When we finally made it to the trailer, the weight on my shoulders eased considerably.
"We're here." I parked next to the green monster truck."Case, I'm scared. What if those girls change and hurt us?" Suzie held Mindy tight, protecting her."I know, Su. I'll talk with the guys and make sure you, Grant, and Mindy stay far away, okay?"Suzie wouldn't look at me. "I'm terrified.""That makes two of us." I twisted, encouraging her to make eye contact with me. "Just stay in the car for now, and I'll come get you in a minute. I'll send Grant over.""Okay." Suzie sucked in her bottom lip and nodded.Climbing out, I made my way to Thomas. He used to hop out of his truck, but jumping wasn't an option for him now. Grant was trying to help him down, but he was having a hard time. Thomas let out a loud yell when he stretched to reach the ground and fell to his knees.I ran to Thomas's side, wrapped my arm around his waist, and helped him to stand. "I goSmoke wreaking of death and sickness filled the air as I stared into the fire.No one said anything to me after I killed Kim and Tanya.Everyone had been surprisingly helpful after my horrible murderous behavior. Suzie had given Celia and Andrea some of our clothes, and they'd cleaned up well, but on the flip side, they used way too much of our water.Derek and Andrea remained attached at the hip during unpacking duty. Everyone helped unload, which was nice.My hands were sore as hell. I'd washed them relentlessly as soon as I realized I'd created open wounds right next to two infected girls. How could I have been so stupid?"What's going on between you and Thomas?" I twisted to find Derek standing beside me without his plus one. It was the first time I'd seen him alone since we left my house."Are you kidding me right now?" I scoffed. "I just murdered two girls, and you're asking about Thomas and me?"Derek's eyes blazed as he stared into me. "I s
The next few days were a little strange.We had a couple dozen biters come onto the property one by one, and I started working on my stabbing techniques.Thomas started teaching Suzie how to shoot. At first, my sister was scared, but when she took her first biter down, her attitude changed. Now Suzie was excited when a biter came into the yard. She wanted to be the first one to shoot at it.We began work on some significant upgrades to the property and the trailer. We were purely focused on making our home secure.Derek and I stayed out of each other's way for the most part. If he was inside, I would find something to keep me busy outside or vice versa. It was hard being so close to him without being able to talk to him.For the first couple of days, my evading strategy worked, but after two days of not speaking, I felt his eyes on me. Frequently, I would catch him watching me longingly, and unlike most people, Derek refused to look away when he was caught.
Over the next couple of weeks, things didn't quite go as planned.Two huge groups of biters came through, forcing us all to stay inside for days at a time, which screwed up life for a while. Luckily, all the windows were boarded up, tight and secure, and we reinforced the doors. We'd even managed to strengthen the skirting of the trailer a little before they came through.It was a relief to know we'd completed some critical tasks before the biters came through, but we still hadn't built the fence which was something I badly wanted to do. It just wasn't an attainable goal yet.Even though we relied heavily on battery-powered lanterns, I liked living in a somewhat safe structure. Mitch had thought of batteries and solar chargers, but one day the chargers would break, and we needed to be ready.On the bright side, Thomas was healing really well, and he promised to take me looting soon. It wasn't easy being inside so much, especially with Mindy's needs, but we made d
When I opened my eyes the lantern was on, but it was dim.Suzie stood at the end of the bed with Mindy in her arms, smiling adoringly. The look on her face was like a time warp, taking me back before the virus. Before our lives fell apart. Before Mom and Dad died. Before she and I grew apart. Seeing my sister so genuinely happy warmed my heart in a way I thought was no longer possible.Curious to find out why she was so happy, I tried to move, but Thomas's limbs were entangled with mine.Oh.Suzie was smiling at us.The way Thomas's arms encompassed my body was so comfortable that I hadn't even realized he was holding me. His deep breathing was soothing. Thomas didn't snore, and I liked the rise and fall of his chest against my back.Suzie quietly giggled when she saw me try to disentangle our limbs.Thomas groaned softly in my ear.I couldn't tell if he was asleep or awake as I tried to move out of his embrace.Thomas's breathing stalled
Once we were on the road, I searched hard for biters.I knew they didn't have the best hearing or sight, but that didn't mean they were deaf or blind. We had to be more careful about our scent than anything.Since we were a reasonable distance from town, the number of biters in this area wasn't overwhelming, but we still had to stay alert. We never knew when another large group would be traveling through.With the sun high in the sky, it wouldn't be hard to spot biters in the open fields, but they were much harder to locate in the woods.After I came up empty in my scan, I settled into my seat.From time to time, the heat of Thomas's gaze would sweep over me, but I didn't know what to say, so I just played coy, pretending not to notice.Thomas tapped the steering wheel with his thumb. "What's going on with you?""Nothing." Shaking my head, I scanned our surroundings."You're full of shit." Thomas scoffed. "You're acting weird as hell.""I
A branch snapping in the distance made both of us freeze."Crap," I whispered as I quickly pulled my gun up, aiming toward the sound.Another sound from a different direction forced Thomas to whip around with his gun raised. We were back to back."What do we have here? I think this is my lucky day." A stocky man with a gray beard stood at the edge of the trees with a crossbow pointed directly at Thomas."I suggest you lower your weapon. We're not here to harm anyone, we just want some water." Thomas pressed his back to mine as I examined the trees for Gray Beard's companions.Was I supposed to shoot them or let them live? Human life was important, but I knew I would have to kill them if they posed a threat.Gray Beard let out a thunderous laugh, causing both of us to stiffen. "Boy, there ain't no way I'm doing something so stupid. How about you lower your gun?"Thomas didn't falter. "I don't think I've seen you before. You from around here?""
