“How do you know so much?” I asked, unable to stop an indulgent smile.
“I remember what it was like when we had to leave my mom,” she admitted with only a slightly trembling chin. “I remember what they were like after we left home. Vaughan told me when we love something we love it forever. And when we love someone they know we love them forever. Even if we can’t tell them anymore. If Nelson loves you Haley, he will always love you.”
I closed my mouth- because it had fallen open. I fought back tears for the memory of their mother I didn’t own. And I decided Page, eight year old therapist extraordinaire, was much smarter than me, failed genius and relationship avoider.
“Kind of sucks to get showed up by a kid,” Reagan laughed.
“No, kidding,” I grumbled.
Page finally broke out into a smile and wagged her finger at us, “Remember that.”
“We will,” Reagan sobered dramatically. “Always.”
Vaughan kicked in the back door with a clever foot and disappeared into the dark house with Hendrix on his heels. We quieted immediately and watched in tense anticipation for them to resurface with a thumbs up or start shooting up the place in an effort to escape alive.
Minutes crawled by while we sat inside the quiet van. Nelson, Harrison and King surrounded us like true soldiers of freedom. I felt safe inside the van and that thought rocked me.
I’d spent years feeling unsafe- completely vulnerable to death, disease or Zombie-ism. And here, out in the relative open with only glass and rusted metal to shelter me, while three boys with limited ammo and a pure, focused goal to protect us and their baby sister, I felt absolutely safe and cared for.
What was I going to do with that?
A moment later, Hendrix reappeared in the door way, waving us inside. His bright blue eyes
were still tense with anxiety, but his gun hung limply at his hip. We were cleared for entry.
It must be safe.
And that meant an entire night with power!
Chapter Two
The house was dusty, choking with stagnant air and no use. Vaughan and Hendrix walked around with guns lowered and a kind of casual ease that seemed out of place for them.
The rest of us, kept our loaded guns at our sides- down, but ready. We stood in the kitchen and surveyed the clean counters and empty sink. The refrigerator was running, the appliances plugged in and not a dirty dish in sight. However, there was also no food, except for some random canned goods in the pantry.
Either the owner just stepped out for a minute to find some dinner, or this was the most organized evacuator in the former United States of America.
Who thinks, “I have to leave my house now, the Zombies are on their way. Better make sure the dishes are done and I took the trash out?”
Reagan and I left our own houses in complete disarray. Why would this person be any different?
“The house is empty,” Vaughan declared in a low voice. “But that doesn’t mean it will stay
empty.”
“I think it will,” I piped up. All eyes turned to me and I put my observational skills to work. “There’s a thick layer of dust on everything. Look at the top of the cabinets, for one. And the blinds. If the person that lived here had enough sense to do the dishes, they wouldn’t let dust collect on every service and there would be fingerprints or upheaval somewhere throughout the house. Plus, the house is relatively safe, but not safe enough to stop a horde of Feeders. If they wanted in, all they would have to do is break through any window or door.”
“So you think the owner ran?” Nelson asked from across our tight circle.
“That, or they just lived a clean life but died somewhere outside of the home or on the property. I can’t imagine making the dishes a priority when faced with Zombies, but that’s just me.” I shrugged and stepped back into the dining room. Same thing- meticulously clean; well except for all the dust everywhere. “They were here within the last six months or so though. There’s just not enough deterioration for it to have been longer.”
“We should find out,” Hendrix declared in that rough voice he used sometimes- like sandpaper over freshly cut wood. “There are a few outbuildings. We need to explore, find out if something happened.”
“We’ll go,” Nelson volunteered immediately, giving me his “intentional” eyes. I rolled mine, but didn’t argue. “Haley and I will go check out the barn.”
“And Reagan and I will check the shed,” Harrison announced quickly and then challenged Hendrix with an eyebrow raise.
I let out a snicker before I could stop myself.
“I’ll go with you guys.” King looked bored standing there; and a little oblivious as he missed the daggers Hendrix was glaring into Harrison.