Getting out of the rig, he’d opened the gate and driven through. He was climbing out of the rig to shut the gate when Reggie came running up with his AR-15. The mutt from the neighbor’s home was with him. The boys had named him Rufus. The dog had shown up a day after Xander had set him free and hadn’t left. His wolf wasn’t sure how he felt about the dog.
“What in the hell?” Reggie asked, a wide smile on his tired face.
“Found it out on the highway. Figured I’d bring it back and park it near the barn. We can break into it later and see what we have. Then we can fill it with our nonperishables and lock it up,” Ethan said smiling. Reggie had laughed and smacked him on the back. Ethan climbed back into the rig as Reggie closed the gate. Then Reggie climbed up onto the running board and Ethan drove to the barn. Ethan was brought out of his daydreaming by the boys as they ran toward Rose, who was followed by Lauren. Rose carried a tray of sweet ice tea and it looked wonderful.
“Miss Rose, you sure know the way to a man’s heart,” Reggie said and took off his work gloves.
“Is it always so damned hot?” Ethan asked and both Reggie and Rose laughed. He looked at them confused.
“Son, this is mild weather. This ain’t even near hot,” Reggie said, taking a glass and drinking the dark sweet liquid.
“Ah shit,” Ethan said and then looked at the boys, who were wearing the large work gloves, ignoring the adults.
“Sorry, got to watch that,” he said and grinned. Rose shrugged and smiled.
“No, today is mild. Sometimes you can’t hardly breathe it’s so hot. With no air conditioning, we’ll all be gettin’ used to sitting around when it’s too hot to move,” Rose said and set the tray on a large spool of wiring. Ethan thought she looked pretty in the light cotton blouse and shorts.
“Maybe later go for a swim in the pond?” he asked and the boys crowed and hopped around.
“I expect we’ll be doing a lot of that as we head into July and August. I think we’d better get the solar panels up sooner rather than later and maybe pick up a few more fans on our next trip out,” Reggie said.
“I think you’re right. I think if we can keep air movin’ through the house, it won’t be as bad. I’m also setting up an outdoor kitchen. Lauren is helping,” Rose said and they looked at Lauren, who blushed, a smile hovering on her lips.
“That’s a good idea. Let me know if you need me to build you some kind of structure, especially for the rain,” Reggie offered.
“Thank Reg, maybe after you boys get done with the fencing and solar panels, you could do something. For now, I’m fine.” They stood in companionable silence and drank their tea. Then Ethan turned his head and looked at the other two.
“What?” Reggie asked.
“I hear a truck, someone’s coming this way,” Ethan said.
“I don’t hear anything,” Rose said. Ethan lifted an eyebrow and she laughed with an oh yeah, expression. Ethan picked up his waist holster with the Walther PPQ and stuck it into the back of his shorts. Reggie picked up his AR-15 and slung it over his shoulder and they waited for the truck to reach them. In the distance they saw a plume of road dust lift. The truck wasn’t going fast.
“Boys, you come stand with me,” Rose said and backed up a few steps. Mike and Luke went immediately to her, knowing her tone. The children had learned quickly how to follow orders. Though young, they inherently understood their lives depended on them listening to the adults. Lauren went to stand by Rose, her arms going around the older woman’s waist. Rose put her arm around Lauren’s shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. Ethan smiled and turned his attention to the truck that was now in sight. He saw that there were two men in the bed of the truck and they were standing and there were two men in the cab. The men standing held weapons, hunting rifles, from what he could tell. He couldn’t see what the men inside the truck carried.
The man driving lifted a hand out the window, waving. Both men standing in the bed of the truck lifted their hands in greeting. Ethan examined their faces, looking for signs of ill intent. He trusted no one, especially when it came to the lives of the ones he cared about. He calculated the time it would take to change and attack. He knew Reggie would take care of any that he couldn’t get to. He smiled remembering when Reggie had said wolf at the dealership. Wolf indeed.
“Howdy, how y’all doin’ today?” the man in the passenger’s seat called out of the window. The old gray Ford pulled up in front of the fence they were augmenting.
“Fair ta middlin’. You?” Reggie asked. Ethan kept his mouth shut; he didn’t want his northern roots to show.
“Is this Richard Duncan’s place?” the man asked, his tone still friendly and Ethan put him to near sixty-five. His face was weathered by sun and working out in the fields or garden.
“Yes sir, it’s my Uncle Dickie’s place. He was killed by those zombie things. Is that you, Mr. Jenner? It’s me, Rose,” she said, coming forward with
