For a moment, just a moment, she felt like she was back home with her parents, taking a break from preparing for the holiday season.
She remembered Thanksgiving with her mother.
They would spend two days cooking and baking. The kitchen would be hot from the oven, and delicious smells would permeate the house. Her father would often threaten to eat the pies while they slept. Sometimes, she thought he might have been serious. This year would certainly be different.
Oh, how she wished she could see her mom again…
She felt tears threaten and she fought them back. It was too cold to cry, and besides, it didn’t do any good. She sniffed and took a sip of her coffee. Several seconds later, Tanaka joined her.
“I brought you some coffee,” she said, offering him the cup.
“Thank you,” he said.
He stood silently for a moment, sipping the hot drink, and she realized that this silence was a comfortable one. His presence was restful…peaceful.
“My mother used to say that we are only candles burning in the wind,” Tanaka said in a low voice.
“Are you trying to say we are at the mercy of wind?” Jess asked.
“In a way,” he said. “We must bend to the wind, like a willow, and not break.”
“Life is too short and unforgiving to be rigid,” she added.
“Ah, you do understand,” he said approvingly.
They were silent for a little longer, then Tanaka stepped off the porch. “Thank you for the coffee and the companionship.”
“My pleasure,” she said, smiling in genuine happiness.
She went back in and went straight to the fire. Her feet and hands were frozen solid, but she was glad to have spent some time with Tanaka. He seemed to be a wise man, and he was likeable. That was very important for people living in their situation.
It would be a long winter if there were all kinds of hostile personalities thrown together here.
She glanced at her watch. She supposed she could start an early breakfast. Maybe she would make it special since the next couple of days would be taken up with Thanksgiving preparations and the suppers were sure to be lacking.
She thought for a moment and decided to make eggs, pancakes, and open a can of fruit. Their sausage supply was dwindling, but she would open one and fry it up. They had a few jars left from when Jean canned them at the store.
She wished they had more sausage or bacon, but they wouldn’t until they bred some pigs themselves. Maybe they could find some hogs somewhere?
She would willingly learn to slaughter some hogs if it meant bacon was back on the menu.
◆◆◆
Later that morning, the sun was shining, and the birds were active in the trees nearby. It was a beautiful morning. She would love to get out for a walk later.
She set down the bowl of fruit on the table and stepped back. The food was ready, and the drinks needed to be carried in. They had juice, powdered milk, and coffee. Hot tea for those that wanted it.
“Breakfast!” she called out loudly to the house.
Jonah came running in right away.
He acted like he was starving to death, even though she knew he had snuck a roll this morning— left over from supper the night before. Soon, everyone else came in as well. Some of the men came in through the back, slipping off their boots and washing up in the kitchen. Eventually, everyone found a seat.
“Pancakes!” Natasha said enthusiastically. “We haven’t had pancakes in ages!” Sasha agreed, “It must have been since the last time dad made them.”
“Well, dig in. I wish we had some butter or something, but we used the last of it. We’ll have to make more as soon as the cows or goats start giving milk,” Jess said.
“That’s okay. This is excellent, even without butter. A real treat,” Ed said. “Remember those fancy meals you used to cook, back in the old days?”
“You mean the first couple of months on the island? Yeah, it was great having everything I needed right there.”
Jack leaned in and whispered. “Well, I have everything I need right here.” He ran a hand up her thigh under the cover of the table. She blushed and bit her lip to keep from smiling.
She pinched his hand until he chuckled and removed it.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Brad asked Jack. Everyone else quieted down to listen.
“Well, the usual training and taking care of the animals. We need to reinforce some sections of the fence and maybe start looking for more hay and grain for the winter. We’ll need another big load to be on the safe side. Plus, I guess we could start looking for more food for us as well.”
“What about the store?” Jean asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I didn’t want to have to go back there. I know the others feel the same way, but there is still a lot of stuff there that we can use. Some of it is worth its weight in gold— like the toilet paper and the olive oil. Maybe we should plan a run there when the others get back,” Jack said, thinking.
“I don’t like that at all,” Jess said.
“I know, babe. Sometimes things just have to be done though.”
They were finishing up breakfast when they heard the loud roar of a motorcycle followed by the deep rumble of an engine.
It was unmistakable. A diesel engine.
Finally!
Jess rushed up to the window and peeked out as the men and some of the women grabbed their weapons, just in case.
Ed rushed out as soon as the Humvees came into view and the others followed. Cam leaned the motorcycle on its stand and walked over to the Humvees and to Ed.
Jess watched uneasily as the returning teams exited the vehicles. She counted heads and was ecstatic to find them all accounted for. Why the heck did Cam get a Harley?
Who cares?! They’re back! Thank you, God!
She went out with the others to properly greet the returning heroes.
Cam
It was Thanksgiving morning.
Cam stretched and enjoyed the peaceful moment alone in bed. Angie had gotten up extra early to help the women cook the meal. Jim got up from his place near the window and took an early watch, so he had the room to himself. It was a rare thing.
Cam thought about how his day would have been if the world hadn’t changed.
