She risked a look at Steward, but he refused to meet her eyes, looking at his father, instead. He must hate me now, and I don’t blame him.
“So what do we do now?” Thelma asked, her face stained and blotchy in the flickering candlelight. “We can’t stay here, being picked off one by one. I couldn’t stand it, losing anyone else.”
Nadia surprised herself by speaking up. “You could go to St. Francis. It’s safe there. The safest place we know. We can draw you a map and tell you who to speak to once you get there. What to say.”
“A map? You’re not going with us?” Kevin asked.
Nadia shook her head. “I’m not going back, sorry.”
“Why not? If it’s as safe as you say…”
“I just can’t. Personal reasons.” Nadia sighed. “It’s got nothing to do with the place or the people. It really is as safe as I told you, and the people are great. It’s just not for me.”
“What about you two?” Kevin asked of Lisa and Cat.
“I’m sticking with Nadia,” Lisa said.
“So am I,” Cat replied after a moment of hesitation. “But we can see you on your way first.”
“They’d let us in?” Kevin asked.
“They would if we vouched for you. There’s lots of space. You’d have your own place to live in too,” Lisa added.
“We’ll have to discuss it first. Can you tell us more about it?” Kevin said.
“Sure,” Lisa agreed, and Nadia listened to her and Cat extolling St. Francis’ virtues for the next half hour.
When they were done, the girls left the table, heading for their room to let the Jenkins family work things out for themselves. It was an unhappy time, and the atmosphere was grim. Nadia sat down on the edge of the bed, the strength leaving her bones in a rush. Her hands shook, and she clutched them together in her lap.
Lisa paced across the room. “I knew this was too good to last.”
“I know,” Cat replied, rubbing a hand across her eyes. “Poor Thelma.”
“This is going to break her,” Lisa said.
“Steward too. He looked so guilty too. Like it was all his fault. Poor boy,” Cat added.
Lisa stopped pacing and faced Nadia. “Did it really happen like Steward said? You were surprised by a zombie, and Manny got bitten?”
Nadia’s brows rose. “Of course. What are you implying?”
“Nothing. I’m just checking. It seems strange, that’s all. I mean, you’ve been patrolling for days without incident, and just like that, Manny dies.”
Nadia jumped to her feet, an angry blush staining her cheeks even as fresh guilt rushed through her veins. “Are you saying this is my fault?”
“No, I’m not, I’m just saying it’s strange. Either you weren’t paying attention or―”
“Or what? We’re lying? Why would we? Why would Steward?” Nadia stormed toward the bedroom door. “I feel bad enough already without you calling me a liar, Lisa.”
“Nadia! I didn’t mean―”
Nadia slammed the door shut behind her, cutting off the rest of Lisa’s sentence. On autopilot, she steered toward the stairs that led to the roof and ran up them two at a time. It was dark out already, but the moon was full and bright, a huge silver orb in the sky. Nadia walked toward the edge of the building but stopped abruptly when a figure loomed ahead. “Steward?”
“It’s me.”
“How…how are you doing?” she asked, sidling up to stand next to him.
He sighed. “I’m okay, I guess.”
Nadia swallowed before daring to ask. “Why did you lie today? Why didn’t you tell them what really happened?”
“Because we were stupid. All of us. It would’ve hurt my Dad. Disappointed him.”
“Yeah, but it was my idea. I’m the one who came up with it,” Nadia said.
“So? We didn’t have to go along with it, did we?” he asked.
“I guess not.”
“Truth is, we were bored. It’s been months. Months that we’ve been stuck out here doing the same thing over and over again. Then you girls came along, and everything changed.”
Nadia frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You mean, you haven’t noticed?”
“Noticed what?” Nadia looked at Steward. “Admittedly, I’ve been stuck in my own bubble.”
He laughed, but it lacked true mirth. “It’s stupid now I think about it. The way Manny and I vied for your attention on the patrols, trying to outdo each other.”
“You did?” Nadia rocked back on her heels. “I never saw.”
“We liked the fact that you were so gutsy and spontaneous. Full of adventure, though Lisa and Cat aren’t bad either.” He shook his head. “It proved our undoing today. We went too far.”
