She awoke in the night. Most nights all she had to do was roll over and sleep would easily find her. Not tonight. After an eternity of tossing, she decided to find a distraction. Maybe reading something would calm her brain enough to doze off.

Keeping as quiet as possible she made her way down the hall and to the large, double door entryway. She slipped into the dimly lit room and was immediately hit with the smell of cedar. Awestruck by the number of cluttered shelves that lined the walls she wondered where to start. Walking up to the shelves, Garnet began reading the titles of the books looking for something to catch her eye. 

"Couldn't sleep either," Rye, said with a yawn, catching her off guard.

"Do you have to walk so quietly?" she grumbled fighting the urge to mirror his yawn. She turned to look at him, "my brain just won't shut down."

"Well, there are plenty of distractions in here," moving towards the desk, pulling out a board and a small case, "chess?"

"I don't play it too much. Can you give me a refresher course?"

Garnet woke on the library couch, sun streaming down on her face. She had no idea how she had gotten there, the last thing she remembered was losing her third game in a row. She lay there, wrapped up in Rye's jacket, unwilling to move knowing that it would mean another day of trying to figure out what was wrong with her and the gate. She didn't want to deal with any more questions about how she was feeling and wanted to just have a day to get her thoughts together. Wanted to try and figure out the emptiness that seemed to consume her after a visit to the grotto where the gate dwelled.

"Good morning, demoiselle. Do you think I can have my coat back?" Rye yawned, he was sitting on the opposite side of the sofa, her feet in his lap. "We have to get dressed for breakfast."

"It's warm and I'm keeping it. I don't feel like moving, right now." She sighed, pulling the coat over her head.

"I'm pretty sure I can get you off the couch," he softly chuckled running his fingers across the bottom of her foot.

"You wouldn't," flinging the coat at him, trying to fight the urge to laugh. She caught the mischievous look on his face and squeaked as he leaped for her. Slipping from the couch, "I thought you were supposed to be the grumpy one?"

"I guess I'm just a morning person," he laughed, draping the coat over her shoulders. Seeing her expression change as they both heard the ruckus of the other three coming down the hall, "what's wrong?"

"Just more tired than I thought," what she had wanted to say was how tired she was of the ongoing questions and concerns. She knew saying that would make him worry and then he would faun over her the way the others had been over the last few days.

"Are you sure that's all you want to say," concerned look on his face as he hugged her close to him. Her only answer was a small nod as she hugged him back. "How about we get you to your room and get you back to bed. I think my brothers and I can find something to do while you get some rest." Another nod was his answer as Garnet pulled away allowing him to lead her to her room.

#Storyinprogress, #Library, #Troublesleeping

"She can't leave us, we need her. You need her. It's been a long time since you have smiled. We know you love her. All you have to do is tell her." Jack said softly. "Don't let them take her away."

"She belongs with them, they are her family," Rye spoke, his eyes never leaving the portal as he watched Garnet walk off with her mother. "If you weren't such a child you would know that. It would be selfish for us to make her stay."

"I am not a child and you're the one acting selfish brother." With those words the young Spring God flew off in a scattering of feathers, leaving his brother behind.

"Don't leave us, please don't leave us. I know they are your family but we need you more. Rye loves you he's just too stubborn to say it. We all love you. We want to be your family too," Jack pleaded as she answered the door, the young God's voice was shaky, his soft eyes filling with tears.

"I'm not leaving. I explained to my mother last night that I wasn't going to leave the forest. It's my home and I could never leave my boys. I love you all too." Garnet wrapped her arms around Jack and let the young man cry.

"Do we get hugs as well, or are they just for our little brother?" A couple of voices called from the trees. Looking up from Jack, Garnet saw a large barn owl and blue jay perched on a branch. Any other place this would have seemed strange but in this forest, it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You have to come down here to get it," She laughed and watched as they glided down, shifting as their feet touched the grass. As she hugged her beloved boys, Garnet noticed one was missing. "Where's Rye?"

"At home, licking his wounds. Jack here gave our deer brother what for before coming to find you. I don't think I have ever seen Rye look angrier in my life." August laughed and upon seeing the worried look on her face, gently smiled, "Only thing Jack hurt was his brother's pride, I am pretty sure had he not walked away when he did, Jack would have clocked him."

"What do you say we go home and make it right," Palom said reaching out for her. "Will you come with us, Garnet?"

#lovestory, #gods, #seasons, #brothers, #family, #SeasonalGods

Chapter 2

We were sitting on the sofa, my legs draped over a pillow, my head resting on Paxton's lap. Peter and I decided to stay for the winter and help out on the farm. Peter had gone upstairs to sleep leaving the two of us alone. Paxton's fingers gently stroked my forehead, making me doze as we spoke; it had been a long time since I let anyone get this close, not since the complex. We both try to avoid talking about anything more than the chores we've set for the day, especially when Peter is in the room The few times either of us had spoken about what had happened before we arrived here had left the boy shaken. Bad memories for both of us still lay beyond the gates of the farm. With fall nearly in full swing and winter on the way, it was something we wouldn't have to worry about for a few months.

"Would you like to come upstairs?" His head drifting over mine.

"I'm fine down here, you're just hoping for sex, and that's the last thing on my mind at the moment," laughing as I sat up, nearly crashing my head into his.

"I figured you would be more comfortable in the bed. I can sleep down here or perhaps we could share the bed, make the couch a whose ever on watch position. When was the last time you slept in a bed?" He wrapped an arm around my waist and brought his lips to my shoulder.

"I spent the last year sleeping in abandoned cars and up against trees. This couch is the most comfortable place I have slept in a while."

