“Stupid asshole ghost,” she muttered.
Emma waited until the gate opened for Rune and waved when he turned back one last time. Then the medium was gone and she was alone.
16
Dawn of the Possible Dead
Dawn crept over the horizon, pushing away the darkness to fill the world with pale gray light. Mist floated over the ground where Emma waited near the old newspaper building. Up early, she’d been one of the first people to arrive at breakfast in the hotel dining room. When she hadn’t seen any of the other people who were supposed to be on the team, she’d departed for the garage clutching her breakfast tacos and coffee hoping she wasn’t late. The only people in the garage were the mechanics checking out a heavily modified short bus. Realizing she was the first one of the volunteer team to arrive, she found a stool to perch on near the door that opened to the interior of the newspaper building and ate in silence.
After her talk with Rune, Emma had been up for hours carefully sorting out her feelings about the Fort, her new life, the successful rescue of Macy, and her attraction to Juan. She found peace with her chosen role at the Fort, but she was uncomfortable about Juan. He hadn’t done anything to upset her. She liked him quite a bit and wanted to get to know him better. Yet at the same time, it was as if there was an invisible cord connecting her to him. When she’d first arrived, he’d acted like he felt it too. There had been an unspoken familiarity in their initial interaction. It had been both comforting and unsettling.
Now it was just unsettling.
Finishing her breakfast tacos, she tossed the foil into a nearby trash bin and sipped her hot coffee from a disposable cup. She didn’t want to think too much about it, but the reason her instant camaraderie with Juan was so troubling was because it felt so natural. Emma didn’t believe in fate. She believed that the future was shaped by her choices. The choice to have her son had set her on a path that was difficult and often soul-crushing. Billy had brought joy to her life, but she’d also slid deeper into poverty while trying to support him. Though Stan strutted around like he’d won, she’d done her best to limit his influence over her life. That included kicking him out of her bed and taking charge. Sending Stan on his way had been an important milestone in her life and a valuable lesson learned. She had to keep that in mind. She needed to remain focused on finding her niche in the Fort and not on the hot Latino.
As though on cue, Juan exited the garage office door clutching a steaming cup of coffee. He was bleary-eyed, but handsome in jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a leather jacket. He smelled good, like soap and shampoo. Beneath the brim of his cowboy hat, his freshly washed curls clung to his brow and neck.
“Hey, Em,” he said, leaning against the worktable next to her.
“Morning.”
“The rest of the team ain’t here yet, I take it.”
“Just you and me.”
“Early riser, or couldn’t sleep?
Not wanting to give anything away about her state of mind, she opted to change the subject. “Nerit decided to let you join us, huh?”
“Actually, no.” Juan gave her a charming smile. “But she can’t make me stay here.”
Emma lifted a skeptical eyebrow. “You sure about that?”
“Maybe she could, but I gotta see what’s on that hill. I couldn’t sleep all night. I kept tossing and turning. If Belinda and the others are up there, I gotta have a part in saving them.”
His words were yet another reminder why Emma shouldn’t even entertain any delightful ideas about Juan. “Belinda means a lot to you, doesn’t she?”
“We’ve known each other since we were in diapers. She’s my childhood sweetheart. I gotta save her if I can. I promised to always be there for her and I intend to be. I always looked out for her when we were growing up. I can’t stop now.”
Though his words made sense, they took unpleasant bites out of her resolve not to be drawn to him. It was damn attractive that he was determined to save someone he cared about.
“I’m sure she’d appreciate that, Juan. If she’s on that hill, I know we’ll save her.”
The sun finally made its appearance known, pushing up over the horizon. The fiery glow turned the morning sky a bright orange and pink above the hills. It was officially sunrise.
Right on time, Katarina strolled into the garage. Dressed similarly to Juan, she had her hair braided tight to her head. It was the best way to keep long hair out of the reach of zombies. Emma’s own hair was in braids under her cowboy hat.
“You on the team?” Katarina asked Juan, skipping over pleasantries.
“Not officially, but yeah,” he answered.
Katarina narrowed her eyes. “You able to keep it together?”
Juan looked insulted. “Keep it together? I’m a bad ass.”
“Hmm.” Katarina didn’t look convinced and focused on Emma. “You ready for this?”
“Yep. Venturing out into the zombie-infested world is pretty routine for me. I’m used to putting zombies down, but I’m up for a rescue.”
“If they’re alive,” Katarina said pointedly.
“They’re alive. They have to be,” Juan said, sounding a tad too desperate.
“We don’t know what Ed was pointing at. It might not be survivors. Maybe he was warning us about something else.”
Definitely not liking this opinion, Juan folded his arms over his chest and scowled. “Ed would want to take care of his people, which is a good reason to be a ghost.”
Approaching footsteps pulled Emma’s focus back to the outside. Nerit was walking briskly toward the garage with Arnold right behind her.
“Ed was also a part of the Fort. He might want to make sure we’re safe,” Katarina replied.
Emma was slightly confused with her logic. “But he didn’t want to be here. Ed and his people left.”