He probably would have been working today. Maybe he would have stopped off at some restaurant on the way home and had a turkey dinner alone. Maybe he and Angie would have been together and cooked a meal at her home or his.
He felt a flash of heart-wrenching sorrow for those lost moments. They would never come back. All those who died, who turned…the millions still roaming— they would never ever come back.
He clenched a fist in the blankets and wished he could know how this all started.
He would bet everything he had that this whole thing was created in a lab by a government, perhaps even in the United States, or Russian, or China. They were all elbows deep in illegal viruses and bacteria. They were probably out there even now, making new strains of the plague.
Fucking psychotic assholes.
Cam realized that he had been laying there, ruminating, for longer than he should have.
He wanted to get a quick run in before breakfast, but he suspected that he was too late. The women had said there wouldn’t be much of a breakfast today anyway, not since they would be eating shortly after noon.
Jack had surprised everyone with a turkey yesterday.
He said he had found some tracks down near the creek on one of his runs, and he was lucky enough to get one in time for their celebration. He said he was going to raffle off the drumsticks for beer. Cam didn’t think he was joking.
He stashed a case of Corona in his Humvee, just in case. He wanted one of those drumsticks.
He finally got up and made his way downstairs, where Angie seemed to be bathing in cornbread, eggs, onions, and broth. The whole cabin smelled delicious, and he felt his stomach rumble. He snatched Angie as she bustled past with a big sp
oon.
“Good morning, babe,” he said and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” she beamed and held food-covered hands out to the sides as she leaned in and kissed him back.
She hurried back to what she was doing, and Cam followed.
“What are you making?” he asked, looking at two large pans of something that resembled soggy bread soup.
“Cornbread dressing,” she said, smooshing the mixture again after adding a couple of more eggs.
“Looks…good?” he said skeptically.
She laughed. “It will be, I promise!”
He would withhold judgement on that for a while. It wasn’t that he didn’t think she could cook. He just wasn’t sure that dressing was ever supposed to look like that, but what did he know? He hadn’t ever made it himself.
Jim came in, slipping his rifle off his shoulder, and going to stand in front of the fire.
“How cold is it?” Cam asked.
“Little over freezing,” Jim answered. “We’ll have to keep chopping wood to stay ahead of our consumption. We are barely ahead right now. I’m thinking about putting three men on firewood duty every day for a while.”
“That sounds good, go ahead,” Cam agreed. “Apparently Jack and the others have some sort of secret they don’t want us knowing about. I came across them whispering several times. Nobody would clue me in,” he said looking over at Jim.
“I noticed,” Jim said drily. “I hope it’s a good secret and not a bad one. They seem pretty happy about whatever it is though, so I wouldn’t worry.”
“I’m not worried, I’m trying to prepare myself.”
“For what?” Jim asked with a confused grin.
“For whatever the hell it is they are going to subject us to,” Cam said honestly. “I hate surprises.”
“Well, I’m sure whatever it is will be temporary and harmless,” Jim said.
I hope so.
◆◆◆
Everyone gathered at the table at two in the afternoon.
There was chatter all around and everyone was anticipating the turkey. It smelled so mouthwatering. He couldn’t wait to get his. He hoped Jack lived up to his end of the deal.
“All right, here it is!” Cara sang out as she carried it in.
Cam heard Jess and Cara arguing over whether or not Jess should be lifting the weight. It was a big turkey. Cara must have won out.
She set it in the center of the table. It looked fantastic. The skin was golden brown and crisp, and he could see whoever had prepared it knew what they were doing.
There were also two pans of delicious looking cornbread dressing. Angie was right, it would be good. There were canned yams, canned corn, real mashed potatoes with gravy, yeast rolls, and several pies.
Someone had even made Cam’s favorite pie: chocolate chip.
“All right, who made the chocolate chip pie? I’m giving you a big kiss. It’s my favorite,” Cam announced.
The women all busted out laughing and Cam looked at them suspiciously.
“What?” he asked.
“Ahahaha…oh my gosh….” Jess said, clutching her stomach. The others were no less tickled, but at least they were more respectful about it.
“Okay, what? Tell me,” he insisted.
Brad spoke up. “My favorite pie is chocolate chip. My mom used to make it every Thanksgiving and every Easter. When I turned seventeen, she taught me how to make it. You own me a kiss, Cam,” he said, grinning.
Cam shook his head ruefully. “How about a handshake and a beer later instead?”
“Ehhh. Okay, I guess,” he said. “I’ll just have to get my kiss somewhere else,” he added with a quick sideways glance at Sasha.
Cam laughed and he saw her swallow nervously and flush under everyone’s scrutiny.
Finally, Cam interrupted the random chatter and stood. “I’m not much for all those holiday traditions, but I want to say that I’m thankful for being here with all of you. You are my friends. You are my family.” He raised a glass in a toast, and everyone followed.
He sat down and Jack made his announcement. “As you all may have heard, I’m raffling off one of these drumsticks. The other is mine, of course, since I shot the thing. So, everyone who wants a chance, put in your name. The fee is beer!”
