Chapter 21
TWENTY-ONE
Asia
“Someone’s coming!”
It was Miles, and I heard him even though he wasn’t yelling.
He didn’t need to.
The farm—which, as much as Jack tried to warn us about noise, was always humming with activity—was now silent.
Deathly so.
Strange to think of deathly silence in a dead world.
Wasn’t that what there was supposed to be?
But somehow, someway, we’d managed to scrape out something over these last weeks.
It wasn’t normal.
It wasn’t what we’d lost.
But it was something.
But in the seconds that I stood there, watching three trucks speed down the dirt road, their wheels lifting dust and turning up gravel, but strangely without making a sound.
The trucks came to a stop, parking at an angle in a neat little row. The one in the middle, black, with an angry-looking emblem on its obnoxious chrome grill was out front.
Sheriff Hayes stepped out.
I swallowed, swiping my hands against my canvas pants, and then approached.
“Sheriff, you looked to be in a hurry,” I said.
“Where’s Levi?” the sheriff asked, looking around. “Surely he doesn’t think this is a time to lay around.”
I clenched my fists, but bit my tongue.
“You need something, Sheriff?”
It was Jack, standing behind me, the warmth of his body seeping into mine.
Unsettling and soothing.
I was glad he was here.
“Ran into some trouble scouting. Thought you folks might be able to help,” the sheriff said.
“What kind of trouble?” Jack asked.
“Well, son, what kind would you imagine?”
Jack didn’t say anything either, but I glanced back at him.
His skin, which had taken on a golden hue with all the days in the sun, now had a faint tinge of red.
But his face, otherwise, didn’t give away what he was thinking.
And knowing Jack like I did, I didn’t have to struggle to imagine.
I reached for his hand, grazed my fingers against his wrist, but then pulled away when he glanced over at me.
His eyes, which were flat, almost dead just seconds before, flashed.
I dropped my hand at my side, then stepped up, putting myself between Jack and the sheriff.
“So things have gotten worse out there?” I asked.
“Indeed they have. Ran into some trouble, thought you folks might be able to help like I said,” the sheriff said.
He glanced between me and Jack, but I knew he was intensely aware of everything happening.
He confirmed as much when he nodded at the fence that Jack had almost finished.
“Closing up the farm?” he said.
“Just trying to be as safe as we can,” I said.
“Could just come to town,” he said.
“What happened out there?” I asked.
I didn’t believe that Hayes had missed my deflection, and he looked at me for a moment, just wanting me to know that he indeed hadn’t, but then started to pace.
The dark blue truck that was parked next to his had a tarp over it.
Hayes pulled it back, and it was then the low groan emitted from the back.
“You can walk?” the sheriff said.
I tilted my head, then stepped forward.
Jack’s hand at my waist stilled me, and I glanced over at him.
He wasn’t looking at me, but the pressure of his fingers communicated his message clearly.
And for once, I didn’t want to argue, so I stayed silent as Jack got closer to the truck.
One of the other men—I didn’t know his name and didn’t care to even attempt to learn it—pulled open the tailgate of the truck.
“Come on out,” he said.
The other man—more like a boy, really—nineteen, maybe twenty, rolled over, then slid, landing on the ground with a soft thud.
He was covered in sweat, even though it was a relatively cool day and he was only wearing a white T-shirt, one that was stained with blood, and that all-too-familiar black goo.
“Scotty here managed to get himself bit,” the sheriff said.
“Sheriff, I…”
“Hush up, Scotty. Save your strength,” the sheriff said.
He may as well have been asking for extra creamers for his coffee as concerned as he sounded.
“You got all this open space here, figured it’d probably be better for Scotty not to be out on the road,” the sheriff said.
“We can’t take anyone in,” Jack said.
“You got all this space,” the sheriff said again.
Jack said nothing else, but then looked at Scotty.
“Got bit on his side?”
“Yeah.”