A loud bang from the kitchen startled us and brought us to our feet. Grabbing our guns, we made our way to the door, expecting to see undead monsters. Then a man's voice calling for help.

Flinging the door open we watched as a man carrying a small child fell through. Scampering the rest of the way in; the man begged Paxton to close the door. As he did a rotting hand reached for him. I threw my body into the door, slamming it shut. The dead arm fell to the floor with a thump.

"Damn it, Zoe that thing could have scratched you." Paxton scolded bolting the door.

"Don't worry, it didn't get me. Let's just take care of those two."

"Thank you." The man said as he hugged the girl closer to him. They both had long, shaggy blond hair. The man had a wild animal look about him, not too surprising from what had just happened.

Before he could say much else the girl began to cry, taking his attention from the rest of the room. He spoke to her in a soft soothing voice trying to calm her.

She was small and thin, couldn't have been more than a couple of years old. Then again malnutrition could have been a factor in her size. After a minute she stopped crying, looked around the room, and reached for me.

"I'm sorry, her mother was better at comforting her than me. I think she sees you and thinks of her mother." The man, as the girl pulled from him, almost falling from his arms said with a defeated look on his face.

The girl tumbled out of her father's arms and scuttled over to me. Tears filled her eyes as she stretched her arms out, begging to be picked up. I'm not much of a fan of children, but she looked so helpless that I lifted the small creature into my arms allowing her to cuddle. It was a relief not to hear her bawl. For a while, the only sound was the undead fellow scratching at the door.

"So what are we going to do about that?" I asked as the girl, now shaking at the sound, pressed herself closer to me.

A shot rang out and the scratching stopped. I could hear Peter's heavy steps clomping down the stairs seconds later.

Peter charged into the kitchen, ignoring the small child on my lap and focused on the man standing in the kitchen. "Are there any more?"

"There were three following us. All I could do was run." He replied looking down at the girl.

"I can take them," Peter said checking his gun.

"You are not going out there alone," I said trying to hand the girl back to her father.

Paxton going into the other room and returning with a couple rifles and handing one to the blond man. "You are not going out there at all, Peter. I need you to keep Zoe and the girl safe. You, come with me."

Opening the door Paxton leaped out, our visitor following him, leaving me, Peter, and the girl inside. By now she was so exhausted she had fallen asleep against me. I carried the small girl into the living room and lay her onto the couch she whimpered for a moment and quickly dozed back off as exhaustion overtook her.

I walked back to Peter who was keeping an eye out the window and anxiously waiting for both men to return. He wanted to be out there helping clear the yard.

"They'll be back any minute, so stop sulking," I said searching the cabinets for something quick to cook. Finding a can of soup I grabbed a pot and set about cooking a small meal for our visitors.

I knew the man had to be starving and wasn't about to let the girl go hungry. We didn't have much and Paxton and I was supposed to go out and search for more food to keep us fed for the next few months. Maybe we would get lucky and find another farm or house that hadn't been picked over by scavengers. The last few times he and Peter had gone out, I had stayed behind to gather what I could from the small garden, and found a few useful things, canning supplies, a few cans of gas siphoned from a few vehicles that had been abandoned but not much else.

"We are going to have to fix that hole in the morning, but we should be able to put the truck in front of it and keep more from coming in. Why don't you get cleaned up and grab a bite to eat. This shouldn't take long," Paxton said as the two men stepped in from the yard and he grabbed for his keys.

Apparently, there was a breach in the fence and that could mean losing a day of hunting, depending on the size of the hole. I watched as Paxton led the man to the kitchen and started back for the door.

"You're going to need backup," catching the door just before it closed. I didn't like the idea of him being alone out in the dark, it made me nervous. I closed the kitchen door behind me and followed him out to the truck.

"Just go back in and make sure everybody is fed and comfortable. This won't take long," He made his way to the truck, me at his heels.

"I don't want anything to happen to you or Peter. Will, you just stop," grabbing his arm and giving it a hard tug.

Paxton turned and faced me, the light from the kitchen window slightly illuminating his face for a moment as he gestured for me to climb in. As I began to step around to the passenger side, I felt him grab me. He pulled me so close I could taste his breath. My heart began to race as he leaned in.

"Something's moving out there. Get in on this side." Paxton breathed lifting me into the cab before crawling in himself, easing the door shut as quietly as he could.

I searched the dim light for movement and saw nothing but the opacity of night before Paxton pointed out the faint silhouette that moved along the edge of the vehicle. The figure made it's way over to the passenger side of the truck, it's long nails clinking on the glass, like heavy rain on a window, as it searched for a way to get at us. I flinched as it slammed its hand against the glass as the tinkling gave way to thudding and banging.

"I want you to lower the window about an inch and crawl into the back seat, be careful my shotgun is back there. I want you to hand it to me, cover your ears the best you can, and keep your head down. This is going to hurt."

"I can handle a little hearing loss, just don't get either of us killed. Let's kill this bitch and get that fence blocked," I ducked down as low as I could and began to slowly turn the window crank until I was sure that the opening was wide enough for the barrel of the shotgun to easily fit through without inviting our rotting guest too far inside. Looking up I saw Paxton sling the shotgun from the backseat howling for me to drop. I slid as far as I could under the dashboard and covered my ears, barely able to block the sound of the shot.

My ears thundered from the shot as I looked up from the floorboard. The shotgun was no longer in Paxton's hand, he was leaning across the seat rolling the window up as quickly as he could, with a worried look on his face. I coughed as the scent of gunpowder hit me. Paxton glanced down, the concerned look leaving as he adjusted allowing me to climb back into the seat hugging me to him before I was able to get settled, his musk overpowering the smell of combustion that clung to the interior.