Nadia flinched at the raw hurt in his voice. “Steward, it wasn’t your fault. Or Manny’s. If it weren’t for me egging you on, being stupid…it never would have happened.”
“It doesn’t matter, Nadia. We chose to follow you, and that’s on us.”
Nadia bit her lip, unsure what to say, and they stood in silence for a while, watching the town stretched out below them.
“My dad’s taking you up on your offer,” Steward said at last. “I overheard them talking earlier.”
“I’m glad. They’ll be safe there. You’ll be safe.”
“But, I want to stay with you.”
Nadia sucked in a breath. “Steward, no. I’m no good for you, trust me.”
“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
She shook her head. “It’s not possible, forget it.”
He turned a pained face her way. “Don’t you like me at all?”
Nadia squeezed her eyes shut for a second. This can’t be happening. Not again. Steward’s a good person. He deserves better. Besides, I can’t. Not ever. Not after Caleb.
“Nadia? Say something.”
“The truth is, I lost someone not long ago, and it’s eating me alive, filling me with hate, and now you’ve paid the price. You and your brother. I’m bad news, Steward. When your parents leave, I want you to go with them. Forget about me.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Damn it, Steward! I don’t feel about you like that. Okay? I’ve got my own demons to fight, and I don’t need you tagging along with me. Go to St. Francis, and find a nice girl. Someone who feels the same way about you, because I sure don’t.”
Ignoring the look of hurt on his face, Nadia turned and walked away, even though it pained her to leave him like that. But, she’d meant what she’d said. She had her own road to travel, her own life to live, and he had no place in it. It’s for his own good. Rather let him hate me than pine for something he can’t have. He’ll learn the truth about me soon enough in St. Francis anyway. I’m a carrier. Love is not part of my destiny.
Back in the room, Nadia ignored Cat and Lisa or tried to until they cornered her.
“Listen, Nadia. I never meant to accuse you of lying, and I’m sorry,” Lisa began. “We’re best friends, and I should never have said anything. I just thought maybe the boys had been up to no good, and you were covering for them.”
Nadia shook her head. “No, it was nothing like that.”
“Well, I’m sorry,” Lisa repeated.
“Yeah, me too,” Cat said. “It must’ve been awful for you to see Manny go like that.”
“It’s fine. Forget it, you two. It’s over,” Nadia replied with a smile even though inside, it burned like acid to lie to her friends. Again. Not only had she not told them the real story regarding Manny’s death, but she was also hiding her own state of mind from them, pretending everything was fine when it really wasn’t.
“So…friends again?” Cat asked, holding out her hand.
Nadia nodded, taking both Cat’s and Lisa’s fingers between her own. “Friends, forever.”
Chapter 8 - Lisa
Two days later, Lisa stood next to Cat and Nadia, watching the Jenkins family pull away from the hotel in their truck around ten
in the morning. Kevin had accepted Nadia’s offer of seeking sanctuary at St. Francis, and after Manny’s funeral, the family had packed their belongings and said their goodbyes.
Lisa was glad. After Manny’s death, things just weren’t the same in the old hotel. Thelma was locked away in her grief, Kevin preoccupied with the safety of his family, and Steward gave all of them a wide berth, hurt as he was after Nadia rejection.
The family was well-armed and supplied, and with the map Nadia had provided, it was a straight shot through to St. Francis. An introductory letter to Martin would smooth the way for their entry, and Lisa wished them the best of luck. I hope they make it in one piece. They deserve a little happiness.
“Think they’ll be okay?” she asked, though she wasn’t really expecting an answer.
“If they make it, yes. Kevin is strong, and so is Thelma, even though she doesn’t look it,” Cat answered.
“What about Steward? He had it bad for our Nadia here,” Lisa said with a grin, nudging Nadia with her shoulder.
Nadia rolled her eyes. “Ugh. I should never have told you. Either of you.”
“Of course you did. What else is there to snicker about on this fine summer morning?” Cat said, matching Lisa’s laughter. “Besides, he’ll be fine. There are tons of girls where he’s going.”
