“This wasn’t a good idea,” He blurted out.
“Staying in the truck wasn’t either.” She said flatly. Her voice was hoarse from coughing. He stared at her sadly, and he glared.
“Don’t look at me like that.” She snarled.
“Like what?” he eyed her.
“Like I’m some helpless person… like you feel sorry for me,” She snapped, wrapping the blanket tightly around her. He rubbed his red face and leaned towards her, sighing. He put an arm on her shoulder and pressed his lips together.
“I don’t feel sorry for you. I am worried about my friend.” He assured her.
She felt guilty. Her emotions felt out of whack. She looked down feeling sad as Evan picked his bag back up and walked with her closely. They walked in silence as the wind started to blow harder and the snow picked back up. Abby coughed loudly, and her foot slipped, and she went forward. Evan caught her; but with the weight of her and the duffle bag, they both fell forward. Evan took the hit to the road and groaned loudly. Abby coughed and tried to speak, but her voice would not come.
He pulled himself upward and grabbed her with him. He brushed snow from her face and rearranged her blanket to cover her better. She sniffled and rubbed her nose. Evan was staring at her with a weary look. She eyed the bandages on his face and reached for them. They needed to be changed. She could see the scarlet color at the edges of the white bandages. Evan turned from her hand and looked angrily at the ground.
“None of this was your fault,” She told him quietly.
He slowly looked back up at her with tears in his eyes. He was just as scared as she was. She wanted to hold him and just sleep. She stared up at the white sky, still wondering how she had gotten here. She smiled at how peaceful things were. The world was quiet around them, and the only danger was the cold. She felt him touch her arm, and she looked at him.
“We need to find somewhere to stay,” His voice broke, and he swallowed hard.
The look in his eyes made Abby’s stomach twist in knots. He went to speak again but stopped. The howling wind was loud in their ears. Abby felt hot tears in her eyes and looked down. Evan lifted her head up by putting his fingers under her chin, and he rubbed tears from her cheeks.
“Just a little longer, Abby,” He tried to assure her, but the tone in his voice made her know she was looking worse to him. He helped her to her feet and held her close as the wind howled around them. She felt suddenly upset and cried into his chest. She did not want to die.
Chapter twenty-three
Abby’s feet were sore, and her legs kept wobbling under her. She felt weaker than she had since being bitten. Another two hours went by, and Abby could barely feel anything. The road looked like a blur, and her fingers were numb. She breathed in cold air and coughed. Her knees gave, out and she went falling forward again. Evan grabbed her before she fell, and he stood strong. He pulled her upwards, and her blanket slipped off. She shivered and coughed. He hurriedly grabbed her blanket and wrapped her in it.
He gave her a long look and lifted her up into the air. He held her like a baby in his arms. She could feel the struggle in his arms and chest. She nuzzled her head into his chest and sighed. She felt sad he had to carry her but was very grateful that he was there to do so. She looked up at him and said quietly, “Thank you.”
He grinned down at her then winked.
“I trained for this my whole life,” He joked.
She tried to laugh, but it hurt too much. She turned her face into his chest and tried to sleep. Sleep came in bursts as the snow and wind picked up. Evan moved slower than before. He had his head down and eyes halfway shut. His nose was red, and he was breathing heavily. He coughed and shivered. Abby wanted to comfort him and warm him up somehow, but there was nothing she could do.
She turned her head forward and stared at the white emptiness of the road. She became angry and could not understand how there were no cars or buildings. She hated it. She would rather be surrounded by those monsters than this. At least they could get away from the undead unlike this cold. She rubbed her nose, and Evan lifted her up. She knew he was starting to lose his strength. She did not blame him.
Abby fell into a short sleep and was awakened by Evan coughing. Her eyes opened slowly and hurt badly. She peered behind him and blinked. Then something odd caught her eye. She stared at it. It looked like something metal on the ground. She lifted her head and studied it from afar. It looked like a metal box. She gasped when she realized it was a mailbox. At least she hoped it was.
“Evan,” She gasped her voice raw.