"I thought you were going to let me get to the back before you started firing?" I could feel his chest vibrating and knew he had to be speaking but staticky thunder was all that filled my head. I pulled away and looked at him, not confused but a little shocked. I had thought I was used to the sound of guns firing, I had been able to block the sound out while we had been in the compound, my ears somehow trained to know the difference between the far off sound of soldiers fighting off from their towers to the sound of survivors fighting for survival. Maybe it was the proximity of the shot. I put my hand on his face and tried to talk as quietly as possible as I told him my predicament.

He pulled away from me with a small smile and started the truck. We still had to block the fence before anything else could be done. He put the truck in gear and took off towards the damaged spot. I wanted to ask how bad the hole was and if there was a way to fix it quickly, but unfortunately for us, that would have to wait until we were back inside where it would be easier to communicate. It took an agonizing few minutes to get to the fence and block it. Wanting to inspect the gaping maw that had been ripped into the fence, I reached for the door only to have my hand seized before it could reach the handle. I looked over at Paxton and watched the shadow of his head shake, and was certain he was telling me to hold off, but without the ability to hear, at the moment, I'd be dead, especially in the pitch black that surrounded us.

We sat there in the dark, Paxton's hand still holding mine with the realization looming over us that we were going to have to make it back to the house with no way to tell if there was any more dead waiting in the shadows. Opening the glove box I released my companion's hand and began searching for anything that might help us get back to the house safely. Fortunately for us, there was a flashlight stashed inside. It would help a little considering we had no idea how many had gotten in during our trek to the fence.

Flipping on the light I scanned the area around the front and side of the truck. Nothing near us that I could see. I turned the light on Paxton and with a quick nod, he once again grabbed the shotgun. With a quick motion, he flung the door open and slid out, me on his heels, scanning for movement in the shadows as the gleam of the flashlight lead us closer to the glow of the cabin's windows.

Halfway to our destination, I saw Peter framed in the blinding incandescence of the door motioning for us to hurry as he darted out the door rifle trained on moving shadows near the side of the house. I stopped and the beacon of light veered toward where the boy was aiming and saw two dead things ambulating towards him. Unable to move, I watched as he took them down with ease. I felt a tug at my shirt and broke from my trance as Paxton began to pull me towards the door.

We stumbled over the threshold and into the blinding glow of the cabin, no worse for the wear and thankful to be inside. Peter shut and bolted the door quickly then began to ask us what had gone on outside. Some of my hearing was starting to return but whatever I was hearing sounded like I had my head underwater. I tried to explain to him about my lack of hearing, but he seemed to miss the point until I spoke in what I thought was going to be my normal, everyday voice. I instantly figured out I may have been a bit too vocal by the unpleasant face the boy made.

I softly apologized and turned to find a pen and paper, and noticed our guests had vanished. Peter, as if knowing what I was about to ask, pointed upstairs, and mouthed, my room. I nodded and restarted my search moments later, returning with a yellowing notebook and an old, slightly chewed pencil. Flopping down on the couch I began to tell Peter what had happened as simply as I could.

I handed the notebook to Peter and watched Paxton pace by the fire, with a worried look on his face. I had expected Peter to be upset and the boy was by his smothered rant at the older man. Standing, I grabbed Peter and flung him into a nearby chair.

Ripping the notebook from the boy's hands the words pouring from me, probably a little too loudly, "I put myself in danger when I went out there and Paxton saved my ass. That fence is going to have to be fixed whether we can hear or not, so we are going to have to put any plans we have on hold and take care of the situation at hand."

I knew Peter was scared, but I was too pissed to care. All I wanted was to get my hearing back, fix the hole in the fence, and go scavenging for supplies. There were now two more mouths to feed. That was if Hoyt decided to stay. Either way, we needed supplies to keep us from starving as winter quickly approached. I watched as he drew his legs up to his chin and started to shake. It wasn't the first time he's seen me like this, and it wouldn't be the last, not like he had anything to worry about when I got angry but I seriously just wanted him to know that I was not in the mood for his shit. Peter has a way of getting under my skin at the wrong time, he thinks I need him to protect me and when I say anything to the contrary he pulls the helpless child act. I had hoped that even with the short time we had been here he might have grown out of this just a little. I tossed the notebook onto the table with a sigh and started for the stairs. I needed some time to calm down and decided to take Paxton's offer of the bed.

#zombie

Chapter 1

I staggered back to the camp after a relatively uneventful an exhausting night on watch. Screech owls, or at least I think that's was, I'm wasn't exactly an outdoor child, and the dead sound oddly similar in the dark. So I spent most of my night chasing shadows because of those damn things. Part of me wants to believe that we are far enough out of the city to not have to deal with the dead, let's tell the truth I know better. I was starving and Peter was still asleep. I decided to cook a small meal, hoping we still had some food left. Grabbing my pack I began rummaging through my things in search of food. A stick of jerky, an unopened can of veggies, a protein bar, anything that could get me and Peter through the next few days. Finding nothing but dirty clothes and a few tampons, I started through Peter's bag with almost the same luck. A candy bar. It wasn't much but it was something. We had managed to get out of the city but with little to no supplies, we only had what we could carry and that hadn't been much. If we were lucky we could find a house with some leftover can goods or even a garden. Maybe, even someplace we could hole up for the winter that would be here before long. Other than the birds singing it was quiet out and a light fog covered the field we had camped in, it was quickly dissipating in the warm morning sun. If it hadn't been for the world ending, it would have been a beautiful day.

"Good morning!" A voice called out from the vanishing brute.

I kicked Peter awake, jumped for my gun, and pointed it towards the voice. Seconds later I was joined by my young companion as we waited to see who had called to us. There weren't too many people out in the world, you never knew what kind of person you would encounter.

