“I just don’t like the idea of luggin’ all the supplies back to the truck alone.”
“Your charm overwhelms me.”
Travis passed his hunting knife to Scarlett and turned the key in the lock. He looked at her, she nodded, and he quickly opened the door, allowing only one Roamer out. He closed the door – it took most of his body weight pushing against it – and Scarlett grabbed the creature by its hair and slid the knife upwards under its chin before quickly removing it and letting the corpse drop to the floor.
They repeated this process several times and Scarlett knew each one by name; Rosa, George, Alex, and Oliver being just a few of them. She was saddened most of all by George, Helena’s dad. The love he had for his little girl was obvious and Scarlett knew that Helena was going to struggle with her loss.
It seemed like an eternity before the mob was cleared, and Travis felt a twinge of guilt when he looked at Scarlett and noticed the spray of blood covering her face.
Once inside the kitchen, Travis closed the door behind them so as not to be surprised by any Roamers they may have missed and Scarlett opened up the first aid box. She retrieved an antibacterial wipe and a bandage and, without discussion, set about properly dressing Travis’ arm. He tried not to flinch as the sting from the antiseptic skimmed across his open wound. When she had cleaned it, she wrapped the dressing carefully, but firmly, around the injury and knotted it.
After she’d finished, Travis took a bottle of water from the back of the industrial sized kitchen counter and helped himself to a used-to-be-white tea towel. Pouring some water on the material, he took Scarlett by surprise when he turned her to face him, placing one hand on her chin, and began gently cleaning her face.
“You look disgustin’.” He scoffed.
Scarlett couldn’t help but stare at him, eyebrows knitted with confusion. He felt her watching and reluctantly looked her in the eye. Their faces were inches apart and neither one of them knew what to do now. Scarlett’s gaze drifted down to his lips, and his to hers and Travis swallowed hard. Scarlett allowed her eyelids to droop closed as she moved closer, but when Six barked impatiently, Travis suddenly released her jaw and tossed the tea towel aside. He began swiftly emptying cupboards as he finally spoke.
“You get the rest of the medical supplies and I’ll make a start on the food.”
Scarlett opened her mouth to speak, but he’d left her speechless and embarrassed.
They gathered what they could and made their way quietly down to the basement. There was a discomfort between them that couldn’t be shifted. No matter how hard Scarlett tried, there was no conversing with Travis after their strangely close moment in the kitchen.
They made it out with their rucksacks packed with food and water. Travis strapped a jerry can to either side of his bag and Scarlett carried one in each hand. He allowed her to walk ahead, armed with his crossbow to cover her, and they drove back to their camp.
When they arrived, they were astonished to see that the camp was deserted. The tents and the other vehicles remained exactly where they were when Travis and Scarlett left. But the people were gone.
Travis parked the SUV and removed the key from the ignition. They both just sat there, staring at the empty camp. They looked at each other and Travis reached behind his seat for their weapons. Handing a pistol to Scarlett, they climbed out, closely followed by Six, and cautiously began to inspect the tents. They were all vacant.
“They must have left in a hurry. Everything’s still here. Maybe they were attacked.” Scarlett examined.
“Nah. There’s no sign of a struggle. Even if somethin’ did go down, you know Riley and Jack woulda’ found a way to get some essentials.”
Scarlett nodded in agreement and holstered her weapon. Travis scanned the ground. There were footprints heading through the trees in a direction they hadn't yet explored. He looked at Scarlett and they both began following the trail.
About a hundred yards into their trek, they heard the unmistakable sound of River's voice - a scream. Number Six gave a single, deep bark and began running. Without a word, Scarlett and Travis launched themselves after him, toward the source of their friend's voice, sprinting, clambering through the trees and their enormous roots, the low-hanging branches whipping them in the face as they ran.
“River!” Scarlett bellowed.