He looked around confused then down at her. She nudged her head and coughed, “A mailbox.”
She pointed at the spot, and Evan stared with narrowed eyes. Then his expression changed to excitement. He started to walk faster, starting to pant. Abby wrapped her arms around him, scared he would drop her. She put her head into his chest and held on. He stopped suddenly, and she jerked her head outward.
“It’s a road,” Evan gasped in disbelief.
Abby looked, and at first she did not see it, but there was a clearing in the trees and a road behind a large fallen tree. The snow covered the road; but if Abby stared long enough, she could see the signs of the road. Evan started down it, and she could feel his arms struggling to hold her up. He grunted and was rushing now. She wished he would not. Even though they needed warmth and shelter, she would rather him be careful not just for her own safety but for his.
It felt like forever, but it was only thirty minutes until they got to a small one story house. It was a cabin that looked new, but Abby could see the age around it. There were no cars around, and the yard looked dirty. Wind chimes sung in the wind on the porch. Evan hurried towards it, and she saw how much he was struggling in his face. When they got to the porch, he hurried to a bench and sat her down. He panted and gasped for breath. He then sat the duffle bag down and rubbed his forehead.
“Stay here. I will check it out,” He told her taking a deep breath in. He closed his eyes breathing deeply and rubbed his forehead again. He looked as if he were about to faint. He opened his eyes and stared around with a brightness in his eyes now. He eyed her and let out a breath. He stood up then took the gun from his pants and looked around.
“Scream the best you can if you see anything please,” He requested.
She nodded as he walked towards the door. He looked through a glass window then tried to open the door. It opened. He gave her a long look then went inside. Abby looked down at the duffle bag and blinked sleepily. She swallowed with a dry throat and looked up at the white sky. It looked like it was mocking her. She glared then heard a strange sound.
It was like a jingling sound. Like metal things hitting one another. She looked to her right and stared at the woods. She heard it again then forced herself to stand. Her knees ached, and her wound was throbbing badly, but she forced herself to remain standing. She used the wall of the house to support herself. She heard the sound getting louder, and she started to rub her eyes clear of sleep. She stopped at the edge of the porch and stared at the woods. It was quiet again, and she wondered if she was just imagining it.
Suddenly something jumped onto the porch, and she yelped. She fell backwards, and her butt smacked the porch. A small tan thing jumped on her and licked her face happily whimpering. She opened her eyes and saw a little dog staring into her face. Its collar jingled as the dog moved. Abby looked at it puzzled and then grinned. The dog had tan fur and large brown eyes. It had wired hair and looked like a mix between a dachshund and a terrier. She laughed and rubbed its wet fur.
“What are you doing out here?” She asked the dog, giving it kisses. The dog licked her face again happily. Abby heard loud footsteps, and Evan came running out of the house with his gun up. He pointed it down at the dog with an angry look on his face.
“No!” Abby shouted.
Evan looked at her then the dog then back at her then at the dog’s happy face. He lowered the gun and gave the dog a confused loo
k. He licked his lips and sighed.
“The place is empty,” He told her rubbing his eyes. Abby nodded then looked at the dog and at its name tags.
“Not really empty. Pooch is here,” She smiled cheerfully. Evan gave Pooch a disapproving stare then shrugged. Abby grabbed Pooch in her arms and cuddled her. Pooch whimpered in happiness. Evan picked Abby up suddenly and brought her inside. He took her into a large living room that was opened to a large kitchen. There was one hallway, and it had three doors.
Evan brought her to a sofa and laid her down. He then took her blanket from her and gave her a new one. It was much larger and thicker. She and Pooch lay under it. Pooch stuck her head out and sighed as she licked her lips. Evan walked to the fireplace in front of her and put wood into it. It probably was not a smart idea, but she was sure he knew what he was doing. Evan grabbed something next to the firewood, and the wood started to burn.
Abby smiled when she felt the warmth on her skin, and even Pooch yawned with happiness. She snuggled Pooch closer, and Pooch licked her cheek. It seemed as if Pooch had known her all of her life. She felt pure joy for the little doggie. Evan turned back towards them. His face was flushed. He stared at them annoyed then smiled nervously.