"I have never been so happy to see another person in my life. The most I have seen in the last few weeks have been the dead ones." A large dark-haired man in a long duster stepped from the fog, a large cowboy hat covered his eyes and a large smile crossed his face. He had a rifle on his back and something heavy swung inside his coat as he walked, his footfalls muffles by the gloom. The stranger flopped down in front of the fire, his coat opening to reveal a crowbar and removed a flask. Taking the first swig, I'm fairly sure it was to show whatever he had in there was safe and offered us a drink. "I am Paxton and you are on my land," he chuckled, "or what I consider my land. I cleared out a farmhouse a couple of miles back. I came out to hunt and search for survivors when I noticed your fire. You two are the first people I have seen in over a month. How rude of me. I never asked your names," He laughed again, this laugh crinkling his blue eyes.

"I'm Zoe and this is Peter," I said taking the flask as Paxton offered it again. The whiskey that greeted my lips warmed me. I offered him something to eat and he politely refused, offering us breakfast.

"You could get a little rest and a full belly before you move on. If you'd like you could stay for a few days. I have plenty of room" Paxton said stretching as he rose.

The fog had cleared by the time we were packed ready to leave, having decided to take Paxton up on his offer, for the night anyway. It would be nice to have a meal without looking over our shoulders. Maybe even relax a bit.

"More than a couple hours sleep would be nice," I said as we made our way across the field, my eyes vigilant for any odd movements.

"I can do you one better, I have hot water," Paxton said throwing an arm around my shoulder playfully.

"A shower would be wonderful," I said glancing back at my companion.

Peter grumbled an answer but otherwise kept silent. He seemed a bit perturbed at our host for taking to me so quickly. I'll admit it was a little off-putting, but it was nice to have somebody other than Peter pay attention to me. I just hoped my young companion would be on his best behavior.

The wind picked up as we walked, and the stench of rotting meat caught my nose making me gag. I would have vomited if it hadn't been for my empty stomach. I tried to ignore the smell, the wind could have carried that scent for miles. It didn't mean there were any dead things close by, I told myself as my eyes began scanning the area around me catching movement to my left. I turned to assess the situation. A small group, no more than five dead things were shambling their way towards us. Not wanting to waste bullets, I pulled my machete.

"Are you crazy?" Peter said, pulling his gun. "Just shoot the damn things."

"I'm not wasting ammo on a handful of dead things. We may need it later. If there are more around they'll head towards the noise." I said to Peter. Turning to Paxton, who had a crowbar in hand. "Guess I don't need to ask you." Returning my attention to Peter who was lining up his first shot. "I said don't waste the rounds. Put your gun up and pull your blade."

"I can take them easily!" Peter whined, he turned his head towards me as he spoke, his gun still trained on the moaning herd.

"And if there is more nearby you'll bring them to my home. If that happens, boy I'll shoot you myself." Paxton growled grabbing him. "Get out your blade now and do as the lady says." Releasing Peter, he headed towards the group by my side.

As we stepped toward the shambling hoard one of the creatures reached out for me, long rust-colored nails narrowly missed me as I swung my machete connecting with the side of what used to be its face. It fell to the ground as I removed my blade making my way to the next as it lurched towards me. I heard a yelp behind me as I took it down, turning towards the sound I saw Peter pull his gun as one of those things got too close. Before I could yell at him to stop, he pulled the trigger bringing down. I swore and ran towards him taking out another dead thing in my path. As I reached my impetuous companion ready to throttle him, I heard Paxton shout.

More were coming.

"Why can't you listen?" I ask grabbing Peter's gun and shoving it into the back of my jeans. "We have to work together." I turned to Paxton who just nodded and readied himself for the next wave. "We'll talk later. For now, get your ass ready for a fight."

When all was said and done we exhaustively stacked the bodies and resumed our journey to Paxton's farm with the plan of returning with burning supplies.

We arrived at the farm starving and in need of a shower. My hair was slick with blood and my body sticky.

"We'll take the truck. It'll be faster." Paxton said as we stumbled into the kitchen of the farmhouse, "You should stay here and get some rest," he said looking at me as he grabbed his keys off a hook near the open door. "You're barely standing as it is."

"I'll be fine," I said trying to reassure him and fighting the urge to fall over. I wasn't about to let them go back out there without me. I stepped back out the door and waited for them to follow.

After what seemed like an eternity both men stepped outside and Paxton showed us to the truck. Peter jumped into the back of the cab, while I climbed into the front.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay behind? You can take a shower, get a nap." Paxton said as he started the engine. "This really is a two-man job."

Shifting to look at him. "You are going to need a third person. I can keep watch while you two burn the bodies. It'll be safer."

"You look as if you could fall over at any moment. I know we just met but I don't want either of you hurt," A genuine look of worry fell over Paxton's face.

"Zoe, stay behind. This will go quicker if you do," Peter murmured not hiding the frustration in his voice.

"I can go for days without sleep. I have. You are going to need back up in case more of those things show up," I said softly as my gaze shifted from Peter to Paxton. "You have every right to question my judgment, but I am fine. You don't need to worry about me. I am stronger than I look. If both of you want I'll stay on the truck and watch from there, but I am going with you."

We drove back to the field in silence, neither bothering to argue any more than they already had, and climbed from the truck. I jumped into the bed, rifle at the ready. My eyes scanning for motion as the men began to douse the pile with kerosene.

