Save Me (22 page)

"How much further you think it is until we stop for the night?"

My feet were aching and my stomach was ready to send out a pitchfork and torch wielding mob if it didn't get some food soon.

"My guess would be a couple more hours. You need to take a break sweetheart?"

"No, just wondering."

I lied. Dan didn't believe me for a second.

"I think I have a solution," he said kneeling on one knee and motioning for me to climb on his back.

"No. I'm fine. I can't."

"Well, I'm not getting up until you climb on. I can carry you sweetheart. You weigh less than the buck I carried fifteen miles last week. I'm sure I can handle one small girl," he laughed.

Janet and Will turned around, stopping to look at us impatiently. I figured it was either hop on, or risk Janet's irritation turning into anger, ruining the progress we'd made.

"You're impossible," I mumbled, climbing on his back.

"You're difficult," he chuckled, lifting me from the ground and continuing on.

After a brief look of jealousy from Will, and a dramatic eye roll from Janet, we were back on our way.

It was getting late in the day and we hadn't even reached the town we were headed to. I was expecting the trip to be another misery fest, but having Dan there really made a difference. He kept the mood light and despite Janet's occasional dirty looks or sounds of irritation, talked almost the whole time, keeping my mind off just how miserably long this trip was.

"We are gonna stop here for awhile," Janet announced out of nowhere.

I scanned our surroundings. We were in a small residential area in a poor section of town not far from the orthodontist I saw in middle school. This wasn't the kind of area any of us would normally stop. There were too many open areas and places for both undead and living to hide and too many directions to approach from.

"Are you sure?" I questioned.

Janet shot me a 'Don't question me' glare, pulling the map out of her pack to go over it with Will. Dan placed me back onto the ground and went to see what she was up to. Glancing around at the thirty or so small houses that lined the street made me uneasy.

"Why are we stopping here Will?" I directed my question at him this time, trying to avoid any further interaction with Janet, since she was obviously having a moment.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it princess. The adults can figure it out."

The old Janet was back. Will shot her a warning look and her face softened a bit.

"The road we planned to take back there was the one with the bridge out. We thought we could come this way but now it's not looking like it will work out," Will explained, despite Janet's irritation.

"Well maybe you should have mentioned this to me. I have lived here my whole life ya know. I could have told you where this led to."

Dan shook his head, dropping his eyes to the ground.

"So now what?" I asked, waiting for some perfect idea to come from Janet who couldn't ever possibly be wrong.

Janet threw the map down. "I have no idea," she spat, frustrated.

I'd never seen Janet not in control, not exactly sure she was right and not knowing what to do. We were kind of screwed here, but I was enjoying it just a little. Okay, maybe a bit more than a little.

I closed my eyes and thought for a minute. I tried to trace the routes in my mind. This wasn't an area I went to often since my braces were off, but I've been out here enough to remember most of the routes in and out and where they lead to.

"Okay, look," I said picking up the map and holding it up for the guys to see.

I explained to them the options, as I remembered them anyway. The best one seemed to be backtracking a few miles then going east. It would lead to a small strip mall and the dental complex where my orthodontist was. It wasn't the best choice, and we couldn't know for sure if it was even an option until we got there, but it was probably going to be the best place to hide out for the night. At this point, we'd never get back before dark and none of us really wanted to risk being out all night. Janet wasn't happy that not only did she screw up, but I was the one who had a possible solution.

By the time we got there, we were all exhausted and hungry. The sun was low in the sky, preparing to leave us for the night. I used to love watching the sunset, but now it was just a reminder of increased danger. Most of the storefront windows were broken out in the strip mall leaving wide-open entryways for anyone or anything that wanted in. The dental complex seemed like the better choice.

"Drop the weapons!" yelled a voice from somewhere unseen.

Janet and Will weren't about to give up that easy.

"That ain't gonna happen!" Janet wasn't the giving up kind.

From around the side of the complex, came a large guy and two girls. The guy, bronzed skin and husky, with overgrown black hair that hung straight on his head, coming down over the tops of his eyes, held a shot gun on us. The girl on his right, a thin blonde waifish girl, held a handgun with trembling hands. The girl on the left, a taller, dark haired, Italian chick, gripped a blood stained baseball bat.

"This place has already been claimed. I suggest you be on your way," the chick with the bat called out.

Dan stepped forward slowly, his bow down at his side in a nonthreatening manner.

"Look, we are just looking for a place for the night. We got lost awhile back and now here we are."

The three eyed him suspiciously. My attention was drawn to the blonde waif. Something about her seemed familiar but I couldn't quite place it.

"Well you can't stay here. You need to move along," he motioned with the gun toward the highway.

My mind raced with thought. I knew that girl from somewhere...

"Nikki?"

It had to be.

"How do you know my name?" she looked at me, her eyes narrowing.

It was her! She was older now, and much thinner, but it was Nikki. She was my best friend through middle school. She was the orthodontist's daughter actually.

"It's Andi, from middle school?"

She looked me up and down suspiciously before a wide smile spread across her mouth.

"Oh my god, Andi!"

The girl stuffed the gun into her jeans and catapulted herself into my arms. I guess we had a place to stay for the night.

~Chapter Twenty~

At Nikki's whining insistence, her friends agreed to let us spend the night with them. I could tell the guy, Mike, had a thing for her by the way he relented. The dark haired one, Rose, eyed us suspiciously, keeping her hand hovering over the knife in her belt. She didn't look like the kind of girl you wanted to mess with.