“Which is why this mission is completely voluntary,” Nerit announced, also skipping over the usual conversation starters. “When I talked to Travis last night, he said I could check out what Ed was pointing at and take a few people with me, but only if they wanted to tag along. Also, this excursion is on the down low. Though Travis respects Rune’s abilities, he’s not too keen on a mission ordered by a dead man. He doesn’t want it getting out that we’re chasing ghosts. Despite what some of us experienced in the last few weeks, a lot of the Fort population don’t believe in ghosts.”
“Lots of people saw what went down with Curtis,” Juan grumbled. “Who cares what everyone else thinks?”
“Comments like that are why Travis is mayor and you’re not,” Nerit said with a broad smile, poking Juan in the ribs. “So, to be clear, is everyone here a volunteer?”
There were short nods all around.
“Good. Arnold is our driver.” Nerit gestured toward the lined-up modes of transportation. “Juan, which vehicle is ready to go? I assume you arranged for one.”
“We’re taking the short bus over there. Junior’s already got it gassed up and ready,” Juan answered.
“Good. As soon as Monica arrives, we’re ready to go.” Turning to Emma, Nerit said, “We do five people crews when we go out. We found out that works best. Since you are pretty adept at taking out zombies, I’m confident you’ll do well in our fifth slot.”
“I can handle it,” Emma assured her.
“I’ll say. You took out a town of zombies,” Juan said with a grin.
“So that’s true? It’s not bullshit?” Arnold looked impressed. “Damn. I thought it was just rumors.”
“It did take me over a year.”
“But still... a whole town. That’s Lenore level of badassery.”
Nerit cleared her throat, keeping Arnold’s worship of Lenore to a minimum. She looked relieved when Monica jogged up.
“I’m here! Sorry! Got stuck in line for breakfast.” Monica waved a breakfast taco wrapped in aluminum.
“Let’s proceed now that we’re all here,” Nerit said. “Katarina, thoughts on how to approach this so-called make-out point?
”
Katarina took out a hand drawn map and laid it out on the worktable. “There’s only one road that leads to it and the entrance is on the side of the hill approaching the town. We should head out of the Fort, turn east, take the road that circles the outside of town, and approach from the west so we don’t pull any straggler zombies into town.”
Nerit nodded with approval. “Agreed.”
“Since we’ve got only one way up on a narrow road lined by trees, we’re not going to have any visibility until we’re at the top where there’s the clearing. Usually, you can fit around ten cars on the gravel parking area. People would also park between trees. We might not have much room to maneuver if that’s where Ed’s people are, so we need an expert driver.”
“That’s me. I can drive anything on wheels. I can parallel park a transport vehicle,” Arnold said with confidence. “I’m better at driving than a Hollywood stuntman.”
Juan dug into his jeans and pulled out a green lucky rabbit foot keychain with keys dangling on it. Tossing it to the other man, he said, “You might have to prove it.”
“What else is in the clearing, Katarina?”
“I’ve only been up there a few times, but I recall the restrooms are in a concrete structure with a corrugated metal roof. There was some plan a while back to make it a tourist spot. Some folks wanted to put a big metal cross up there, kinda like the one in Fredericksburg, but the idea got shot down. Since people were already going up there to picnic, the town built the restrooms and had plans to expand the road and pave it. When we ended up with a new city council the whole thing got shut down. So we got dense foliage, a narrow and winding road, a restroom, gravel parking area, and a few old picnic tables.”
With a somber look, Nerit said, “So plenty of places for the zombies to be lurking.”
“It’s not like they hide,” Monica said around a mouthful of taco.
“No, but if Ed’s people did take refuge up there, some may have run into the trees or restroom to hide and died from their bites,” Nerit reminded her.
“You’ve got a good point,” Monica admitted.
Nerit started toward the bus and everyone followed. “We may have to improvise once we’ve reached the top of the hill since we’re uncertain of the situation and what we’re exactly looking for.”
Shifting from foot to foot and rubbing his chin, Juan gave her an incredulous look. “It’s survivors. We all know it.”
“It’s a possibility,” Nerit replied, completely unruffled by his glare.
Arnold unlocked the bus door and shoved it open. “How many people left with Ed?”
“Twenty-three,” Nerit answered. “Martin spotted Eddie. Juan identified six others.”
“And we could have stragglers from the horde who followed them up there,” Juan said.
Monica waved her taco around for emphasis. “Why would Ed’s people come back? They were a pretty salty lot when they took off.”
“My guess is they ran into something dangerous on the road that made them reconsider and turn back,” Nerit replied.
“Another herd?” Juan wondered.
“Banditos,” Monica grunted.
“Or maybe they had a change of heart. It’s rough out there,” Emma said. “They were used to being safe behind high walls. I don’t think it would take too long for them to reconsider. I wouldn’t want to be out there again.”
“Whatever the reason they turned back, we need to be careful. Let’s move out.” Nerit followed Arnold up the steps into the bus with Monica right behind her.
“Ready?” Juan asked in such a way that Emma understood he was giving her a way out if she was reconsidering volunteering.
Squaring her shoulders, she wrapped her fingers around the strap connected to her rifle. “Ready.”