The pair halted abruptly as they came to an opening. They stared in disbelief at the sight which greeted them. River and the others were poised at the edge of a vast lake in their underwear, about to jump in. Riley turned around and greeted Number Six who jumped up at him, licking his face. Scarlett and Travis stared at them, desperately trying to catch their breath.
“Oh, hey guys.” He said, smiling. “You okay? You look like you've been running.”
“Look at Captain Observant over there in his fuckin' tighty whiteys.” Travis panted dryly.
“We thought you were in trouble.” Scarlett spluttered.
“We left you a note.” Mouse interjected.
“You're here now.” Riley continued, “Come in with us. This water's cleaner than what we had at Bluehaven.”
Scarlett watched the others as they all threw themselves in the crystal clear water. It did look like fun. If that was even a thing anymore. At the very least, she thought she could clean up. She nodded and made her way over to the edge.
Riley looked at Travis and raised his eyebrows expectantly.
“Nah, I'm good.” Travis stated.
Riley shrugged and followed Scarlett, who was slipping off her boots and socks. Before she could even attempt to remove any more clothing, Riley had picked her up. They were laughing as Riley threatened to drop her and Travis slowly wandered to the edge of the water a few yards away from them. He set down his weapon and sat down, watching as Riley followed through with his threat and threw Scarlett into the deep water. She screamed while she fell and made a splash as she was completely submerged. She quickly surfaced and Riley jumped in after her.
“Scarlett,” River shouted, tossing a razor toward her, “Help yourself, Lord knows you could benefit from a little deforestation!”
Scarlett giggled in agreement. She suddenly noticed Travis sitting by himself. She swam toward him and leant on the rocks as she spoke.
“Aren't you coming in? The water's surprisingly cool.” She tried.
“I'm good. I'll probably come back later.”
“Come on, Travis.”
“Really, I'm fine here.”
“Travis, do I look like the kind of girl to take no for an answer?”
Travis attempted to avoid her gaze, but his efforts were futile. Scarlett smirked up at him, noting that his laces were untied and loose. She quickly ripped them off his feet and threw them behind him. Before Travis could react, Scarlett raised herself up enough that she could take hold of the front of his shirt. Pushing her feet against the rocks, she pulled Travis quickly into the water. She swiftly realised that she had misjudged the way he would fall when his weight was pushing her to the bottom.
Riley and River were watching, open-mouthed.
“What did she just do?” River whispered.
“I swear to God, that girl's not happy unless someone's trying to kill her.”
Travis surfaced and, as angry as he was, pulled Scarlett up with him. He took a deep breath before swiftly lifting himself up onto the rocks. He was pissed. He removed his drenched socks and Scarlett followed him.
“What the fuck are you playin' at, Scarlett?” He spat as he stood.
“What's wrong?”
“What's wrong?” He repeated, “Maybe I don't wanna join in with your stupid little games. I told you I was okay. I said I'd come back later. Maybe I'd like to be here alone, away from you all and your incessant cackling.”
“Whoa, Travis. Why don't you try and have a little fun now and again?” Scarlett retorted angrily.
“You know what, Scar, just leave me alone. We both put down several poor fuckers that we used to call friends today
, and now you're actin' like they never even existed. I don't know how you do it. I'm headin' back to camp. Don't wanna spoil your party.”
With that, Travis picked up his boots and his weapon and left, leaving Scarlett stood at the water's edge.
* * *
Scarlett laid by the campfire, staring up at the sky. She stroked Number Six’s face as he slept with his head on her abdomen, and she began thinking about Travis again. He was beginning to have an effect on her that she had only ever felt before in Jimmy’s company. But with Travis it was slightly different. Despite the child-like tantrum by the lake, he did have a point about Bluehaven.
As she watched the stars, their beauty amplified by the absence of man-made light, she enjoyed the feel of Six’s soft fur which she was weaving between her fingers, allowing her eyes to slowly close.
Travis emerged from his tent and noticed her. He made his way to the tent that Scarlett shared with the children. They were asleep, spreading themselves out in her space. There was no way he could move her into the tent without waking the kids.