The smell of burning flesh never fails to sicken me no matter how many times I've had to endure it. I've never been able to find anything strong enough to cover that grotesque odor up. I could feel acid in my throat and wretched, once again grateful to have an empty stomach. I prayed that the bodies would burn quickly as I shifted my gaze from watching the guys to the horizon. If you burned like this in the city you could bet that you were going to add to more to the pyre. Out here though it seemed you might be able to do more than fight. You might actually be able to survive. I looked over at Paxton as he manned the fire, he marched the perimeter of the flames making sure they didn't spread beyond the circle he and Peter had laid out for it. Peter, on the other hand, was watching the expanse of land facing my direct opposite. They must have been talking, every so often when I turned around Paxton would turn his head to the boy and mouth something. Once I saw Peter turn his head and say something back. I smiled as I watched the older of the two through his head back in laughter. I stifled a yawn as I turned back to scan the field for any sign of movement that might have been drawn to the smoke.

The wind picked up and began to blow the smoke in my direction, taking the front of my dirty shirt I covered my nose only to pull it back down seconds later as it did nothing to help with either the smoke or the smell. As I watched the horizon in front of me, the only movement being the tall grass and the scattered handful of trees in the wind. I blinked and felt the truck bed move under me. I jumped, training the rifle on its cause.

"Relax, I just came to check on you. Peter said he could hear you snoring," Paxton chuckled as I dropped the rifle and handed it to him. He took it from me with a warm smile. "Why don't get some rest, we're almost done here."

"I'm fine," I say crossing my arms and leaning against the truck. I don't like the idea of falling asleep out here in the open. I hug my arms against me a little tighter to guard against the shaky feeling of hunger and fatigue. Now was not the time to get comfortable.

Paxton nods at me, sets the rifle down, and grabs a couple shovels as he dismounts from the back of the truck. He hands one to Peter and looks back at me before he follows the boy, "there's a blanket in the truck if you want to warm up."

Peter turns and mouths something to Paxton making him nod. I can only imagine what the boy is saying as they begin to smother the fire. I climb down from the truck fighting my exhaustion as I head to the open rear door and grab a blanket from the back seat. I'm not cold but I'm hoping its warmth will somehow keep me from passing out. I shudder and pull the blanket tighter around me as I fight back a yawn. At this point, a soft breeze could knock me over. I can hear the fire's crackles slowly dying out. I watched as the men continued to smother the fire, pleased that I hadn't seen any more dead things.

A yawn escaped my lips as I leaned against the truck. I tilted my head back and allowed the sun to warm me. For a brief moment, I let my guard down. Feeling a hand on my shoulder I swung as I opened my eyes narrowly missing Paxton's jaw.

"Jumpy there aren't we Zoe," Peter called from behind me. I heard a laugh from the boy as he chucked what I could only guess was the shovels they had been using to extinguish the fire.

"You were snoring," Paxton grinned boyishly. "Told you that you should have stayed behind. Why don't you stretch out in the back, I doubt there'll be any more issues on the way back."

"Wake me if anything happens," I yawned climbing into the back seat, the blanket still wrapped around my shoulders.

I could hear Peter and Paxton talking in hushed tones as I dozed in the back of the truck. Throwing the blanket over my head to muffle their voices, I blinked in and out of consciousness. I wanted to rest but my brain was screaming to be on alert for dead things. Exhaustion won out as I listened to the hypnotic sound of the engine and the whispers of the men in the front seat. I woke still wrapped in my blanket, yawning I began to close my eyes as sleep called to me once more. I adjusted and only then did I realize I was no longer in the truck. Shooting up from my spot I looked around the dimly lit room, my eyes adjusting quickly as I tried to make sense of where I was before the panic I was starting to feel set in. It was a fairly plain room, like the room you might see while on vacation in a mountain cabin. From what I could see as my eyes adjusted to the shadows as I sat there on the bed trying to calm my rapid breathing. There was a basic bed, of which I was perched on, I could feel the soft quilting over the firmness of the mattress. I could see the outline of a dresser and to my right a smallish side table with a lamp. I reached over and tentatively turned it on, flooding the room with light, the very moment I did this I heard a loud crash from the other side of the door. I quickly leaped from the bed knocking over the lamp as I did, leaping into a dark corner as is crashed to the ground.

My heart raced as the door began to open. I sped across the floor over the shattered pieces of the fallen lamp and slammed my body against the door. A second later I heard a soft knock and Peter's voice calling from the other side, asking me to open the door. Cracking the door I peered around and saw only the boy. Throwing the door open I wrapped my arms around him as relief washed over me. I was safe.

"Are you all right," He asked returning my hug and trying his best to comfort me.

"I just panicked a little." Releasing him and pulling myself together, relieved, and embarrassed at my actions.

"You forgot where you were. Didn't you?" Peter chuckled as he playfully rocked me back and forth, turning my fear into laughter before finally releasing me.

I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Paxton, broom in hand came up, he had a worried look on his face. His eyes moved down my body. I took a step towards him to grab the broom and apologize when the broom clattered to the floor and I was carried to the bathroom and plopped onto a small counter.

"You're bleeding," Paxton slid open a drawer, grabbed a pair of tweezers, and a stool as he began to pull shards from my feet. "You were snoring when we brought you in." Trying to distract me from the pain of the glass being dislodged from the soles of my feet.

"I haven't slept much in the last few days." Trying and failing to resist a yelp as another shard, a large one by the feel of it, slid from my foot.

"Sorry, I didn't know that one was going to be that big. When I'm done we'll clean the cuts and wrap them." He was pulling the fragments of glass as gently as he could but one or two pieces still brought me to tears as I tried to remain still.

" I cleaned up the glass, how's it going in here," Peter poked his head into the bathroom.

"Just a little glass in my foot, nothing for you to worry about," trying to smile as Paxton, apologizing as he did it, pulled another large piece from my foot.

