The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(20)

"Well, you are welcome here. You two gals talk about it and maybe once you get that boy safe and sound, you can come back here. Nerit and I could use the company. The town is gone," Ralph said. He took steady aim and fired. "Gun shots are bringing them out. Might as well clean up as many as we can," he said.

Nerit nodded and took her position at the back of the building.

After an hour of firing, it was clear whatever could walk their way had and whatever remained of the town was still locked away in houses or cars.

The street was littered with bodies: young, old, male and female. A few of the town dogs wandered out to sniff at the bodies. Whatever had turned their former masters into zombies must not have smelled particularly good. The dogs darted away, whimpering.

Jenni's ears hurt despite the earplugs and she felt rather moody as they were shown into the guest bedroom.

"Only have one room. Hope you don't mind," Ralph said.

"It's fine," Katie assured him.

"Bathroom is through that door. Laid out big T-shirts for you gals to wear. See you in the morning," he said, and shut the door.

Jenni sat on the bed and sighed. She watched as Katie tossed off the hunting jacket she had worn on and off since she had rescued Jenni. Katie sat on the bed beside her and kicked off her high heels and sighed.

"You want to shower first?"

"Katie, are we coming back here?"

Katie sighed again, her hands resting on her knees, and looked toward Jenni. "Maybe. It seems about safe as it’s going to get."

Jenni nodded, letting her hair fall into her face. "I just…" Jack nosed her hand and she started to pet him slowly. "I just…just…"

"It's too much right now. I know. To many changes." Katie put a gentle arm around Jenni's shoulders and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Too much to deal with…"

"I felt safe in the truck," Jenni whispered. "I know that sounds stupid, but I felt safe with you driving and Jack on my lap. We felt safe. But here…we have to shoot things and be behind bars and it feels…"

"Like a prison?"

"Like I'm back home not able to go out when Lloyd isn't with me. Having to…" Jenni faltered. It was hard to explain that today had been the most "free" day of her life in more than a decade. She clung to Katie and wept.

Wept out of guilt because she did feel free and wept because she was free only because Lloyd was gone and so were her babies.

Katie held her tightly, her fingers lightly stroking her hair. It took Jenni a moment to realize Katie was crying, too.

"It's okay. We're safe and we need to remember that," Katie said softly.

"Tomorrow, we'll do what we have to do. And the day after that. And the day after that."

Jenni nodded and held tightly to Katie. "Okay…okay…I trust you." And she did. With all her heart.

When she finally came out of the shower, pink and clean, hair glistening with water, Katie was the one who combed her hair and dried it gently with a towel, then helped her into bed. For a moment, Jenni felt utterly safe and content. Tears still flowed and her sobs came in soft hiccups, but she felt comforted by Katie's presence.

"It's okay to cry now," Katie whispered.

Jenni nodded and covered her face with her hands and wept.

Wept for her dead children, the dead world, and for her new found freedom…





2. The Moment





The water sluiced off Katie's body as she sat at the bottom of the old fashioned tub complete with clawed feet. Her forehead resting on her knees and her hands flat on the tops of her feet, she sat sobbing softly. How long she had sat there, she wasn't sure, but the water was growing cold. Soon after climbing into the shower, she had been overcome with grief and had slid down to her knees and cried. Sobs had wracked her body with such viciousness that her body now ached.

She missed Lydia so much it was a palatable, physical pain in her stomach.

All it had taken to start the torrent of tears was the mere thought of "I missed my jog." And the deluge had started. Every night, she and Lydia would jog through their neighborhood and up into the hills before coming home to a nice bath, a simple dinner, and maybe a few hours of TV.

Afterwards, they would curl up together and fall asleep to the gentle sound of each other breathing.

It had been bliss.

But now…

All she heard was the damn moaning outside. It was growing in volume so most likely more of those things were showing up outside the building.

The water was growing colder.

She reached out and turned off the flow and struggled to her feet. Her body hurt more than she realized and she stumbled getting out of the shower.

Landing hard on the mat, she threw up her hands and started to cry all over again.

Rage filled her and she kicked the door to the cabinet under the sink again for good measure. Wiping her tears away angrily with her cold fingers, she snorted and sniffled, her nose running wildly.

Why…why…why…gawddammit…why…

She buried her face in her hands and curled her knees up to her chest and sobbed.

A gentle hand on her damp hair made her raise her head. Jenni's face swam before her, pale and concerned. Jack sat at her side, yawning, and looking bleary-eyed.