Rubbing his face with one hand, Travis yawned. He had seen the torment on Katie’s face and had wanted to comfort her, but knew she wouldn’t let him. That kiss a few weeks ago had changed things between them, much to his regret. Before the kiss, they had been friends, and maybe a little more. After, she had withdrawn from him. Now there was nothing he could do but wait and let her work things out for herself.
If he couldn’t fix his relationship with Katie, he could make sure that the small haven they were carving out in the world of the dead stayed safe. Tomorrow they would secure the road next to the fort and take over the Dollar Store. The shops on either side of the discount store were empty, so the fort’s residents might be able to use them as well, if they weren’t in bad shape.
He glanced over his shoulder at the hotel. Soon, the fort survivors would have to occupy the structure. But Travis and Juan were extremely nervous about risking the security of the fort to take the hotel. The fort was as safe as it got in the new, dead world, and the thought of breaking through the hotel wall made his chest tight with anxiety. The hotel could be empty of all life: undead or otherwise. But what if there was a door open somewhere and zombies had wandered inside? Juan’s crew had built a special enclosure flush up against the back wall of the hotel to provide secure entry into the building. It seemed like a good idea in theory, but Travis had his doubts.
Hell, he had his doubts about everything. He couldn’t help but second-guess himself when so many lives were on the line, including his own. The mere thought of being mauled to death by one of the undead kept him sufficiently paranoid.
Travis narrowed his eyes as the zombie staggered free from whatever had temporarily trapped it. Raising the rifle, he fumbled with the safety, then aimed for the zombie’s head using the sight. He felt uncomfortable using the weapon, but they needed to keep the area as zombie free as possible.
The zombie stopped walking, and he could see a skirt flowing in the breeze around its crooked legs. It slowly raised its hand. Before it could issue its horrifying screech, he pulled the trigger. It collapsed onto the sidewalk as the echoes of the shot faded away.
With a sigh, Travis lowered the rifle.
Tomorrow was a new day.
A new beginning.
And that was all any of them could hope for anymore.
CHAPTER TWO
1.
Taking Risks
Beads of sweat slid down Juan’s spine as he stood on the wall. The side street that ran alongside the fort had been left open until today, in case it was needed as an escape route. Now, because they wanted to expand the fort, Juan and his crew were using the huge crane to block the ends of the street with long storage containers. Once that was done, they would send a team in to clear the buildings of any zombies.
By tomorrow, new walls would be in place to hold off the zombie hordes, and the fort would gain the use of four more buildings. Luckily, the downtown area was so old that the buildings were flush up against one another. The fort’s inhabitants only had to worry about the two ends of the street and securing the back entrances of the newly accessible buildings.
The breeze was still cool despite the sun’s rays. Juan wiped his forehead beneath the brim of his cowboy hat. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the survivors watching from the safety of the old construction site. Excitement was already building. It was going to be an intense day, and they all knew it. If their luck held out, it would be a good one, too.
Travis joined him on the wall, and they both looked down at the front windows of the Dollar Store, which were covered in huge advertising posters. The featured items were mostly Easter baskets and Easter treats. Juan frowned as he realized the holiday had passed without anyone even noticing.
Because of the ads, it was hard to see into the building. No one had seen any movement inside the store, but that did not mean there wasn’t anything undead waiting for them. .
“Think someone is in there?”
Juan shrugged. “If there is, they ain’t alive.”
Travis yawned, rubbing his face.
“No sleep?”
“Not a lot. You?”
“Once we’re in the hotel, I think I’ll sleep a lot better,” Juan replied.
“Yeah. I can’t argue there.”
“When are we going in?” Juan jerked his head toward the hotel.
Travis shrugged. “When it feels like we can handle the risk.”
Juan studied the towering building. The empty windows gave him the creeps. He knew they needed to go in soon, but he was just as worried as Travis. All sorts of things could go wrong.
