Liet folded his arms across his chest. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I know you’re always here waiting for me. I know the supplies I’m collecting are going to make your life easier, so I’m more careful than Wilks and Anderson were.” I stepped closer to his desk. “The only thing that keeps me going is your faith in my abilities.” I gagged, but I don’t think he noticed.
Liet lowered his arms, his mouth curled into a smile. “Fill two more. I want to see Wilks. See what happened to him.”
“He’s outside with the trucks. Trust me, he’s worthless. You’ll need to find someone else to take the truck down to Florida.”
Liet walked around the desk. We left the office. A smug smile of satisfaction crept onto my lips, and I fought to keep it under control.
We stepped into the sunlight, and Liet walked up to the vehicle, pushing Bill and Quinn aside. He climbed into the truck, pulling Wilks out by his collar. The sedative Bill had given him had worn off hours ago. His skin took on a pasty white pallor, and he fidgeted with his fingers. He didn’t even notice Liet.
“What did you do to him?” Liet growled at Quinn.
“What did we do? We did what you asked us to.” Quinn clenched his teeth and placed his hands on his hips.
Liet released his collar and pushed Wilks aside. “Useless. Utterly useless. Take him with you. With any luck, the zombies will take care of him.”
Wilks’ eyes grew wide at the word zombie, and he visibly shook. A look of disgust crossed Liet’s face.
“Zzzzombies.” Wilks stuttered. “Zzzzombies are everywhere. They got Anderson.” He glanced over his shoulder. “They’re going to get you too.” He grabbed Liet by the arms and shook him.
Liet pushed him away, and Wilks fell to the ground.
“I won’t go back out there. You can’t make me go out there!”
“Get him out of my sight.”
Bill went to help Wilks to his feet. Wilks moved as if he’d been electrocuted out of Bill’s grasp and pulled his gun out of the holster. He pointed it at the guys.
“You stay away from me. All of you.”
“You’d better use it or put it away, son.” Liet’s eyes flashed with anger.
Wilks trained the gun on him. “I won’t go back out there.” He turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger.
My mouth dropped open as his body fell to the ground in slow motion. Bits of brain matter and skull clanked onto the ground. My chest tightened, and I gasped for air.
“Well, I guess that problem solved itself.” Liet stepped over his body. “I still need my two trucks.” He snapped his fingers, and soldiers from the courthouse came down and grabbed the body.
It took me a while to catch my breath, and Quinn helped me into the truck. I couldn’t understand why Wilks’ death affected me so much. I’d seen people torn apart and skinned by zombies, and I didn’t give it a second thought. I personally took out hundreds of undead, and it didn’t faze me, but watching Wilks take his own life shook me to my soul. Maybe it was because I thought I’d seen it all. Maybe I thought that as humans we had to do everything to survive, that we owed it to ourselves and the race. Maybe I thought no one was really that weak. I didn’t know. What I did know was that the image of his mushroomed head and brain matter oozing onto the ground was going to be burned into my mind’s eye for the rest of my life.
CHAPTER 22
I stared out the front window, trying to get the vision of Wilks out of my head. My breathing had returned to normal. A numb realization coursed through me. I tried to remember my psychology stuff. I thought that would help me understand why he’d done it. What type of personality was needed for suicide? I was pretty sure Wilks hadn’t been depressed. Although he could’ve been. North Platte wasn’t exactly a vacation destination. It could have been the same thing my parents had. What was that called again? Some stress disorder. Of course, it was possible he’d been crazy. I didn’t know. I’d just met the guy. I’d probably never know why he’d done it.
“You all right?”
I turned to Quinn but looked through him. “Why didn’t you do anything to stop him?”
“What could I have done?”
“You could have rushed him. Taken the gun away. I don’t know. Anything.”
Quinn sighed and placed his hand on my knee. “Krista, if he didn’t shoot himself, he would have shot us. He’d completely lost his mind. There was no way we could have talked him down.”
