Only Love Survives (Love and Zombies) by Renee Charles Page B

stay up here tonight and go down in the morning.” He pointed back over his shoulder.
    “I like that plan.” Relief overwhelmed her when Sam put the car in reverse, looked over his shoulder and backed off the road. “Do you think they saw us?”
    “No. If anything, they may have heard the engine, but it’s almost dark. I doubt they’d venture out at night to investigate. How about dinner?” He put the vehicle in park and turned intense blue eyes on her. “Or dessert?”
    She really could drown in his gaze and Megan turned away to preserve her clear head. She reached behind the seat and searched for the prized fruit. “Dinner I think. How would you like your apples? Whole, sliced, or quartered?”
    “How about with peanut butter?”
    “What?” Her head snapped up to find him wiggling his eyebrows at her. “You have peanut butter?”
    “I am full of surprises.” He opened the car door. “Come see.”
    Megan scrambled out of the car. “I haven’t seen a jar of peanut butter in months.”
    He opened the back of the Suburban, reached in and pulled a plastic milk crate toward them. It was full of dry goods. Not only was there peanut butter, two jars, but there were more crackers, cans of soup, a canister of oatmeal and a bag of rice.
    “Wow, nice pantry.”
    “Thanks. Help yourself.”
    She smiled at his generosity. It pulled at her and connected her to him in a way that seemed impossible after only two days…no matter how long those two days had been.
    “How about I make you a peanut butter and apple slice sandwich on crackers?”
    “Nice. While you do that, I ‘m going to rearrange the car to make room for the both of us back here tonight.” Sam knocked on the roof of the Suburban. “I can’t spend another night sleeping in the upright position.”
    Her breath caught. The idea of sleeping next to him made her feel warm and, more importantly, safe. Megan busied herself making dinner on the hood of the vehicle, trying hard to ignore the fact that he was preparing their bed just a few feet away. When Sam joined her, she handed him a sandwich, then climbed onto the hood to watch the last vestiges of daylight disappear into the ink of night. The stars grew brighter with every passing breath. Megan sighed at the wonder of it all.
    Sam leaned against the fender and crossed his ankles.
    “What’s with the sigh?” He tipped his head and chewed.
    “Have you noticed how dark night is now? Or even how bright the day is without all the smog? Everything seems…I don’t know… Clearer somehow. More important.” She shook her head. Megan could kick herself for blathering like an idiot in front of him. “Never mind, it’s ridiculous.”
    “No, I get it. Money used to be my world. Making it, spending it…” He got a sheepish grin and turned away from her, “…flashing it.” He turned back to face her again. “Now it’s gone. It doesn’t exist anymore. Like someone said ‘Hey asshole, there’s more to life. Let me show you how much more.’ That’s the slate being wiped clean.” He popped the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth.
    Amazed that he understood, Megan nodded. “Exactly. I never would have walked into a store and helped myself to anything before the epidemic. I just wouldn’t have thought to do something so completely wrong, even as a kid. But now, the people are gone, the money is gone, everything’s about survival. It’s not a matter of stealing. It’s a matter of living to see another day. People have become clearer as well. Without all the trappings of the world, they are transparent, either light or dark. Good or bad. Black and white.”
    “See, that’s where I disagree. Nothing’s black and white anymore, just varying shades of gray. We all are doing what we have to, to survive.”
    “I know, and I hate it. That’s why I have to get to Vegas. Maybe there’s hope for rebuilding our world there.”
    He shook his head as he reached over and gave her hand a little