“Over time, it may not be just the zombies we have to worry about. There will be people out there, maybe desperate or bad people that will see your farm as a prize and want to take it from you. You’ve got some solar panels on the barn and I’m pretty sure that once the power goes out, those will be helpful,” Ethan had said.
Uncle Dickie had been trying to go completely off-grid but hadn’t as of yet. It was a costly process and he’d been doing it in stages. There was some power to the house from the panels, but that only ran the lights and the washing machine, along with a few other smaller appliances. It did not run the water heater or dryer nor the water pump. There was an old well by the barn and a handpump out back, so they could use those. Rose wasn’t sure if they would have to boil the water from the well. It had been boarded up for years and she’d never seen it used. She wasn’t even sure if it was a working well.
Ethan moaned and she took a cool cloth and laid it across his brow. He’d not woken up since Zahara had knocked him out with the dart. She was glad the woman had done it. Ethan had been willing to take the bite without pain killers. She didn’t even want to know how bad that would hurt. The wounds on his chest were large and angry red. She’d given in and put antibiotic ointment around them.
She could hear the others below and heard Reggie’s laughter and one of the boys was giggling. She smiled softly. Children were so resilient. She wiped a tear from her cheek. It seemed like a nightmare that would never end. What if Ethan died? She was just getting to know him and he’d gone and done something like this. She shook her head again. If he did turn into a werewolf, would she want that here? Would Ethan have the ability to control it? She thought of Xander and he was quiet and easy going. He didn’t seem like a raging monster. Zahara was a little wild but she’d seen how she was around the children. Very protective and with Shay, she was like playdough and this caused Rose to snort and grin.
She took Ethan’s hand and held it up. He was pale and the color of ash. She looked out the window and it was dark already. She could smell fish frying; someone must have gone fishing in the large pond. She looked up at the IV and knew she’d have to change it soon. She got up and opened the window and let the evening breeze blow into the room. The windows on the opposite side of the house were open to draw the air through. Her uncle had never put in air conditioning, he said it made you weak. She wiped the sweat away from her face. It might make them weak but it felt a hell of a lot better than roasting.
Ž
The silence was pierced by the deep croaking of a bullfrog. The smaller peepers chirped happily in the humid night air. Everyone in the house was asleep except Xander and Zahara. She lay along his body on the porch swing, several pillows helping to soften the hardwood. There was a slight breeze and it was so good to be alone. Xander’s hand stroked Zahara’s dark mass of hair. He was thinking about their drive into town earlier that evening. He’d planned to pick up the grain and cans for Reggie and some for them as well, though he was sure he could find a few feed stores on their way to North Carolina. Reggie also suggested picking up a dog carrier, to put the chickens in. It would be easier to transport them that way. Along with a watering container.
His phone still worked as did the internet, for now. Rose had told them the name of the feed store and he’d used his phone’s GPS to guide them there. It had been a hell of a drive, walking dead all over the road. Zahara had shot them or leaned out with her sword and decapitated them as they went. There were vehicles that littered the road and the silence of their world was nearly overwhelming. It struck Xander anew, just how quiet it was without constant traffic. No aircrafts in the skies, no hum of distant machines. Nothing but the buzz and drone of insect life.
When they got closer to town, they saw more evidence of destruction and death. Dogs ran the litter strewn streets as bodies lay decomposing. The smell was horrific and both tied bandanas over their faces. The streets and sidewalks were littered with the dead and it was difficult to tell if the dead had been zombies or some poor soul killed outright by a bullet. Dead was dead. Neither saw living people and he’d looked into windows of homes and shops but saw nothing move.
They’d made a brief stop at a bookstore and went in. The lights were flickering and Xander wondered if the power would die soon. Their world would end once the power was well and truly gone. No internet, no access to fuel, unless he siphoned it out and that would only last for so long before the fuel went bad.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Zahara said in a sleepy voice. He shifted on the swing and she looked up and smiled.
“I was thinking of our little adventure in town today.” He felt her body vibrate with silent laughter. He smiled.
“I somehow doubt those assholes will challenge anymore strangers,” she said and chuckled softly.
After the bookstore and gathering the books on gardening, they had made their way to the feed store. It was also a hardware store and Xander had wanted
