whispered back.
“No, Boggs, wake up.”
I could hear someone getting up out of their bed. I only knew it was Nathan by the direction the noise came from and the pattern of his breathing. I listened as he rummaged, presumably for his gun. I stood, joining him.
“Nathan, there’s someone in camp,” I whispered.
“ I know. Get your gun. I’m not sure if Boggs or Gus are coherent enough to know what’s going on. See if you can wake anyone.”
“’Kay.”
I slipped my tennis shoes on, but didn’t bother with taking time to get dressed. My pistol was always under my pillow when I slept, so I grabbed it and walked to where Emilie would be sleeping with Gus.
“Em, Gus, wake up.” I nudged them gently, but got no response. I was growing angry that they had all decided to drink so much.
“Susan’s out too,” said Nate from right behind me. I was so thankful this man was here with me, awake and helpful. “Zoe, I’m headed out. I want you to stay a few feet behind me, and keep alert.”
“Will do,” I answered. At the end of my words we heard a loud commotion. Someone had clearly tripped and gone down.
“Fuck, Sadie!” the voice was strained and the person sounded in pain.
“Sorry,” a female voice answered quietly.
“Shut up, bitch.”
Nathan had stayed me with his hand and began moving forward. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness. The faint beginnings of daylight were just barely outlining shapes around us. I stood near the bed where Emilie and Gus were still sound asleep, and nudged their air mattress with my foot in one last attempt to rouse one of them. Of course it was of no use, so I held my gun aimed at the ground and followed Nathan out from under the shelter.
“Stay right there,” I heard Nathan say, his voice cold and uncaring. It actually chilled me to the core. He was aiming his rifle at two human figures. I assumed they were human, at least, in how they carried themselves and reacted to Nate, as well as my mind still be void of any zombie signatures. “Weapons down, hands up.”
“Fuck, Sadie, nice job,” said a hushed yet harsh male voice.
“ I said hands up !” shouted Nathan.
I was standing to Nate’s side now, only two steps behind, my pistol raised and my face wet from the steadily falling drizzle. My heart was pounding.
“Please don’t shoot,” mumbled the girl.
“How many are you?” demanded Nathan. I could also hear someone coming out of the shelter. I didn’t look back to see who it was.
“Just us two. We’re just looking for shelter and food.”
“Shut up, Sadie,” said the male.
“Fuck you, Ron.”
“Set your weapons down,” said Gus from behind me. “Step to your right and kneel on the ground.”
The strangers stood where they were, not moving.
“Do it now,” ordered Nathan.
“Walk, Sadie,” said her buddy Ron.
“Susan, can you get the fire going so we can see?” asked Gus. I hadn’t realized Susan had joined us.
“Don’t fucking push me, Ron.” The pair of newcomers sounded like they despised each other.
“Sure, Gus,” answered Susan.
“Also wake Em and Boggs?”
“Ya.”
“Down on your knees,” ordered Nate. “Now.”
“We’re moving,” said the man. “Hold on.”
“You ought not tell the ones holding a gun on you to hold on ,” said Gus.
I could hear Susan rousing the others. Jane and Abbey were awake and wanting to know what was happening. Susan told them to stay in bed, no matter what, and to be very quiet. Boggs and Emilie were soon by our sides and Susan was quickly lighting dry kindle to help us see. As the fire finally roared to life, we could see Ron and Sadie kneeling on the wet dirt about two yards from the campfire ring. They were young, maybe in their twenties or early thirties, and dirty. Their clothing was raggedy, their faces and hair unkempt. Most notable were bandages on both of their arms. The girl,
“No, Boggs, wake up.”
I could hear someone getting up out of their bed. I only knew it was Nathan by the direction the noise came from and the pattern of his breathing. I listened as he rummaged, presumably for his gun. I stood, joining him.
“Nathan, there’s someone in camp,” I whispered.
“ I know. Get your gun. I’m not sure if Boggs or Gus are coherent enough to know what’s going on. See if you can wake anyone.”
“’Kay.”
I slipped my tennis shoes on, but didn’t bother with taking time to get dressed. My pistol was always under my pillow when I slept, so I grabbed it and walked to where Emilie would be sleeping with Gus.
“Em, Gus, wake up.” I nudged them gently, but got no response. I was growing angry that they had all decided to drink so much.
“Susan’s out too,” said Nate from right behind me. I was so thankful this man was here with me, awake and helpful. “Zoe, I’m headed out. I want you to stay a few feet behind me, and keep alert.”
“Will do,” I answered. At the end of my words we heard a loud commotion. Someone had clearly tripped and gone down.
“Fuck, Sadie!” the voice was strained and the person sounded in pain.
“Sorry,” a female voice answered quietly.
“Shut up, bitch.”
Nathan had stayed me with his hand and began moving forward. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness. The faint beginnings of daylight were just barely outlining shapes around us. I stood near the bed where Emilie and Gus were still sound asleep, and nudged their air mattress with my foot in one last attempt to rouse one of them. Of course it was of no use, so I held my gun aimed at the ground and followed Nathan out from under the shelter.
“Stay right there,” I heard Nathan say, his voice cold and uncaring. It actually chilled me to the core. He was aiming his rifle at two human figures. I assumed they were human, at least, in how they carried themselves and reacted to Nate, as well as my mind still be void of any zombie signatures. “Weapons down, hands up.”
“Fuck, Sadie, nice job,” said a hushed yet harsh male voice.
“ I said hands up !” shouted Nathan.
I was standing to Nate’s side now, only two steps behind, my pistol raised and my face wet from the steadily falling drizzle. My heart was pounding.
“Please don’t shoot,” mumbled the girl.
“How many are you?” demanded Nathan. I could also hear someone coming out of the shelter. I didn’t look back to see who it was.
“Just us two. We’re just looking for shelter and food.”
“Shut up, Sadie,” said the male.
“Fuck you, Ron.”
“Set your weapons down,” said Gus from behind me. “Step to your right and kneel on the ground.”
The strangers stood where they were, not moving.
“Do it now,” ordered Nathan.
“Walk, Sadie,” said her buddy Ron.
“Susan, can you get the fire going so we can see?” asked Gus. I hadn’t realized Susan had joined us.
“Don’t fucking push me, Ron.” The pair of newcomers sounded like they despised each other.
“Sure, Gus,” answered Susan.
“Also wake Em and Boggs?”
“Ya.”
“Down on your knees,” ordered Nate. “Now.”
“We’re moving,” said the man. “Hold on.”
“You ought not tell the ones holding a gun on you to hold on ,” said Gus.
I could hear Susan rousing the others. Jane and Abbey were awake and wanting to know what was happening. Susan told them to stay in bed, no matter what, and to be very quiet. Boggs and Emilie were soon by our sides and Susan was quickly lighting dry kindle to help us see. As the fire finally roared to life, we could see Ron and Sadie kneeling on the wet dirt about two yards from the campfire ring. They were young, maybe in their twenties or early thirties, and dirty. Their clothing was raggedy, their faces and hair unkempt. Most notable were bandages on both of their arms. The girl,
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