She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Pretty badass, right?”
I couldn’t help but smile, even though I was worried. Sam was good at making me smile.
“Do you know how to use that?” I asked.
“How hard can it be?” she asked. “I’ve seen movies.”
“Just hold it,” Erik said.
Sam scrunched up her nose. “What else did you think I was going to do with it?”
“Accidentally shoot yourself in the foot,” Erik said.
“Is this thing loaded?” Sam asked. Her lip curled at the end. “I wish I had my sunglasses.”
“It’s not loaded,” Erik said. “And this isn’t a costume party.”
Dorian slowly backed away from the window. “They’re almost here.”
“Stay back… out of sight,” Erik said. “I’ll do the talking.”
I shuddered at the knock at the door. Dorian stood next to me, and Sam stepped in front of us.
“Who is it?” Erik called out with his hand on the doorknob.
“Your neighbors from down the road,” one of the voices replied.
“Got a name, neighbor?” Erik asked. As if giving a name would somehow help our situation.
“Sure thing,” he said. “Mark Bennett. It’s easier to talk face to face.”
Erik exhaled and opened the door, keeping his foot placed firmly behind it, lodging it in place. “What can I do for you, Mr. Bennett?”
“Call me Mark,” he said.
“You got it, Mark,” Erik said. “How can I help you?”
“We’re just going door to door to make sure everyone is doing okay. There have been some rumors that we have some trouble to the north, and we’re just checking on everyone.”
“All is well here,” Erik said.
“You wouldn’t be out there causing any trouble now, would you?” Mark Bennett asked. “Can’t say I recognize you. Is this your home?”
I couldn’t see Erik’s expression, but I could see his knuckles whiten around the grip of his gun. “This is my home. Come several times a year to fish.”
“We know everyone in the area,” Mark Bennett said. “Saw you weren’t alone. Is your friend with you?”
“Dorian!” Erik called.
“Shit,” Dorian muttered before stepping around Sam.
He looked at the gun for a split second before bouncing up beside Erik. Dorian clasped his hands behind his back.
“What’s up?” Dorian asked cheerfully. “Hey, Bobby. How you doing?”
“Aren’t you Frank Bell’s kid?” Mark Bennett asked.
“That’s right,” Dorian said. “Your son, Bobby, and I went to school together.”
Mark Bennett didn’t care to talk about it. If Bobby had said anything, I hadn’t heard him.
“So, it’s just the two of you here?” Mark Bennett asked. I took a step further back, afraid they were trying to look inside.
“Just us,” Erik replied.
“Interesting,” Mark Bennett said. “And how do you two know each other?”
Dorian scratched the back of his neck. “We go fishing together.”
“Weird,” Mark Bennett said.
“How so?” Erik asked.
One of them laughed. “It’s like that one movie.”
“Never seen you before, yet you have a fishing buddy,” Mark Bennett said. “I’ll see your dad around, I’m sure.”
“Tell him I said hi,” Dorian said.
“Will do.” Mark Bennett shifted to the side slightly. I couldn’t see more than his shoulder. “Well, if you need anything, a group of us have banded together to survive this shit. We help those we can. Us locals have to stick together.”
Erik’s head bobbed. “Thanks. You don’t happen to know what’s going on exactly, do you?”
The group chuckled in unison.
“Shit has hit the fan, man,” Mark Bennett said. “Ain’t no one coming to help us anytime soon. According to my radio, this shit is worldwide. We’ve been sent back in time.”
Sam lowered the gun slightly. I knew she was thinking about Dott.
“How sure are you?” Erik asked.
“Very,” Mark Bennett replied. “Anyway, we’re going to hit the last house before heading back. You sure you’re good? My buddy Don here, is a prepper. Got all that shit. Freeze-dried food, jugs of water, vitamins, even an underground shelter. He’s set for life.”
“Shut up, Mark,” the man I assumed was Don said. “You don’t tell people that.”
Erik drummed his fingers on the wall. “We don’t want your stuff.”
“You say that now,” Don said.
“Anyway, you two have a good day now, and don’t be strangers, okay?” Mark Bennett said.
“Okay,” Erik said. He almost had the door closed when he hesitated. “Just one question.”
“What’s that?” Mark Bennett asked.
Erik hesitated for a moment. “You know that Wanda Carter passed away, right?”
“Yeah,” Mark Bennett said. “We were at her funeral.”
“Then why are you going to her house?” Erik asked.
“Just check it out. Word is someone was there,” Mark Bennett said. “Like I said, we’re going to keep our neighborhood safe.”
Erik nodded and closed the door. He tucked the gun into his waistband and placed his palms on the door frame.
I watched as his hands slid down, and he turned toward us. “Well, that was awkward. How well do you know those guys?”
“Not well,” Dorian said. “His kid didn’t hang in the same groups as I did. He was more into sports.”
“What were you into?” Sam asked.
“Waiting for school to end so I could get home and hide in my room,” Dorian said, his hands dropping heavily to his sides. “Oh, shit.”
Erik turned to him. “What?”
“They’re going to tell my dad I’m here,” Dorian said. “This isn’t good.”
“Maybe he won’t care,” Sam said.
“You heard him. He’ll find me so he can kill me. He’s probably dreamed of this moment his entire life. He hates me. I was never good enough,” Dorian said. “He’ll come to kill me and get away with it. Can I stay at your place, Mel?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so, but wouldn’t you feel safer staying here? I mean, someone was clearly in my mom’s house.”
“I