He considered his options. He could leave her there, sit by the fire with her and stay awake to make sure she was safe. Or he could move her. He made his decision based on his level of lethargy. He sighed and resolved that he would deal with the inevitable abuse in the morning when she woke up and realised that she was in his tent. He made a clicking sound with his mouth and Six lifted his head to look at him.
“Come here, boy,” Travis whispered.
Number Six stood, stretched slowly and made his way lazily over to Travis, dropping to the ground again to resume his rest at Travis’ feet. Travis moved silently to the side of Scarlett and crouched down, sliding his arms underneath her and scooping her up. She opened her eyes a fraction and seemed to look Travis in the face, closing them again almost immediately and placing her arms around his neck.
Travis crept into his tent and laid Scarlett on the camping bed. He noticed that her clothes were damp from being on the ground and made the brave – or stupid – decision to undress her. He was gentlemanly enough; he didn’t look at her body. After carefully removing her boots and sweat-soaked socks, he simply slipped her open shirt down each arm, glided her jeans down her legs from the hips and left her in her vest and underwear before swiftly covering her in his sheets.
He removed his own boots and shirt before easing himself down onto the bed next to her, lying on his back. Glancing at Scarlett, he noticed how vulnerable she looked. He felt a surge of protectiveness and guilt, and he found himself wanting to guard her, to look after her. Their shoulders were touching and he could feel warmth emanating from her body. He slipped a small portion of the sheets over himself and turned his face to the roof of the tent and. It didn’t take him long to fall asleep.
Chapter Ten:
Summer. It was hot. Skin sticking to clothes, humid; sweat dripping down your back, hot. But the nights were cold, and basically you were never comfortable. Never just right.
But Scarlett was at that moment. She was comfortable and better rested than she had been since everything changed. She sighed, burrowing deeper into the blankets that she was laid under, and into the arms that she was laid in.
Arms… She was lying in arms.
Her eyes snapped open and she looked over her shoulder, frowning.
Travis was pressed tight against her, their legs were tangled together and he was snoring softly.
Slowly and carefully, she turned over and looked at him. His arm was draped over her waist and Scarlett couldn’t help but stare. She gently swept a few wisps of hair away from his eyes and rested her hand on his face. What she felt for Travis was beginning to scare her.
She thought back to the day before; the way he’d snarled at her after she pulled him into the water. How he’d looked at her with absolute contempt as he walked away. She decided not to say anything to him. He’d made his feelings clear and, despite the act she tried to put on, Scarlett was far too sensitive to put herself at risk of more embarrassment.
Travis began to stir and Scarlett quickly snapped out of it, pulling her hand away and slipping back into hard-faced mode.
“Travis,” she whispered, “Travis, wake up.”
“Fuck,” he groaned.
“Travis, wake up!”
His eyes slid open, staring right into hers. “Let me go,” Scarlett demanded, and his arms released her.
Travis sat up awkwardly with his back to her, clearing his throat.
“Don’t start.” He barked. “Just gimme a minute.”
“Why am I in here?” she asked, reaching for her shirt, “And who undressed me?”
Travis held up his hands.
“I wasn’t pervin’. Your shirt was soaked in sweat and dirt. You ain’t getting’ in my bed stinkin’ like that.”
Scarlett grinned.
“Did you get a good look?” She countered.
“You shut your mouth.” He ordered, lacing his boots. He rubbed his head, sighing and closing his eyes. He was still shirtless and Scarlett began openly admiring his back. “It’s nothin’ to do with me; Riley thought we should share a tent. Keep all the huntin’ stuff together. He wanted me to look after you.” He lied.
Scarlett stood to pull her jeans on just as Travis turned around, getting an eyeful. He looked away uncomfortably.
“Well I’ll be sure to tell Riley that I don’t need looking after. I’ll go share with the kids again.”
“Just forget it.” Travis said, his face softening a little. “Stay here. I told Riley I was gonna look out for you. You’ve been through some tough shit. Besides, I don’t need this much space to myself.”
