by Dawn, M. K.
“Time to head back to the post office?” Uncertainty nagged at Axel, but he shoved it aside.
Archer titled his head. “Maybe one of us should stay here? Keep an eye on the horses and the wagon? Just in case.”
Axel wanted nothing to do with that. “You stay. I’ll head back and get everyone. You sure you’ll be okay here alone?”
“I’m good. You should get going, though. Meet back here in an hour?”
Tension filled Axel’s stomach, but he didn’t argue. “Sounds good. Just promise me any sign of trouble and you’ll get the hell out of here? Horses and wagon be damned.”
“Yep. Go. I’m good.”
Liar. But again, Axel kept his mouth shut. Once Archer got a plan into his head, it was hell trying to change it. “Back in an hour. Watch your back.”
Archer moved to the outer wall of the barn and slouched against it with a grin. “Better?”
“Smart-ass.”
***
Axel banged on the front door of the post office, hoping to get someone’s attention. He hadn’t thought about what they would do when they returned since the front door is always kept locked.
Not one to give up, he banged harder. Eventually, someone would hear them.
Ten minutes later, Sloan appeared, hand pressed to her stomach when she saw him. She rushed over and unlocked the door. “Where’s Archer?”
“He’s fine. I’ll explain. How’s Britney doing?”
Sloan took a deep breath. “She’s running a low-grade fever. I’ve been forcing her to rest, but there’s only so much of that she can do with the kids around. The over-the-counter stuff appears to be working a little, at least according to Britney. This morning she gave me a little scare but has taken a turn for the better these past few hours.”
Good news, for once. “That’s great to hear. Let’s head back and I’ll tell you both what's going on.”
She held his gaze for a moment before shaking her head. “Okay.”
“Sorry, but there’s no point in telling it twice.”
They headed back to the breakroom where Britney and the kids were playing a board game at the small table.
The kids jumped from their seats to great him, but Britney only smiled, weakly. She looked like shit, and that was generous. The dark circles around her eyes and paler than normal skin sent Axel’s heart racing.
“You’re back.” The weakness in her voice didn’t go unnoticed. “Where’s Archer?”
“Why don’t we sit?” Axel ushered Sloan to the chair next to Britney. “Kiddos, why don’t you play with your toys?”
Molly opened her mouth to argue, but Britney cut her off. “Toys, please.”
“Fine.” The kids stormed off, clearly upset they weren’t part of the adult conversation.
Sloan tapped her fingers on the table. “What’s going on? Did you find a running vehicle?”
“No.” Sugar-coating the situation would get them nowhere. “I can’t tell you how many cars we tried to start.”
Britney picked at her cracked lips. “And no diesel either?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Gas stations are empty.”
“So, what do we do?” Sloan crossed her arms on the table. “We can’t stay here. Britney needs medication.”
“I’m feeling better,” Britney said with little conviction.
“Be that as it may, you still need medication.” Sloan sucked in an audible breath, something she’d been doing a lot lately. “Where’s Archer?”
Now the interesting part. “Archer is waiting for us at the Pioneer Museum in the middle of town.”
Britney scrunched her nose. “Why?”
“Because he has this crazy idea that we can use the horse-drawn wagon as a more reliable mode of transportation.”
Sloan’s mouth hung open. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I had the same reaction.” Axel looked at Britney. “What do you think?”
She pressed her lips together. “I don’t know. Is it an old wagon?”
“Not ancient. The museum used it to give rides to visitors.”
“That’s a plus.” Britney rolled her neck. “Problem is, we’d need horses to pull it.”
That wasn’t their only problem, but Axel would circle back to that at another time. “There are four horses in the field behind the museum. That’s what Archer’s doing. Keeping an eye on them.”
Sloan leaned back in her chair. “Just because there are horses out there doesn’t mean they’re capable of pulling this wagon.”
“Archer seems to think these are the same horses that the museum used.”
“Well, that’s presumptuous.” Sloan rubbed her hands together. “We can’t be seriously considering this, can we?”
Britney propped her elbows on the table. “I think it’s a good idea.”
The opposite reactions were expected. The women rarely agreed on anything. “I’m not sure ‘good’ is a word I’d use, but at this point, we might not have much of a choice.”
“Was Archer able to wrangle the horses in?” Britney asked.
Axel hated to put this on her, but he wasn’t sure they could do it without her expertise. “We didn’t try. We were afraid we’d spook them. Brit, if you feel up to it—”
Britney cut him off. “I’m fine. When are we supposed to meet Archer?”
He checked his watch. “If we don’t get back over there in the next thirty minutes, he’s going to worry.”
“Okay,” Britney stood, hands flat on the table. “Are we packin’ now? Or comin’ for our stuff later?”
Sloan laid a hand on her sister’s. “Britney, wait. We should discuss this more.”
“No.” She ripped away her hand. “There’s nothin’ to talk about. The way I see it, we don’t have much of a choice in the matter unless we stay here.”
“We can’t stay here; you need medication,” Sloan said.