Jean snorted at that but put in her name as well.
It came down to her, Jim, Nick, Cam, and Monica.
Jack shuffled the names around in the little bowl and told Jess to close her eyes and choose one. She did so, delicately pulling a piece of paper out and unfolding it.
She smiled and looked at Cam. “Congratulations, Cam. You’ve got your drumstick.”
Cam did a small victory fist pump.
“I’d like to donate the beer to our special celebration we’re having later,” Jack said mysteriously. He then began carving the turkey.
He gave Cam a drumstick, then began portioning out the rest. Cam noticed that he gave Jessica the other drumstick.
That was a serious gesture of love and sacrifice, right there.
They all ate the excellent food and shared memories from their past Thanksgivings. Cam was surprised to learn that Brad’s father was a surgeon. He also found out that Lane’s father and mother were both in the army. She had even planned to join after college.
“What did you want to do?” he asked her curiously.
“I wanted to fly helicopters,” she answered.
That surprised the shit out of him. He would have figured her for something else— a nurse like her mother perhaps.
“That’s pretty badass. Some of those girls can really fly. They saved my ass more than once in the mountains,” he said quietly.
Everyone got quiet and looked at him and he realized they had all heard. He purposely didn’t talk about all that. He didn’t know why really. He knew they were all curious. Hell, he had only told Angie and Jim the bare minimum. Maybe he should open up a bit more?
They were all looking at him expectantly...some with mere curiosity and some with concern.
If they only knew the half of it…
“When I was in Afghanistan, a lot of time we were in really remote outposts. Apaches provided our fire support. Once, we were pinned down on this COP—uh…combat outpost. Like a firebase,” he said to Ed. “It was set in a really bad place. Indefensible. Whoever decided to build it there should have been shot. Anyway, we were taking fire from the mountains all around us. We finally got some support, but it was too late for a lot of men.”
Too much…. Ruining the celebration…
Cam remained silent and took another bite of his turkey. It didn’t taste as good as it had before. He wished he hadn’t said anything at all.
He felt Angie put a comforting hand on his thigh. Gradually, everyone began to share stories again. Ed even told one of his own war stories, which helped Cam not feel so isolated. When they had eaten all they could— and more— Jack stood.
“While you guys were gone, we planned a special surprise for us all. We are going to have a movie night! We’ve chosen several movies, so there should be something for everyone. We’ll start with Harry Potter…for the children,” he said with a teasing look at Brad, Sasha, Natasha, Jonah, and the others who wanted to watch it.
Cam and Jim groaned at that, but good-naturedly withheld judgement. He was sure they went to a lot of trouble for this, and he didn’t want to blow it by being critical.
“We have also chosen Die Hard and The Lord of the Rings,” he said.
That was better.
Angie
Angie was snuggled up between Jim and Cam on the couch, watching the last movie.
They were sharing a giant bowl of popcorn, and Cam was eating another piece of Brad’s chocolate chip pie. Jack and some of the other’s had opened up the beer long ago and we’re laughing uproariously at the movies. Angie decided to have a glass of wine instead.
Cam had brought back her favorite.
She got up to pour another gla
ss and maybe sneak a piece of pumpkin pie. It was Thanksgiving after all, she justified.
It had been a great day and she was completely happy. She switched on the large lantern in the kitchen and went to the counter.
She glanced up as movement out the window caught her eye.
“They’re here!” she heard a panicked Nick shout from the living room.
Oh shit!
Massive rivers of the dead were flooding their way silently through the trees around their cabin. They were beating on the barn.
They were after the animals!
She turned and ran back into the living room where everyone except Ed and Jean were still seated. They had gone to sleep already.
“Cam! There’s a herd outside! Massive!” she said in a panic. “They’re after the animals in the barn!”
Cam jumped up and so did the others. She saw Jack and Nick stumble a little and was worried.
Were they even sober?
“Girls, on me!” Nick shouted.
She grabbed her rifle from its place in the nearby closet and saw Nick’s girls cluster around him. All except for Sasha, who clutched Brad’s arm.
Jim, Mac, Tanaka, let’s go. Angie, go wake up Jean and Ed, stay quiet. They don’t know we’re here and I want to keep it that way.”
She nodded and dashed up the stairs. Jean was snoring peacefully when Angie jolted her out of her sleep.
“Who the heck do you think you are!” Jean said indignantly, before realizing that it was Angie.
“Quick! There’s a herd surrounding the cabin. Get your rifle but don’t fire. They don’t know we’re here. I have to wake Ed.”
She dashed to Ed’s room and told him the same thing before going back downstairs. She found the men and some of the women missing.
“Where did they go?” she whispered in a panic.
Jess wiped her tears away. “The men went out to try and draw them away. Nick and his girls went out the front shortly after to do the same. Cam doesn’t know. I guess they were hoping to split the herd and make it easier to get rid of! Angie, what if they don’t come back!” Jess wrapped one arm around her belly protectively, while holding a pistol in the other.
Refuge From The Dead | Book 3 | Dead Fall Page 29