He wasn’t far away. Easily within handgun range.
The rifle was slung over her shoulder. She went instinctively for her handgun instead, in its holster at her side.
In a flash, she had it in both hands, her arms outstretched, the muzzle pointed right at the young man’s chest.
How had he gotten so close to her without her noticing?
“Hands up,” she shouted, but he already had his hands in the air.
Standing like that, he looked even more like a scarecrow. Clearly, he was starving. The ragged shirt hung very loosely down his bony fame.
He was shaking slightly, and it seemed as if he might blow away with the next strong gust of wind.
“What are you doing here?” she shouted.
“Nothing,” he said, finally speaking. His voice was hoarse.
“You’re following me?”
He said nothing, but eventually nodded. “I’m sorry,” he added. “But I just wanted to talk to you.”
“You wanted to talk to me? How long have you been following me?”
“Dunno,” he said. “I’ve been watching your camp for a week.”
“A week?” she said, the knowledge alarming her. How was it possible that he’d followed her, gotten this close to her, and watched the camp for a whole week without anyone noticing? They were, after all, patrolling and posting watch.
“Sorry,” he said. “I just didn’t know how.... I thought you might shoot me if I just came walking up.... And I didn’t know if I could trust you.”
“Who are you?” she said.
“Cody,” came the answer. “I grew up here. Well, one property over. My parents...they were neighbors of Joe.”
This softened something in Jamie, making her relax a little. But at the same time, she didn’t relax her grip on her gun in the slightest.
“You really grew up around here?”
“Yeah. I know this area like the back of my hand. I’ve been all over these parts... Joe used to try to chase me off his property, but he could never manage.... I knew it even better than he did.”
“So that’s how you were able to spy on us?”
“Yeah.”
There was something about him that seemed honest. Jamie was getting better, she thought, at trusting her intuition. Ever since the virus hit, it seemed that she’d been better at trusting her own judgment, whereas before, she was always so worried about what others thought that she’d hidden her own thoughts and feelings from herself.
But she knew that she had a good read on this young man, and that he seemed honest and decent. It was just something about the way he stood, the way he spoke, something about his character that was somehow visible and perceivable.
“What happened to your parents?”
“Dead.”
“Sorry.”
He shrugged and said nothing.
“So you were spying on us to see what we’re like?”
He nodded. “Can’t trust anyone these days,” he said.
“I know the feeling,” she said.
“I’m desperate,” he said, suddenly letting the words start to roll out of him. He spoke in a hesitating sort of way that seemed unfamiliar to him, probably due to the hunger and stress he’d experienced since the virus. “I’m at my parents’ house alone. I don’t like asking for help.... I’m not that kind of person.... I wasn’t raised like that...But I know that I need help now...Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not coming to you begging...I can see you’re doing okay, but not spectacular...You don’t have any way to produce food for instance...But you have a well...So here’s what I offer...Here’s what I can bring to the table.... Now I may not look strong now...I’m weak and starving.... There’s not a ton of food at home.... No water.... They didn’t have a well.... Never had quite enough money to install one.... I’ve been getting by mostly by drinking out of the hot water heater.... Point is, anyway, that I’ll be strong and very useful as soon as I get a good meal and a quart of clean water in me.”
“You’ve been spying us but you didn’t go for the well? You didn’t want to steal a drink out of it?”
He shook his head. “Could have, but it didn’t seem right.”
“You’re saying you want to put your work in for the water?”
“For water and food. I can lodge at my parents’ place. Trust me, I’m useful. And I see one of you is injured.... You could use a good solid worker.”
She eyed him up and down. His hands were still up in the air, and her gun was still trained on his chest.
As best she could tell, he was being honest. And, what’s more, it seemed as if he’d be useful. He was right, with Matt out of commission for at least several more weeks, they could desperately use another pair of strong hands, especially to get some of her projects up and running.
It seemed like it actually might work out well, provided he was being honest.
Then a thought occurred to her.
“What about the virus?” she said.
“The virus? What about it?”
“Are you immune?”
“I don’t think so,” he said.
“How’d you survive then?”
“I took precautions against it,” he said. “Did my best to avoid people.”
She didn’t know what to make of that. How was it possible that he’d been able to avoid people enough not to contract the virus? Maybe he was naturally immune and didn’t know it.
“We’re immune,” she said.
“I figured as much,” he said, nodding.
“If you’re not immune,” said Jamie. “Aren’t you worried about catching the virus from us?”
“If that’s what happens, then that’s what happens,” he said.
“I don’t think it would,” she said, thinking back to how Lily didn’t seem overly concerned that she’d exposed herself to Jamie. “But I don’t know for sure. If you come with us, it’s a risk you’re going to have to take.”
He nodded stoically. “I’m prepared for that,” he said.
“All right,” she said. “Maybe I’m crazy for doing this, but I’ll bring you back to others. They’ll have to approve this sort of thing, of course.”
“Of course,” he said, starting to lower his arms, a slight smile appearing on his desperate face. “You won’t regret this. I swear I’ll be strong as an ox once I get a few meals in me.... You should have seen me, I could lift...”
“Hands back up,” she said, cutting him off, not lowering her gun in the slightest.
As quickly as he could, he popped those hands back up in the air.
“I’m not going to shoot you unless I have to,” she said. “But don’t expect me to drop my guard until I’m sure I can trust you.... And I can’t be sure I can trust you until I get the approval of my companions.”
“Fair enough,” he said, nodding curtly. “I’ll lead the way. You can follow me and keep the gun trained on me. I’m not going to pull anything.”
“I don’t think you are. But you can’t be too careful these days.”
“Fair enough,” he said.
And without another word between them, they began the march back to camp.
She couldn’t be completely sure, but she had a feeling that things were going to work out well with Cody.
Find more of my books: https://www.amazon.com/Ryan-Westfield/e/B075MXJJ49
Sign up for my mailing list to receive information on new releases, as well as unique reader opportunities: http://eepurl.com/c8UeN5
About the Author
Ryan Westfield is an author of post-apocalyptic survival thrillers. He’s always had an interest in “being prepared,” and spends time wondering what that really means. When he’s not writing and reading, he enjoys camping, hiking, driving his truck on bumpy roads, and training with kettlebells.
Contact Ryan at: [email protected]
Get updates about new releases by following Ryan on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryanwestfieldauthor/
Also by Ryan Westfield
>
Getting Out (The EMP, book 1)
Staying Alive (The EMP, book 2)
Pushing On (The EMP, book 3)
Surviving Chaos (The EMP, book 4)
Fighting Rough (The EMP, book 5)
Defending Camp (The EMP, book 6)
Getting Home (The EMP, book 7)
Finding Shelter (The EMP, book 8)
Final Chaos (Surviving, book 1)
Final Panic (Surviving, book 2)
Final Dread (Surviving, book 3)
Escape the Virus (Last Pandemic, book 1)
Escape the City (Last Pandemic, book 2)
Last Pandemic (Book 3): Escape The Chaos Page 18