Katie…
Juan pushed her up onto the next ladder. "Come on, Loca. Get up there."
Jason reached down to her and she crawled up to him. His arms went around her for a moment in a tight hug, then he was pulling her down the steps someone had made and pushed up to the wall for easy access. Jack was at her feet whining.
"Katie left…"
"She'll be fine, Mom. She'll be fine." Jason held her tightly to him and helped her walk.
"But we're a team. If I'm not with her, they'll get her. That's how it works. That's how it works."
"Travis is with her, Mom. She'll be okay. C'mon, Mom." Jason pulled her along and she went with him.
Jenni felt numb, disoriented, and overwhelmed. Katie needed to be here or she needed to be with Katie. That was how it worked. They had to be together, as a team, or else the zombies would get them.
The world started spinning again…
She fainted.
3. And Further Still
Katie looked at the gas gauge and frowned. As the truck tore over the bumpy country road, she was jostled about. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly to steady herself and her nerves. She let out a slow sigh.
"It's up ahead. Soon," Travis assured her. He was peering at a map, much like Jenni used to.
Jenni…
Katie wondered how she was doing. She had a feeling Jenni was not taking their separation well. Actually, she wasn't either. They had bonded so quickly, so tightly, to be separated felt odd and disorienting. Travis’ presence was different than Jenni's. It had her a little off balance. She wanted to reach out and take Jenni's hand and feel that it was all going to be okay. Instead, she gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"I'm sorry," Travis said softly.
"Why sorry?"
"It was my stupid idea to have us leave and now…" He shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Katie. I've never been a real leader before. I'm sure I'm fucking things up."
"No, no, you're doing your best. Hell, none of us have any idea what we are really doing."
"Except Juan with his zombie handbook. He assured me that the guns were important though he mumbled something about blades," Travis said grimly.
"Guns are effective. They just draw a lot of attention fast," Katie reminded him. "But I'd rather have a gun than a blade with some of the faster ones."
"Yeah, Juan is still bitching about that. He keeps complaining that they're supposed to be slow. But some of the ones that aren't as screwed up are really damn fast."
Katie let out a little laugh. "Actually, Jenni spent a good deal of time bitching about the same thing."
"Gas station should be just around that bend." Travis looked at her with an unreadable expression. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay. It's not like I haven't done this before." She smiled at him and pulled into the Mom and Pop gasoline station Travis pointed to. "After two days of this, I'm an old pro."
The station was a very old building with peeling white paint and heavy bars over the windows, but the pumps were new. A beat up, very old trailer was nestled behind the weathered gas station. Travis looked out his window.
He turned to her. "It looks clear. I'll see if I can get into the building and turn on the pumps. The readouts on the pumps are still working, so the electricity isn't out here."
Katie pulled her credit card out of her pants pocket. "We could just try this."
Travis looked at the card, then at her, and finally smiled. "I knew there was a reason I had you with me."
Katie slid out of the truck, her gun drawn, her gaze sweeping over the terrain. She was feeling a little too hot and mushy headed. Wiping her brow, she glanced toward Travis to see that the credit card had worked. He grabbed the nozzle and gave her a wink.
"We're in business," he said.
"Just make it fast."
Her stomach gave a low growl and a twinge ran through her intestines.
Dammit, great time to have an upset stomach. Sliding around the front of the truck, she looked all around, studying the shadows under the trees and the buildings in the distance.
"Do you have food and water, Travis!" It was a woman's voice. Young, perky.
Travis whirled around, as did Katie.
A young woman with red hair had slid open what looked like a window for after hour payments.
"A bottle or two of water would do us fine, Rachel," Travis answered.
"Glad to see you're okay."
"We got the family holed up in here. But nothing has come by since yesterday. Luthor shot it and we drug it out back."
Travis nodded and motioned to Katie to go get the stuff.
Katie kept her gaze on her surroundings as she moved toward the building. She felt her stomach flutter and she hated being so exposed in the openness of the parking lot. She walked sideways and took a long look down the side of the building to make sure nothing lurked there, then moved toward the window.
The girl waited for her, the window half open, talking to someone hidden from view.
Rachel was handed a bag and she pushed the window all the way open to hand it to Katie. She took it gratefully and peeked inside. It had water and Danish in it. She was getting tired of Danish.
Rachel looked at her for a long moment, sizing her up. "You and Travis heading out of town together? Going to hide somewhere?"
"We have a mission for city hall, actually. That's where we're located and hoping to get back there."
"I heard that a lot of people were down there on the CB. We decided to wait it out here until the army comes," Rachel answered. "We got food in here to last us, but I'm sure the army will get here soon."
"What makes you think they will come?"
"Because that's their job," Rachel answered and looked toward Travis.
"So, you and Travis are doing a mission? What kinda mission?"
Katie smiled slightly, realizing the woman was jealous.
"Getting guns to blow the zombies to hell," Katie answered.
"Yeah? Hell, just go into any house around here and you'll find guns."
"And maybe zombies," Katie reminded her.
"Yeah, that's not good."
"Let's go, Katie!" Travis slammed the lid to the tank closed and waved to her.
"Thanks, Rachel," Katie said and quickly ran toward him.
She felt her intestines twisting again. Her head was throbbing now.
What the hell was wrong with her?
"You okay?" Travis looked at her with concern.
"Yeah," she said firmly. She slid back into the driver's seat and put on her seatbelt. Her hands felt clammy when she gripped the steering wheel and, for a moment, her eyesight swam.
Travis reached out and ran his hand over her hair gently. "Katie, you're burning up."
She leaned her forehead against the steering wheel. "I just don't feel good all at once."
"Nothing got you?" Travis asked, his voice edged with fear.
"No, no. Nothing touched me even." She stared at him through a blond curl falling over her eyes. "I just don't feel good."
"Let me drive," Travis said.
"Okay," Katie answered. Her strength was leaving her fast. She slid over into the passenger seat. The wound she had received when sliding down onto the road sent a sharp pain through her limb and she grimaced.
Travis came around and got into the driver's seat. He touched her forehead again gently. "You feel feverish. You better rest. Here, drink some water."
Katie smiled at how sweet he was as he buckled her in and handed her the bottle of water. "Thanks."
His hands were rough, but very cool on her face and neck. "Katie, are you sure…"
"Yes, yes. I wouldn't lie about that."
He nodded and ran his hand lightly down her cheek to her neck. "Rest."
Katie took long sips of water and watched the road begin its neverending scrawl beneath the tires of the truck. The tank now full, the truck sped down the road that would lead them to Ralph's tiny little town and his hunting store.
She was feeling worse and worse and closed her eyes. She must have dozed because she woke with a start. "Pull over!"
Travis slammed on the brakes and Katie flung open the door and threw up her breakfast. Heaving, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
"It may not be safe, Katie," Travis said, his hand on her back, a comforting gesture, yet she knew he was ready to yank her back inside.
"Okay, “ she said, and threw up all that remained in her stomach. She slammed the door shut and wiped her mouth off with a kerchief Travis handed her.
Travis drew near her, his hand on her face, then her neck. He saw her wounded forearm. "Katie, what is this?"
"Scrape. I caught it on the truck when we jumped down."
He looked at it and nodded. He poured water over it and found a napkin in the cup holder to cover it. "Just a scrape?"
"I would tell you. I don't want to be one of those things," she answered softly.