“I’ll stay up with you,” Dion said. “My sleep schedule is completely reversed anyway.”
“Sorry about that,” Sara said with a wince.
“Don’t be sorry,” Dion said. “It’s the least I can do for letting us stay here. I’ll be happy to do double shifts if you need me to.”
“You two have already been so helpful,” Sara admitted. Having an extra person on both the night and day shifts had allowed Sara and Todd to get some much-needed rest over the past couple of days. “And I’m sure it’s only going to get better as we do more shifts. We wouldn’t have spotted the intruder if you hadn’t been awake and alert, Dion.”
“Do you really think they’ll come back?” Natasha asked.
“I don’t know,” Sara said. “But if they do, we’ll be ready for them.”
“Speaking of sleep,” Natasha said, getting up from the table and coming around to give Dion a kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to bed. You kids be careful tonight.”
“We will,” Dion said, giving Natasha a brief hug before she shuffled off to the master bedroom. “Good night, honey. Sleep tight.”
“I will.”
“She seems very calm in all this,” Sara said.
“She’s never been one to rattle easily.”
“What does she do for a living?” Sara asked as Dion moved over and sat in Natasha’s chair. “If you don’t mind me asking. I mean, we’ve been so busy that we’ve never really talked about it.”
“Right now she’s back in school to get her nursing degree,” Dion said. “Before that, she was a dialysis technician at one of the big clinics in town. She almost went into the military as a medical technician—half her family is in the military—but she decided to stay in private health care, and stay closer to home.”
“Her skills might come in handy out here,” Sara said, pleasantly surprised to find out Natasha was more than just a positive force. “What about you?”
“I’m a project manager for an enterprise business in downtown Cincinnati,” Dion said as he got up and went over to get a cup of coffee. “Want one?”
“Yes, please.”
Dion poured them each a cup of coffee as he continued. “I’m just holding down the fort while she gets through school.” He turned and came back to the table, setting Sara’s coffee down next to her laptop. “Your turn. What do you do when you’re not surviving the end of the world?”
Sara chuckled. “Jake is the breadwinner with his IT job, so I take care of just about everything else. Bookkeeping, finances, kids, and planning for the end of the world.”
Dion laughed. “All of those are tough jobs.”
“The plan was to keep saving until Zoe got out of high school, then we were thinking about moving up here to the cabin, permanently.”
“It’s a beautiful place.” Todd glanced around, admiring the cabin’s high ceilings supported by big wooden beams. “I wouldn’t blame you guys for moving up here.”
“We might be making the move sooner than later,” Sara said, “if the world keeps up the way it is. Only we’ll have to think about building fortifications and growing food.” The last part was supposed to be a half-joke, but Sara grew quiet as she realized how close to the truth it was.
“What about the kids?” Dion asked. “How would they feel about moving? I mean, under normal circumstances.”
Sara sighed and looked wistfully out through the back-door glass where the rain continued to come down. “I’m not worried about Zoe. She loves it up here. Todd, on the other hand… I think he’d have a hard time moving away from his friends.”
“He’ll be eighteen in a year and a half, right? Well, that’s what he told me.”
“That’s right,” Sara said. “And he’ll always have a place here with us. You know, until he establishes himself. But he’s at that age where getting out from under your parents’ watchful eye is one of the most important things in the world. I’m not entirely sure he’d move here with us, and that’s going to hurt.”
“I remember when I was sixteen,” Dion said with a faint grin as he stared into the living room. “I thought I knew everything, and no one could tell me any different. My parents always tried to warn me about life’s pitfalls, especially my dad, but I wouldn’t listen. I had to learn the hard way.”
“You can talk until you’re blue in the face sometimes…” Sara shook her head and chuckled lightly.
“I think you have to keep talking to them and teaching them lessons.” Dion’s tone had a hint of earnestness to it. “Because you never know when something you said years ago might come into play.”
“Sounds like you’re ready for kids yourself,” Sara said, giving Dion an appreciative look.
