“It’s already in the truck,” Jamie said. “We were just waiting for you.”
“You mean we’re leaving? Today?”
“Well,” Jamie shrugged, “that was the plan. Unless you’re not feeling well.”
“You’re welcome to stay until you’re better,” Kevin offered. “We enjoy your company. Don’t we, boys?”
The younger children nodded. Jessiah bowed his head and began to cough into his hands.
“I appreciate it,” Dakota said, “but I have to be honest, we’re wasting time. We’ve been here for two days when we should’ve only been here for one night. Steve, Erik and Ian might already be in Idaho.”
“We can make it there by tonight,” Jamie said. “It’s not going to be that hard with the roads this empty.”
“And what if we run into another roadblock? What then?”
“Then we’ll figure it out if it comes to that,” Jamie said, stretching his back as he stood. “Well, Kevin, I guess this is where we part ways. You’re still more than welcome to join us if you’d like.”
“I appreciate the offer, Jamie, but we’ll stay here for now, especially since my son’s so sick.” Kevin accepted Jamie’s outstretched hand, then did the same for Desmond when he stood and stepped up to Jamie’s side. “Good luck out there, you guys.”
“Thanks,” Dakota said, accepting the man’s hand. “It was nice meeting all of you.”
“Be safe,” Arnold said.
“We will,” Jamie smiled. “Don’t worry.”
“Bye,” Mark said, eyes sad and unsure.
“Bye,” Dakota replied.
Jessiah locked eyes with him.
You’ll figure it out, he thought. I know you will.
He raised his hand. Jessiah raised his in response.
“Goodbye, Eagle,” Dakota said, nodding as he stepped into the room. “Thank you for your help.”
“There’s no need to thank me, son,” Eagle replied. “Be careful out there, and listen to what Kevin said about the roads. Take the path into town, then up to Minneapolis, but try to steer clear of the city if you can.”
“Will do,” Jamie nodded.
They stepped toward the door, looked back at the small family, and offered their final goodbyes before stepping out and into the cold air.
Almost immediately, Dakota felt a weight lift off his chest.
Though he felt sad for the young man and the unbearable pain he had to be enduring, he could not suffer someone else’s emotions.
“Jamie,” Dakota said. He leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”
“There is,” Dakota sighed, “but nothing that has to be discussed now.”
Jamie shrugged and slung an arm over Dakota’s shoulder.
Just before they climbed in the car, Dakota thought he heard Diana whinnying.
CHAPTER 9
A gust of wind brought with it a colossal amount of rain as they crested the tip of Wyoming and pulled into what appeared to be a ghost town. Unsure of their current situation and unable to drive any further in the driving rain, they pulled in next to a furniture store and piled out of the car, shivering as the cold air bit into their skin and slicked their hair with fresh moisture.
“Fuck,” Steve breathed, rubbing his arms. “Who doesn’t have a fuckin’ heater in their car?”
“I don’t know,” Ian said, teeth chattering together. “Can you get the door open, Erik?”
“Trying,” the medic said. He pulled a pocket knife from his belt and flipped the blade out, frowning as he stared at the single wooden door in front of him. “I’m gonna try to tease this thing open.”
“How?”
“You learn a lot of shit in the army,” Erik said.
While Erik pushed the door in and tried to relieve the pressure on the lock, swearing under his breath in the process, Steve looked out into the parking lot and grimaced at the amount of rain coming down around them. It looked like a living, breathing thing, gelatinous in appearance and forceful in nature, pounding upon them as though it were some angry god seeking retribution for the crimes they’d committed. Once, Steve thought he could see the flicker of something moving within the rain—a bird, possibly, maybe even a floating eye or something else—but he didn’t dwell on it for long. Just as his fantasies began to entertain themselves, the lock clicked and Erik pulled the door open.
“Thank God,” Ian breathed, pushing himself into the building.
“Stay sharp!” Erik called after him. “Hey, Steve?”
“Huh?”
“What were you looking at?”
“I thought I saw something in the rain.”
“Like what?”
“I dunno. A bird…a giant eye.”
“At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did,” Erik snorted, gesturing Steve inside with a wave of his hand. “Come on. We’re gonna freeze to death if we stay out here.”
Steve turned and made his way into the building. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching him just before Erik turned and locked the door behind them.
“The perfect place to spend the night,” Ian laughed, stripping down to his underwear and wrapping a quilt around his frame.
“I guess,” Steve frowned. He pulled a blanket around his naked torso and looked toward the massive glass panes that made up the front of the store, sighing when he saw that not only had the rain worsened, but that hail now fell with it.
“There’s no way we’ll be seen this far back,” Erik said.
“Especially not without any lights,” Ian added. “We’re practically invisible in here.”
“We have a car sitting out front, guys. I don’t see how you can think we’re invisible.”
“Do you want to go move the car?” Erik asked.
“I…” Steve sighed. “No.”
“Trust me, Steve. We’re out in the middle of nowhere. No one’s going see us.”
“And if there are zombies,” Ian said, “they’re not gonna notice a car that wasn’t there before.”
“Whatever.”
Steve settled down on the bed next to Ian and leaned against the headboard, closing his eyes in the hopes that his weary body would eventually drown out the sounds of the rain and allow him to sleep.
You know it won’t, he thought.
Who was he kidding? They’d been going for two straight days and had only managed to make it to the tip of Wyoming. His nerves were shattered at their lack of progress. He couldn’t really blame them though. They’d spent much of day one recovering from the flight from the school and gathering whatever else they could from one of the vacant gas stations on I-90. Yesterday they’d been on the road, navigating dead traffic and the occasional corpse. Now here they sat in near safety, quilts about their shoulders and warmth within their hearts.
It’s ok. You’re fine, Erik’s fine, Ian’s fine—everyone’s fine. You know Dakota’s fine too.
Biting his lip, Steve forced his eyes together and tried not to think about what could have happened to his best friend.
They got away. You know they did. Dakota’s damn smart and he can run faster than any stupid zombie. And he’s got his boyfriend with him. Desmond too. Jamie wouldn’t let anything happen to them. They—
All thought stopped.
After nearly three days of unbearable agony, he let out a long wail and sobbed. “I can’t stand it!” Steve cried. “I don’t even know if they’re alive!”
“Keep it down,” Ian hissed. “You’re making too much noise.”
“Fuck you, Ian.”
“That’s enough,” Erik said. “Come on, Steve.”
“Come on and what?” Steve sobbed.