He didn’t know when he finally drifted off, but the hand gently shaking him snapped him out of dreams that he never knew he could have.
In his dreams he had been with Veronica. There was a quiet little house with the ubiquitous white picket fence. A small child laughing gleefully as he spun her around. She wore a sundress that matched Veronica’s, and he knew it was their child. He could feel the warmth that radiated from both of them, matched only by the bright yellow sun overhead. His body bathed in that warmth and the cool fall air that he slept in couldn’t touch him.
He started awake and sat up in the chair, his hand immediately going to his face and wiping his eyes. “What? What is it?”
“Why are you out here?” Lana asked, her face a mask of concern.
He sat up and gave her a soft smile. “I couldn’t sleep.” He slid to the edge of the chair and shook his head slightly, forcing himself to be more alert. “I came out here so I wouldn’t disturb you.” He looked up at her and gave her his best disarming smile. “You needed your rest.”
She nodded at him. “Doctor’s orders.”
“That’s right.” He slowly stood up, his joints aching from the chill air. “I think I about froze straight through.”
She walked silently back to the RV and he carried his chair and set it under the awning. “Come in and we’ll get you warmed up.”
Simon followed her inside and went straight for the coffee. She held his arm and pulled him to her, embracing him. “You’re freezing.”
“I’ll be okay once I get some coffee inside me.”
She looked up at him, her face almost angelic in the early morning light. “Come to bed. I’ll warm you up.”
Simon balked and gently shook his head. “Let me wake up a little first, okay?”
She pulled back and gave him a concerned look. “Are you okay?”
He nodded as he poured water into a cup and put it in the microwave. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just cold.” He pressed the start button then reached for the instant coffee.
“I feel like there’s something you’re not telling me.” Her voice was soft and worried.
He set the freeze dried coffee on the counter and sighed, his head hung low. “I’m just not…” He trailed off. He turned to her slowly. “Look, ever since the rabbit, I just…”
She paled as she saw the expression on his face and she covered her mouth as emotions began to rise. “I’m sorry.” She turned and darted into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Simon leaned on the counter and sighed. He felt guilty, he felt it deeply, on more levels than he knew he had. He glanced at the shut door then he glanced through the front windows at Vee’s trailer. He cursed himself silently and nearly jumped when the microwave dinged.
He pulled the water out and quickly made his early morning “go juice.” He sipped it slowly as his heart and mind struggled.
Part of him wanted to go into the bedroom and console Lana but another, bigger part of him wanted to rush over to Vee’s trailer and scoop her into his arms.
Simon sat on the short couch and cradled the coffee in his hands, letting the warmth seep into his pores. What do I do? he asked himself.
He stared at the bedroom door and knew that if he went in there, she would try to seduce him. He glanced at Vee’s trailer and knew that if he went over there, she would push him away. It had become painfully clear that they would be together only on her terms.
He sat in the shadows of his RV and closed his eyes. Although he wasn’t a religious man, he sent a silent prayer up into the ether, hoping that whatever god there might be would send him an answer.
17
Hatcher gripped his pistol as he opened the door of the truck. “If this is a trick…”
“I got you covered,” Missy whispered, the 30.30 at the ready.
He stepped down from the truck and stood beside it, his hand still holding the grip of the pistol. He watched as the motorcycles stopped a good distance from the truck and a man slipped off the seat.
“You’re sure that was a white flag they waved?” he whispered to Missy.
“If it wasn’t, then it sure was a funny way to dry their tighty-whities.”
“Hello there!” the man called out.
Hatcher stepped out from behind the door of the truck, the pistol sliding up from his holster, but still not cleared. “State your business,” he yelled back.
The man froze and held his hands up. “We just wanted to talk, brother.” He slowly opened his vest and flashed a pistol in a shoulder holster. “We mean no harm. All of our weapons are holstered.”
“I said state your business,” Hatcher warned.
The man took a half step back and shook his head. “We’re not looking for trouble, mister. And we damn sure ain’t out here to start any.” He paused and slowly lowered his hands. “You’re the first people we’ve seen outside our settlement since the ghouls came limping home.”
“Ghouls?”
“The pasty skinned folks that ran around trying to eat everybody? Surely you’ve seen them.” He chuckled nervously and waved his arms around. “They pretty much caused all of this.”
Hatcher loosened his grip on the pistol and nodded. “And?”
“And we just wanted to say howdy.” He motioned back to the other riders. “We come out about every other day looking for survivors.”
“What for?”
The man lowered his head and planted his hands on his hips. “Look, I understand being careful and such. Heck, I don’t blame anybody that’s made it this far for being cautious. But we’re just spreading the word that we have a settlement. Real folks just trying to make it.” He gave Hatcher a shrug. “We invite good people to join us.”
“And how do you determine who’s good