I followed Peter's gaze as he looked down at my feet and blanched at the sight. He looked like he was either going to faint or ask the man who was still pulling the glass from my feet to shove over so he could vomit. It was surprising to see Peter's apprehension of blood considering how many dead things we had put down over the last few years. His breathing started to shallow and a wild look danced in his eyes. I adjusted my body away from Paxton and started to slip from my perch only to be stopped by a sharp flash of pain as my feet hit the flood.

"Why don't you go check on dinner? It should be almost ready. I promise to call you if we need anything." He said ushering the boy away from the door. Peter began to protest, his color returning and fear beginning to fill his eyes. Paxton turned to me and excused himself as he gently guided the boy away from the door and closed it behind them.

Alone once again I looked around the bathroom. It was just as simple as the bedroom I had come crashing out of, the only thing that stuck out to me was the large, inviting soaker tub. All I wanted to do was slip out of my clothes and into a nice hot bath and try for a moment to forget my hunger and the dead creatures that shifted and dragged beyond the doors of this safe haven.

"Dinner should be done by the time we get you cleaned up." Paxton murmured as he closed the door behind him a gentle smile lighting his face.

"How long was I out?" I tried to force the yawn that had rose from my lips back down only to fail and allow a larger one to escape.

"A few hours, we thought you would probably sleep until morning. Peter told me you haven't slept more than a few hours in the last few days." He grabbed a couple of small rags from the towel rack and turned on the faucet. I sat there mesmerized at the steam rising from the soft blue basin and I watched as he ran both pieces of cloth under it. He handed me one and I adjusted myself to place my feet under the warm running water. "I've got your feet. I thought you might like to clean up a bit. That son of yours, real protective of you. He doesn't want me around you without him, took all I could to convince him to stay downstairs, and keep an eye on the food."

"Peter's not my son, his family and I were in emergency housing together. I helped with procuring supplies for the compound and Peter's mother helped run the storage units were we kept the supplies. I was there about a year before we were overrun. We made it out together. Peter lost his folks a couple months back." At the thought of Peter's parents and how they died, I started to cry. Wiping the tears with the warm rag, afraid to let this stranger see me at a weak moment. He squeezes my knee and I start to shake as I fight the grief that threatens to pour out of me.

"It's okay to mourn them," Paxton softly speaks as he stands, his voice barely above a whisper. Our eyes lock, he looks as though he wants to say more but the words have failed to come.

"I don't have time to mourn them. I have too much to do before I can even think of allowing myself that luxury." I cough trying to force the tears back as I feel Paxton's arms wrap around me as I begin to sob into his shoulder.

How long had it been since I cried? Months? Years? Once the tears started it seemed as though they wouldn't stop. Paxton held me there not speaking just stroking my back. When I finished he grabbed the washcloth I had been holding and started to wipe the tears from my face.

"How about we get you cleaned up before dinner?" Rinsing the cloth and continuing to wipe my face.

"I need to get my bag," regaining my composure and wincing as my feet hit the floor, staining the tile as I lost my footing and crashed into him.

Catching me before I fell, Paxton offered to get my bag for me saying I needed a chance to relax before dinner.

I turned on the tap and started to strip away my clothes it was a relief to get out of those disgusting things. Looking the nasty, blood-stained, ripped pieces of fabric over I thought about burning them instead of attempting to wash them. "Might be easier. " I laughed as I caught myself in the mirror. My copper hair had faded to a pale brassy hue from the sun and new silver streaks glared back at me. I checked my body and found scrapes and bruises from wandering in the dark the night before, nothing to worry over as I made my way back over to the filling tub. I stepped into the tub feet burning as they hit the heat of the water, little wisps of red danced in the water as I slid the rest of the way into the large tub and shut off the water.

The aches and pains I had felt started to fade as I reclined in the large tub trying to soak off the months of grime from my body, knowing eventually I was going to have to scrub myself clean. I submerged my head and readied myself. It was time to become human.

I stood in front of the mirror once more, a towel wrapped around my body, in need of fresh clothes. It felt nice to be clean again and I knew I would eventually have to give this feeling up and head out into the wilderness once again. I hated the idea of going back out into that wasteland of the dead. Who knew how much longer Peter and I could survive out there with winter coming on.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts and for a brief moment, I froze, thinking something had happened and I was going to have to fight my way out of this cramped bathroom.

"Zoe," Peter's voice called softly through the door.

"What happened?" Fearing the worst as I flung open the door. There was Peter, my bag in his hands, blushing heavily as he tried not to call attention to the fact that I was only wearing a towel. Realizing there was nothing wrong and remembering I required clothing I flew behind the door swearing and apologizing.

"Paxton said to tell you dinner was ready and to give you this." He giggled handing the bag through the crack in the door.

The smell of cooking meat hit my nose, reawakening my hunger. Dressing quickly in the cleanest clothes I had before heading down the stairs to the kitchen.

@@

I had been pacing the house since midnight. Everything was quiet and that made me nervous. I don't know how many times I lapped the place but I was beginning to memorize the layout of the ground floor.

The kitchen was done up in haint blue. You never see that color much inside houses where I grew up. It was considered an outdoor color, mostly for shutters, doors, and window frames. There was a legend that it was supposed to frighten away the dead. Not like it did any good, the dead had gotten past that holy color and into our homes. Everything else was gleaming of chrome except for a defunct water pump that was attached to the sink.

I made my way to the living room with its large furniture and it's just as large fireplace. It reminded me of a hunting lodge, maybe it had been, although the severe lack of trophies made me want to rethink that idea.

Grabbing a blanket I curled up on the mountainous sofa and tried to sleep. Sometime later my eyes shot back open and I was once again pacing the floor. Deciding that I was up for the night I went to start some coffee. I grabbed the percolator off the stove and filled the carafe. Reaching for the coffee I heard heavy footfalls behind me. Grabbing the closest thing near me, a frying pan, I turned ready to fight.