“I’ll make sure everything is secure then cook us a meal.” He told her slowly as he walked forward. She nodded in agreement then looked at Pooch and hinted, “What about Pooch here?”
Evan gave her a long stare then he shrugged and rubbed his face as he said, “Sure… I will make something for him too.”
“She is a girl,” Abby glared. Evan shrugged again before walking away. She heard the front door again, and Evan quickly reappeared with the duffle bag. He put it next to the sofa and then dug through it. Pooch watched intently. He pulled out a thermometer and forced it into Abby’s mouth. She narrowed her eyes at him. When he took it out he looked sadly at it.
“Hundred and six. How is that even possible?” He muttered to himself.
“I had that same thing when I was seven, and I was fine in a week.” She lied. He returned the smile, but his was flat and unmoving. He put the thermometer down and gave Abby a thoughtful look.
“We will stay here until you get better, then we will head to Haven.” He told her with a touch of annoyance.
Abby felt disappointment and guilt. She did not want to delay their trip, but she also knew she was sicker than she was letting Evan believe. She could barely keep her eyes open, and she was burning up. She was sweating everywhere, while her arms and legs were aching. She wondered if Pooch could sense it; because she kept nuzzling her nose on Abby’s neck, looking up at her with large worried eyes.
“Thank you, Evan,” She said quietly. He stood up and rubbed his hands together then rubbed his face.
“Don’t thank me yet,” He muttered.
He dug in the duffle bag again and grabbed different kinds of foods. He brought it to the kitchen and put the things onto a large oak table. Then he disappeared down the hall, and Abby heard him messing around. He must have been securing the place. She brushed her fingers lightly on Pooch’s rough fur, and Pooch sighed and closed her eyes. Abby stared at Pooch happily and felt very good inside. She enjoyed the closeness and comfort of Pooch.
She dozed off into sleep but was quickly awakened by Evan shaking her. Abby could smell something sweet near her face. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. Pooch was sitting next to her, whimpering as she stared at Evan. Evan was giving Abby a worried look while he held something. Abby yawned and made herself sit up. It hurt. Her head spun, and the world went black for a minute. She closed her eyes and opened them again.
He handed her a plate of food then sat down a bowl of dog food that he must have found in another room for Pooch. Abby stared at the hot plate, and at first she could not make it out because of her weak vision, then it became clear. It was pancakes, biscuits, and sausages. Abby was confused. She looked at Evan, and he must have understood her expression.
“The sausages were in some M.R.E.’s at the church. The other two I just made with water and flour that I found.” He smiled proudly. He then handed her a glass of water. Abby felt peaceful as he grinned. She sipped the water and put the glass beside her then she glanced at him.
“Can we keep her?” She asked.
Evan glared at her then Pooch then Abby and sighed, “Sure.”
“The best news all day!” Abby giggled and rubbed Pooch’s head.
Pooch happily licked Abby’s hand then went back to eating. Abby picked and poked at her food but did not want to eat. She was hungry, and her stomach growled every time she smelt the sweet scent of the syrup. She put some of the pancake into her mouth, and it tasted wonderful, but her stomach turned and wanted to refuse the food. She forced herself to swallow. Evan kept glancing up at her anxiously; and when she saw him, she gave him a satisfied look.
“Please eat,” He begged. He was not stupid and could see she was not eating. The weakness in his voice made her feel awful. She ate a few bites then had to put her fork down. Her stomach was turning, and she felt as if she were going to throw up. Evan gave her a sad look, and it made her feel worse. Pooch sniffed at her plate, and she heard Evan groan.
“It is great, Evan, but I just want to rest,” She explained kindly.
His wounded expression made her heart heavy. He poked at his food and ate it slowly. Abby could hear rain pound on the roof outside. She put her plate onto the floor. She shivered and lay down on the sofa again as she pulled the large blanket over her and watched Evan closely. Pooch nuzzled beside her. She smiled sadly as she thought about how badly she just wanted love, and in the end all she got was burned. Yet there was a light in Evan’s eyes that made her realize she had always been searching for the wrong kind of love.
