Seth and Troy blocked the doorway. Chase and Daemon joined them and soon the Jamaican stood alone in the center of the room.
“Should we call for a new vote?” I asked. “A vote by hand, after you’ve told the community that you’d rather let Daemon and Cal brave the hazards and the possible guilt of this errand.”
I honestly hoped they’d call for the vote and we could just allow the food chain to be put to use. I didn’t want to think about shooting or stabbing people who may be innocent.
“You be right.” Marley Guy spoke so low I almost didn’t hear him. “I’ll go on the journey and what must be is what will be happening. Jah forgive me, that is what I gonna do.”
I wanted to hurl. Instead I tightened my jaw and nodded. Everyone returned to their seats and waited for the meeting to resume. I choked back the rising bile and pressed on with the meeting.
“We should leave day after tomorrow at the latest. I’d like to get underway tomorrow so that we can get this over with before those pricks have time to track us down.”
“How would they find us? We’re miles away from where they last saw us.” Troy asked.
“All they need is to come across one of the dozens of people who’ve passed through here.”
Vincent quickly added his thoughts to mine.
“Or to follow your tracks as best they could and look for signs of a running vehicle in the brush. Once they made it to the clearing where the vehicles are stored, they’ll have found us.”
Several eyes widened around the room. Daemon tossed cards into a hat at the end of the bed and Cal shrugged. I suppose they’d been expecting this possibility.
At least I’m not the only one who worries about this crap.
“So, back to the plan. We are one team split into three details: detail one is Daemon and Caelinus, detail two is Troy, Seth, and the Nurse, and detail three is Forrest, Vincent, Marley Guy, and myself.
“You forgot me, Squirrel.” Chase raised his hand a little.
I sighed.
“No I didn’t. You need to stay here.”
“I volunteered and can carry my own weight. If it’s the arm…”
“It’s not the arm, Chase. We need you to keep everyone here at home safe. Besides, with Sunny getting sick every hour from the pregnancy, you should be nearby. And I’m not about to argue with her about you being away.”
“Sunny will understand.” He bristled.
“Really, I’ll understand?”
Sunny stood in the door with her hands firmly on her hips and a Mom Glare fixed on the two of us.
“Uh, sweetie I thought you were resting.”
“Is that why you sneaked over here to volunteer to run off to battle?”
The smile disappeared at the same instant Chase turned a bright scarlet. Everyone looked away; none of us was brave enough to face a pregnant Sunny while she dressed down her husband. We’d face cannibals or zombies no problem, but that was a risk we’d never take.
“And Squirrel, what makes you think I need Chase here to take care of me. I’m pregnant, not comatose. I can protect myself and I can do my part to keep this fort secure.”
“So…so I can go?” Chase offered skittishly despite his size.
Cal placed his palm over his eyes and Daemon dropped his cards to watch. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from such an epic failure of common sense.
“Are you freaking kidding me? No! Chase, you need to stay here and help me keep things running smoothly. We also need the Nurse here in case anything goes wrong. I’m growing our baby.” She rubbed her growing stomach; the circular motion was hypnotic.
The Nurse immediately grabbed his knapsack and left the cabin in compliance.
Smart man. Can’t fault Sunny’s logic anyways.
“Um, I’ll see if I can round up a few more volunteers for you guys.” Chase said as he shuffled towards the door.
We waved goodbye as the couple left the meeting. I could hear them talking beyond the walls of the cabin for a distance.
“Okay new plan. I think we’ll be fine with just us eight. We can split into two details instead of three, though, if anyone feels more comfortable that way.”
Troy smiled. “I like the idea of us being in two details; easier on sleep shifts while traveling and I’d get to see your pretty face.”
I blushed a little and was fairly certain I heard Daemon growl. The vampire’s eyes had gold flecks in the midst of emerald.
“Alright. Detail one is going to fly ahead of us and scope out our target, while detail two travels at our best pace, sleeping in shifts to prevent ambushes. When the vamps return with info on the enemy setup, we can sort out a plan and attack that night.”
