Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2)(107)

A few weeks ago, the bulldozing of the old buildings across from the hotel had brought many people up onto the roof to watch. Zombies had rushed the bulldozers and the snipers had picked them off. The bulldozer drivers also seemed to have fun running the zombies over. The cabs had been encased in a protective mesh, so no one was lost, though there had been a scare when one zombie had dragged a sniper down off a truck. The sniper had shoved the tip of his rifle through the zombie's eye and had been rewarded by cheers from the onlookers.

This was definitely a strange new world.

And thinking of strange...

Below her, Calhoun was running around in the snow, his arms outstretched, his mouth open to catch the snow. Nearby, Eric and Stacey were running around playing with their little dog, Pepe.

The survivors in the fort were extending the wall and claiming long abandoned buildings. Some would be destroyed, others renovated. But it would take time, and time was a strange, strange beast that did very weird things.

Lenore and Ken slipped out of the city hall front doors to join Calhoun in the snow. They immediately began pelting each other with snowballs.

Nearby, a sniper took aim and Katie heard the soft pffft sound of it being fired. She knew that beyond the wall a zombie lay in the snow truly dead at last.

Travis joined her, wrapping her tight in his embrace. She snuggled into his warmth and smiled.

“Love you,” he whispered, and kissed the top of her head.

“Love you,” she answered.

Behind her, the hotel was illuminated. People were still celebrating the turning of the year. Christmas lights were strung in many of the windows. A huge, fake Christmas tree, dragged up from the city hall basement twinkled in the night on the roof of city hall.

Christmas had been good. The Santa Patrol, made up of all volunteers, had successfully brought back all the gifts the kids had asked for. Calhoun had explained that Santa had to rendezvous with the crew away from the fort due to the messed up clones and aliens. The kids had bought this hook line and sinker. It had been nerve-wracking to watch the volunteers leaving just to get stuff for a good Christmas for the fort's children. The Reverend had prayed over the group before they left. When all had returned safely, there had been many tears.

Christmas Eve had been lovely with caroling and a midnight service in the makeshift church in one of the old conference halls. Katie and Travis had squeezed in with everyone else and sang all the old carols. It was at the service that the Reverend announced to everyone that Katie and Travis were with child. And it was at the service that Travis had shown her what the Santa Patrol had brought back for her. It was a silver ring with a cubic zircon, but she didn't care. She had sobbed like it was a diamond. Clad in jeans and sweaters, they had said their vows in front of everyone, including Baby Jesus and the Holy Family tucked into a manger scene in the corner.

“Couldn't show it for years in city hall cause of the supreme court,” Peggy had said as it had been set up in the makeshift church. “I guess all that is done with now.”

Now, snuggled into her husband's arms, Katie watched the serene scene in the street with a small smile on her face.

“A new year,” Travis sighed.

“A new year,” Katie echoed.

“Couldn't be much weirder than last year,” Travis decided.

“No, probably not.”

Had it only been nine months since the first day? It didn't seem possible. It felt like a lifetime ago. At times, her serene life with Lydia in their beautiful home felt like a dream. She still missed Lydia terribly, but the truth was that time was now gone. It was lost like the rest of the world. This was her new reality, her new life, her new world.

She tilted her head to look up at Travis. The stress was showing between his eyes. She reached up with her cold red fingers to brush them over the grooves. He relaxed and smiled at her.

“It'll be the best year we can make it,” Katie decided. “We have the baby coming and so much to do with the fort.”

“I just want to make things safe for you and the baby and everyone else.”

Katie pulled him down and kissed him as she snuggled against his chest.

The snowball caught them smack dab in the middle of their kiss. Sputtering, they both looked down over the old wall to see Jenni and Juan wrestling in the snow, shoving handfuls of the white stuff down each other's clothes.

Then they saw who the guilty party was. Nerit was fashioning another snowball with a grin on her face. With unequaled accuracy, she nailed Jenni.

Calhoun ran past, whirling around as he went, laughing hysterically.

Jenni snagged up a hand full of snow and tossed it at Nerit, who couldn't duck fast enough.

Meanwhile, Jack ran around barking as Jason hurled snowballs at his girlfriend, Shelley.

“Let's get down there, Katie.”

Scooping up the snow off the rail next to her, Katie tossed it at Travis' face, then ducked around him shouting, “Beat you down there!”

Beyond the walls, a lone zombie stood staring at the twinkling Christmas tree in the distance, fixated and confused, just staring...and staring...as the snow fell all around it.





Epilogue


The man with the binoculars watched the snow fight from beneath a tree. Clad in Army fatigues, he shivered in the cold and wiped snow from his face. Behind him was another solider, a woman, was sitting in the jeep that would carry them back to the waiting helicopter.