Bear slid behind the wheel and started the engine. Smoke belched from the exhaust, and the Jeep lurched forward. They raced up the street, followed by the van in close pursuit. The feral dogs gave chase, but they were no match for the vehicles. Within minutes, they fell behind and faded from view.
Rogue slumped back in her seat, still clutching her spear. She sucked in a deep breath. “Thank God, it’s over. That was awful.”
“No kidding,” Jessica said, reloading her rifle. She slammed the magazine into place and sighed. “I never had a dog, not even as a kid before the Shift. Now, I’m kind of glad of that fact.”
“I know what you mean,” Rogue said.
Images of teeth and fur filled her mind, and the metallic scent of blood clung to her nostrils. She winced with every remembered yelp and howl of pain. Killing the feral dogs had been an act of self-defense, but it was also one she loathed. Unlike Jessica, she had owned a dog once. While she couldn’t remember much about it, young Lillian had loved her poodle, Millie. But that was a long time ago.
Rogue shook off the memory. Living in the past served no purpose. She leaned forward and shrugged off her backpack, aware of the throbbing pain in her ankle. With a grimace, she lifted her foot onto the seat.
“How bad is it?” Seth asked.
“I’m about to find out,” Rogue said, easing off her boot.
Her sock was soaked in blood, and she tossed it onto the floor. Deep puncture wounds marred the flesh, and the joint was bruised and swollen. She tried to move the foot and hissed. “Shit, that hurts.”
Jessica leaned over and shook her head. “That’s bad. You’re likely to get an infection.”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Rogue said, putting on a brave face. “I just need to disinfect it properly.”
“Let me see,” Seth said, twisting around in his seat.
“I’m okay,” Rogue protested.
“Jessica’s right. That feral’s mouth must’ve been teeming with bacteria,” Seth said. “Who knows what it ate last? Carrion, rotten meat…”
“Uh-huh. We need to stop. Imogen has antibiotics in her first-aid kit,” Jessica said.
“We can’t stop now. Those dogs aren’t far behind. They could still catch up,” Rogue said. “We can stop later.”
“Are you sure?” Jessica asked, pulling out her own medical kit.
“I’m sure,” Rogue said, reaching for the gauze and antiseptic fluid.
With Jessica’s help, she flushed out the puncture wounds and wrapped the ankle with bandages. She pulled them tight, rendering the joint immobile. Afterward, she took a couple of anti-inflammatories with a bottle of water.
“Sorry, but that’s all I’ve got except for a few syringes of morphine,” Jessica said with a shake of her head.
“I don’t think I’m that far gone yet,” Rogue said with a forced laugh.
“Imogen has the rest of the stuff we took from Kalama,” Jessica replied.
“We can get to that later,” Rogue said, leaning back in her seat. She closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath. Her ankle still throbbed, but it felt a lot better than before. I just hope nothing else happens on this journey. We still have many miles to cover.
Chapter 20
Bear drove the Jeep through Tacoma until they reached the outskirts. There, he got onto the WA-18 N and headed for Fall City. They’d discussed the route the night before and had decided to go around Seatle rather than through it.
According to Jessica, much of the city was underwater, and large chunks had been sheered off by the Shift. Any survivors abandoned the place and moved to safer ground. It was an urban nightmare best avoided by all travelers, especially those on the ground.
After fifteen minutes of driving, Rogue dozed off. Not even the rough road and constant jostling could keep her awake. It’d been a rough morning, and she’d been up since before dawn. With her wounded leg propped up on the seat, she drifted off into a deep slumber.
It wasn’t a restful sleep. Nightmares plagued her dreams. One, in particular, played repeatedly in her mind until she whimpered for respite.
***
The clock wound back until she found herself back in her old home. It was several months before the Shift, and everything was normal. Her name was Lillian, she was five-years-old, and in kindergarten. Her mom had just picked her up from school, and the familiar sounds of cooking came from the kitchen.
She sat on her bed, paging through an old storybook. Millie, her dog, sat next to her, her tail wagging as Lillian read the story out loud.
“Once upon a time, in a land far far aw—”
Her father appeared in the doorway. “It’s time for dinner, Lillian. Come to the table.”
“Can’t I finish the story first?” she asked, disappointed.
“Not unless you want to miss dinner. It’s your favorite. Mac’ and cheese,” her father coaxed with a smile.
Lillian grinned in reply. “I’m coming, Daddy.”
“Remember to wash your hands first, young lady,” he added, disappearing down the hallway.
“I will!”
Lillian scrambled off the bed and straightened her clothes. She loved macaroni and cheese. It was her favoritest, bestest food in the entire world. Millie’s too.
She turned to face Millie. “Come on, Millie. Let’s go.”
But Millie wasn’t Millie anymore. She’d changed. Her lips quivered in a vicious snarl, the once-cute pink nose distorted above the exposed canines. Her fluffy white fur stood on end, and her eyes gleamed with hatred.
“Millie? What’s wrong?” Lillian asked in faltering tones.
Millie growled, and she hunched down in readiness to attack.
Lillian stumbled backward, her heart banging in her chest. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
“Millie, please,” she pleaded, hoping the young poodle would wag her tail like she always did.
Instead, Millie launched herself off the bed, her jaws snapping at Lillian’s tender flesh. Razor-sharp teeth cut into Lillian’s throat, and blood spurted from the wound. Lillian tried to fight off the rabid dog, but it was useless. “Mommy. Daddy. Help!”
***
Rogue jerked upright, her heart racing and her mouth dry. She looked around, relieved to find she
