The Hungry by Steve Hockensmith, Joe McKinney, Harry Shannon, Steven Booth Page B

the moment, there wasn't anything to do but eat her soup.
    "Tomorrow we're going to Elko," said Terrill Lee.
    Miller almost choked. "Are you out of your fucking mind? Didn't you hear what that newsman was saying? Elko is where the zombies are coming from. You want to get us both killed?"
    Terrill Lee ate his soup in an infuriatingly calm manner. She glowered at him, forced to wait for an answer.
    Finally, he looked up. "I have a plan."

FOUR
     
     
    They finished their soup. Miller felt stronger. She watched as Terrill Lee washed the dishes as if desperate to return some normalcy to the situation. A repeating sound in the distance, like popcorn in a pan? No. Shots! Miller heard gunfire and it was getting closer. She and Terrill Lee moved closer together. He put an arm around her waist. They stepped back from the kitchen window. And then the sound of engines and shouting were coming from right outside.
    "Is that part of your plan?" asked Miller.
    "Shit." Terrill Lee led them back into the living room. He went to the window and peeked out through the thick, closed drapes. "Go get some clothes on, Penny." His voice remained steady, but he looked like he was ready to pee his pants.
    "What do you see?" Miller went into the hallway that led to the bedroom. "Who is out there?"
    "Can't see nothing yet. Can't even tell where the shots were coming from. I think maybe up by the old Altmeyer place, but without going outside to look, there's no way to be sure." He turned to look back at her. "I found some of your old shit in the garage when I was out there looking for weapons. It's just inside the bedroom door. There's some clothes and old travel stuff in there. I'll be right behind you."
    Miller made her way down the hall moving at what seemed like a crawl. She walked inside and over to the bed. She sat, catching her breath, and was there when Terrill Lee reappeared in the doorway. He was flat loaded for grizzly. A pistol was strapped to his leg, gunfighter style, and he carried a shotgun and across his chest was an actual bandolier of extra shells.
    Miller blinked. "What the hell is it?"
    "Let's just say I think you're going to need these." He tossed her spare service pistol, a big ol' Smith & Wesson model 1911, onto the bed. Followed it with two magazines of .45 ammo. Adrenaline washed through Miller. The fear gave her renewed energy. The food had helped. She seemed to be healing rapidly. The confidence made her stand up. Her balance was almost back to normal. Miller moved to the edge of the bed and grabbed the weapon.
    "Where did you find this baby?" It felt heavier than she remembered, yet she hefted it easily.
    "I raided your cruiser while you were sleeping," Terrill Lee said. "Found an emergency kit, a couple of spare sets of handcuffs, and that bad boy. You sure do love you some big-assed guns. I'm going to have to start calling you Dirty Harriett again." He glanced down at her crotch.
    "Please don't," Miller said, not sure whether she was referring to the statement or his schoolboy lust.
    She hefted the weapon, checked to see that it was loaded. Okay, a round in the pipe, a full load in the clip, plus two more magazines. So 25 rounds was all she had for now. That would have to be enough. Miller rolled her shoulders. The pain was acceptable now, not bad at all.
    Terrill Lee jogged back to the bedroom window. Parted the curtain a tad and carefully surveyed the neighborhood.
    Still holding the weapon, Miller felt glad she had been shot in the left shoulder, not the right. Otherwise she wouldn't even be able to lift the damned pistol. She moved her shoulder around just a tad too ambitiously, and immediately wished she hadn't.
    "Do I have to immobilize that?" he said.
    "I'm fine," she said. "I feel better already. Just don't call any passes over ten yards. What have you got for me to wear?"
    He waived his hand. She spotted a dusty cardboard box that sat like a sulking gnome in the near corner of the room. Miller moved a few steps