“I’m glad I met you, Evan,” Abby sniffled as she rubbed her nose, and then added, “I’m sorry that Megan is gone.”
Abby felt her throat tighten. She had wanted to talk about Megan for so long, but she always felt that it was too soon. She knew that he blamed himself, and the look in his eyes that he had when he thought she wasn’t looking made her know he still slightly blamed her too. Evan glanced up at her from an empty plate. He twirled his fork in his fingers and nodded. He pressed his lips together and breathed deeply. He was looking at his wedding ring forlornly.
“I suppose this was meant to be. God’s plan.” He paused as he stared at the fork with glassy eyes then continued with a heavy voice, “It isn’t what I wanted. But, I think I am supposed to be here with you. And God will show me my purpose soon.” He uttered unsurely.
His eyes did not leave the fork as he took in a deep breath. Evan gazed up at her with watery eyes then looked back down again. She could hear the hurt in his voice. She did not believe it was God’s plan. She believed it was because horrible things happened to people; and no matter what you tried to do, you could not stop it. She would not start a discussion about God being real or not. He believed still in such a chaotic time, and it was something Abby envied. She lost faith in herself when she thought she had lost it all, but Evan still believed in his God now. When he had all reason not to.
“It is beautiful you know,” She started, and then coughed. She wheezed when she finally said, “How you still have faith.”
Evan gave her a tender smile and nodded.
“It isn’t easy, but I have hope that God will figure this all out for me.” He told her, playing with his fork. Abby rubbed her nose and smiled. She felt a hint of jealously at his faith. She had not believed in so long and would not. Sometimes she wished she did, but she knew she would never again. God was not something she could believe in anymore. Not after all she had been through, not after all she had seen, not after all the prayers she had whispered as a child went unheard. God was for others but not for her.
“I’m going to try to get some sleep,” Abby said.
She could not keep her eyes open anymore. It hurt too much. Everything on her body ached. She knew her body was working against her. She knew
that the fight inside was slowly slipping away. She gave one last blurry glance at Evan as he gazed at her, then she closed her eyes. She felt Evan’s warm hand on her cheek. The warmth filled her, and she felt joy deep in her heart. She pulled Pooch closer to her and snuggled down into the sofa. A deep sweet sleep took her.
“Are you really going to start this now?” Abby snapped. She pointed at the window and at the police lights that zipped by. The virus was only four towns away, and people were panicking in the city, but it seemed as if Aaron did not care. His mind was somewhere else, and he had been so cold this week. Aaron was pacing in the living room with his work clothes on. He was staring at his phone, and his face was red.
“If not now than when huh?” He roared back at her, “I just don’t want to hold you anymore. This just isn’t meant to be.” He shook his head, and his eyes turned hollow.
Abby felt her chest tighten.
“What do you mean?” She couldn’t breathe. He was acting crazy and being so mean. She wanted to disappear. Everything had fallen apart so quickly.
“We aren’t meant for each other! We don’t fit! We have nothing in common,” He shouted. His voice had never sounded so angry. He sounded like another person, but a part of her knew that this was truly him. It had been a mask she had loved before. She closed her eyes, and tears rolled down her full cheeks. This was something she knew was coming for a long time, but it still hurt immensely.
“What are you talking about? We have so much in common. Not everything is going to fit. That is not reality!” She argued. He glared at her and had daggers in his once beautiful eyes. His jaw was clinched; butt before he could yell at her, she quickly added, “All we ever fought about was your addiction. That is what is tearing us apart.”
She saw the crazed look in his eyes, and his body tensed. He walked towards her and stopped in front of her. He tossed his hands up and screamed, “There isn’t a problem!”
“It is the only thing that tears us apart! You know this!” Abby snapped back. She was sick of his denial and sick of letting him push her around, because she was scared to lose him.
The Amour series (Book 1): The Embers of Amour Page 22