Nikki and I had been inseparable until the summer before eighth grade when her parents moved across town and sent her to private school. They insisted she cut ties with all her old friends. They even monitored her internet access to make sure she wasn't having any contact with anyone from her old life. I was heartbroken. A few years ago, I found her on a social networking site and sent her a friend request, but she never accepted.

We learned that our three hosts had been part of a larger group of about fifteen until a week ago when a huge horde came through. They were the only survivors. I wondered if it could have been the same horde that made it to us, hoping it was. I'd rather not have to face another any time soon. Mike had gone hunting earlier in the day and brought back enough for all of us. Our hosts gracefully shared their home and food and after a long day walking, we were all grateful.

After Rose relaxed a bit, no longer thinking we were a threat, she started cozying up to Dan. I couldn't blame the girl. With the body of a fitness model, a face you just wanted to lean over and taste, and a sexy Irish accent, Dan was one delicious man. Not that Rose wasn't equally gorgeous, with her long black hair, olive complexion, and deep chestnut eyes. Unfortunately for Rose, Dan either pretended not to notice or just wasn't interested in her.

For the last week, the three were sleeping in shifts, up against the front door, afraid someone might get in during the night. All of us could understand the fear of going to sleep without a large enough group to keep watch. It reminded me how lucky we were back at the basement. Janet, Dan and Will agreed to take the watches so our hosts could get some much-needed rest. After they had been so generous with their home and food, it was the least we could do. I volunteered to do a watch as well, but Will insisted three shifts was enough. Honestly, I think he just didn't want me alone. Normally, I would have been angry about being treated like I couldn't handle the job but honestly, this time, I was exhausted and it was kind of sweet. Something was different with us now that we were actually a couple. I didn't get so angry with him for wanting to protect me. In fact, I didn't get so angry about anything. I was bordering on giddy with my new relationship, as sickening as I would have found that a couple weeks ago. I just couldn't help it.

Our hosts had turned the exam rooms of the dental complex into makeshift bedrooms. Mattresses had been dragged into the rooms from who knows where, with pillows, blankets, and a lantern in each room. It wasn't anything you'd find in Good Housekeeping, but it worked. Will asked Dan to stay in with me while he took the first shift, shocking both Dan and me. I guess he didn't want me alone, especially with people we didn't know.

"I've never had a guy ask me to sleep with his girlfriend before," Dan joked, dropping himself onto the bed.

"Girlfriend," I repeated the word, feeling it out on my tongue.

Dan gave me a quizzical look, his head tilted to one side and one eyebrow raised.

"I...I guess I'm just trying to get used to it. It's all so new," I explained.

I really didn't want to go into my lack of relationship experience with him. Not that I didn't feel comfortable with Dan. I did. I felt like I could tell him anything really. I just felt weird about it and didn't feel the need to embarrass myself further. He gave me a look like he wasn't buying my answer, but he dropped it anyway.

"So sweetheart, you and Will got everything all worked out, I guess?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You're not sure?" Dan leaned back on his elbows on the bed, looking at me amused.

"I am. I think." I tried to sound confident but was failing. Okay, maybe I had no idea.

"Want some advice?" Dan pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it onto the floor next to the bed.

"Sure," I answered, taking a deep breath, trying not to let my eyes wander down Dan's abs.

"Just be honest. Tell him exactly how you feel and if you aren't sure, tell him that too. Life is too unpredictable and short sweetheart. You gotta tell the ones you care about, before it's too late."

Dan broke eye contact on that last part. He had a sad look in his eyes. I could tell he was speaking from a place of regret.

"Dan, have you ever been in love?"

"Of course I have sweetheart, the moment I laid eyes on your beautiful face," he answered, smiling sweetly and batting his long eyelashes.

"I'm serious!" I slapped him in the arm.

"Yes, I've been in love." He smiled, crossing one leg over the other and stretching out on the bed next to me.

"How did you know for sure?" I asked, trying not to sound like too much of an inexperienced schoolgirl.

"What you really want to ask me sweetheart is, can what you feel for Will really be love?"

My stomach fluttered thinking about it.

"Maybe."

Dan laughed loudly.

"Sweetheart, if you don't love that boy now then you'll never love anyone. I've seen you two together and the way you both look at each other when you think no one is looking. I've seen the tears, from both of you, over the fear of losing each other. And, I've known you about a week. You definitely love him. I guess the real question is, why aren't you sure?"

Dan took the end of my braid and tapped me on the nose with it.

"I guess maybe because we haven't known each other that long and so much has happened and—"

"Sweetheart, look at the world we live in. If you don't move quick, it will be too late. As far as what you two have been through, that's just more evidence for your feelings. Why else would you both still be together if not?"

I thought about what Dan said. It had only been a few weeks, but I felt like I knew Will all my life. I spent so much time wishing I could tell him how I felt but I never really thought about what it actually was that I felt. Was it love? Had it been love all along?

"I think we ought to get some sleep while we can love."Dan kissed me on the forehead and pulled me in close to sleep against him. I felt a twinge of guilt being so close to him, but mostly I just wished it was Will instead.

It was still dark when I woke up and the warm body that had been against me was gone. I felt around for Dan, or Will, or something, but I was alone. I don't know why, but I felt a nervousness in the pit of my stomach, like I had the first night I spent with Will and woke wondering if he was gone. At this point, I doubted Will would just up and leave me, but that didn't stop my body from reacting this way. I tried telling myself I was being silly and to go back to sleep but I was unsuccessful. I felt around in the dark for the hoodie I was wearing earlier and slipped it back on and went to see where the guys were.