’ve been gone for more than enough time, I make my way back to Noah. A ping of guilt for leaving him when he freaks out at the sight of the dead. Not that I can blame him. Sure, I didn’t freak out like him, but I did have a moment ofwhat the fuck.Not that I would tell a single soul.

Coming around the corner, I find Noah sitting cross-legged with more belongings than his bag could possibly hold.

“We need to get moving,” I tell him as soon as I’m within a few feet.

Noah jumps to his feet, swinging around with that mallet in hand. Good boy.Good boy? Where the actual fuck did that come from?

“You scared me!” He hisses through clenched teeth.

“You should be listening so someone, alive or dead, doesn’t sneak up on you.”

Noah opens his mouth and then closes it, his eyes narrowing. Irritation crosses over his face, a storm cloud seeping into his eyes. Amusement bumbles inside me, knowing that I’m the one who he’s getting angry with.

His jaw tightens and his hand flexes against the mallet. For a single moment I think he might take a swing at me. Fortunately for me, his shoulder drops, the tension leaving his body.

“What?” the question slips out of my mouth.

“I have too much stuff,” he mutters.

Peering over his shoulder, I take in the clothing and toiletries. It’s clear this man has never packed for a long stay, let alone camped. A small, teeny-tiny part of me feels for him.

“Well, I don’t think you need slippers.”

Noah looks over his shoulder before dropping back down, sitting cross-legged. He grabs the slippers and tosses them to the side. I swear I hear a snuffle come out of him. Slowly he picks through his findings, shoving extra socks, underwear, pants, and a pack of shirts into his backpack. Once he’s satisfied, he zips his bag up and stands. Hefting the backpack onto his back, he shifts on his feet, slowly meeting my gaze.

“I’m ready.”

I nod, turning around, and we walk towards the entrance. I feel Noah behind me the entire time, and for the first time I feel the heavy weight of someone else's life in my hands. Even when I was working with Ghost, he knew how to fight; he could handle himself. Noah has no idea how to fight; he faints at the sight of zombies. And for some reason I have the bright idea to bring him along.

Fuck me.

CHAPTER8

Noah

I’ve always understood things about death. Sometimes you grow old and simply die from it. Sometimes you get sick, and while it’s unfortunate, it happens. Death is just unavoidable. It sucks, but it’s something that happens to everyone. They all die. But this is different. No one should die from being attacked and eaten.

Bile rises in my throat as my eyes seem unable to look away. I know I should; I don’t need to be staring at the dead bodies. But that doesn’t stop me. Even when I’m supposed to be keeping watch while Reed checks the cars around the parking lot. I guess—Ican’tstop staring.The fear that this is what I’m bound to end up like. What we’re all bound to.

Flashes of Mallory, one of my best friends from college, hit me. She was always the effortlessly bubbly type. The one that had this radiance beaming off her. She wore her confidence on her sleeve like nothing and no one could bother her. She was the life of the party, but with that came being a people pleaser. It took her a while to warm up to me and Rue, and when she finally did, you could see through the cracks she holds in high places. I pray she made it out, that somehow she stopped pleasing people and she found a place for herself in this world.

I feel Reed step up beside me, his head down as he stares at the dead bodies with me. He slams his boot into their head; I jump at the sudden movement. Horrified at the crunch of their skull, the deafening sound is going to haunt my dreams.

“Wh–why would you do that?” my voice squeaks.

His head turns towards me, his jaw tense. “Making sure.”

My mouth drops open. “Making sure what?”

Reed tilts his head to the side, his eyes—those impossible to ignore blue eyes—stare down at me. His gaze is intense, the pure depth he holds. They shift between golden brown and green, full of secrets that I nearly open my mouth to ask him questions. His presence alone screams at me. His height makes me want to climb him like a tree.

What would he look like if I sank to my knees and took his cock out?

“Noah,” Reed growls.

“What?”

“You zoned out.”