The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(49)

Travis was very quiet behind her, breathing hard, reeking of gasoline.

Her shower was a moot point and she felt hot and sweaty. She glanced toward him to see he was running a hand slowly through his hair. Lifting his head, he said, "We just do what we planned."

Katie licked her very dry lips and nodded. "Yeah. Okay." Her throat felt tight and scratchy and she forced herself to take a calming breath.

How they were going to get back into the fort would be dealt with later.

For now they had a job to do and they were determined to do it.





2. Left Behind





Jenni was dimly aware of Juan pulling her back as she strained forward, reaching her hand toward the red truck. She screamed loud and hard as it spun around and retreated as the throng of the dead filled the street between her perch on top of the enormous truck and Ralph's red truck that Katie was driving. Juan stumbled back with her in his arms as the dead began to bang on the side of the construction truck, moaning and screeching. The heavy sandbags held the truck sturdy and it was too high for the undead to scramble over.

"They're not climbers as far as we know, but let’s not give them the idea to try it," Juan said in her ear and half carried, half dragged her down the ladder.

She struggled in his arms. "Katie, no! She can't leave without me!" Jenni felt like her head was going to explode as she thrashed about. Juan dropped her and they both fell behind the barricade. Safe but bruised, they were hidden from the zombies.

Katie couldn't leave her. Katie was safety. Katie was her friend. Her war buddy. Her comrade.

Jenni scrambled to her feet, drawing her gun, grabbing ahold of the ladder.

Juan gripped her wrist tightly. "No. They are gone already! They're safe.

Let them go!"

Jason was at the wall, waving at her from over the top. "Mom, come back!"

She felt the world spinning around her and she covered her face for a moment. Mom…? Was she still a Mom?

Those tiny fingers…

"Mom! Come back in!"

Benji…gone…Mikey…gone…Jason…Jason calling to her.

She stumbled forward and Juan helped her up onto the next ladder to scale the hurricane fence. She shoved her gun into her waistband and dropped to the other side.

She turned back, the morning sun blinding her for a moment.

Katie…

Juan pushed her up onto the next ladder. "Come on, Loca. Get up there."

Jason reached down to her and she crawled up to him. His arms went around her for a moment in a tight hug, then he was pulling her down the steps someone had made and pushed up to the wall for easy access. Jack was at her feet whining.

"Katie left…"

"She'll be fine, Mom. She'll be fine." Jason held her tightly to him and helped her walk.

"But we're a team. If I'm not with her, they'll get her. That's how it works. That's how it works."

"Travis is with her, Mom. She'll be okay. C'mon, Mom." Jason pulled her along and she went with him.

Jenni felt numb, disoriented, and overwhelmed. Katie needed to be here or she needed to be with Katie. That was how it worked. They had to be together, as a team, or else the zombies would get them.

The world started spinning again…

She fainted.





3. And Further Still





Katie looked at the gas gauge and frowned. As the truck tore over the bumpy country road, she was jostled about. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly to steady herself and her nerves. She let out a slow sigh.

"It's up ahead. Soon," Travis assured her. He was peering at a map, much like Jenni used to.

Jenni…

Katie wondered how she was doing. She had a feeling Jenni was not taking their separation well. Actually, she wasn't either. They had bonded so quickly, so tightly, to be separated felt odd and disorienting. Travis’ presence was different than Jenni's. It had her a little off balance. She wanted to reach out and take Jenni's hand and feel that it was all going to be okay. Instead, she gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"I'm sorry," Travis said softly.

"Why sorry?"

"It was my stupid idea to have us leave and now…" He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Katie. I've never been a real leader before. I'm sure I'm f*cking things up."

"No, no, you're doing your best. Hell, none of us have any idea what we are really doing."

"Except Juan with his zombie handbook. He assured me that the guns were important though he mumbled something about blades," Travis said grimly.

"Guns are effective. They just draw a lot of attention fast," Katie reminded him. "But I'd rather have a gun than a blade with some of the faster ones."

"Yeah, Juan is still bitching about that. He keeps complaining that they're supposed to be slow. But some of the ones that aren't as screwed up are really damn fast."

Katie let out a little laugh. "Actually, Jenni spent a good deal of time bitching about the same thing."

"Gas station should be just around that bend." Travis looked at her with an unreadable expression. "I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. It's not like I haven't done this before." She smiled at him and pulled into the Mom and Pop gasoline station Travis pointed to. "After two days of this, I'm an old pro."