"I've got bad news, and I've got worse news." Thomas charged inside and started moving furniture to block the front door.I tried to prop myself up on my elbows, but my entire back screamed at me, so I settled for turning my head toward him. "What's the bad news?"Metal scraped over the wood floor as Thomas pushed a large shelf. "Well, the bastard that shot you might've saved our lives."Rage sliced through me as my back burned again. Gray Beard was the reason I nearly died. I hated that man for shooting me.Why couldn't we meet ordinary people that were trying to survive like us?We'd been stuck in this small house for just over a day. Somehow I wasn't dead yet, but I was still in excruciating pain."Don't get all pissed off." Thomas's plea snapped me out of my thoughts. "I hate that fucker too, but I need you to keep your head on straight. Did you hear what I said?"He was right. I needed to be smart. Something was obviously going on.My ang
Suzie"They are too coming back!" I screamed at Derek and his psycho girlfriend. "Grant, tell them."Grant's hands rubbed my shoulders from behind the couch. "Der, we don't know if they're gone for good. Casey and Thomas are smart. They're still alive, and they could show up anytime. We need to wait a few more days.""I hear you," Derek jingled something in his pocket as he paced around the living room. "But they've been gone for over a week, and we're nearly out of water and a bunch of other things. We have to get provisions. I can go with Matt and Celia—""No. No way." Andrea held her hips as she shook her head. "If something happens to you, then I'll be left with your little brother and her."Grant's hands stopped massaging and squeezed. "What's that supposed to mean?"Andrea scoffed and barely glanced at Grant before she threw her hands up. "It doesn't mean anything, I just don't want t
"Anyone else wanna play the next round?" Miranda asked as she gathered cards."I'll play. You wanna play, Bae?" Matt pulled Celia toward the table."Wanna give Su her gifts?" I whispered to Thomas.He nodded and tugged me toward the living room. "Alone? Or with everyone else.""Alone." I knew if we did it alone, the gift would be more meaningful. "Su, come here.""Yeah?" Suzie walked into the living room."We have birthday gifts for you," I said."You do?" With wide eyes, Suzie glanced between us."Thomas first," I said.Releasing my hand, Thomas pulled a small pouch out of his pocket. "Squirt, you need to know I'm always gonna be here. I hate thinking about horrible shit, but if anything ever happens to your sister or if one day she smartens up and leaves my dumbass, I want you to know I'm always gonna be here for you. You'll always be my little sister, no matter what."Suzie's sapphire eyes sparkled in the candlelight as her face m
A mouthwatering aroma wafted out of the house as I ascended the back steps. Jett must've heard me coming because he started whining at the door before Miranda opened it."Back up, Jett," Miranda tried to hold Jett inside with her foot. "Everything alright? Y'all have been out there for a hot minute.""Yeah, we're good." Pushing back the desire to tell her about Joey's latest bullshit, I laughed at Jett's eagerness to see me. "You can let him out."Miranda moved her foot, letting Jett run. He yelped as he bounded toward me."Case?" Suzie rushed out behind Jett. "Are you okay? I heard you needed stitches."Kneeling to catch Jett before he ran down the stairs, I scratched his head. "Yeah. Do they look okay?"Miranda clicked on her tiny flashlight and moved in my direction, shining the light at my ear. Both she and Suzie hissed."That good, huh?" I chuckled as I grabbed Jett and stood."I'm no doctor, but it looks like Thomas knows what he's doing
Just as the barn door opened, a shadow darted from the cellar to the office."What was that?" I whispered as I clicked on my flashlight."I hope it's not what I think." Thomas's tone was angry as he put his gun away and flicked on his flashlight before barging into the office.I rushed in after him with my gun raised."Well, looky who it is," Thomas said sarcastically.Joey's dark hair hung over one eye. His other eye was wide with fear as he stared up at Thomas from behind the desk. He was sitting on the floor, holding the front of his shirt like a baby. Pre-packaged goods of all sorts were poking out of his makeshift basket."Empty it on the desk." Thomas said.Joey sighed in defeat and stood, unloading the contents of his shirt onto the desktop. Candy and snacks of all kinds fell out.Thomas and I looked over the pile of junk food. Everyone wanted this stuff, but since they were in such high demand, we were only permitted one selection per
