The First Days (As the World Dies #1)(61)

She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. She then made a face and stuck out her tongue. "Ewwww…go take a shower!"

Jason gave her his best sullen look. "Fine. You're so bossy." He trudged away, glancing back at her a few times. She stared down at the gun, running her other hand over it gently, her expression distant.

"This is one f*cked up world," Jason told Jack.

The dog woofed in agreement and they walked on.





Chapter 13





1. A Taste of Hell





Katie sat at the kitchen table taking a long sip of her very hot, slightly bitter coffee. It almost scalded her tongue, but it felt deliciously good going down. Nearby, Nerit was finishing up the breakfast dishes. Katie had offered to help her, but Nerit had gently rebuffed her. The last few days, it was fairly obvious that Nerit had enjoyed nursing Katie back to health, fussing and fretting after her, and making sure she rested.

Despite her abrupt return to the realm of consciousness, she had still remained weakened. Dizziness, nausea and the occasional fever had haunted her up to thirty-six hours ago. Now, at last, she felt stronger and the sickness was finally behind her.

The old hunting dog strolled in, slow and steady on his stiff legs, and up to his water bowl to get a drink. Katie let her fingers brush over his back as he passed her by and wondered how Jack was doing. She had been able to talk to Jenni for twenty minutes the night before and she couldn't remember if Jenni had mentioned the dog. Jenni had mostly talked about how they had corralled the zombies and how someone had been stupid enough to try to "save" his family from the mass of zombies. That, of course, had not ended well. Jenni also talked of how they had fixed up the fort, roping off areas as "living" areas, while others were strictly security or construction related.

Katie had seen Travis making all sorts of drawings and writing down odd equations. She knew that he and Juan spoke a lot late at night. Though he hadn't said as much, she had a feeling Travis had plans to make their new home even more secure.

Standing up, holding her cup tightly in her slim fingers, she strolled over to the counter and leaned her hip against it.

"Nerit?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Why won't you and Ralph come to the fort?"

Nerit hesitated in drying a plate and looked up at Katie. "This is our home."

"But once we leave, you'll be here alone."

Nerit nodded and put the plate up. Picking up a glass, she began to dry it. "Katie, Ralph has three sons. I have two sons. We have grandchildren. We do not know where they are. If they are safe, alive, on the run, or…They will come here if they can. At least Ralph's sons will. Mine are in Israel. I have very little hope of hearing from them."

Katie looked down and her vision blurred just a bit from the tears she felt starting to brim. "I see."

"This is all we have left now. If we leave, we leave behind all of it. We are very old and all we have is this shop. This little town. The hope that our children may still be alive with their children somewhere out there."

Katie pressed her lips together, then nodded. She couldn't blame Nerit.

If she could have holed up somewhere with Lydia, safe and secure, and ride this out, she would have. "I understand."

Travis leaned in the doorway. "Katie, how are you feeling?"

"Good. Good."

"I could use your help," he said. "If Nerit doesn't mind you abandoning her."

Nerit laughed and shooed them away. "Go, go, do what you need."

Katie walked out into the hall and looked at Travis. He looked surprisingly sheepish.

"Okay, Ralph and I have packed up all the guns, ammo, and clothes from the shop that we think the Fort needs. We're heading over to the grocery store for anything else we may need." Travis blushed even more now. "Uh, there are…um…things." He was now looking everywhere but at her face.

"Uh…women things."

Katie rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh, my God, Travis. Didn't you ever buy tampons for a girlfriend."

Travis winced. "I try to block that memory."

Katie brushed past him laughing and headed down the stairs. Bill and Ralph were in the store, both dressed up in hunting outfits, rifles slung over their arms casually. Katie looked out the window to see the old white truck was in a new position and Travis had evidently constructed a sturdy pallet on the truck bed to carry the haul back to the fort.

"I hear we're going shopping?"

"Yep, next door. Put on a jacket and grab a gun," Ralph said with a grin at her.

"I thought you cleared out the town?"

"Can't take a chance," Ralph answered.

"There are probably more out there wandering around," Bill added. He pulled a baseball cap on. "There are lots of farms and trailer parks out in those hills. We can't let down our guard."

"Makes sense," Katie sighed.

Travis handed her a hunting jacket and she shrugged it on. Picking up a gun, she looked over her shoulder at the men.

"So, basically, I'm risking my life because you pansies don't want to pick up the tampons," she said with a grin.

All three nodded.

"Yep."

"Pretty much."