I studied their reactions.
So far everyone’s in agreement.
“Any other thoughts before we move on to what gear we need?”
Blank stares again.
“Fair enough.”
After another hour of discussion, each of us had a list of chores and equipment to prepare. This would be one of the few times we’d be carrying firearms. Vincent and Forrest gave us a basic lesson in cleaning and fixing our designated weapons while Cal and Daemon looked on. Afterward, Cal took me aside.
“Thank you, Squirrel, for the vote of confidence.”
“I trust you both, and so does everyone in camp. Some of them just forget occasionally.”
We shared a smile and he patted me on the back.
“You are doing well. Don’t let the pressure of commanding a populace harm you. If it were easy, you’d be doing it wrong.”
***
We sat around the fire pit for dinner with the rest of the residents. Somehow we’d managed to sit to one side, naturally excluding the expedition members; our bags and weapons sat behind our chairs. The meal was quiet except for Michael’s admonitions that he could go on the raid and help fight. I marveled at his innocence. Despite the horrible things the little boy had seen and the loss of his own family, Michael was still a child who saw adventure in a task we adults dreaded.
“Michael, I need you here to keep an eye on things for us. Cal and Daemon will be with us, so more grown-ups will be keeping guard during the night. I’m depending on you to help them out during the day and to keep your sister and Ellen safe. Can you and Jordy do that?”
He stood at attention and saluted.
“Yes ma’am.”
Turning on his heel, he ran off to check on his sister and help the older boy load the arrows into quivers. A chorus of laughs rang out around the table and the stagnant air felt alive again. Cal stood up from his storytelling with the small princesses to see what the commotion was. A paper crown tumbled off his head and Ellen scolded him for losing his royal hat. He shook his head, bowed to both girls, and resumed the tale.
An hour later, he flew off with Daemon to begin our morbid errand. Bubba led us to the clearing and we filed into the two trucks. Although we’d wiped the interior down last run, a brown streak of dried blood remained as a grim reminder of our recent loss. Troy hastily jumped into the one he hadn’t been shot in; he mumbled something about jinxes.
We listened to CDs as we drove in the direction Seth said he’d lived before the world had died. I’d nearly forgotten what it was like to push a button and have something turn on; hearing music flow from the speakers was a miracle I’d missed. All night we moved towards our goal: a subdivision a couple of miles from our foes anticipated location. Around 4:30AM, the first detail landed at our side as we impaled a couple of zombies.
“Would you folks like a hand?” Daemon joked as he grabbed an ambling corpse through the eyes and popped its head off. He tossed the impromptu bowling ball into a street sign and wiped his hands on a golf towel he’d clipped to the bottom of his leather jacket. “Strike!”
Cal smacked him, messing up his long hair.
“What?”
The Roman soldier ignored his protégé and stomped the skull of crawling zombie.
“We found the area Seth told us about; it isn’t
what we’re looking for.”
Seth looked frantic.
“They aren’t there? Are you sure?”
With a momentary look of disgust, Cal retorted.
“Of course I’m sure. I’m a vampire, not a blind man. And it is not just that the murderers aren’t in that place. That place is full of nothing but bones, primarily human.”
Cal focused on the stars and sighed.
“There is no sign of any children having been in that place for quite some time, but… there are small bones in the piles of trash. They all have teeth marks.”
“No. No no no, they wouldn’t do that. They couldn’t.” Seth fell to his knees. “Those kids belonged to some of those men, they wouldn’t have allowed it. Their moms would’ve fought to protect them. You must be wrong.”
Marley Guy lowered his weapon and breathed in short gasps.
Seth wept as Caelinus walked over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Seth. There were bones of many men, women, and children; there were no signs of life. None of the craniums had been destroyed. They were not made zombies. Perhaps they died of illness or hunger, but there is no one to save or spare from harm. They are all lost.”
