Static Screams

It was time to go. We’d been sitting around long enough, three months and two days to be exact. We got extraordinarily lucky with Ryanna and Hollyn. They didn’t cry that often, and when they did, we could usually catch them before they started. Three months old and they were already babbling to us, though I’m sure they thought they were forming actual words. They couldn’t sit up on their own yet, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. Three months, and we finally felt ready to travel. It was past the worst of the winter, but cold enough that Wren’s plan of going north should still work. Three months of planning had us ready.

Three months of sitting in the house though? We’d scavenged everything within ten miles in every direction, filling the house up. We were all healed from any cuts or bruises, or broken bones in Holland’s case. We were tired of sitting on our hands, even Lila was ready to go. Well, sort of.

She was fussing around making sure everything was packed. Mumbling to herself as she counted bottles, cloths, and pouches of food. I watched from nearby as Holland grabbed her hands gently, whispering to her that everything was packed and ready. That we were ready. She sighed deeply, pulled her hands from his, and resumed counting the ziplock bags of baby formula powders. Holland let her continue, but stood nearby, bouncing Ryanna on his hip.

Nearby Natalie had Hollyn, she was trying to keep her from going to sleep before we hit the road. We were banking on them sleeping while we moved, so they’d stay quiet as possible. They were good sleeping babies, and normally passed out for a few hours before waking up, eating, playing for a few minutes, and then being sung back to sleep easily.

Logan sat cross-legged next to me, helping me sharpen our dullest arrows. Our knees touched, and through our jeans I could feel the electricity that remained between us.

Three months of sharing a mattress in the corner of the living room with Logan, and we’d had a few moments that lead to us admitting that, in the world pre-Z, we’d be dating right now. Which meant, I suppose, that we were technically dating. Though dates were not exactly happening right now outside of scavenging dates. Which Darren usually went on with us.

Finally satisfied with the packed bags, Lila took Ryanna, and she and Natalie went off to get the babies to sleep so we could leave.

Happy with where the arrows were, Logan and I continued packing them up, and distributing out the sharpened knives and weapons we’d just finished cleaning. Everyone had their things set up on their beds, so we simply deposited them on top of the bags.

“This is going to be a long trip.” Logan finally broke the silence we’d carried between us while we worked. She slid her quiver over her head, adjusting her shoulders.

“Not as long as these three months have been waiting.” I sighed, stretched my arms over my head to pop my elbows, and settled back down onto the porch swing beside her.

She reached over and took my hand, rubbing her thumb in circles on the back of it. “We’re going to find him.” Logan said softly.

I took a deep breath, hoping it would release some of the tension in my chest. “It’s been at least two years, Logan. If he’s alive, he might not be there anymore. They bombed New York, remember? I don’t know where he is.”

She lowered her head to look at my face. “He’s alive. We will find him. Even if it takes another year, we will find him.” I couldn’t help but smile at her positivity. I leaned forward, and pressed a soft kiss against her lips.

“Mm, berry chapstick.” I muttered as I pulled away. Now Logan grinned.

Before I could kiss her again, the screen door banged open and half the group came onto the porch. I stood up quickly. Everyone knew we were together, but still my face was red as I saw Sawyer’s grinning face.

I cleared my throat. “Everyone ready to go?” Natalie, Sawyer, and Peter all nodded, averting their gaze from mine and Logan’s clasped hands. Natalie had Hollyn strapped into a baby carrier, sleeping on her chest. “Okay, let me go grab my things.” I let go of Logan’s hand, and pushed past everyone gathered at the door. I heard Logan tell Sawyer to shut up, and Peter laughed.

Darren stood in the middle of the room with Holland, map held out between them. We’d made the plan a million times. We all knew the path by heart. Walking up to them, I ducked under the map to get to the bed where my stuff sat. I yanked on my jacket and my beanie, and shoved my arms through my backpack straps as Darren and Holland folded up the map.

By the time I had my gun in my holster, my bow and arrows on my back, and my machete in my belt, they were also ready to go. I shook my arms out, and took another deep breath. “Alright, we ready to go?”

A comforting smile spread across Holland’s face, he stroked a hand lightly across Ryanna’s fuzzy head, who I just noticed was strapped onto Holland’s chest. He nodded. “Let’s go find Henry.”

--

“Duck!” I shouted, letting the arrow I’d pulled back fly. Holland fell into a squat in just enough time for the arrow to find its home nestled in the zombie’s eye and not Hollands. He looked back at me, eyes wide, surely cursing my recklessness. I shrugged with a sheepish smile, and turned to let another arrow go to the next undead in line. It wasn’t like he had a baby on him right now anyways, and I’m a trustworthy shot.

Wren and Logan had their backs to mine, and were keeping the ones behind off of me so I could keep some of them off of Holland while he dispatched them up close.

We’d made it to our stopping point for this night, four days into our journey, but it was overrun by zombies. And we didn’t notice at first because we were so tired from walking. We had vehicles for the first two days, but then we ran out of gas in both the car and the truck. So now we were here, walking through the streets trying to make it to our stopping point.

Natalie and Cosmic had Seven, Ryanna, and Hollyn hiding behind Sawyer, Darren, and Lila. Lila’s red hair was wild around her as she flew through the air, protecting her babies. I’d never seen Lila kill so many undead so quickly and easily.

A zombie scream came from my left, but Logan had it decapitated before I even saw it coming. Finally, after what seemed like ages, we had cleared them all out, and could see the hotel building in front of us, undead everywhere.

Wren and Logan ran up the steps, swung the doors open, dispatched the two zombies that were inside, and started down the hall. Peter and Holland were right behind them, and they worked efficiently and quickly at clearing the hallway.

Eventually they all came back for us, it was clear. We piled inside the building, sealed the door shut, and dispersed into a suite, propping the door between the rooms open and collapsing onto the furniture.

Lila and Holland set to work feeding Ryanna and Hollyn and making them beds in pulled out dresser drawers. Logan disappeared into the bathroom, then came back with a huge grin on her face. “The water works!”

“Nat, you go first, I know you wanna watch the babies after they’re asleep.” I gestured towards the bathroom door. She made sure I was certain, and then headed to take a shower. Sawyer tried to hide the fact that he slipped in with her, but we all saw it. We pretended we didn’t.

Everyone got settled on the beds, couches, or floor, and we made a list of who got to shower next. Eventually everyone was clean as they could get, and we all passed out, except for Holland, who said he’d keep first watch and wake up Peter in two hours.

I fell asleep quickly, wrapped up in Logan’s arms.

I dreamt of death.