Siege (As the World Dies #3)(127)

“We’re praying and asking Daddy God to make her well,” Margie assured him.

“And Jesus, too,” Holly added.

“And his Mom,” Troy said in a soft voice. “I didn’t know we could pray to Jesus’ Mom. Can we pray to my Mom, too?” “I am sure your Mama hears your every word,” Guadalupe assured Troy.

“Does she?” Troy looked at Juan expecting the truth of him.



Juan thought of Jenni appearing to him after her death and nodded. “Yes, I know she does.”





*

“We got zombies!” Katarina swung her rifle around and aimed down toward the edge of the lighted area in front of the west wall of the fort.

Two zombies staggered into view, staring up at her with lidless eyes. One slowly reached its hand up toward her while the other moved slowly toward the wall.

“Shit, already?” Bill peered down and took aim. The reaching zombie’s head exploded almost in time with the one about to reach the wall.

“Check in. We had zombies on the west side,” Katarina called into her headset.

“I’m watching the f*cking Baptists circling around trying to figure out where the hell they are gonna go. Do they count?” Calhoun’s voice answered her. “Oh, yeah...East Wall reporting in.”

“South Wall reporting in. No sign of zombies.” “North Wall reporting in. No go this way,” Lenore’s voice answered.



Katarina nodded and looked toward Bill, tears in her eyes. “Oh, God, my heart is beating so fast I can barely stand it. How the hell am I going to feel when all those zombies show up?”

“You’re just spooked because of Nerit, honey,” Bill assured her.

“Look at me! I’m shaking! I don’t do this, Bill. I don’t freak out,” Katarina said, running her trembling hand through her hair. He kissed her cheek softly and held her tight against him. “It’s okay, honey. It will be okay.”





Chapter 28





1. Goodbyes





Curtis watched through squinted eyes as the shiny new Durangos were having last minute checks done. He stood on the platform that straddled the wall between the hotel courtyard and the entry gates.

It was two days after Nerit’s collapse and she was no closer to life or death in that time. She seemed suspended between the two worlds and the Reverend was holding an around the clock prayer vigil for her.

Nervously, Curtis shifted from foot to foot, his hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers. Glancing over his shoulder at the back entrance of the hotel, he saw several of the volunteers saying emotional farewells to their loved ones.

Linda and Bette came out together, Bette walking in front dressed in Army fatigues. Linda wore hunting clothes and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. To his disgust, they were holding hands. As they neared him, he took a breath and boldly stepped in front of them. Bette looked surprised, but Linda already looked annoyed. “Linda, I would like just a moment of your time,” he said softly. He tried very hard not to glare at Bette.



“I don’t know, Curtis,” she said.

“It’s okay, hon. You take care of this,” Bette said, giving Linda’s hand a squeeze then walked on.

Linda put her hands on her hips and looked at him intently. “What is it Curtis?”

“Look, I...uh...know I f*cked up…somehow…somewhere…you know...with you,” he stuttered, trying to remember his well rehearsed speech.

“We were never together, Curtis. We were f*ck buddies,” Linda answered tersely. He winced, but plunged on with his pre-planned speech, “But you’re going out on a dangerous mission. You could die. I just don’t want, you know, bad blood between us.”



Linda sighed deeply and folded her arms over the breasts he had loved to touch so much. She looked away from him, then said, “Okay, that’s true. I don’t want bad blood either. Look, I just wasn’t clear enough with you. I needed you to relieve all that stress. I thought you understood. That it was just sex.”

Curtis felt his temper rising and felt his face flushing, but he curled his hands up tight and tried not to scream at her that she was a dirty whore. “Linda, I love you.” She took in a deep breath and exhaled very slowly. “Curtis, I’m sorry. I just don’t feel that way toward you.”

“I did something wrong. I know that. I know I’m young and not wise in the ways of women,” he said in a voice that was becoming increasingly heated. “I know I do not fully know how to satisfy a woman yet. But if you had just given me time-“



“Curtis, the sex was fine. It was what I needed at that time. I was not looking for a relationship. I didn’t want that. Bette just happened. I’ve never been with a girl before. Ever. It’s been all new to me. But I love her. I’m sorry that hurts you. But if we can just be friends and let our past go, Curtis, that would make me so happy.” Linda was close to tears and looked at him with trembling lips. “I really don’t want bad blood between us.” Hurtful, angry words danced on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them away, nodding slowly. “Okay, okay.” Forcing a smile, he said, “Friendship is good.” In his mind though, he saw the two of them, tangled up, naked, sweating, touching each other, kissing each other and he wanted to hurt them both so badly he felt pain in his gut. “I can live with friendship.”