“I disagree,” though Britney didn’t sound as confident as she once had, “but I doubt you’re gonna let it go.”
“I’m not.”
This back and forth was doing nothing but wasting time. “I know we’re not in agreement here, but we need to get going. Or I do if only to let Archer know we’re going to find another way.”
“Do you think that’s possible,” Sloan asked, “finding another way?”
Axel lowered his head. “I honestly don’t know. We could keep searching for a working vehicle, but there’s no guarantee that we’ll find one.”
“I think the wagon is a great idea. Let me gather the kids and we can get going.” Britney stepped away from the table and stumbled.
“Shit.” Axel grabbed her arm to keep her from falling to the ground. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah. I haven’t eaten much in the last few days; that’s probably why I’m so weak.”
Sloan grunted.
Britney glared at her. “Do you have somethin’ to say?”
“No, of course not.” Sloan stood and pushed in her chair. “I’ll grab my bag and will be ready to go in a moment. Unless you think I should stay with the children?”
Axel and Archer hadn’t talked about the kids, but really, all they needed was Britney to gather the horses. “What do you think, Brit? Bring the kids or have Sloan stay here with them?”
“It would be easier to wrangle the horses if there weren’t two kids runnin’ around.” Britney stuffed a couple of items in her backpack.
“But who would have your back?” Sloan shot back.
Britney faced her sister. “Archer and Axel will both be there. Please, Sloan, stay here with the kids and keep them safe. I really don’t want them out in the open.”
Sloan’s face softened. “Okay. I’ll stay. Axel, can I speak with you for a moment in private?”
“Ugh,” Britney threw herself into the nearest chair. “Seriously, I’m fine.”
“Who said this conversation is about you?” Sloan snapped and left the room.
Axel gave Britney an apologetic smile. �
�I’ll be right back.” He joined Sloan in the hall. “What’s up?”
“About Britney.”
“Shit.” Axel ran a hand through his hair. He should have known. “Listen, I don't feel comfortable—”
“Stop talking and listen.” Sloan peeked in the lounge window. “I know it appears Britney is getting better, but I believe it’s just an act. Earlier, she was acting confused and couldn’t remember what we talked about from one moment to the next.”
“She looks okay right now. Besides the light-headedness.”
Worried creased her eyes. “She’s on some painkillers which are masking her symptoms.”
“So, what do you want to do? Have her stay here and you go? Do you even know anything about horses?”
Sloan dropped her head. “Not as much. She’ll have better luck. I just wanted to make you aware of the situation so you know to keep a close eye out for her.”
“Thank you.” Axel grasped her shoulders. “I promise to keep her safe.”
The door opened, and Britney leaned against the frame. “Are you done yet? It’s not going to stay light forever.”
Sloan pulled Britney into a hug. “Be careful.”
“I will.” Britney stepped out of Sloan’s embrace and faced Axel. “Ready?”
Not even a little bit, but Axel refused to let fear rule his life. “Let’s go get us a wagon.”
***
Axel kept a close eye on Britney like Sloan asked. It didn’t take long for him to realize that she probably wasn’t too far off. The slowness of her steps gave it away above everything else. Britney never went anywhere slow.
“How did Archer know there was a wagon at this place?”
“He came across a brochure in one of the cars he tried to start.”
“Luckily,” Britney paused for a brief moment and grimaced.
“You okay?” A dumb question Axel already knew the answer to.
She straightened and forced a smile. “All good. How much further?”
“You can talk to me, you know.” Axel was tired of her shutting him out.
“What do you want me to say?” Britney huffed. “That I feel like shit? Or I have to pee all the damn time? Or…” her chest heaved, “that I’m scared.”
Axel wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Yes, all those things.”
“I can’t. The kids need me to be strong.”
“What they need is for you to be around. And you can’t do that if you don’t take your care of yourself.”
Britney rolled her eyes. “Are we done talking about this?”
He wasn’t but she clearly was. “I guess. We’re almost here anyways.”
“Great.” Britney stopped. “Where do we go now?”
“Through the side. Follow me.” Axel led them through the partially open gate. “That’s strange.”
“What?”
Axel closed the gate and flipped the handle. “I remember closing this when I left.”
“Maybe Archer opened it?”
“He stayed back to keep an eye on the horses.” Axel scanned the area. “I don’t think he would have left.”
“Only one way to find out and that’s to ask Archer.” Britney took two steps forward and froze. “Did you hear that?”
“What?” The only sound Axel could hear was his heart pounding in his ears.
She cocked her head to the side. “I’m not sure. I thought I heard something.”
“The horse stables are straight and to the left. Let’s make our way over there, but slowly, just in case.”
“Okay.” Britney pulled out her gun.
Axel raised an eyebrow.
Britney responded with a shrug. “What? Just in case. Which way?”
“Follow me.” Axel led the way, through the courtyard and to the wagon.
Britney stopped and holstered her gun. “Oh. Is this the one Archer wants us to use?”