“He looks sick,” Jack said.
“He does. I figure one of those things bites you, you become one,” the sheriff said.
I didn’t allow myself to think about that too much, but knew what he said was probably true.
“I haven’t seen it myself,” the sheriff continued.
“Is that the kind of thing you want to risk?” Jack asked.
I kept my gaze centered on his back, only seeing the sheriff out of my periphery.
But I couldn’t look at him.
Didn’t want to.
I just wanted him gone.
Wanted Jack calm.
Wanted this to be over.
Good thing I learned a long time ago, you never get what you want.
The sheriff, who was staring down at Scotty, shook his head, and then removed his cowboy hat.
He pressed it against his heart, the way I’d seen him do so many times before.
I remembered Uncle Levi taking me to the local high school football game, seeing Sheriff Hayes in the middle of the field on the fifty-yard line, leading the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
This crowd was much smaller, but the good sheriff never missed a chance to perform.
“You know you’re right.”
The sheriff paused, then looked at two men, who grabbed Scotty and pulled him to his feet.
“No reason to let the boy suffer,” the sheriff said.
And then he plunged the knife that he pulled from his side into Scotty’s chest.
I could swear I saw the boy’s ribs cave in with the pressure.
He didn’t even cry, just grunted softly as blood spilled out of his mouth, irretrievably staining his white T-shirt.
Then he slumped to the ground, dead.
“Want to get his brain just to be sure?” Jack asked.
Sheriff Hayes looked back at him.
“In good time,” the sheriff said.
Then he stabbed Scotty’s dead body, and stood up straight.
“Now you folks were going to show me some hospitality?”
I couldn’t tear my eyes from Scotty where he lay, his blood pooling in Aunt Kathleen’s flower bed.
Jack had wanted to pull them up, use the space for more vegetables.
He’d been right, but I resisted.
All for nothing.
I turned away abruptly, my stomach churning, vomit burning at the back of my throat.
“Sheriff!” Caitlin swung the porch door open and stepped out, her smile bright.
She glanced back at me, her face twisting with concern. She covered it quickly and tsked. “Asia. You didn’t tell me we had guests,” she said.
“I—”
But Caitlin turned, fully focused on the sheriff.
“Did you have a safe drive over?” Caitlin asked, looking genuinely concerned.
“There were five of those things. My son took care of them,” he said.
“Zombies,” Jack said.
“You heard what I said, Thorne,” the sheriff said.
“I did, but I don’t know what it meant. Are you ready to face what’s happening here?” Jack challenged.
“What’s happening?” Sheriff Hayes countered.
“Nothing good. Nothing we can ignore,” Jack said.
He wasted his words on Hayes, and when he caught my gaze, I knew why.
He was doing this for me. Or to prove to me how wrong I was.
Caitlin suddenly put herself between Jack and I and the sheriff and his deputies, cutting off the burgeoning stare-off.
“Well, do you want to wash up, and then maybe grab a bite? It’s only hospitable since you all just drove all the way out here,” she said.
“That won’t be necessary. But I’d love a few minutes with you. Why don’t you show me around? Looks like you’ve done some work on the place,” the sheriff said.
Caitlin smiled, her pearly white teeth practically glistening in the sunlight, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Too bad. I’ve been practicing bread! But let me give you the tour!” she said, her smile brightening.
The sheriff beamed. “After you, ma’am.”
I watched them walk away and then turned to Christopher.
He shifted his weight and then looked around. “So, looks like things are up and running.”
I murmured something non-committal, forcing myself to keep my expression neutral, even though my stomach still roiled.
Jack was behind me, but I felt the tension rolling off him.
Christopher cleared his throat. “I’m starting to feel like a broken record here, but I hope you aren’t shaken up about last time…what you saw in town.”
“Really? Why?” I asked like it was an actual fucking question.
“Father is a…blunt instrument. But he means no harm. He wants us all to survive. Together. That’s not an ignoble goal,” Christopher said.