He was right, of course, but it seemed as if someone should have done something. “Have you seen this happen before?”
Quinn nodded. “People lose hope. They’re afraid of becoming the living dead, so they take what they believe is the only way out. Sadly, it’s more of a common occurrence than you can imagine.”
“There is hope. Look at what we’re doing.”
Quinn rubbed my knee. “It’s okay for you to grieve for him. In fact, it’s healthy. And it makes you human. When people get to that point, not much is going to change their minds.”
Anger flared into my chest, and I turned away from Quinn. I doubted he was purposely being condescending, but that didn’t make me feel any better. I didn’t need to be talked to as if I were five. Of course it was all right for me to grieve for him. Why wasn’t Quinn grieving? Had he seen it so many times he was callous to the situation? Why was I grieving? I hadn’t known him. In the grand scheme of things, he was one less person I had to worry about saving, but he was also one less person in the world, and we were already low on population. I was sure we’d be on the endangered species list if there still was one.
We drove the rest of the way in silence. After we loaded the trucks, we headed to Quinn’s ranch to rest for the night. I had a difficult time sleeping. Every time I closed my eyes I saw Wilks shoot himself. I got up and decided to get some fresh air. As I passed the couch, Quinn didn’t seem to be faring much better. He twitched and made low moaning noises. At one point, he twitched so badly he kicked the arm of the couch. I gently shook his shoulder to wake him, and he shot straight up.
“Don’t do it!” he screamed.
I sat next to him. I put my arm around his shoulders, and he buried his face in my neck. As I sat on the couch, staring at the ceiling and stroking his hair, I felt the anger melt out of my body. Quinn wasn’t being callous earlier in the day, he was dealing with the death the best way he knew how. As I thought about it, I realized it was actually really sad that he’d seen that happen before. No one should have to witness that. I hoped it wasn’t family or a close friend. I would’ve asked him about it, but I figured he would have told me if he wanted to. He wasn’t immune to feelings. He just didn’t show them.
The next day, it was difficult for both of us to get out of bed. I’d gone back upstairs around midnight, then tossed and turned. At ten, I forced myself downstairs. Quinn was still on the couch, but he got up and joined me in the kitchen. He brewed us a pot of coffee.
“Why don’t we stay one more day before we take the trucks to North Platte? I mean, there’s no rush to get the stuff back. Liet has more than he needs, and nothing is going to Florida for two weeks anyway.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“Do you want to go for a ride?”
I nodded again.
It was noon before we had our horses saddled and trotting down to the canyon floor. The sun was warm and a slight breeze blew, but I didn’t find comfort. I stopped my horse at the end of the canyon before we entered the field.
“Quinn, I’ve been thinking.”
He turned in his saddle so he faced me.
“I don’t think the people of North Platte have a few months. If we’re going to attack, we need to do it soon.”
“How soon is soon?”
“Within the next few weeks.”
“What about Florida, though? Once word gets out that the workers of North Platte have rebelled, they’ll send in reinforcements.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think they will. I think they’ll i
nsulate themselves even more. If they’re concerned with keeping order and control, this will give them more reason to keep people in the state and in line. I don’t think we have to worry about them.”
“So what are we supposed to do once we take over the city? We’re still grossly outnumbered by zombies, and we need the people from Florida to help us fight them.”
“We barter. We have supplies they need, and they have the people. We’ll work out a trade.”
“And if that doesn’t work?”
“It has to work. We can’t keep surviving this way. We have to take our country back.”
“Okay. Let me talk to the others. See what they think.”
I nodded, then nudged my horse into the field.
We stayed out until the sun set, then headed back to the house. I was exhausted by the time we finished dinner, and slowly climbed up to the room. Quinn called the others to the house to talk about my new plan. I hoped they’d agree to it, but if they didn’t, I was going to take matters into my own hands. It wouldn’t be easy, but I was sure I could convince some of the workers to rebel. We had the weapons and ammunition in North Platte. It was just a matter of getting them into the right hands. After Wilks, I knew if we procrastinated any longer, it might be too late. We had to act. I pulled the blankets up to my chin and drifted to sleep.
