“I’m so sorry…I’m not…” Nikki tried to master her sobbing. “I’m sorry I’m not…Tammy…She’s…” She was awash in tears. Rebecca held her close, her own tears streaming.
“We know. It is not your fault.” Holding her at arm’s length, Rebecca smiled at Nikki. “We are happy to have you. Any friend of Shane’s…”
Nikki laughed through a sob. “I only just met him.”
Rebecca held Nikki by the shoulders. “You have done more for him than anyone, including his father, ever did. You could have left him, dumped him on the side of the road. You are important and a true friend.”
“He would have annoyed the hell out of me if I tried to dump him.” Nikki smiled.
Rebecca laughed as she let Nikki go. “He only really annoys people he likes.”
“Thanks.” Nikki smiled as he opened the door to Shane’s room.
“Hey, Nik,” he muttered, trying to prop himself up.
“ It’s still Nikki, you big jerk.” She turned back to Rebecca, rolling her eyes. “See.” She sat on the edge of the bed. “Don’t scare me like that again,” she huffed. “Probably not even that injured. Just being overly dramatic.”
“Well, you know how men are.” Rebecca smiled. “They get the sniffles, it’s the plague; get a cut, and it is a grievous wound. They are the human version of WebMD.”
Alistair pushed past his wife with a tray of sandwiches and drinks. Nikki made an attempt to be polite but in the end was overwhelmed by her desire to no longer feel hungry. A couple of helpings later found her dozing in a chair.
Alistair had asked what had happened to them. Nikki had told her story. It had been painful as she thought of Tim and her family and friends. When she came to the point where she had met Shane, she let him take over. Shane filled in the time before they met. He told of living in the woods since the dead began to walk, sleeping in caves and trees for days and seeing the dead from the outlying areas heading toward town. Shane’s mood improved as he found out some of his family was still alive, even if they were basically trapped in some mansion. Nikki pretended to sleep when Alistair began to describe watching the end of the world. How it was happening everywhere. How scientists had no idea how it was spreading or even what had caused it. Now there was nothing on any satellite, broadband, Internet site, or radio wave with news. The only contact they had was with the people downtown and the occasional shortwave radio operator.
Fire
“Keep the windows shut. Grab some more wet towels to block out the smoke,” Gwen called. “Hayley, please move the children from the windows. We don’t need them seeing that.”
Hayley made no effort to usher the two children from the window. She was far too busy creating emergency packs in case they had to flee. Chris was the one to move them to a bedroom where Mary heard him suggest a game. She took their place at the glass. The air grew thicker with smoke throughout the day. They had no idea where the fire had started, only that it was progressing closer and closer.
Mary had agreed with Hayley. The wide main street with its median of trees and grass and two lanes on either side would stop the flames. She was sure they were safe from the flames, at least those that were torching the buildings. What she wasn’t so sure of were the flames that wandered across Main Street. The flames had pushed the undead like an incoming tide ahead of it. Slowly at first, one or two; then it was a stream and then a flood. Mary was watching a shambling mass of death creeping ever closer, swirling and crashing against the foot of their sanctuary.
At first they were simply the same as they had been seeing for days —torn and bloody remains of everyday life milling around the streets. As the fire grew closer, new arrivals smoldered over the roadway. They brought the smell of burning meat with them along with the smoke that blew in, obscuring the view ever so often.
A cloud of smoke cleared the street. Mary watched a zombie, with fire still clinging to its jacket, stumble and fall. It did not get back up. It was then she saw it—movement along the buildings.
“There’s someone out there,” Mary cried, her face at the glass and hands gripping the coarse wooden frame tight.
“There are a lot of them out there. More coming every moment,” Gwen replied, rushing past Mary.
“No shit. I mean living people are out there!” Mary exclaimed.
“ There is no one alive out there. You are seeing things through the smoke and fire.” Gwen didn’t even bother to look. Hayley was by Mary’s side. Mary was pointing along the building fronts. Hayley stared. Her shrug turned into a grip of Mary’s arm.