“Hey, guys,” a voice called out. Eric, an engineer from Austin, was climbing up the ladder to the wall. Eric and his girlfriend, Stacey, had been rescued a week before from a water tower on the outskirts of Ashley Oaks, where zombies had trapped them for almost a month. They had nearly starved to death. Eric was still far too thin for his height, but he looked better than he had when they’d found him. He hesitated at the top of the ladder and looked up at them worriedly. His pale skin was more burned than tanned and his glasses and mussed brown hair made him look like a grown-up Harry Potter.
“Whazzup?” Juan cocked his head curiously.
“I really feel like I need to inspect the store and the other shops once they are clear. I heard a rumor that you are thinking about moving some of us over the wall. All these buildings are really old, and we can’t be too sure they are structurally sound.”
Juan almost laughed. He was pretty sure most of the old buildings were better built than the newer ones, but Eric looked very sincere. So he just said, “Yeah, man, that’s cool.”
Eric climbed onto the wall and cautiously stood up. He gained his balance and folded his arms over his chest. “What you guys did with the construction site to make it into a fort is outstanding, but—”
“Eh, I understand.” Juan shrugged. “We’re taking risks all the time.”
“But we can’t risk too much, or we might lose everything.” Eric pushed his glasses up on his nose.
Juan couldn’t blame him for looking nervous. He had heard Eric’s story and knew that he and his girlfriend had barely survived.
“I don’t see that as an issue—after we’re sure it’s clear, you can inspect the buildings,” Travis agreed. “Besides, we’re not sure how we’re going to use the space yet. We need to take a look around before making any solid plans.”
“We’re all just—” Eric motioned to the people watching them from below. “—scared to be on the other side of this wall.”
Juan and Travis looked back at the line of stores. Juan knew they were both thinking the same thing.
They had no choice.
Travis sighed faintly, then spoke in a firm voice. “I know that they sent you up here for reassurance. I can promise you, and everyone down there, that we will not move anyone into the new area until we’re absolutely sure it’s clear of zombies. We’ll also make sure the zombies won’t be able to breach the stores.”
“I guess the way things are set up right now just feels so safe. Risking anything is just scary. I’m not dissing what you guys are saying or insinuating that you don’t know what you’re doing, just some of us … .” Eric faltered as he gestured down into the construction site.
Juan looked down as well. A good-sized group of people huddled together. Eric’s still-emaciated girlfriend was holding their Jack Russell terrier, Pepe, and looking up at Eric with a worried expression. Juan thought she was a pretty little thing. She had long tanned limbs and pale blond hair, but her cheeks were hollow and her shoulders bony. He could understand Eric’s desire to protect her. The dozen or so people gathered around her also wore expressions of concern. Juan realized Eric was a spokesman for more than his own fears.
“Man, we got loved ones, too. We’re not going to risk them. Okay?” Juan tried to give the man a reassuring look.
Travis reached out to grip Eric’s shoulder lightly with one hand, looked him in the eye, a
nd said in his most earnest tone, “Trust us. We have this under control.”
Eric shifted his gaze from Travis to the Dollar Store. He seemed to reach some sort of peace with the situation. “I’ll let them know,” he said finally, and climbed down the ladder.
“You can’t blame them,” Juan said once Eric was down below and talking to the group. “They weren’t here when we made this construction site into a fort. They don’t know what it was like before.”
Travis looked calm, but Juan could tell he was upset by the set of his jaw. “We’re doing our best to keep them all safe and keep things as sanitary as possible. We’re damn lucky the power is still on.”
“It’s that new hydroelectric power station they built a few years back; I betcha anything.”
“But for how long will it stay operational?” Travis lifted his sunglasses for a few seconds so he could rub his eyes. “So much can go wrong if we’re not careful.”
“Just another day in zombie land,” Juan said with a wide grin. “Gotta love it.”
Travis chuckled. “Yeah, ain’t life grand?”
Juan flicked the brim of his cowboy hat up. “Never a dull moment.”
“I miss dull moments,” Travis mused.