The sobbing drew a handful of moans from the distant shadows. Weapons were raised in alarm.
“Fleshies are coming. Let’s get to a safe place for the day and regroup.”
I put the rifle strap over my shoulder and lent a hand carrying the overwhelmed spearman into the cab of the Ford. We loaded up and drove six blocks back the way we came. Finding an adequate house with a brick wall, we forced the iron gate and got comfortable for the day. We eased the grieving man on the bed and did our best to ignore the sound of him crying himself to sleep.
Without any proper leads, our team had two options to fall back on: return home and wait for the escaped cannibal to maybe find us one day or go back to the site of our last skirmish and attempt to track him that way.
“He could’ve been killed already. He was alone and maybe wounded. The guy might have died of infection, gotten bitten by one of the Dead, starved, or any number of things.”
Vincent sounded hopeful.
“He coulda been killed by ‘nuther group they already messed with.”
Forrest leaned his rifle against the wall as he spoke. “And so far as we know, the bastard is runnin by hiself, not much of a hazard to us.”
The muffled whimpering eased up from the other room. I thought about it for a minute. Marley Guy interrupted my contemplation.
“We should go back to de camp. If is just one guy, is not bein a real threat. All likeliness, he is dead. You folks think we can leave in the morning?”
“No.” Daemon’s expression was as serious as a bill collector. “We should make sure he’s gone. I’d like to go back to track him at sunset. You guys could head back, but I want to be certain he hasn’t got another posse somewhere plotting to make our friends a buffet.”
“I think the boy is correct. It should only take the two of us a day or so to ascertain the man’s whereabouts.”
I looked at the other four humans for input. Seth had finally grown quiet in the backroom. The house was silent. For a minute I missed the noises of a vibrant city. Or even the low hum of a dull town.
“Okay, how about we go to the cul-de-sac and search for clues about what happened during the afternoon and you two investigate the head people-eater as soon as dusk hits. We can meet up here tomorrow just before dawn. If anyone isn’t here by then, we wait another twenty-four hours before returning to camp.”
Five sets of wide eyes and raised eyebrows surrounded me.
“Not a good idea?” I asked.
Daemon cleared his throat.
“Well it’s a good idea, but I’d prefer if you six went back and just let us manage this search. Personally, I kind of hoped you wouldn’t have to see that place. And if Troy’s sidekick sees it, he’ll probably have a nervous breakdown.”
“Can you really blame him?” Troy tensed his jaw as he rotated an arrow between his fingers. “He already feels awful for what happened when they were all starving, imagine how he feels after learning what became of those people he’d been friends with for years?”
“Look, let’s just lighten up on Seth and focus on what we’re doing now.” I placed myself between the two men. “Are you guys okay with this plan?”
I waited for answers while Cal just strolled through the living room, glancing at the photos of the family who had lived there.
“It is agreeable to me.” He announced softly.
“Hell, y’all know I’m up for exploring a bit. Ought to do this one thorough anyhow; no telling if this fella will drop in on us one day.”
Vincent just nodded and held his boyfriend’s hand. The Jamaican looked everywhere but at me. His mouth kept moving but no distinguishable words fell out.
Troy stood.
“Well I guess we should get some rest if we’re heading out in a few hours. I’ll check on Seth real quick before bed. Wake me for my watch.”
Watching him walk down the hall, I volunteered for a two-hour shift. To my surprise, the Roman offered to sit with me until it was time to wake the lovebirds. Daemon said goodnight and shuffled upstairs for the day, tossing us a frown. Soon, Cal and I were alone in the living room.
I walked to the window to sneak a glance outside.
“I take it Daemon wanted to team up with me for watch; I recall you prefer to sleep early and he likes to wait to rest.”
“Of course. I wanted to speak to you privately. Eliminating possible temptation for the two of you was merely a happy perk.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. I hope that’s not the only thing you wanted to talk about, because I really do enjoy chatting with you about everything else.”