“No, it’s not,” I responded, unwilling to say anything else.
Christopher beamed. “See, I told Father you were reasonable, Asia.”
I glanced over at Jack, who was again surprisingly neutral-looking, and said nothing else.
Ten excruciating minutes ticked by, and I could have cried with relief when I saw Caitlin and Sheriff Hayes come back.
It was revolting, but I appreciated what Caitlin was doing. Couldn’t imagine voluntarily subjecting yourself to Hayes. But if the alternative was him rambling around the farm causing trouble we couldn’t afford, I’d take it.
“Thank you for the hospitality, Caitlin. You really are a useful asset to this community,” he said.
Caitlin smiled, bright enough to block out the sun.
“Thank you, Sheriff.”
“What about you, Thorne? Are you an asset to this community?” the sheriff said.
Fuck.
We were this close, and idiot Hayes had to push.
Seemed not to realize that Jack would murder him right where he stood, consequences be damned.
Jack said nothing, but held Hayes’s gaze. Then Hayes smiled. “You are. You know how to toe the line. Keep your head down. Focus on what’s going to keep your new friends alive.”
Caitlin’s smile faltered when Jack turned.
“Or maybe—”
“You have a safe drive back, Sheriff,” I cut in.
“I will, Asia. Tell Levi I stopped by.”
Then he mercifully packed up poor Scotty’s body, got into the truck and he and the others drove off.
“I’ll get a shovel,” Jack said and walked away.
I stared at Aunt Kathleen’s flowers, then turned to Caitlin. Forced myself to smile with amusement I didn’t feel.
“You in the market to become the next Mrs. Hayes?” I asked.
“Very funny, Asia. Also, barf.
I laughed. “Not your type?”
“I love a silver fox as much as the next girl, but that gaping asshole couldn’t touch me if he was the last man on earth,” Caitlin said.
“Well, thank you for running interference,” I said.
“No problem. Figured I needed to step in before Jack either had an aneurysm or went on a killing spree,” she said.
Neither of us laughed.
“You seen Uncle Levi?” I asked.
“In the barn,” she said.
“Okay,” I responded, and then walked off to the barn.
I found Uncle Levi on a stool propped in front of Aunt Kathleen’s horse as he gently brushed her.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” I said.
“You hear that, Spark? This girl thinks she’s grown enough to tell me what to do on my own land,” he said.
“Is everybody stubborn?” I looked around the barn, searching for backup that I knew wouldn’t come.
Uncle Levi chuckled, then put the brush down.
He wobbled as he turned on the stool, and I stepped toward him quickly, ready to catch him if he tilted.
He didn’t, but I saw the split second of panic in his eyes.
Was grateful that he hadn’t been hurt, and that he had his pride.
“You come to talk about your man-friend?” Uncle Levi asked.
“He’s not my…man-friend, old man,” I said, smiling.
“Then what is he?” Uncle Levi asked.
“Complicated,” I said.
Uncle Levi laughed.
“Pot meet kettle, huh?”
I smiled, but Uncle Levi stopped. He looked at me intently.
“What’s going on, baby?”
“I…”
I trailed off, then went closer, stroking Spark’s soft side.
“You worried about him?”
“I’m worried for him. And us,” I said.
The words fell out in a rush, but I was glad when they were out.
I never said them out loud. Hadn’t even really allowed myself to think about them. But now that I did, they were there in full force.
“You think he’s dangerous?” Uncle Levi asked.
“Don’t you?”
I heard something, looking back, but didn’t see anything there, and refocused on Uncle Levi.
“Well, don’t you?” I repeated.
“Of course he’s dangerous. I know the type. But he cares. Means well. And that…”
“And what, Uncle Levi?” I said.
“And if he has to hurt you to keep you alive, he’ll make the trade,” he said.
“You say that like it’s a good thing,” I said.
“Baby girl, that’s for you to decide.”