Slinging his arm around his pal’s shoulders, Juan wondered if life would ever be dull again. “It looks so peaceful out there.”
“But it’s not,” Travis reminded him.
“Got those guys out there that killed Ralph …”
“And the walking dead,” Travis added.
“And who knows what else,” Juan finished.
“You really know how to cheer a guy up,” Travis joked.
“I do my best. I do my best.”
Both men stared down at the Dollar Store with trepidation.
2.
Waiting
After leaving Travis on the roof, Katie had managed to sleep a few hours in the small room she shared with Nerit. When she awakened, Nerit was gone. Yawning, she pulled on her shoes and headed to the community dining room.
Katie poured milk onto her cereal, staring at the watery white liquid filling in around the flakes. She was slowly getting used to reconstituted powdered milk. It didn’t taste bad; it just looked off. Picking up her spoon, she dug into the cornflakes, wishing for a banana to add. The salvage team that had looted the grocery store brought back tons of food, in boxes, cans, and bags. But by the time they’d been secure enough to send people out for supplies, the fresh fruit had all gone bad.
Rosie, Juan’s mother, had salvaged seeds from some of the rotten fruit and was planning a garden with Peggy, the city secretary. The two women just needed a good spot within the walls to plant. Katie hoped their efforts were successful; she missed fruit desperately. With a sigh, she reached out and picked up the small Dixie cup of vitamins that everyone was required to take in the morning. She downed it with orange juice made from a powdered mix.
Jenni crashed into the chair across from her. “We’re heading in!”
“Huh?” Katie tried to get her brain up to Jenni speed as she stared at her friend. “We’re what?”
Jenni gulped down her vitamins, dry. “Dollar Store. We’re heading in.” The dark-haired woman poured Froot Loops into a bowl and reached for the pitcher of milk. “Travis says I can go with Ed, Bill, and Felix.”
Katie tried not to frown, but knew it slid over her features before she could stop it.
“Oh, c’mon. You volunteered to go into the hotel. You and I have more experience with zombies than most of these guys, from when we were out on the road. You so cannot get in my face for volunteering for this. The place is probably empty!”
“I just worry,” Katie admitted.
Jenni snorted. “You’re such a mom.”
“I had a bad night last night. I worry about the ones I love.”
“You love someone other than me?” Jenni widened her eyes playfully. “Oh, wow, I have competition? I’ll cut ’em!”
Despite herself, Katie laughed. “Yeah, I’m so sure you can take down Nerit. Or Jason. Or Old Man Watson. Or …” She faltered at Travis.
Jenni crunched her cereal. “You’re such a dork.”
“Thanks, I needed that.” Katie shoveled more food into her mouth.
“I had a rough night, too. Fuckin’ nightmares.” Katie waited for Jenni to go on, but as usual, she changed the subject. “I’m going to take this ax that Ed got from the grocery store. I’ve been practicing using it, and I like it so much better than the spears. It has this really great energy when you swing it.” Jenni added more cereal to her bowl. “I’m going to have such a great sugar high from this stuff.”
“Pure carbs, Jenni. We seriously need more protein in our diets.” The salvaged meat from the grocery store freezer wouldn’t last much longer. It was already held for dinner only. Lunch was usually stuff from cans.
Jenni wrinkled her nose. “Whatever. So, my new ax …”
Amused, Katie listened to Jenni prattle on about her new weapon. Her friend always avoided talking about the past or the life she had lost. Katie marveled at Jenni’s ability to move on, but at the same time wondered if all the things she was ignoring would one day catch up with her.
Jason, Jenni’s stepson, and Jack, his ever-faithful German shepherd companion, joined them. Before the teenager managed to sit down, Katie and Jenni had both hugged him. The women showered the dog with attention before making him settle down under the table. Jason’s bangs were long enough that he tended to stare at the world through brown, straggly clumps of hair, but he was a good, smart kid. Katie was glad they had been able to rescue him from the camp he was attending during the first days of the outbreak.