“It was a good decision to double-check what Daemon and I told you.”
I stopped peeking out the curtains.
“What?” I faced him, letting the fabric fall from my hands. “That’s not why…”
“Yes it is. You want to make a run to that suburb so that when we return you can honestly tell the entire camp what was found. I don’t harbor any sense of insult over it; I’m more impressed that you controlled your emotions so well.”
I willed my face and body to appear as neutral as possible. The vampire grinned widely.
“Exactly like that, Squirrel. I suppose Daemon isn’t the only one who has been practicing their control lately.”
“Well, our situation didn’t give us much of a choice, did it?”
“No, it did not. But things could be worse; being unable to follow your romantic desires is far better than to suffer killing your lover.”
Rummaging through my bag for a snack, I shrugged.
“We haven’t done anything else, so you can forget the lesson.”
I set some dried meat and veggies out. I tried to keep my hands steady and my voice level.
Just like playing poker.
“So I see. I’m sorry you and the boy have to step away from your feelings, but it’s for the best. At least it has assisted your growth as a leader.”
The Undead Roman crossed the darkened room to the stack of bags. I ignored the buzz of retorts flitting around in my head as he opened the nearest one.
“Here, you’ll want some water with that.”
I accepted the canteen and pushed my anger down.
“How does not being with someone I love make me a better leader?” My words came out more snidely than I’d intended. Taking slow breaths, I looked Cal in the eyes.
Get your breathing level and maintain normalcy. Just go blank like you did at work when it got too busy during the summer. No personal feelings, just focus.
“It’s not avoiding love, but controlling your heart that is helping you. Every great general or politician must learn to make difficult decisions with a mask of non-expression. I can hear you working to regulate your heart rate as we speak; it has become instinct.”
/> I sensed the truth of his words and hated him for it.
“You’ve been forced to make tough decisions for the greater good of our society, despite your feelings of empathy and remorse.” He looked away with a grin, dusted off a table, and sifted through the stack of magazines underneath. “The Jamaican tested you and you passed, albeit with a more visible reaction than I’d recommend. When Daemon and I told you about the ruined neighborhood, you again made the correct choice in resolving to verify our story. I am equally proud of you and sad for you.”
I ripped off a chunk of the smoked meat with my teeth. Chewing furiously, I heard my snarkiness before realizing I’d said the words aloud.
“Glad you’re pleased with my progress, but I didn’t do any of this to please you. I’m just trying to keep everyone alive. And I’m not going to stop talking to Daemon; I can survive not being with him, but I refuse to live without him in my life.”
I cleared my throat to keep back the tears I felt welling upwards.
Cal slowly came to my side and bent to give me a gentle hug.
“I’m not cruel enough to suggest you two cease your friendship; not that either of you would ever comply.” He forced a chuckle. “I just want you both to be safe. I wish you a long life and him a life free of the torment I already endure. Neither of you know what it is to destroy your lover, and I pray to Jupiter that it remains that way.”
I felt the drops weaving their way down my cheeks. I thought of my own loneliness and tried to imagine Daemon spending eons beaten down by guilt and sorrow. The weight of my heartache and sympathy for Cal broke my strength. I let myself cry at the sadness while the vampire held me and stroked my back. When I finally looked up, I saw the lines carved into his face by centuries of anguish.
“Are you alright?” He asked as he leaned away.
“Yeah. Thanks, I’ll be fine. I’m sorry Cal. I didn’t mean to take it out on you, I know you’re just looking out for us.”
“Everything is well, Squirrel.” He stood and placed a blanket on the dusty couch. “Our shift is nearly done. I’ll wake the next pair; you get to bed. It will be a lengthy day.”
I put away my food and made myself comfortable. He tucked me in and kissed my forehead before exiting the room. I thought briefly of my parents. My eyes ached and my head pounded as I closed my eyes, wishing I’d wake to find this world a dream.
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