Surviving Day by Day (Book 3): Still They Come (24 page)

Beth scrunched up her face, “Damn, I didn’t even think about the desert soil being different. Maybe I could just take some soil from your land and do a small window garden for spices?”

Niz got a big smile, “I think that can be arranged.”

Within fifteen minutes, the girls were walking back into the yard. Crixus was sitting in the yard growling at the house. Mickey joined him, running around him trying to get Crixus to play. But Crixus just sat and growled.

Beth walked past him laughing, “We really should have named him Mini-T. He thinks he is such a big bad dog.” Tabitha looked from the pup to Beth, “Beth; hold up. He may be more of a mini Tonto than you think. Let’s check the house before we just go in, ok?”

Just as the girls began making a plan, Colt and Ceara rode up. Colt was the first to notice the caution in their faces, “What’s up?”

Beth pointed to Crixus, “He doesn't want us going in, for some reason.”

Ceara jumped off her horse, “But Tiger is in there!”

Colt grabbed her arm, “Hold up, you running in won’t do anything to help Tiger.”

Ceara gave Tabitha a worried look, “So what were you guys about to do?

“We were about to go in and figure out just what has his panties in a bunch. I was going in through the patio door and Niz was headed around front. Beth planned on staying out here in case whatever it is gets out.”

Colt looked to each, “Weapons?”

Tabitha rolled her eyes, “Oh no Colt, we thought we would go hand to hand… of course we have weapons, we each have our knives. We just haven’t pulled them yet.”

Colt stepped up smiling, “Ok, well I am going in with you. If there isn’t anything, I get the shower first.”

Tabitha looked him over, “What the hell happen to you guys?”

Colt opened the back door, “Later, let’s make sure the house is secure first. How were you guys letting Niz know when you were ready to go in?”

“SHIT! She is probably already in! We didn’t think about you guys riding up so there was no signal! GO!”

Colt swung around heading in the house, “NIZ!”

A loud crash came from the living room and Tabitha took off around Colt as he cussed under his breath. Colt met up with Tabitha, they both had their knives pulled as they inched toward the living room. Tabitha looked back to Colt, “You head down the hall, I’ll check the living room.” Colt nodded and moved to inch down the hall.

Colt edged down the hall, stopping at the den first, but it was clear. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to call out for Niz or not. If it was wanderers than that would just draw them to him, which would be ok… he would bury a knife in their heads and be done with them. But if it were looters or worse, then that would warn them that there was help coming.

Tabitha made the decision for him when she called out, “COLT!”

Colt ran for the living room, Niz was motionless on the floor, and Tabitha was wrestling a wanderer. Her knife was on the floor out of reach. Colt ran around the couch just as Ceara ran in. “Shit! Colt!! Behind you!”

A wanderer came from the back of the house. Ceara ran to Tabitha and plunged a knife in the head of the wanderer. Tabitha slung the woman off her, “Fuck me! This bitch just came out of nowhere!” Tabitha waved toward the door, “I got that one, but this one was already on Niz…. She’s ok I think, just knocked out.”

Ceara went to check Niz, “Ummm Niz isn’t ok, Tabitha,” Ceara brushed the hair out of her eyes, “I think we better go find Alden.”

Colt walked back from that back of the house, “It’s clear, you guys ok?” He saw Tabitha and Ceara both kneeling by Niz, “She hurt? Hang on, I’ll get Beth!”

He was gone before they could stop him. Colt stepped back to the patio where Beth was sitting with a dead wanderer at her feet. Colt ran to her, “Oh shit! I am going to kick Ceara’s ass for leaving you out here alone!”

Crixus sat growling, Colt looked down to the pup, “its ok kid, we got them.”

Beth laid a hand on Colt’s hip, “Colt, sit down.”

Colt got a concerned look, he pulled back one of the chairs and joined her. “Did you hurt yourself?”

Beth held out her hand, “It bit me baby, it was my fault… I was so focused on the house, and what was going on in there. I didn’t even think about looking around me. Crixus tried to get my attention, but I really didn’t think it was anything more than what he saw in the house.”