"It's just me." Paxton said raising his hands, "I heard you pacing and decided to come and see if you were alright."

"I keep thinking those things are going to come in. I think I could sleep if I knew there was something to alert us."

"Nothing has really gotten past the gate. If you want we can drive around the property and check things out. In the morning Peter and I can check the fence and fix any weak spots. I have weapons in the truck if we need them." He said crossing the room and opening the door, a cold wind knocked into us. Grabbing his coat and tossing me one.

The patrol went quickly. We were far enough away from any city where the dead seemed to gather, Paxton explained as we started back to the house. The thought of being safe, even if only for the night relaxed me and I began to doze. I yawned laying my head against the seat.

Stepping into the house, I kicked off my shoes and crossed the kitchen heading to the living room. I was tired and teetering on my feet. This had been a long night.

"Where did you go?" Peter called from the fire lit living room.

"Patrolling. I was afraid something could get in." I said as Paxton and I entered the living room.

Peter was curled up in a chair, shivering. I had scared him.

"I thought you left me again." Peter choked, trying to hide the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I promised I wasn't going to do that again. Now go to bed," I tended to forget how young he was, how fragile.

Springing from his seat Peter stomped upstairs.

"Would you like to tell me what happened?" Paxton asked as soon as the boy was out of sight.

"It's a long story. Best told in the morning." I said giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Moments later Peter returned carrying a pillow and a couple of blankets.

"I'm sleeping down here," Peter said laying them out below the couch. "You are not leaving me again."

#Zombie

Marie Jacobs, known as Rhee to her friends, sat at a table At Tickled Drinks her local bar watching the festivities unfold around her to loud and obscure music. She is a lovely woman in her mid-thirties with large brown eyes and a long teal braid that ends in the center of her back. She wore a plain white t-shirt over a pair of dark jeans. The song switched decent metal to some annoying pop song heavily ridden with bass. She never quite understood why people wanted that much bass in any song. Men and women laughed and consorted, many out for drinks with friends while others prowled for late-night hookups. One man sat at the table next to her had been for the better part of an hour to get her to follow him to the bathroom for a little in-stall lovin'. Normally she would be here with April, a young goddess who liked wandering the city in the guise of an anthropomorphic rabbit, but Felix had said that he wanted to speak to her alone.

Rhee glanced at her watch and sighed, he was late. It wasn't like Felix to run behind when he called for a meeting. Her eyes skimmed the bar looking for any sign of the man.

"I guess you'd like to know why I called you here, " Felix's voice asked behind her as one song transitioned to the next.

He watched as Rhee turned and smiled at him, her face changing to a worried, thoughtful look as she tried to get a reading on her handler's face. She could tell something was on his mind when he had asked her to meet, but seeing him there, sad-eyed and disheveled. Normally the man before her wore well-fitting, James Bond type suits. It broke her heart to see him in such a manner.

"More curious about why you asked me to leave April at home. You know she hates it when she's not privy to a case." Rhee smiled softly watching as the man took the seat next to her. It took her about that amount of time to figure out what her handler was going to say, "You're leaving aren't you?"

"Yes, and it's not April, darlin', nor you for that matter, " Felix said quietly his brogue becoming thicker as he saw the look of worry on Rhee's face, it always got heavier the more worried or scared he was. "My family needs me. I know I made that deal with April but Emmy and Miranda need me. I know I have one more year of service left but I need out. Emmy needs me more now than ever. Please talk to April for me, see if she'd be willing to let me out of our contract."

"I might be able to convince her."

"Convince me of what?"A brown rabbit leaped onto the table. She was about the size of a small dog and covered in light brown fur, the only thing distinguishing her from other rabbits was her silver eyes. She repeated her question, stormed across the table and grabbed hold of Felix's collar. "What are you hiding Booty-call? Tell me, old man!"

"My girls need me, April." He grabbed her paws and flung sending her crashing to the floor. The party raged on about them, not a soul came to the defense of the little brown rabbit, most had seen the furry creature's bad side and knew better than to get involved. "Katie's back in town and wants Emmy, okay. I can't lose my daughter again."

"Wait, Katie, the bitch who tried to turn me into mutton chops is in town? Why didn't you say so? I owe that bitch a come to goddess moment." April's eyes began to glow and anyone nearby watching saw the small brown rabbit grow to the size of a small child. Dashing towards the door, "what are you waiting for, let's go get the bitch."

Moving quickly Rhee got up from her chair and scooped up the now child-sized rabbit. She motioned for the disheveled man to follow them. "We are not going after Katie tonight or any night. Felix is the only one who can help his family. I know what she did pissed you off but you need to get over it. If Felix needs us we'll be there but he needs to do this on his own. You are going to let him out of his contract. I don't care how you do it but you are going to do it. Understand? If I hear one but out of you I'll build you a hutch in the back yard and keep you there for a year."

"Fine I'll turn into a cute little girl and you will go to jail." April countered, figuring her companion would back down the way she usually did. "Felix is still mine for the next year. We help him takedown Katie and we celebrate the way we always do with copious amounts of booze and carrot cake. Everybody wins."

"He's done his job for the last four years. Which is longer than I expected him to. He's come through time and again with jobs. Never asked for time off, and no honeymoons don't count. There before you ask." Rhee said trying to keep hold of the now wriggling rabbit. "Would you please let Felix out of his contract?"

"Not for another year, " trying to get free from Rhee.

"Do it or no carrot cake for a year."

"Ugh, fine, I'll let him out of it but I'm doing it my way." April sighed as she was carried out of the bar and into the evening air.