17
All Signs Point to Bad
The small bus shifted gears and roared up the winding narrow road leading out of town. The few zombies that had given pursuit after the rescue team had driven out of the paddock quickly fell behind.
Emma watched the scraggly creatures flounder in the dust tossed up by the wheels until the bus turned a corner. The undead were old and slow, definitely not the newer zombies that were a threat to the people who lived inside the Fort.
With a sigh, she settled into her seat near the back of the warm bus. The air conditioning barely put a dent in the heat that had accumulated inside the vehicle during its time being stored in the garage. She ran her palm over the back of her neck, sweeping the beads of sweat away. The only signs of life on the outskirts of town were birds hopping about in the trees and a squirrel running along the edge of a porch.
Spray paint markings decorated the exteriors of all the buildings. There was uniformity to the marks, evidence they’d been made by people from the Fort. She’d also tagged buildings as she had meticulously cleared her town. It was another spot of familiarity in this new world, and she found it comforting.
The last block consisted of mostly empty lots filled with abandoned cars, machinery, and derelict buildings overwhelmed with foliage. Soon the whole world would look like that, she supposed.
Except for the Fort.
Hopefully.
The town remained in view through the lattice of tree branches while the school bus circumvented the main roads. It was prettier away from the recent war zone. Flowers bloomed along the shoulders of the road and the sky was a brilliant blue overhead. Staring out at the hilly countryside brushed by the morning light, Emma discreetly wiped an unexpected tear away. It was hard to wrap her mind around just how much her world had changed so swiftly. While walking through the Fort, she was often tempted to pinch herself just to make sure that she wasn't dreaming this new life.
After spending so much time alone, she was finding it difficult to adjust being around other people. The scents wafting off their bodies were strong and she’d often discreetly rubbed her nose to stifle the odor. It wasn’t just the natural body odor that was assailing her, but the reek of cigarette smoke, aftershave, and coffee.
What Emma found particularly embarrassing was that she jumped every time she heard a voice after a long pause in conversations. It was too easy to fall back into a silent world, but she was learning to appreciate the hum of people talking around her.
At the front of the bus, Juan wrapped up a discussion he was having with Nerit and sauntered down the aisle toward her. He’d rolled up his jacket sleeves, revealing more brown muscled skin. Emma tried not to notice his attractiveness, but it was hard. Sliding into the seat in front of her, Juan slumped against the window and took off his cowboy hat to run a trembling hand through his damp curls.
“Everything okay?” Emma dared to ask.
“Yeah. It’s good. Sorta.”
“That’s not encouraging.”
“It’s nothing bad about the mission. I just have this feeling I forgot to do something before we left.”
“You have your pistol, rifle, and machete. Your team. A plan.” Emma ticked the list off on her fingers.
Juan nodded at each bullet point and then smacked his forehead with his palm. “Shit! I forgot to let the kids know I was heading out. They were sleeping, but I should've woken them up to say goodbye.”
Emma winced, understanding parental guilty panic well. “Probably, but maybe it would upset them to know what you're doing.”
“Maybe. I was so worried about Belinda that I completely spaced it. Gawddammit.”
It was evident that Belinda was extremely important to Juan. The mere mention of her left him looking stricken. Of course, he was worried about his old friend who could be stranded on the hill, or worse—dead. Emma was starting to wonder if there was more to the equation than Juan having unrequited feelings for Belinda.
“I can’t believe I did that, Em. Shit! I’m learning how to be a dad, you know? I love those kids, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I get hyper-focused and forget how to parent.”
“Juan, we all fuck up as parents. Billy once cried and re
fused to talk to me for three hours because I forgot to kiss him goodbye before going to the grocery store. I felt like a criminal. Parents get distracted, Juan. You have to forgive yourself.”
“I know you’re right, but Jason is going to be pissed.”
“The oldest kid, right?”
“Yeah. We’re pretty tight now. He hated me for a while, but we got past that. He’s a teenager so he knows it all and loves to lecture me about how I’m fuckin’ up.” Juan grinned with affection. “He’s such a great kid.”
Emma barely knew Juan, yet she cared about his situation and feelings. Of course, she was attracted to him, since she was a sucker for men with bodies chiseled by hard work, deeply tanned skin, and curly hair. But there was also kindness in his green eyes, a vulnerability, which called out to her. Again, she pushed back at the connection she sensed between them. Emma kept telling herself that after being alone for so long she was just craving companionship in all its forms.
“He might be mad for a little bit, but he’ll get over it. I’m sure he knows you love him.”
Juan folded his arms over his chest. “Jason was mad when I didn't tell him about going out to find Macy. It's mostly because the second I'm late, Margie, my oldest girl, thinks I'm dead and gets the younger ones riled up. It doesn't help that Jason worries because his mom...” Closing his eyes, Juan gave himself a few seconds to compose himself. “Jenni died on a scavenger mission to get medical supplies to save my life.”
“So then you don’t disappoint him by dying.”
Maybe her straightforwardness startled him, but Juan gave her a surprised look.
“We do what we have to, save who we can, and go back in one piece,” Emma continued. “Just like we did yesterday.”
As The World Dies | Book 4 | After Siege Page 14