“Not quite yet.” Dion grinned. “I’m just happy we’re having this conversation so I can prepare to recite all the things my dad tried to tell me.”
“You’ll do a great job, I’m sure,” Sara said.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, and for the hundredth time Sara was thankful she’d let Dion and Natasha stay. Their help was invaluable, and having two more adults around for Sara to talk to was nice, too.
“Since there’s going to be two of us tonight,” Sara began, “what say we take turns walking the yard?”
“That’s a great idea. One of us can watch the cameras while the other patrols. Should we keep inside the yard, or venture out to the road?”
Sara twisted her lips as she thought about it. “That’s a good question. I say we stay inside the yard and don’t go past the creek or out onto the road.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Dion agreed. “Think we’ll catch whoever has been snooping around?”
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky.”
Chapter 23
Jake, Boston, Massachusetts | 10:46 p.m., Thursday
Jake sat on the edge of the bed and waited for the cobwebs to clear from his brain. His body was hot, and his skin was slightly moist with sweat as grogginess clung to him like a weight. Jake rolled his shoulders and stood up, surprised that his legs and back weren’t as sore as he’d expected them to be. He must be getting used to living in this new, unpredictable world where walking miles through a ravaged city was normal and violence lurked around every corner.
The candle on his nightstand had burned down considerably, but its warm light felt good on his skin. He crossed to the window, peeled back some of the tape, and peered out into pitch darkness. He couldn’t see two feet in front of him, so it must be late.
He stuck the cover back to the window and stretched his arms over his head. Yawning, mouth tacky with saliva, Jake suddenly felt like he could drink an entire two liters of water. Licking his index finger and thumb, Jake snuffed the candle out, opened the bedroom door, and entered the hallway. One of the candles in the hallway had gone out, but the other one provided enough light to see by.
He found his way easily to the stairs and descended them quietly, assuming everyone must still be asleep and not wanting to wake them. Where was Marcy?
The living room was quiet and still, and Jake started to walk into the kitchen then stopped at the sound of clicking glassware from inside the room. He changed direction, coming around the sofa to see Lizzy sitting in one of the stiff-backed chairs facing the fireplace. Jake hadn’t seen her right away because the chair swallowed her frail form, though she looked up at him with a smile and waved one hand as she balanced a cup and saucer in her other.
“Have some tea, Jake?” the woman asked.
“Do you mind if I get some water first? I’m dying of thirst.”
“Of course.” Lizzy waved him off. “There’s bottled water in the fridge.”
“Thanks,” Jake said before he went into the kitchen and looked at the fridge. It was an older model, and Jake stood there for a minute, scratching his head as he tried to figure out what was so strange about it.
A low hum from the refrigerator brought a dawning realization.
“This thing is on,” Jake said in surp
rise, and he grasped the door handle and opened it. The bulb inside was dim, revealing half a case of bottled water, several tomatoes, and a few packages of assorted lunch meats and condiments.
Jake picked out a bottled water, shut the refrigerator door, and walked back into the living room to give Lizzy a bemused look. “You have a generator, I assume?”
“That’s right,” Lizzy chuckled. “Lou installed it five or six years ago and ran the exhaust outside. Taught me how to fill it up with gasoline and start it.” I’ve been using it off and on this whole week just to keep the refrigerator going and to keep the water hot so I could have me a hot bath or two. I figured the authorities would be here soon, but I don’t guess that’s happening.”
“I didn’t even hear it running,” Jake said, coming to sit on the edge of the chair on the opposite end of the couch.
“It’s in the basement,” Lizzy said, “where the foundation muffles the sound. Plus it’s one of those fancy quiet ones. I told Lou not to spend the money on it, but he loved his toys.”
Marcy was sleeping on the couch, resting on her side with her knees tucked up to her chest and her head on a pillow. Jake started to reach down and check her wounded leg when Lizzy clucked her tongue.
