The next morning, Albert Gonzales brought the Humvee into the shop area for an inspection and servicing. He patched the muffler with sheet metal and performed routine maintenance on the engine. While cleaning the interior of trash, he found cases of beer and whiskey stashed in the back. Liquor, tobacco and street drugs were banned by our group from its inception, so we emptied the liquor and buried the containers with the other trash.
When Albert and his son, Vince, were satisfied with the Humvee's condition, it was fueled, parked by the livestock barn, and locked. I didn't see a need for it, but who knew what our future needs would be.
That afternoon I sat on a wood bench outside our survivor's compound. I was next to Kira Schafer. The afternoon sun warmed us despite an aggressive breeze carrying December's chilly temperature. She'd suggested we talk about the day a month before when Connie Diuguid, my ex-girlfriend, attacked her. She leaned her brunette hair against the metal panels and stretched her long legs out in front of her.
"As the evidence against her mounted," Kira began, "there was no doubt Connie wanted to kill me. But why did she think we might be intimate when there wasn't...”
I started to speak, but Kira waved me off. She threw a harsh questioning look at me.
"You didn't use me as a reason to drop her, did you?"
I'd sat staring at the woods, some six hundred feet away, which surrounded our compound. I turned on the bench to face Kira as I shook my head. "I did not use you as a reason to untangle myself from Connie because there was and is nothing between us. I'd simply grown tired of her demanding, possessive attitude. After Emma died, I was lonely and still suffering her loss. Connie was there for me. She was attentive and helpful, and initially there was an attraction. It's strange and disheartening for me to accept that I enabled a relationship with the woman who caused my wife's death. I feel like a dodo."
My M14 stood upright against the bench, and I grabbed it after my arm brushed it and knocked it off balance. Yeah, a dodo. "Connie confronted me several times after seeing you and I talking; she was extremely jealous and possessive. I soon learned she was somewhat paranoid and unstable, too, so I ended the relationship."
Kira stared in mock horror. "Somewhat unstable is putting it mildly. Connie should have been committed to a mental hospital. She was friendly when she and I crossed paths, especially when others were around. But occasionally, I'd turn toward her, and she'd be glaring at me for no reason. It's still scary that she could hate me enough to set me up to be attacked by those undead monsters because she perceived me as a threat to your relationship with her."
"I know. Looking back, it still doesn't seem possible that my dropping her as a girlfriend would cause her to try to murder you. But I have to take her word that it was what drove her to set you up to die by the hands of the zombies."
Kira's expression turned somber. "It's even stranger that she arranged the death of her fiancé and then your wife to get close to you. You're a strong leader. I've seen that. But it's not like you're movie star handsome or super charismatic."
"Thanks a lot,” I responded sarcastically. “If we're finished, let's go back inside. It suddenly got too chilly to sit outside."
Kira grimaced and laid her hand on mine. "Sorry. I didn't mean for that to come out quite like that or so strong. I apologize, handsome. Can we just be friends?"
I nodded but remained serious. "After Emma died, I jumped into a bad relationship too soon because I didn't let enough time pass. So, casual friends is good."
We stood to go back inside to safety and warmth. "I hear Janice, Marilyn and Andrea have been spending time talking to you about your run in with the man who raped and beat you. Has it helped?"
Her face flushed. She looked embarrassed to talk about it with me. "They and Ira and several others have been very helpful and attentive. I'm dealing with it better, but it's not totally under control." She smiled again. "Even at twelve, Paige has been my biggest supporter and salvation. Thank you for asking."
Three weeks after their arrival, we welcomed the seven new survivors to our group on December 22, 2021. While I had no direct objections to Nate and Vera, there was an undercurrent about them that bothered me. Before the welcoming meeting, Shane Holescheck and I discussed the couple. "When you give this group your initiation spiel, don't mention the gold we have. There's something about Nate and Vera that doesn't set right. It's not that I don't like them, but he fires up feelings of doubt and concern in me."
"I agree about the gold," Shane said. I didn't plan to tell Kira about our bullion either. It just slipped out without my thinking since everyone here knows about it. I'll spread the word for everyone else to not mention it either. What are your concerns about the Robards?"
"I wish I knew. It's not that simple or concrete. It's more his attitude and occasional sly looks and comments that don't seem right or appropriate for the time or situation. Maybe he's just a smartass or a jerk, and I'm making too much of it."
"I doubt that. You've proven to be a good judge of character, or lack thereof, so I'll respect your opinion and keep my eyes and ears open."
"Also Ira and Marcie both said Nate was experiencing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal during his stay in isolation. When I met him, I suspected that red nose was from excessive drinking. As much as