Quinn woke me up a few hours later.
“Sorry,” he whispered as he knelt on the floor. “The others agree with you. They think if we wait too much longer, either the zombies will destroy the workers or Liet will. We’ll try to attack in two weeks.”
I smiled. Quinn kissed me on the forehead, and I drifted back to sleep.
***
I awoke refreshed and optimistic the next morning. I heard Quinn in the kitchen, making breakfast, so I pulled on some clothes before joining him. After a meal of eggs, bacon, and toast, we took the horses out for a ride. The rising sun bathed the valley in soft hues of yellow and orange. The sound of lowing cows filled the air, and the scent of wet grass tickled my nose. My horse was content at a steady trot, and we headed to the creek. We dismounted and tied the horses to a tree.
I found a spot on the bank in the sand and took a seat. Quinn laid his head on my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair.
“Just think,” I said, “someday this will be a daily occurrence, not a fleeting moment.”
Quinn looked up at me. “I can’t wait.”
I kissed him gently on the forehead before leaning back on my elbows.
We stayed in the shade until noon, then headed to the house for a quick lunch. After we finished, we got ready to drive to North Platte.
I hesitated climbing into the truck, and I stared at the ranch for a long time. My horse walked to the fence and bobbed his head a few times, as if waving. I sucked in a breath of air. The scent of soil, hay, and manure lingered in my nostrils for a while. I couldn’t wait until I could stay forever.
As we traveled down the highway, I tried not to let anything dampen my spirits. The scene of the sun bathing the valley muted the horrors of Wilks’ death, although it was still in my mind. Even the zombie hordes that splattered on the road couldn’t break my spirit. I looked over at Quinn. Leaning my head back on my seat, I took in the curve of his jawbone, his lips, his dark eyes, and the lobe of his ear. A smile crept onto his face, and I sighed with content.
“You all right over there?”
“I’m getting there.”
I turned to face front. The trench that would eventually hold the stone wall dominated my field of vision. Dust clouded the sky and was mixed with the inky black smoke from the funeral pyre. We approached the gate and then stopped. The guard glanced at us briefly before we climbed out of the cab and headed toward the inspection area. I shuddered.
“I can’t wait until this place is gone.”
“You and me both, darlin’.”
“Same here,” said Bill.
“No argument from me,” Kyle agreed.
We reported to our respective lines and waited to be hosed down. We met up later on the stairs to the courthouse. I hesitated. I stared at the building, wishing I never had to see it again. Just a few more weeks, I told myself. Until then, I had to tough it out. Quinn touched my arm.
“We can leave. Right now. Take a truck and never come back.”
For a brief second, I was tempted. “No. Too many people need us.”
We proceeded up the stairs into Liet’s office. As usual, he sat behind his desk, going through paperwork. He barely looked up as the four of us entered the room.
“Two more trucks?”
Liet looked at us. “No. We’re fine on supplies for a while, but I’ll need you to take the truck to Florida.”
“I thought you were going to find someone else to do that?”
He sighed with exasperation. “I don’t have any men to spare right now. You’re always willing to go to the West. What’s wrong with Florida? Is it because Quinn isn’t there?”
I held my hands up in defense. “All right. I can be ready to go in the morning.”
“That’s what I thought.” He tamped the pages of his file together, then turned back to his work.
The four of us went up to the apartment, and I made dinner. After we finished, we sat in the living room and talked about the next places we’d go for supplies. We’d been there for an hour when Liet came into the room. He grabbed a plate of dinner before sitting on the couch between Quinn and me. We all stared at him, waiting.
He shoveled a bite of chicken and beans into his mouth. “What are you talking about?”
“We’re figuring out what other towns in Eastern Wyoming we can pillage for supplies before we have to move to the central part of the state,” Quinn said.