“I was talking to Roger, that science teacher, and he says my plans for a catapult are really good. Think if I talk to Juan, he could get me the stuff to make it?” Jason picked out Grape-Nuts from the boxes on the table, which impressed Katie until he drowned the healthful little nuggets in sugar and milk.
“Yeah. He would totally do that. But probably not until we get the hotel under our control. He’s obsessed with getting us in.” Jenni slurped down the sugary milk in her bowl.
Jason scowled, then shrugged. “I’m just trying to help out.”
“Don’t take it personal. The guys are all fixated with getting into the hotel. The city hall’s air conditioner is not that great, and some of the older people will suffer if the heat gets any worse.” Katie rubbed the boy’s back to reassure him.
“Yeah, but we’re not building enough defenses. What if a bunch of them show up? Or the guys that killed Ralph? Juan calls them the banditos. Or …” He shrugged. “Whatever. I’m just a kid.”
“And a moody one,” Jenni teased.
“Mom!”
Jenni leaned over the table to hug and kiss him relentlessly. Jason tried to fight her off at first, then started laughing. Satisfied, Jenni slid back into her chair.
“Gawd, Mom,” Jason said, his cheeks flushed.
Katie grinned and tucked back into her breakfast. Suddenly, she didn’t feel so down or so alone. It was a good feeling.
3.
Going In
“Go in, secure the front. Jenni and Bill, you take right. Me and Felix, we’ll take left. Do not fire your weapon unless you have to, and only if you’re sure everyone else is clear. We don’t need friendly fire in there,” Ed said firmly. He was a scrawny, grizzled white guy in his late fifties, a tough Texan who had run a small farm on the outskirts of town. His peach groves were the only fresh fruit they had any hope of bringing into the fort, but the salvage team had yet to get out that far.
Felix, a good-looking young black man from the Houston area, balanced his makeshift spear in one hand. He had modified it to have two deadly ends, and he often practiced with it. Jenni thought his skin was beautiful; the color reminded her of grackle feathers. He was so black, his skin gleamed purple in the sunlight. He dressed like a thug, but when he spoke, you quickly realized he was much more than he appeared to be. Afric
an-born, he had been adopted by white parents and raised in an affluent part of Houston. He’d been a student at the University of Texas when things all went to hell, and he’d barely made it out of Austin alive. Felix didn’t talk about it, but Jenni got the impression he was torn between many different worlds. He was one of the few people of color among the white majority of the fort and had at first kept to himself. Like Jenni, he had eventually found his place in the family of survivors.
Bill looked toward the store from their perch on the wall. “I can’t see there being anyone in that store if they haven’t shown up at the front door.” He hitched his belt a little higher and looked somber.
Ed shrugged. “In this world, can’t be too sure about nothing.”
“Amen,” Jenni agreed, and lifted her ax. “I’m ready to choppy, choppy.”
“You’re one crazy bitch,” Felix chided with a grin.
“Uh-huh. Your point is?”
Felix held up one hand and twirled a finger to indicate she was loopy.
Jenni smirked.
The road was blocked off on both ends by huge storage containers and cement bags. Snipers, including Nerit, stood on the fort’s wall, ready to shoot any approaching zombies. The small entry team had to worry only about what was inside the Dollar Store and the neighboring abandoned shops.
“We all know Jenni is batshit crazy, but that’s okay. She’s good at killing the goddamn zombies,” Ed said with a wry grin. “So let’s go in and see how things are cooking in there.”
Jenni scanned all the people staring up at them from the fort. She spotted her loved ones and waved to Katie and Jason. Juan was up on the far wall, and she blew him a kiss. He caught it in one hand and pretended to smack it onto his ass. She laughed.
Ed headed down the ladder first, followed by Felix, then Bill, and finally Jenni. She jumped down the last few rungs, landing on the hot road. The entire downtown area was paved in red bricks, and the roadways were in good condition, though a few blades of grass stuck up here and there.
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