Lisa sucked in a deep breath of the fresh air and lifted her head toward the sun. “It’s going to be a hot one.”
“Yup,” Cat agreed, rolling her shoulders and flexing her neck. “Wish we had a swimming pool. I could use a swim…get some exercise.”
“There’s a river not far from here,” Lisa mused. “We could make it a day. Swim, picnic, what do you say?”
Nadia looked down at her blood-spattered boots and groaned. “Sounds great to me. This morning’s patrol was a messy one. I could use a wash.”
“You shouldn’t have gone on your own. It’s too dangerous,” Cat said with a frown.
“Yes, Mom,” Nadia joked.
“She’s right. Tomorrow we go together,” Lisa said with an admonishing look at Nadia.
“Fine, whatever, but let’s have some fun today,” Nadia said.
“All right, it’s settled. Let’s grab our stuff and go,” Lisa said, looking forward to a long day spent frolicking in the river under a hot sun and blue skies.
“I’ll pack a picnic basket,” Cat offered. “You guys grab some blankets, towels, and sunscreen.”
“I’m on it,” Lisa said.
“I’ll lock up and secure the place. No use coming home to a zombie-infested hotel tonight,” Nadia said.
“Right. Good thinking,” Lisa agreed before jogging inside to get the ball rolling.
This was going to be a good day. She just knew it.
***
An hour later, they rolled to a stop on the banks of the river and eyed it, looking for a likely picnic spot. Though not huge, the river was swift and strong, cutting through the semi-desert environment with smooth precision, its banks lined with greenery. The area was deserted, far from any urban developments, and they hadn’t seen any infected for miles around.
“What about there?” Lisa asked, pointing to a grassy bank underneath a willow tree. It sloped down gently to the river’s edge and looked cool and inviting.
“Looks good,” Cat agreed, while Nadia was already out of the truck and running toward the spot while shedding her clothes.
“Hey!” Lisa cried. “Wait for us.”
“Not on your life,” Nadia called back as she stripped down to her undies. Her clothes went into a messy pile next to her weapons, though Lisa noticed she took one of her t-bar’s with her to the water, ever prepared for the zombie threat. Seconds later, she hit the water with a splash, droplets spraying in every direction as she whooped aloud.
Lisa shook her head, but the water looked inviting, and the mere thought of immersing her hot, sweaty body in the cool liquid caused her heart to race. She jogged over, adding her clothes to the growing pile on the grass, stopping only to strap a dagger to her thigh. On tiptoes, she approached the bank until hovering over the river where Nadia frolicked like a baby seal.
“Come on! What are you waiting for? An invitation?” Nadia said, splashing water at Lisa.
“Alrighty!” Lisa yelled as she dive bombed into the water, landing with a huge splash. Cold water enveloped her body, cradling her limbs and refreshing every molecule in her body. She kicked twice, and her head broke through the surface, silver droplets glinting on the tips of her lashes. She laughed with sheer joy and craned her head to look for Cat.
Cat had followed at a more sedate pace, carrying a blanket and pillows which she spread out beneath the willow tree in the shade before fetching the picnic basket and bottled water.
“Come on in,” Lisa called. “The water’s perfect.”
“In a minute,” Cat replied as she too stripped down to her underwear.
With leisurely calm, she slathered sunscreen onto her limbs, massaging the cream into her skin with smooth strokes. Afterward, her hair went into a tight bun, and her gun found a spot on the bank next to the water. Finally, she picked her way down the bank, shrieking when her toes sank into the mud and slipped into the water.
“Jeez. Took you long enough,” Nadia said, floating past on her back.
Cat smiled. “I have no desire to look like a tomato later on, Nads. Unlike you.”
Nadia pulled a face. “Please. I don’t burn that easily. Besides, it’s not that hot.”
Cat shot her a smug grin. “Remember that later on.”
Lisa ignored the two of them, and swam upriver against the current, pitting her strength against the river. She gloried in the feel of her muscles working to move her body against the flow of the stream before giving in and being swept back to her friends.