Liet nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. What did you come up with?”
“We’re still figuring that out,” Bill explained.
Liet looked at the map on the coffee table. “Are you planning on marking them on here?”
Quinn cleared his throat. “We weren’t going to, but we can if you want us to.”
“Why don’t you do that? That way, if anyone else needs to go out there, they’ll know where they need to go.”
Exasperation flooded through me. “What are you talking about? You said earlier that we have all the supplies we need.”
Liet stared at me. “That’s true for now, but eventually we’ll need to go back out.”
“When that’s the case, we’ll know where we need to go. You don’t need to send anyone else out.” I tried to keep my anger under control.
Liet set his plate on the table and then wiped his hands on his pants. “Actually, I believe we’ll start sending others out. Quinn, Bill, Kyle, I appreciate all that you have done for us, but I don’t think we’ll be needing your services any longer.”
I moved so I was on the edge of the couch. “What are you talking about? They’re the only ones who know the West. You saw what happened when you sent rookies out…they died.”
Liet’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Others can learn the nuances of the West. I’m sure these men have families they’d like to be with. We can take care of ourselves.”
I opened my mouth to protest, then thought better of it. If Liet had his mind set that we didn’t need Quinn anymore, nothing was going to change it. My jaw ached from clenching it. I stared hard at Liet, hoping he’d burst into flames or his head would explode. He didn’t even notice. He ignored me, so I turned back to the map. The four of us marked the cities and towns we believed would be the best to pillage for supplies. After an hour, we all decided it was time to turn into bed.
My heart stopped for a moment when Liet followed me into my room. I turned to face him, my arms crossed over my chest.
“I told you this was the last time you were going out. I need you here. I need to know you’re safe. I expect them to be gone before ten.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” I spoke between gritted teeth.
He stopped with his h
and on the doorknob. “It better not be.” He closed the door behind him.
I lay in bed and stared at the ceiling. What was Liet’s problem? One minute he was like, “Yeah, go to the West. Be free, but be safe.” Then, the next he wanted me locked in my room. His mood swings were exhausting and potentially deadly. I wanted nothing more than to remove him from his position of power, get out of his house, and ride off with Quinn into the sunset. Even if he didn’t let me go back out when I returned from Florida, I was still going to leave. I knew where all the keys to the vehicles were. And we had more than semis. I rolled onto my side and closed my eyes, but sleep did not come easily.
***
When I woke up the next morning, the guys had already loaded Quinn’s Jeep. Liet stood over them, watching intently. I was a little disappointed no one had woken me up, but I was sure Liet had planned it that way. I asked if they needed any help, but they told me they were fine. I embraced each one of them and told them how much I appreciated their help and how much I was going to miss them. I tried not to linger longer on Quinn, but I found it difficult to let him go.
“Don’t worry,” I whispered. “I’ll see you again when I get back.”
“I hope so.” He glanced at Liet over my shoulder. “I’ll see you soon.”
I waved at them as they pulled away, and a tear dropped onto my cheek. I quickly wiped it away so Liet wouldn’t notice. I turned toward him.
“I’m ready to go whenever.”
He scowled. “You’re not going anywhere.”
I stared at him in confusion. “I thought you said you wanted me to go to Florida.”
“Do you really think I’m that stupid?” He snarled. “You put on a great performance the other day, but actions speak louder than words.”
I was dumbfounded. “What are you talking about?”
He pointed at me. “I see how he looks at you. And the way he escorted you to the truck after Wilks killed himself. Don’t tell me nothing is going on between you two.”
My stomach knotted. I turned to follow the Jeep down the road. Liet grabbed me by the arm and jerked me backward. I turned to punch him in the face, but he blocked it and backhanded me across the cheek. The pain burned through my eye socket, but I wasn’t going to give up. I pulled and struggled against Liet. I even kicked him in the shins a couple times, but he dug his nails into my arm.
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