She dragged the chair over to his bed and wiped the sweat from his brow with a damp washcloth. “You’re going to be just fine.” She hoped she wasn’t lying.
She opened the bottle of acetaminophen and poured a short glass of water. “Here. These will help.”
Kevin opened his mouth and she dropped the capsules in then handed him the water. He choked slightly from trying to drink while reclining, but he washed the pills down and laid back on his pillow with a sigh. “Am I dying?”
She forced herself to laugh. “From strep throat? I doubt it.” She patted his arm then reached for his wrist. She stared at her watch, then jotted down his heart rate in her log.
“If it’s just strep, why all the concern?” Kevin’s eyes were red-rimmed and his brow was already soaked with sweat again.
She nodded. She had never sugar coated anything with him before, why start now. “Because while we’re ninety-nine percent positive that you have a common strain of strep, there is that slight chance that you may have contracted our modified strain.” She gave him a shrug. “Better safe than sorry.”
Kevin nodded and leaned back. “Thanks for being straight with me.”
“Don’t even think I’d lie to protect your feelings, Kevin McAlester. You’re too much of an asshole for me to bother with that.”
He chuckled and gave her a broad smile. “You know why I’m such an asshole, don’t you?”
“It’s just your nature?”
He shook his head and closed his eyes. “Because. Every time I get close to someone, they die.” He sighed and turned his head slightly away from her. “I like you…and I don’t want you to die.”
She stared at him open mouthed, thankful the mask covered her expression. “You’re a scientist. Surely you can’t believe in superstitions.”
“We live in a world where people are eating each other…I believe in all sorts of things I didn’t used to believe in.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve found religion.”
He shook his head. “No loving god could allow something like this to exist.” He swallowed hard and winced. “No, but I do believe in Karma. This may well be Mother Nature’s revenge on us.”
She nodded. His explanation almost made sense.
Almost.
“Well, don’t you worry. There’s no chance of me liking you back, so I’ll live forever.” She gave him a wink and he chuckled again.
“Sounds like a deal.” He rolled to his side and curled up in a fetal position. “I’m going to sleep. I’m just…I’m so tired.”
“You do that.” She pulled the wool blanket up and tucked it around his chin. “I’ll be right here if you need anything.”
“Fine!” Simon yelled into the bullhorn. “You’re ALL going to be human pancakes!” He twisted the key again and smiled when the diesel engine belched to life once more. “Let’s move!”
He watched as the people ran about, waving their guns and firing at the bulletproof machines. He eyed the wrought iron gates and aimed the bulldozer for the main entrance. He tapped at the lever, bringing the blade up slightly and cutting off any chance the Cagers had of getting in a lucky shot.
Simon whooped and banged his fist against the side of the machine, willing it to go faster. He peered past the farthest edge of the blade and noted a man at the corner of the property, propping his long gun along the top of the wall. He tapped the joystick and edged the dozer slightly more to the side, blocking the shooter’s line of sight. He was rewarded with a loud ping from the blade as it intercepted the attempted kill shot.
“These assholes are in for a big surprise.” He chuckled to himself as he pushed the machine on.
From the corner of his eyes he spotted a figure bolting between Shooter’s dozer and his own. Simon did a double take, slamming his foot down on the idler pedal. He sat up in the seat and watched as Shooter darted behind his bulldozer and attempted to climb up the back of his machine. He turned around in his seat and glared at the man. “What in the flying fuck-shit do you think you’re doing?!”
Shooter stared at him wide eyed, his finger pointing back at his own machine. “Some motherfucker shot at me!”
Simon beat against the rear glass of the cab. “They’re ALL shooting at us you dimwit!” He beat against the glass again. “Get your ass back over there and—”
He nearly pissed himself when the side glass of the cab exploded. He ducked instinctively and gripped the back of his seat with both hands. “Holy shit! Somebody just shot at me!”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” Shooter kept low, balancing on the track and trying to keep out of the line of fire. “Whoever it is shot my window out. I felt the bullet whiz by my face!” He pointed to a stand of trees and Simon peered through the broken glass.
“Wave Sinner over. We got to get the hell out of here.”
“But…but…you said they had the food in there.” Shooter looked at him expectantly. “We’re just gonna quit?”
Simon slapped at the glass. “No, we’re not gonna quit! Jesus Christ! We just have to come up with a better plan.”
Shooter groaned as he waved Sinner closer to their idle machine. He backed the dozer in close to Simon’s machine. “What’s going on?”
“Sniper! In the woods.” Simon pointed to the far side of the field. “We need to work together and protect each other with the blades.” He reached across the cabin and tugged at the joystick, causing the dozer to turn sharply and Shooter to lose his balance on the tread.
“Hold on!” He scrambled to the rear of the dozer and ducked below the hydraulic cylinders attached to the root hooks. He braced his feet on the main frame and beat on the cab. “Go.”
Simon angled his machine to try to block gunfire from both the old folks’ home and the sniper in the trees. He glared toward the old folks’ home