Scarlett nodded blindly. He was acting differently. She liked it, but she was also aware that Travis was a changeable man and knew better than to think it would last.
“I know I’m an asshole,” he continued, “and I know that we've both said some things we shouldn’t have... but I’m also aware that we're pretty capable of bein' civil to each other... I think we've done it twice now and that's somethin', right? You're alright for a stuck-up college girl.” Scarlett smiled at him, a genuinely sweet grin that he'd never seen before. It distracted him. “Uh, but if you’d be willin’, I wanna start over.”
Scarlett surveyed him for a moment.
“Start over? You mean again?” she asked cynically.
“Hello miss, my name’s Travis Young. How ‘bout you?” he held out his hand with a cute smirk. Scarlett rolled her eyes, a grin involuntarily taking over her face once again.
“Scarlett McKenzie.” She answered, and he nodded, shaking her hand.
Travis grinned and released her hand, stepping back. He picked up his bag and set it on the bed.
“Riley and me are goin’ huntin’. Thought I’d show him the ropes and give you a break.” Travis told her. Scarlett sighed. She didn’t want to be alone. “You’ll be okay.” He said sincerely, “We’ll be back before dark. You hear me?”
“I hear you.” Scarlett responded.
* * *
By sunset, they were late. Scarlett sat with River and Chino around the campfire, all exchanging tight-lipped smiles, pretending that their insides weren’t clenched with fear. Scarlett held on to Number Six’s collar and stroked his face for comfort.
She always slept with the screens of her tent open anyway, so it wasn’t a stretch for her to move her sleeping bag so she could watch the dirt track for headlights. Plans were, at best, guidelines in this world, and they were probably just late; sweaty and cranky, hungry and tired, and fine, and going to be back any minute.
Scarlett slept and felt guilty when the sun woke her, and sick when there was still no truck in the camp.
“It’s better to travel at night…”
“Maybe they blew a tyre…”
No one ate. At dusk, River started crying and couldn’t stop. Scarlett just felt hollow. Travis and Riley had been gone for thirty-six hours. By now, there was no good reason to expect that they’d be back at all.
>
The sun set again and the fires burned low as everyone pretended to sleep and Scarlett tip-toed quietly to Travis’ tent. Shivering in a pair of shorts and an old blue shirt of Jimmy's, she kicked her sleeping bag aside and instead buried herself in Travis’ blankets while Number Six took up his usual spot just outside.
She felt the reality of it wash over her. Gone. Travis was gone. Never coming back. Scarlett bolted upright and closed the zips of the tent, shutting the world out again. She would be brave tomorrow, maybe, if she could. But not tonight.
The tent was hot and a little musty, the way all tents were, but Travis’ things were neat. A tattered and torn shirt lay in the corner, and draped over his folded camping bed was the leather jacket he’d given Scarlett to keep her warm when the truck broke down.
She suddenly couldn’t breathe as her throat tightened with fear. The pain was like a rock in her chest and her heart could hardly beat around it. Her sobs came so hard that they were soundless and the ragged breaths between them filled the tent. She dug her fingernails into her arms and rocked slowly until crying began to hurt so much it scared her. Then she lay down, clutching Travis’ pillow to her chest.
She didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve this. After everything they’d survived, now he’d lost the fight while trying to feed everyone. Travis, who was so afraid to belong to the group, yet protected it most fiercely. Who had rarely so much as touched her shoulder, but whose gaze embraced her and supported her and made her feel like she belonged too. She held Travis’ pillow tight and let mute tears soak into it.
It wasn’t sleep she fell into so much as stupor. The world vanished behind the pillow in her arms and the chill in her bones. She would live here forever. The world would never be what it was; she would never have her mother or Jimmy or Travis back, so why not simply drift away?
Here she could imagine that Travis’ truck did crunch back up the track. That the tents all flew open at once and Chino closed them again with one stern order:
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