“Don’t bother her, Jake,” Lizzy said. “She tried to stay up for a while, even exhausted as she was. And I suspect she has a lot of guilt weighing on her mind from what she did.”
“What she did?”
Lizzy’s lips pursed, and she set the cup and saucer down on the coffee table, fixing Jake firmly with her eyes. “She told me she killed someone today. Said she shot the woman right in the chest. Two times.”
Jake’s heart sank. It was true, and he should have known it would have an ill effect on Marcy, sooner rather than later. He was still coming to grips with his own violent behavior over the past week. Even if it was justified, he expected that shooting the X-Gangers on the roof would eventually weigh heavy on his heart.
“We’ve both had to do some horrible things.” Jake stared down at his water bottle, suddenly not feeling very thirsty. “I shot at some people who were shooting at us. I think I might have killed one of them.”
“You had to defend yourself,” Lizzy said with a sad, knowing smile. “And Marcy said she did it to protect those little angels who are sleeping upstairs. She said they would have been caught by that gang if she hadn’t taken action, and who knows what would’ve happened then?”
“That’s right,” Jake said, glancing over at Marcy. “X-Gang doesn’t mess around. I just hope she’s okay.”
“I gave her a sleeping pill. And some antibiotics, too.”
“That’s great,” Jake said with a grateful tone. “She got her leg caught on a piece of metal, and it cut her deep. It’s infected.”
“That’s what Marcy said.” Lizzy nodded. “And she also said you’ve been doing a good job helping keep her wound clean. Even made your own saline.”
“That was just basic first aid stuff,” Jake said, shrugging off the compliment.
“Every little bit helps, son.” Lizzy put her tea down on the coffee table and prepared another cup. “And don’t you worry, those pills will knock out the rest of the infection. I had an abscess on my elbow last year. Took a week’s worth of those pills and it cleared right up. Doctor said I should finish the bottle, but I felt so good that I didn’t bother.”
“I’m glad we could put them to use,” Jake said, then he unscrewed the top of the water bottle and took a big drink. Once the cool liquid ran over his tongue and hit his belly, he started swigging it until it was completely gone.
“Now how about that tea?” Lizzy stood up with a fresh cup and offered it to Jake.
“That sounds good.” Jake took the cup and rested it on his knee.
“Some sugar right in there.” Lizzy pointed to a sugar bowl with a spoon resting on the edge.
Jake scooped out some of the white grains, dumped them in his cup, and stirred. “Thanks, Lizzy. I have to admit, it’s strange sitting here having a cup of tea with you while the world is falling to pieces around us.” Jake took a sip of his tea and nodded his head appreciatively as a hint of orange and spice danced on his tongue.
“We have to keep some semblance of humanity,” Lizzy said, sitting back in her chair with her cup held to her chest. “Otherwise, we’re no better than animals.”
“Speaking of animals,” Jake said, picking his words carefully. “Is there a zoo nearby?”
“Well, the Franklin Zoo is a couple of blocks over.” Lizzy paused to take a sip of her tea. “I used to take my students there on a field trip every year. Wonderful place. They had apes and insects and big cats, too. I haven’t been back there in years. I suppose it’s too late now.” Lizzy ended her sentence with a sinking tone and a frown.
“What do you think happened to all the animals after the storms hit last week?”
“That’s a good question, Jake.” Lizzy shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose they’d be about starved by now, locked in their cages with no one to feed them. Poor things.”
“Do you think any might have gotten out?” Jake leaned forward as Henry’s words about the “shadow” echoed in his head. At first, Jake had thought the man was exaggerating from the shock of the storm, but the fright Timothy had given them in the street made Jake feel like anything was plausible.
“It’s possible, I guess,” Lizzy said with a worried look. “Did you see one?”
“I’m not sure,” Jake said, then he corrected himself. “No, actually. I can’t say with any degree of confidence that we saw something.”
Lizzy smiled. “In any case, it’s a good thing we’re safe and sound in here, right?”