“ Zombies don’t run.” Hayley’s words hung in the air for a second before everyone was crowded around the window. They watched three figures dart across the street, swinging various items and felling the undead as they ran.
“Gimme a flashlight or something!” Mary yelled, banging on the glass. “We need to get them to the building two over.”
“Why there?” Chris asked from her shoulder.
“Because that is where we left those emergency supplies and the radio,” Hayley explained.
Safe
Nikki pulled the knit hat lower over her ears as she pulled the sleeves up a little on the heavy winter coat. A light snow swirled and blew across the compound. The car she had driven in was covered from the last heavy snow. She blew into her hands before giving up against the cold. Retreating into the monitor room, she thanked the small space heater for its warmth. Peeling off the gloves, she flipped on the main viewer. She watched the six zombies that had gathered at the very front gate. There was no real change; they still meandered about, occasionally bumping into the fence. The cold did seem to slow them down a little. Becoming bored, she switched the feed to the one lone zombie that still wandered aimlessly through the fence line. It had made a long furrow in the snow but also could not hold her attention. The smell of hot chocolate met her nose, and she turned to see Shane emerge from the stairwell.
“Here, it’s damn cold out there,” he said, handing her the cup.
“’Bout time you got here. It is freakin’ damn cold.” She held the cup between her hands, reveling in the warmth.
“How’s our friend?” he asked, pointing to the lone figure that had become very interested in its own tracks through the snow.
“Same as always—far from us,” she said, handing Shane the binoculars as she headed for the door. “Have fun with the snow. I’m going to thaw out with a long shower.”
“Alistair is making lasagna for dinner; don’t want to miss that,” he told her over his shoulder.
Nikki hesitated at the door. “Shane?”
“Yeah, Nik?”
She frowned, inhaled, and made the decision. “Thanks for getting me out of the tree,” she softly replied, watching his shoulders sag slightly.
He turned to face her, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “Thanks for getting me here,” he responded, letting the smile form.
She allowed one in return before she turned to go. The door opened, and she turned back. He waited. She looked him dead in the eye. “It’s still Nikki.”
Laughing, he waved her off with “Shhhh.”
Time to Move
Ray stumbled to a stop as Dude Cat grouchily meowed, sweeping past him with a pink bow on his tail. Just past the man, Dude stopped and looked back into the room he had just left and gave an annoyed “Merrow.” He eyed Ray, who held up his hands in a “What can I do?” The cat trotted off. Ray smiled and stepped into the room. He stumbled to a halt for a second time. His eyebrows shot up on their own with the tilt of his head.
“ That’s a good look,” Ray commented to his son. Kyle’s long hair was pulled back into a braid that ended in a pretty pink bow. Krissy was still fussing with the bow as her father walked by. Kyle looked up at his father but just shook his head, shrugged, and smiled. Ray gave the thumbs-up and returned to the hall. Snow fell heavily past the window. He watched it for a few minutes, remembering shoveling, driving on slippery roads, and scraping win
dows. What he wouldn’t give to still have that to deal with. A long breath fogged up the cold glass. Ray continued on to the kitchen. Walking into the pantry, he grimaced at the shelves. Their supplies were starting to run low. Alistair had told them it was only set up for a few months, not for too extended of a stay—and not for four people. Jen appeared at his side, slipping her hand into his.
“We’re still OK for a little while,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze.
“ But what then?” he asked, not really wanting to think about the answer. The prospect of leaving the house was one that no one wished to consider. Two weeks after they arrived, all the power had gone out in the city. The house on the left had caught fire and burned to the ground. Before the snow fell, the wind would still bring the burnt smell to them. They could see the dead wandering the streets. With each day there seemed to be more and more of them arriving. They wandered aimlessly outside the wall. It was as if they knew there were people alive there.
“Well, let’s see if Alistair has an idea,” Jen finally answered, doubt betrayed by her voice. She left the pantry, and Ray followed.