Time passed in a haze of bliss while Lisa swam, at times playing games with Nadia and Cat, and at others simply letting herself be, floating on the current like a leaf. One by one, her cares slipped away, the worries that gnawed at her gut while she slept, and the hurtful memories of the past that clung to her psyche like old debris. She shed it all like so much old skin. Relics of the past. Finally, when she felt she’d had enough, she climbed up onto the bank and joined Cat and Nadia who were stretched out in the sun baking like lizards on a hot rock.
“Hi, guys.” She lay down on the soft grass with a sigh, allowing the golden rays to warm her skin after the cold swim.
“Hungry?” Cat asked, offering her a carrot fresh from the garden.
She crunched into the orange vegetable and savored its sweetness on her tongue before sipping on a bottle of water to slake her thirst. “Now this is the life.”
“Agreed,” Cat said as she lay back on her folded arms to stare up at the cloudless sky.
Nadia sat upright with her arms folded around her legs while they lay, her eyes gazing far into the distance as she scanned their surroundings. Though today was for fun, one of them had to be on guard at all times. Even here, the infected were a threat.
After a while, Cat got up and found a seat in the shade beneath the willow tree, her bum planted on top of a cushion. With her shotgun next to her, she took over watch while Nadia went for a final dip in the river and Lisa finished off her tan.
Afterward, they enjoyed a simple meal of fresh carrots, tomatoes, and celery from the garden, biscuits topped with jam, chocolate chip cookies, and apple juice.
It was with great reluctance that Lisa eyed the sun dipping toward the horizon and said, “Guess it’s time to go home, guys.”
Cat and Nadia groaned, their collective annoyance making itself instantly known. “Do we have to?”
“Yup, we have to. It won’t do to drive around in the dark, especially in strange surroundings. Besides, I could use a hot bath, a cup of coffee, and a soft bed to round off this day.
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Cat said, rolling onto her back with a sigh. “It would make the day complete.”
“Might as well.” Nadia
stood up and grabbed her jeans, slipping them on one slender leg at a time. “Just a question, seeing as we haven’t exactly discussed our future plans yet.”
Lisa eyed Nadia. “I have a feeling I’m not gonna like this.”
“How long are we planning on staying at the hotel?” Nadia asked. “You know we need to move on at some point or other.”
Lisa sucked in a breath and reached for her own clothes. “That depends, I guess.”
“On what?” Nadia asked.
“On our goals.”
Nadia straightened up, buttoning and zipping her jeans with a frown. “Goals? What goals?”
“Exactly,” Lisa said. “What are we doing out here, away from the safety of St. Francis and risking our lives?”
Nadia stared at her. “I never thought about it. I just wanted to get away.”
“I get that. So did I, but maybe we can think about it now. I mean, if I’m going to put myself in danger, shouldn’t it be for a reason?” Lisa pointed at both Nadia and Cat. “Shouldn’t you? Otherwise, this is all rather pointless, isn’t it?”
“Lisa’s right,” Cat said, raising her hand. “We need to have a goal, a purpose. Or we might as well stay at the hotel where it’s comfortable. If you want me to leave and face the unknown, give me a reason.”
“Wait a minute. Are you two ganging up on me?” Nadia said. “You didn’t have to come with me, you know? You could’ve stayed at St. Francis. For that matter, you can stay at the hotel if you want. Nothing’s stopping you.”
“Now, now. No need to get huffy,” Lisa said, getting to her feet as she slipped on her shoes. “Just think about it okay? Wouldn’t it be great if we had a job out here? A reason to put ourselves in danger other than just aimlessly wandering around?”
“A job?”
“Yeah, or a higher purpose,” Cat added. “Something you don’t mind dying for.”
Nadia nodded slowly as she finished dressing before gathering up the scattered pillows. “All right. I get what you’re saying. So tell me. What higher purpose can we serve out here? What job can we perform that’s worth dying for?”
Silence fell as all three girls fell into thoughtful contemplation of the question. It lasted the entire time they packed up and until they were nearly at the hotel. Suddenly, Lisa gasped as it hit her, and she slammed her hands on the wheel. “I’ve got it!”
Children of the Apocalypse: Mega Boxed Set Page 123