Casey POVAfter our visitors finally left, we all rushed to get back on track. I barely had time to clean the blood off my face before I hurried outside to get done with the day's to-do list.Since our schedule had been unendingly jam packed, we were all looking forward to the party planned for tonight. Not only did we need some time off, but we were finally celebrating birthdays.For the first time since the virus started, we were going to have a relaxing night and drink alcohol. We didn't have much to look forward to in this new life, and we'd all been working our asses off. The first priority on our list was to finish the fence, and this party was our big reward.The unexpected visit from Waldo and Harold had put our day way behind schedule.Grant and Suzie stayed in the house to watch Mindy, and they were also helping Miranda and Derek with food preparation.Thomas, Matt, and Joey were
Casey POV"Grant, stand guard here. No one gets inside." Thomas said from somewhere under my window as he and Matt jogged toward the front gate."Dada!" Mindy hollered from her playpen.Keeping my gun pointed forward, I twisted and pressed one finger to my lips. "Shh.""Mama ma ma." Mindy's big smile faltered before dropping to her bottom and throwing one of her blocks at the netting.I gave her a warm smile. Thomas had been working with her to say 'mama,' and last week, she finally got it. During his lessons, Thomas hugged me and kissed my cheek to show Mindy that I was Mama. She was growing too fast and was on the verge of walking. I was nervous she would figure out how to escape her playpen soon.Matt and Thomas opened the small gate beside our large vehicle gate. When they both disappeared, my skin crawled.I'd watched the three vehicles approach, but now they were hidden behind th
Suzie POVOver the next few weeks, things were oddly quiet. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome, but it was just weird since we hadn't seen a zombie in days.Digging sucked. It looked easy, but it was tiring, and my hands suffered the consequences. The blisters made it a painful transition, but I didn't get blisters anymore. Now I had calluses."Do you think the zombies went south to the ocean?" Taking a long drink from my water, I studied the clouds in the sky as I tried to catch my breath."No. We're just in between groups." Joey tossed a heap of dirt onto my feet. "They're always right around the corner, headed our way.""What the heck? Don't!" Kicking the dirt off my boots, I aimed for Joey, hitting his knees.Joey's deep laugh filled the trench as he slapped the dirt off his jeans."Joey," Matt warned in a harsh tone before his pickaxe hit the dirt. "Do it again, and you'll be put
The drive home was pleasantly uneventful. For the first time in a long time, it felt like today some angel above was watching over us.Since the Dually had more seating, Joey and Miranda were riding with Grant and Suzie. Our newbies didn't argue or complain as Thomas gave them specific instructions when they were preparing to leave with us, which was a good sign.Joey, albeit heartbroken over his father, stayed silent as he and Miranda quickly loaded more supplies, their belongings, and thoroughly disinfected themselves before loading up for the journey home."Is that Matt?" I pointed to a shadow digging in the yard as we rolled down our long dirt road.Thomas squinted against the late afternoon sun. "Looks like it."Matt glanced up. A huge smile lit up his face as he threw down his shovel, hoisted himself out of the hole, and jogged toward us.The front door swung open, revealing a joyful Celia with our Munchkin in her arms.At the sight of my dau
Casey POVClicking on our flashlights, Miranda led us into the dark store. Dodging a massive stack of empty boxes sitting just inside the door, I nearly walked into a heaping pile of garbage. One bulging trash bag showed that someone had done the same thing and ripped one open. The garbage within was comprised of empty soup cans and food packaging."Be careful." Miranda grimaced before she continued walking without a flashlight. "We don't do much tidyin' up. I tried to organize the store after those military men left, but a couple of days later, a group of college guys broke in and destroyed all my hard work. They got so drunk that one guy forgot to block the entrance and let a group of eaters inside. The guys all died. Well, actually, I think maybe one got away, but they left me with the mess, and I had to kill all the eaters and the guys that came back to life. It was bad. I gave up cleaning anything after that."
Casey POVGiving up on finding gas, I buckled myself into the passenger seat and leaned my head against the window. We passed several random biters staggering aimlessly down the road as I stared into space. This country road was hopeless.As we hit the three-quarter mark toward home, I glanced at the truck's gas gauge, and it was almost empty again. This truck literally guzzled gas.Noticing my worry, the corner of Thomas's lips tipped up. "It's okay, Sweetheart. Like I said before, it's just a truck. We'll drive until it runs out and we'll come back for it someday."I grimaced and nodded. I hated the idea of leaving this truck behind. It was his, and he shouldn't have to lose anything else. Who was I kidding? It was mine too, and I damn sure didn't want to lose it.Even though the dark clouds continued to hold their ominous position, the rain slowed, softening into a sprinkle. That was when a small m