Ray paused his collecting of dinner items. He knew she was worried; so was he. Shaking his worry, he headed back into the kitchen to start making dinner. Jen stood at the counter, staring at nothing. “An idea? Like what?” Ray asked his wife.
Jen’s eyes and shrug told Ray she didn’t have a clue. Instead of an answer, she proceeded to get out a pot to help.
“Sorry,” Ray grumbled.
Jen placed a hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze. “We’re going to be OK. I promise.”
Kyle noticed the dinners getting smaller over the next couple of weeks but said nothing. Krissy just complained that they never had pizza. Ray noticed that Kyle’s portions seemed smaller than what was given him, and Krissy’s were always more. Kyle and Ray caught each other’s eyes. Kyle’s head gave a slight tilt and Ray a slight nod. They had an agreement.
Ray had spoken with Alistair several times, but he didn ’t mention the dwindling supplies. He didn’t want to know that there was no backup plan. It was clear that whatever Alistair had planned for this place, it wasn’t for a zombie takeover. Every day the knot in his stomach grew tighter. He wandered outside and was trudging through the snow toward the gate. He could hear the moans of the undead just over the wall. He wondered how many were out there now. The Volvo and Camaro were both covered in snow. He stood staring at the white mounds encasing the vehicles, wondering which would be the smarter one to use to escape the zombies.
“ Hey, Dad, if we are gonna make a run for it, I suggest the Camaro.” Ray jumped at the sound of his son’s voice. He had been so deep in thought that he didn’t even hear him approach. “You better learn to be more observant, or a zombie is gonna bite your ass off.” Kyle laughed.
“Nice. Watch your language,” Ray answered, distracted. He walked up to the gate and then turned back to his son. “Why the Camaro?”
Kyle walked past his father and slid the cover to the small observation port open. He immediately jumped back as a face of a zombie was looking in from the other side. Slamming the cover shut, he exclaimed, “Shit! Ugly fucker. Um, well, because the Camaro has a bigger engine. We can go faster and, if we need to, plow right through ’em.”
Ray studied Kyle for a moment. “Yeah, but the Volvo has a better safety rating. If we crash, there is a better chance of getting out OK.”
Kyle pondered this for a moment. “That is a good point.” Ray took a step back, holding his heart. Kyle frowned. “Funny, you know, we could take both.” Ray’s hand went up to protest. “No, wait, listen.” Ray’s hand hovered and then fell as Kyle continued, “We slam through with the Camaro and use the Volvo to get Mom and Krissy out.”
The crunch of snow alerted them to Jen’s appearance. “Or we could listen to the idea Alistair has.” She eyed both men with the look only a wife and mother could give to note her disapproval.
“We were just discussing the merits of the vehicles,” Ray began.
“Yeah, just hypothetically, Mom,” Kyle finished.
“Get in the house, both of you. Alistair wants to talk to us.” Jen turned on her heels and marched back to the house.
Kyle bent over quickly, packing snow. Hefting the snowball, he began to aim at his mother. Ray cleared his throat and shook his head, a deep frown on his face. Disappointed, Kyle nodded and dropped the missile. He had just started to follow his mother when his own snowball hit him square in the back. After a few frantic minutes of snowballs flying across the yard, a very annoyed Jen retrieved her family.
A Plan
Alistair began to get annoyed. He had been staring at the empty living room for the last five minutes. He started grumbling about courtesy when Rebecca walked in and laughed.
“Someplace you have to be?” she asked.
Alistair looked up at her and shook his head. “This is important.” He took a drink and looked at the glass. “I never planned to have that place occupied very long. We didn’t get a chance to outfit it correctly.”
“I know, I know,” she soothed. “This is very important, and they will be very thankful.” She took a seat next to him.
Looking over her shoulder, he asked, “Where are the kids?” He was more looking for something to do while waiting for his sister-in-law and her family to show up than really concerned.
“They are up in the tower. Are you going to take Shane with you?” Rebecca studied her husband.
“If he wants to go.” He shrugged.
“What about Nikki?” She crossed her arms, waiting for an answer.