“Yes.” He kept a lookout while Britney gave it a tediously long once-over. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know much about these things, but it seems sturdy enough.” She rose from a crouching position and grabbed her left side with a wince.
“You okay?”
She rubbed her lips together before answering. “Yeah, just a little sore back. Probably pulled a muscle or something.”
There was no time to get into this again. They had a lot to do before it got dark. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
“Come on, the stables aren’t far.” Axel picked up the pace, pausing only when reaching the stables.
Britney came up beside him noticeably winded. “What’s wrong?”
He stared at the door for a few seconds before answering. “The door’s open.”
“So?”
“I latched it from the outside before I left.”
She peered up at him. “You locked Archer in?”
“No, I locked the infested out.” Heart racing, he pulled out his gun.
Britney kept in stride with him as they approached the door. “Archer could have left and come back.”
“I don’t think so.” The horses were vital to his wagon plan.
“You think something’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.” Axel grabbed the door and eased it open. Inside, they found exactly what he feared. The once neatly organized barn had been torn apart.
She hung closer to his side. “Did it look like this before?”
He shook his head and stepped inside. There were so many places to hide that he didn’t know where to start looking. One thing he did know was they needed to stick together.
Britney clutched onto his arm, forcing him to stop. He startled but held it together enough to keep from knocking her hand away.
With raised eyebrows, she motioned to the ground. Fresh blood splatter on the floor sucker-punched him in the stomach. “Shit. Where the fuck is Archer?”
“Maybe it wasn’t him?” She didn’t sound convinced.
“You take the right; I’ll take the left. Check each stall and we’ll meet at the back doors.”
They took their times checking in each of the twelve stalls. The closer they got to the end, the more stressed Axel felt.
“Done.” Britney leaned against the wall. “There’s nothing in here. What now?”
“This side is clear, too.” He wanted to feel relief, but the lack of evidence only made his heart pound harder. “I left Archer just outside these doors. They lead to a massive pasture so we’ll be exposed. Watch each other’s backs.”
“Got it.” Sweat beaded along her hairline.
Axel feared she was feeling worse. “Do you need to rest for a couple of minutes?”
“No. We need to find Archer. I’m ready. You go first.”
“Okay.” He cracked open the door and tried to get an idea of what they might be walking into. He saw nothing and moved outside.
More blood tainted the ground—and a lot of it. No human would survive losing that much blood.
Axel pushed the thought aside and cleared the building to get a better look at the pasture. Bile burned his throat as he spotted the horror before them.
Two horses lay dead on the ground, slaughtered. In the far righthand corner, the other two had their heads up and neighed.
“They’re scared.” Britney stepped forward. “I don’t see anything.”
Axel grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him. “Doesn’t mean the infested aren’t still out there.”
“I realize that, but if we want to get out of this town, we need those horses.”
“What about Archer?” The blood out here could be explained by the slain animals, but what about the blood in the barn?
She rushed back into the barn.
Axel followed. “There has to be a better way.”
Ropes in hand, Britney headed back toward the door.
“Stop.” Axel blocked her path. “You have no idea if the infested are still out there. If they are, you’ll be dead in seconds.”
“If I don’
t go out there,” she shot back, “I’ll be dead in a matter of days.”
Did he hear her correctly? Was she going to admit how sick she actually was? “Do you really believe that or are you just saying what you think I want to hear?”
Tears filled her eyes. “The infection has moved to my kidneys. I’m in so much pain that I can barely function.”
The quiver in her voice broke his heart.
“Brit.” He reached for her but she moved away.
“No! We don’t have time for this.” She wiped her face with her shirt sleeve. “Right now, we have to focus on calming the horses down. and I need you to have my back. Can you handle that?”
He’d lost the will to argue. “Yeah, sure. Whatever you say.”
“Don’t be like that.” She hung the ropes off her shoulder.
“I’m not being like anything.” Axel gave his gun a once over. “Ready?”
Her eyes flickered to the door. “Yeah.”
They headed outside slowly, Axel behind Britney so he could keep an eye on the field. He saw no movement, no signs that the infested were still hanging around, but that didn’t ease his fears.
“The horses look like they’ve calmed down a little,” Britney whispered. “Come on.”
He followed her out into the open field. The winter had all but killed the grass. It crunched under their feet, a beacon to their location.
“I can’t believe the horses survived this long out here alone,” he said, unable to stand the sound any longer.
“Maybe they weren’t alone the entire time.” She stopped about twenty yards away.
The horses regarded their presence with guarded curiosity, heads up in the air and always keeping them in their line of sight.
“I need you to stay back,” she said. “The two of us might be too intimidating to them.”
The thought of letting her get that far out of reach didn’t sit well with him. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m going to be focusing on the horses, so keep an eye out, okay?”
Like she had to ask. “Yep. I know it’s pointless to say but try to be quick. We still have to find Archer.”
“After the attack, he probably went back to the post office.” She removed the ropes from her shoulder.
Axel disagreed. With two horses still left, Archer would have done everything he could to protect them. “Maybe.”