Not a minute later Felix, Rhee's jacket in hand, stepped out the door. He draped the old bomber jacket around her shoulders, "shall we continue this conversation at your place, ladies?"

As they walked through the door April jumped out of Rhee's arms and dropped onto the sofa feet first. It was a tiny house, and even with the two bedrooms, it was still just big enough for two as long as one of the tenets was small and furry. There was no living room or kitchen, just a broad space divided into two by several bookcases. Rhee had bought the place bent on flipping and selling it to bring in extra money when her caseload thinned but that had been several years ago and by now he and April were pretty well settled in. In her free time, she had time remodel the bedrooms and most of the bathroom, all she really has left there was changing out the old tub for a new one.

"Why don't you two finish your discussion while I make some coffee, " Rhee said hanging up her jacket and brushing rabbit fuzz from her shirt. "When you're done we are going to have a chat about spying on private conversations, April. "

"I wasn't spying, I was looking through your pockets for your wallet. I was going to order dinner. You complain when I don't help with the housework."

"Later, young lady." Heading off to the kitchen.

"Now, I know you want out of your contract Felix and that's fine. Most would have come to me and begged for their freedom but you know my weakness and she knows how to motivate me." Sitting on the sofa and trying to look intimidating.

"Denied your carrot cake?" Felix grinned, "I'm guessing for longer than you could handle."

"Coffee's ready, anybody want anything before I leave the kitchen?" Rhee called from the other side of the bookcase where she had been listening and wondering what April was going to ask for in return.

"A couple of slices of carrot cake and whatever Felix wants. You're ruining my flow. This is one of the few times I can get my way."

"No carrot cake until he's free. "

If either had been paying attention they would have seen Felix smiling for the first time since he found out his ex was back in town. He loved listening to them argue and a part of him was going to miss it.

Returning her attention to the man in front of her, "now as I was trying to say I am willing to let you free of your commitment on one condition. You need to find a replacement. I'm sure you have gotten to know the local detectives in town. I'm certain that one of them could use a reasonably priced consultant with special abilities such as Rhee. All we need is a name."

#Goddess, #Carrot Cake, #Rabbit

I woke to the sound of singing. It was Paxton, he had little Lexi in his arms and was singing to make her laugh.

The last few weeks had been a blur. We had been forced to leave the farm. Luckily we had found this place to hunker down while the snow fell heavily, blocking our route.

“Lexi woke up and Hoyt's on watch. Figured she just needed a little attention.”

“You were singing.”

“I used to sing that song to my girls. Didn't I tell you I had girls? Three of them. They looked like their mother. All ginger and curls.” His expression changed. No longer was he the bouncy, grizzly bear Lexi enjoyed, but a heartbroken man.

“I know you miss them,” I said sliding from the bed and crossing the room to hug him. “Maybe you could tell me about them sometime.”

He leaned in to kiss me. Lexi joined the fun by clunking her head into ours cackling. She made me almost wish I had children.

“How long until it's my turn?” Rubbing my head and looking out the nearest window. The snow seemed to glow as it fell. I shivered and grabbed a blanket off the bed.

“An hour or so.” He said putting Lexi down on the bed and watching her scamper off the bed and across the hall to her room.

For a moment I was back in the quarantine at the base. I could smell the burning bodies of those who came in infected. From where my cell had been positioned I could almost taste the rot that had eaten away at my companions in what felt like an eternal limbo. None of us were dead or alive in quarantine, no better than the whiskeys at least that's what most of the soldiers had thought of us. Anybody who survived those first two weeks was given a bed and a job. You worked for everything you were given, there were exceptions but those had been regulated to the elderly, sick, pregnant women and small children.

This, however, wasn't quarantine, this was a safe place.

"Dolgo, get down from there," Liddy cried as the little red dragon scaled the bookshelf for the fifth time in an hour.

He had made a habit to climb the bookshelf and guard his precious books. It was adorable when the tiny wyrm had first decided to nest upon the cluttered shelves but now it was ridiculous. Dolgo was almost too big and the shelf was too rickety for the rapidly growing dragon's antics.

Liddy knew it was only a matter of time before the case crumpled beneath the little dragon. She spent most of her days shooing him off the damn thing. She wanted to buy a new case but there never seemed to be enough money, little dragons grow quickly and need large amounts of food; that ate into her stash of money.

Her family told her to get rid of Dolgo, that he was only a pet. He was her baby and there was no way she would get rid of her darling little beast. Today, however, was the last straw. She would have to find a way to keep him out of trouble.

#Book, #Dragon, #Wyrm, #Tiny, #Quickread

She couldn't take it anymore, she had to run. Before he caught up to her. Who knows what he would do then.

No.

No.

No.

She couldn't think of that now. Too soon. to think of that. All she had to do was run.

Just run.

Leaping to her feet she dashed across the open field. The sound of horns behind her.

Don't think about that! Just run!

He would find her.

Hush. Don't think. Just run.

How could he not? He always did.

Do you hear the hounds?

No.

Then run. Make for the clearing in the woods. You'll be safe if you can make it. Hurry.

The clearing was only a hundred yards away all she had to do was step across the border of grass that separated the forest from the field. The horn blasted one more time and the sound of howling followed.

Just a little further.

Nipping at her heels.

Just run. Don't think. Hurry. The clearing.

Leaping through the boundary, hounds at her heels.

Not too long now. Don't stumble. Just run.

Light flooding the clearing. A pale figure standing in the light.

Hurry. he almost has you. Hurry. Just run.

The figure begins to run towards her reaching out a hand.

Hurry. You will be safe with me.

LEAP.

NOW.

#run, #hunted