He was saved from answering as the family appeared on the screen. Alistair frowned, noting the look of a snowball fight that covered three members.
“They were messing around outside,” Krissy informed her uncle.
“I see that,” he answered, trying but failing to leave the annoyance out of his voice.
“What is going on?” Ray answered, with the same tone in his voice. Alistair and Ray stared at each other for a moment.
“How are you holding up?” Rebecca finally broke the staring contest. “How are…things?”
“If you are talking about the supplies, we are starting to get a little concerned,” Jen told her sister.
“I never planned to stay at that location longer than a month or two. You will be running out of fuel and food before too much longer.” Alistair sighed.
Krissy gave a small yelp. Ray put his hands on his daughter’s shoulders and gave her a reassuring hug. “I don’t want to go back out there,” Krissy whispered while looking up at her father.
Alistair smiled at her. “Don’t worry; I’ll be coming to get you.” Ray and Kyle looked at each other. Ray started to speak, but Kyle beat him to it. “In what?” Kyle lowered his voice slightly. “Uncle Alistair, this place is seriously surrounded.” Kyle glanced at his sister before moving even closer to the monitor. “Last time we looked, they were like three deep.”
Alistair nodded; rubbing his chin, he smiled. “I have a vehicle that will do the job nicely. There is only a small issue of getting through the gate,” Alistair stated. He then proceeded to outline his plan to get the family from the house in the city to his bunker in the woods. “OK, so it is decided. As long as the weather holds, I’ll be there in two days. That will give you time to collect your stuff and for us to prepare.” Alistair paused and added, “If we get too much more snow, we may have to delay. I know, I know! I don’t like it either!” he exclaimed over several protests. “If we have too much, it could leave us in big trouble. Trust me, I will get you as soon as possible.”
Need to Take a Trip into Town
Nikki entered the kitchen and inhaled deeply. The delicious smell filled her nose. Alistair was just bringing the lasagna out onto the table. She closed her eyes and thought of her grandmother for a moment. A picture of her family flickered across her mind. Grief filled her for a moment but was pushed from her mind as she herself was pushed by Shane.
“Quit blocking the door, Nik.” He laughed.
“Nikki!” She swatted him.
“Sit,” Rebecca admonished, brandishing a salad spoon.
“Where did you get the lettuce?” Nikki asked, scooting her chair in.
“Hydroponics,” Shane answered. “You just now thought to ask?”
“ I want to talk to you about something,” Alistair interrupted, heading off the verbal altercation he could see coming. “I need to go into the city to get Ray, Jen, and the kids. I could use your help.” His attention was on his nephew.
“No problem,” Nikki stated, looking down to cut her lasagna.
Alistair turned his attention from Shane to Nikki. He had not expected her to volunteer. She looked up and around the table at all the staring faces. “What?” she asked.
“Well, I just thought you…um would stay behind.” Alistair shrugged.
“Why? Because I’m a girl? I think I did a damn good job getting here,” she fired up at once.
“Nikki, chill. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it,” Shane defended.
She turned to Shane, confused. “Did you just tell me to chill?”
Shane shrugged at her, turning his attention back to Alistair. “So, Unc, when do we leave?” he asked, digging into his own dinner.
“Day after tomorrow.”
“How are we getting there?” Nikki inquired while grabbing a slice of bread, slapping Shane’s hand out of the way. He threw a cucumber slice at her.
“I’ve got a Bradley Fighting Vehicle,” Alistair replied, rubbing his temple and ignoring a cherry tomato flying across the table.
“ No way!” Shane exclaimed, knocking the tomato away. “It is kind of like a tank,” he explained, noting the look of confusion on Nikki’s face. Rebecca cleared her throat, and Shane dropped the butter pad he was aiming at Nikki. She stuck her tongue out at him. Rebecca pointed at her with the same look she had just given Shane.
Alistair kept ignoring the interactions. “I have the M242 and the M240c on it. They should provide enough firepower.” He rolled his eyes at Rebecca. “This,” he pointed between Nikki and Shane, “is why I never wanted children!”
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