Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2)(104)

“Always go with the worse case scenario,” Katarina answered.

“Nerit's advice?”

Katarina nodded.

Bill popped open the can, then said, “Well, then, I guess we're doing okay considering what has gone down.”

“We're alive,” she agreed. “That's saying a lot.”

With a laugh, Bill nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.” He stood up, his knees creaking. “I'm going to take this and go to bed now.”

“Good night, Bill.” Katarina moved on, her gaze returning to the perimeter.

He trudged down the stairs, anxious all at once to sleep and not deal with reality. Maybe...maybe...if he was lucky...he would dream of Doreen and their wonderful day in Venice...

And maybe, just this once time, he wouldn't dream of everyone around him turning into zombies chasing him and Doreen into the ocean.

It would be nice, he thought. Very nice.





2. Together Time

Jenni sat in her bed, the covers pooling around her waist, her long hair falling over her bare breasts. Beside her, Juan was sleeping soundly, one arm thrown over his head. She had woken up after a particularly bad nightmare. She could feel its terrible tendrils still infecting her mind. Staring out the window at the stars, she tried to reclaim her mind and her life from the ghosts of her nightmares.

Rubbing her nose, she took a deep breath.

The bandits were beaten. The zombies were beyond the walls of the fort. Juan was her lover. Jason was alive and safe. Katie and Travis were happy together. Life as a whole was good...until she slept.

Sliding out of the bed, she walked naked to the window and laid her hands on the warm glass. Down in the street, Lloyd was staring up at her. His torn face was twisted into a deadly smile.

Jenni took a deep breath, then let it slip from between her full lips. She reached deep down inside and pulled on her strength and love. Her anger was useless against Lloyd.

“Lloyd,” she whispered.

Come die with us,.

“You are not the beginning or the end of me.”

His smile faded.

“I'll die when I choose. And I know one thing for sure, I'm not going where you are.”

His smile disappeared.

“Fuck you, Lloyd. I don't need you to be afraid of anymore. You're not the biggest or the baddest monster in my world.” Jenni flipped him off and turned away from the window.

There were worse things in this world to fear than the stupid ghost of her dead, * husband, and there were wonderful things to enjoy and love. Jenni didn't have the patience to be afraid anymore and ruin her new life.

Sliding into the bed, she ran her hand over Juan's chest. He stirred slightly. Taking her hand, he drew her into his arms and she settled down against his body.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

Jenni slung her arm over his waist and draped one leg over his. “Nothing,” she answered truthfully. “It just took me awhile to figure that out.”

Juan was too sleepy to understand so he just kissed her forehead.

When Jenni fell asleep, she wasn't afraid anymore. She wouldn't give Lloyd anymore of her life.

She was done with him.





3. The Time of Beginnings

Katie stared at the little stick, squinting in disbelief. She checked the box again, then sat back on the edge of the bathtub and exhaled slowly.

Despite all the insanity of their life, despite the dead world, despite all the terror, this was a choice they had made together. They had decided to live a new life and embrace it fully. In their strangely accelerated world where there was really no time to mourn, but only time to fight to live, this had been a distinct possibility they had embraced.

“Travis!” She pulled the rayon robe tighter around her body and held the stick in one hand as she crossed her legs.

The door opened and he peered in at her. He must have fallen asleep while she showered. He looked a little bleary-eyed. He was clad in his pajama bottoms only and his hair was mussed.

She held up her announcement and he padded into the bathroom to squint at it. It took a few seconds for it to register in his mind.

“For real?”

Katie lifted her eyebrows and nodded. “Oh, yeah.”

Travis let out a wild laugh and dragged her to her feet. “Amazing!”

Katie began to laugh and tossed the stick into the trash. “Yeah! We are! We've just made our life a helluvalot more complicated.”

“I'll take it!” Travis gathered her close and kissed her.

Happiness and fear were jumbled up inside of her mind, but Katie embraced those feelings. In a world full of death, life was something to embrace.

She kissed Travis and felt the first of her tears on her cheeks.

Joyously, Travis clutched her tightly. And together they laughed with delight.





4. Time of the Dead

Katarina watched the zombies beating against the wall with cold eyes. She knew there were plans in the morning to destroy them and clear the area around the fort. She would be sleeping at that time. She was fine with that. She had done enough killing to last her for awhile.

The deadlands beyond the fort were dark and full of mystery. She had no idea what lurked out there and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. There was enough weirdness in her world as it was. Zombies and the ghost of her mother were enough to make her on edge.