“Right,” Jake said, then he turned in his chair as the sound of small feet coming down the stairs reached him. He peered over the back of the sofa to see Alice and Timothy come to the bottom of the stairs and walk over to his end of the couch.
“Hi, Jake,” Alice said, resting her hands on the arm of the chair as she shot Lizzy a careful glance.
“Hey, kids,” Jake replied. “How are you feeling, Timothy?”
“Okay,” Timothy said, rubbing his eyes. “I’m hungry.”
“It just so happens that I have some cookies in the kitchen,” Lizzy said with a grandmotherly smile. “I made up a batch last week before the storm came. None of my children or grandchildren made it into town.”
Timothy’s face lit up, and he looked at Jake as if he had the authority to give him permission.
Jake frowned for a moment, then he gave the boy a little hope. “Maybe after you and your sister go in and make yourselves some stew. Can you do that, Alice?”
“Sure can,” Alice said in a chipper tone. “And can I have some cookies too? I mean, after we eat dinner.”
“Sure.” Jake nodded reluctantly. His instinct was to establish some sort of regular discipline for the kids, but there was nothing normal about any of this. Still, it felt good to ensure they ate some proper food before digging into the treats.
“Awesome,” Alice said, and she took Timothy by the hand and led him into the kitchen.
“Thank you so much for your hospitality,” Jake said, and he meant it. “We were running on fumes earlier.”
“You’re welcome to anything I have, Jake,” Lizzy said, gesturing with her hand. “As little as that may be.”
“We won’t be staying long. X-Gang will be sweeping the area soon, and it would be a good idea to be gone when that happens.”
“I’m not going anywhere, son.” Lizzy tilted her head and looked at Jake through older, wiser eyes. “I’ve lived here fifty-two years. This is my home. My own Lou passed away right in this chair I’m sitting in. Fell asleep one night reading a book and never woke up.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” Jake said, feeling the weight of all those years in her voice. “And I understand that this has been your home for a long time, but it’s too dangerous to stay. If the gang doesn’t get you, you’ll run out of food and wat
er.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Lizzy said, dismissively.
“What do you mean, ‘it doesn’t matter’?” Jake asked with a mild scoff. “With all due respect, ma’am, you’re not thinking this through.”
“I couldn’t leave if I wanted to.” Lizzy put one hand on her leg and rubbed it through the flowered dress she wore. “I had this hip replaced a few years back, and it’s not what it used to be.”
“I’m not going to lie,” Jake admitted. “The city is a mess, and it’s dangerous out there, but we can help you get around. Between Marcy and me, we can do it.”
“What are you going to do?” Lizzy pursed her lips. “Are you going to carry all your supplies and keep tabs on those youngsters while making sure I don’t fall and break my other hip?”
“We’ll make you a stretcher.”
“Oh, that’s rich.” Lizzy harrumphed. “How fast do you think we’ll be able to move then, especially with Marcy’s injured leg? No, you’re the one not thinking things through, Jake.”
Jake stared into Lizzy’s dark eyes, and the woman stared right back at him in a standoff of wills. Even though Jake had tried to help people, he’d had to leave many behind. He didn’t want to leave any more if he could help it.
“Just think about it,” Jake implored, resting back in his chair with a sigh. “Think about giving it a try.”
Lizzy only shook her head and went back to sipping her tea.
Chapter 24
Sara, Gatlinburg, Tennessee | 1:13 a.m., Friday
Sara’s boots squelched in the mud as she walked the perimeter of the yard through a low, thick mist. Using her flashlight to trace the edge of the woods where the ground bent downward, Sara moved carefully so she didn’t slip or turn an ankle.
The weather had whipped itself up again, although she would hardly call it a storm. Still, it was just fierce enough to blow rain into her face despite having her rain poncho’s hood pulled low over her brow. The smells of wet wood, dirt, and stone filled her lungs and made her brain feel alive even though she would normally be sleeping at this hour.
Weathering The Storm (Book 2): Surge Page 14