of the barn. I could already hear the grunts and movements of the bull. Fortunately the boards were in a different part of the barn than where the animal was corralled.
“Let’s get this and get back in,” I said. “We don’t want anything sneaking up on us out here.”
Joey nodded and lifted a stack of boards up into his arms with a grunt. I picked a stack as well, and we made our way back to the house. Scarlet brought a small, red, carry toolbox and set it on top of the dryer. “I didn’t board this because there aren’t many nails left.”
“We’ll make do,” I said, pulling the hammer out of the box. As I hit the nail head and watched it slide easily through the board to the wood on the other side, I thought of Gary and Eric from the church in Fairview, and wondered if they were alive. And then I thought of Skeeter, and of Jill, and their unborn baby. I hadn’t had much time to mourn them, so I took out my anger and pain on each nail as I buried it into the boards.
The last nail was used to secure the second board horizontally across the center of the Plexiglas. It wasn’t enough, but it would keep something out long enough to give us time to react.
We left the stack of wood in the laundry room, and returned to the living room, where Miranda and Ashley were comforting each other. Scarlet had rejoined the group, sitting in the same spot she couldn’t stand to be in less than half an hour before. I wondered about her daughters and why they weren’t with her, but didn’t want to upset her again by asking. I followed her eyes to a frame on the wall across the room. A creased picture of Scarlet, a man, and two girls was inside.
Beyond the walls of the farmhouse was blackness only a place far away from city lights could provide. Even the moon had hidden away behind thick clouds. Scarlet stood up and busied herself with pulling hanging dark sheets across the wooden slats, and then brought a box of matches to light a few candles around the room. We sat in silence for what seemed like forever, and then a low rumble echoed from miles away.
“Thunder,” Ashley said, looking around.
“I noticed some pretty dark blue clouds back there,” Scarlet said, pointing her thumb to the east. “The wind is blowing west.”
“It won’t miss us this time,” Joey said.
Scarlet glanced at the soldier, and a light of recognition touched her eyes. Joey met her stare, seeming hopeful that she might say something. Scarlet was the first to look away. The awkwardness between everyone was bugging the shit out of me.
“So are you guys family?” I said to Miranda, motioning to Scarlet.
Miranda shook her head. “Scarlet works with my dad . . .
Scarlet nodded and smiled. “I’m an X-ray tech. Miranda’s dad is Dr. Hayes.”
“
“Stop it,” Ashley hissed.
“I’ve been so mean to him,” Miranda said, holding her shaking hand to her mouth. “I’ll never get to tell him I’m sorry. I’ll never get to talk to him again.”
Bryce squeezed her to his side. His eyes were moist, too, and it was apparent that the boys were close with the doctor as well. “He knew you were having a tough time with the divorce. He knew you loved him.”
“Did he?”
Ashley lost her battle to hold in a sob. She kneeled in front of Miranda and then rested her head on her sister’s knees.
Scarlet nodded. “He knew, Miranda. I promise, he did.”
Miranda and Ashley cried together again, with Bryce and Cooper on each side.
“Did everyone that Dr. Hayes worked with know where he lived?” I asked. The more they talked, the more confused I became.
Scarlet seemed to be amused by my nosey question. “I cleaned for him when I was in X-ray school.” Her eyes glistened. “He was very kind to me. They both were.”
“Both?”
“Wes and Leah,” Scarlet said.
Ashley leaned against Cooper, thinking fondly of the two. “Leah was my dad’s girlfriend. She was very sweet.”
“She was,” Cooper nodded.
Ashley shook her head slowly. “I can’t believe she’s gone. That they’re gone.” She looked to her sister. “I hate this. I want to wake up and this all be a bad dream.” She began to rock back and forth a bit, struggling with the new reality we all faced. “I don’t want this.”
“None of us do,” Miranda snapped. She sighed, realizing she was too harsh. “We’ve had a long day. Bryce and I will take my room; Ashley and Coop have their own. Scarlet, I guess you’ve been sleeping in dad’s room?”
Scarlet nodded. “Yes, but the girl is in there. I’ll take the couch.”
“You sure?” I said.
Scarlet offered a small smile, and then looked to Joey. “There is a couch downstairs in the basement, but it might not be big enough for you. I can switch with you if you’d like.”
Joey shook his head. “The basement sounds good to me. I’ll make a pallet if I have to.”
“I’ll show you the linen closet,” Scarlet said, standing. That prompted everyone else to stand, and Scarlet laughed once without humor. “I’m glad you all made it,” she said, her voice breaking. “I was afraid I was the only one left.”
Scarlet could clearly take care of herself, and wasn’t the slightest bit fragile, but something about the way her voice broke made me want to pull her into my arms and hold her. She and Joey walked away, and the distance created lessened my urge to comfort her. I shook my head and silently scolded myself. I’d just met her, and she probably didn’t need anyone to make her feel better, anyway, not that there was any way for someone to feel better about being separated from their children in days like these.
I went into the doctor’s bedroom and closed the French doors behind me, sliding quietly under the covers beside Zoe. Even as I thought about the horrors of the last few days, warmth washed over me, comforted by the knowledge that this was the safest place to raise my little girl. At least until someone found a cure for the sickness that had taken so much from everyone under that roof. Knowing we weren’t alone and that we were still waiting for others was the most comforting. That was a hope I would help Scarlet hang on to.
Chapter Nineteen
Miranda
I’D IMAGINED SO MANY TIMES in the last week what it would feel like to finally lie down in my bed, to feel the safety of the walls that my dad’s house provided, but even under a familiar comforter, my head resting on a pillow I’d picked out myself, I didn’t feel at home. I felt sick, displaced, and afraid.
Bryce was lying behind me, his body outlining mine. My body was nearly in a ball, but Bryce made sure to surround me with his warmth and love, as if it would keep reality away.
“I can’t remember the last thing I said to him, but I don’t think it was anything nice,” I whispered.
“He was excited that you were coming. If you weren’t nice to him, he obviously didn’t notice.”
“I wanted to hug him.” I sniffed, turning my head so the sleeve of my zipup hoodie could catch more tears. “Getting here and being safe meant him being here to protect us. I don’t know where my mom is, and my dad is dead. Leah’s dead. I have no one.”
Bryce propped his head up with his hand. “You have Ashley, and you have me.”
Those words should have offered more comfort than they did. I lay there until the rain began to patter on the roof and Bryce’s breathing turned deep, and rhythmic. The lightning cast quick flashes and shadows on the wall, including my own as I quietly snuck to the door and into the living room.
Scarlet was asleep on the couch, a rifle nestled in her arms like a child. She’d always been kind to us, and her little girls were so sweet. Once when Dad made Ashley and I help him burn brush, Jenna and Halle helped, too, entertaining us so much that by the time we were finished, it barely seemed like we’d started.
