Dylan called it insanity. She’d gone insane, berserk, losing all control of her mind and body only to awaken amid a bloodbath. Plus, it could easily happen again. They were in the middle of an apocalypse, which equaled lots of stress. What if I turn on Alex, Saul, or Tara? What if I murder Amy?
The thought was too much to bear, and she shoved it into the back of her mind. “So, what’s next?”
Saul looked at Alex. “Do you have any ammo for those guns?”
Alex shook his head. “I’m out, but I’ve got a knife. Why?”
“I need to open the gate and inspect the property to make sure it’s clear. I could use the back-up.” He reached inside his jacket and produced a flashlight, testing the switch to make sure it worked.
“I’ll do it,” Dylan said, gripping her machete. “They can wait here. Amy’s got her shotgun.”
“I’m armed too,” Tara added.
Saul nodded. “Stick close to me. It should be clear. I’m the only one who comes here, but it pays to be careful.”
“Will do,” Dylan said, climbing out of the Humvee.
Dylan kept watch while Saul opened the gate and slid it open on oiled tracks. He did a quick round of the yard, which was mostly open lawn, the grass yellow and dry beneath their feet in readiness for winter. A couple of garden beds lay dormant, patiently waiting for a spring that was still months away.
It was cold with a touch of ice in the air, and Dylan shivered beneath the thin shirt she wore. Each breath produced a puff of white smoke, and her limbs grew numb within seconds. “It will be dawn soon.”
“Yes,” Saul said. “We’d better hurry. I want us to be locked away before the sun rises.”
After clearing the property, he unlocked the garage and slid it open. His flashlight revealed crates of supplies stacked in the corners and a double-cab truck that looked to be in mint condition. Tanks of fuel lined the far wall, along with camping gear and other equipment.
Dylan whistled. “You’ve been busy.”
“I believe in being prepared. Nothing lasts forever, and I never thought the Fort was as safe as its commanders believed. I’ve seen the virus at work. I know what it can do,” Saul said.
“Tara said you were there at the beginning when it all started,” Dylan said.
“It’s true. We were at the source. We should’ve stopped it then but failed. It spread too fast, and we had no help. No back-up. We are paying for that mistake now.”
“Is that why Tara is so obsessed with the cure?” Dylan asked as understanding dawned.
“She blames herself, even though there was nothing she could’ve done differently. The apocalypse was preordained. Fated.”
Dylan frowned. “You believe in all that? Fate and such? I don’t. I believe our fate is what we make it.”
“For the most part, yes, but there is more to the world than what we can see,” Saul replied. “Come. We need to check the house too.”
Dylan stared at his retreating back with raised eyebrows. He wasn’t quite the black and white character she’d thought him to be. The stoic, humorless soldier who lived for duty alone. “I guess there’s more to you than meets the eye.”
She followed him to the front door, taking in every detail. The house was well-built with a door of solid oak. The windows were covered with black paint, and Dylan pointed at them. “What’s up with that?”
“The zombies respond to sight and sound. Movement, noise, and light draw them in, and we need to minimize that if we want to stay here.”
Dylan nodded. “You’ve thought this through.”
“Somebody had to,” Saul said in a dry tone of voice.
For a brief second, Dylan wanted to take offense, but he was right. If it weren’t for Saul, none of them would be alive right now. “Touché.”
There was no electricity. The struggling grid had failed a couple of days before. Luckily, Saul had foreseen that event and stockpiled an abundant supply of candles and gas lamps inside the house. According to him, there was still running water, but it wouldn’t last for long.
“Enjoy it while you can,” Saul said, before jogging up the stairs.
After checking that the house was clear, they pulled the Humvee into the yard and unloaded their gear. Saul took a hose and sprayed the vehicle down, rinsing away the evidence of the infected they’d run over.
Dylan took a moment to inspect the vehicle. It certainly lived up to its name. To her eyes, it looked like a tank crossed with a 4x4, but one detail bothered her. “Why doesn’t it have one of those big guns on top?”
“It’s an older model that went in for repairs, and they removed some of its equipment,” Saul replied.
“Okay, but a gun would’ve been nice,” Dylan said.
“It’s not like I had time to pick and choose. This one was the closest and had a tank full of gas.”
Dylan raised her hands. “Fair enough. Just saying.”
After cleaning the Humvee, Saul pulled it into the garage and locked it down. Inside the house, Tara lit a couple of candles and placed them around the kitchen, dining, and living room. The place was nice: open and spacious with comfortable furniture and plenty of room, but no electricity.
“What about a generator?” Dylan asked.
“Too noisy,” Saul said. “We’ll have to live without electricity for now.”
“We’ll make do,” Tara said as she checked the cupboards. “Is anyone injured?”
“Not me, but for the rest of you, I got this,” Saul said, removing a first-aid kit from beneath the sink. “It’s all we have in the way of medical supplies. I was able to scrounge up a lot of other stuff, but medicine is at a premium. The Fort had little to spare.”
“How does your knife wound look, Alex?” Tara asked.
He shook his head. “It’s holding. Nothing is