Beth put her hands to her face, “I was just stupid Colt, I am so sorry!”

Colt sat shocked, “We can just cut that finger off, no problem… You will be fine.”

He started to stand but Beth stopped him, “Colt, that won’t work, it’s in my blood stream; it didn’t just stay in my hand.”

Colt’s whole body seemed to give out and he fell back in the chair, “What do we do now?”

Beth bit her lip. We try to hide it till Alden gets back, then we deal with this. You know what has to happen, but I have a plan that I can only tell him.”

Colt got a hurt look, “Why him! You love me, not him!”

Beth shook her head, “Honey, please don’t,” Beth said quietly.

Colt gave her a confounded look, “Don’t what? Don’t see my girlfriend dying before my eyes! Don’t ask to know what is going on! Don’t wonder what the hell is going through her mind!”

Beth stood up, “Don’t make this more than it needs to be. We all knew the risks, we all knew that it could happen. It was just always hoped that we could avoid it, but we can’t!” Beth hissed.

It was too late, both Ceara and Tabitha were standing at the back door, they had heard everything.

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The sun was setting low as Alden walked up to the ranch. Tabitha met him in the yard. His clothes were covered in dried blood and dust. His lips were parched from no water, and his eyes looked tired and weary. It was one of the few times she had noticed that Alden was showing his age. Grabbing his arm she led him to the porch then quickly got him a large glass of water. “Here you go. Drink it slow.”

Alden took several sips as he watched Tabitha dip a bucket in the trough and put it in front of Tonto. She turned to him, “Alden, are you okay?”

He nodded as he took another sip, “Larry always said you can drink the juice from cactus to keep hydrated. He just never told me it tasted like horse piss.

Tabitha tried chuckled, then sat down beside him. “I really hate to do this, but you got to know. We were attacked. Beth has been bit and Niz, well...” Her voice trailed off as tears came to her eyes.

Stray Eagle and Charlie rode into the village as the sun set. Running Buffalo met them with a smile. “Long days and long nights since I have seen you; I hope all is well.” He said as he grasped Stray Eagles arm.

“Yes it has, but things are not well. We have seen groups of the dead massing together.” Stray Eagle replied.

Running Buffalo looked down, “We have had our scouts report back to us over the last two days about such things. We’ve also have had sightings of military vehicles patrolling once again.”

Charlie spoke up, “Yes Sir, we saw them too. Tanks; about a dozen of them. They rolled over a herd this morning, crushing everything in their path. Alden went back to the ranch to tell our people, and he sent us here to speak with you.”

Running Buffalo looked at Charlie then to Stray Eagle, “We have a lot to talk about, but first you two need to eat and rest.”

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Once Beth’s wound was cleaned and wrapped, she sat there at the table trembling. The thought that she had less than seventy two hours to live was not her only thought; there were many. She would be seeing her family, and no more would she have to go on living in a world where people weren’t enjoying being alive anymore. Instead the world and everyone in it just existed.

Colt was pacing like a caged animal, going back and forth from the back door to the door in the living room. Tabitha looked out the window, as if searching for answers. Looking over at Tabitha, Beth began to speak, “There is so much that we can all learn from this, and maybe you all can use that to help others.”

Tabitha looked over at Colt, he quickly turned away. Colt looked to Beth, searching her eyes, and then he bolted outside as if to say, “Fuck this shit!”

“Beth,” Tabitha spoke softly, “What kind of information are you talking about? You’re going to die, and hell, for that matter, we all will sooner or later. So I don’t understand what the hell you’re talking about?”

Beth stood up, making her way into the living room to sit on the couch, “Well to start off Tabitha, the bite only hurts because of the bite. I don’t feel any different, which means for right now, I am very level headed. I know this is going to be hard, especially for Colt, but something good has got to come out of this. For the time being, all I can do is treat myself as a patient.”

Alden joined them in the living room, his eyes solemn, willing to let Beth have her say, and handle this her own way. Beth looked to Alden “I have some ideas, but I would prefer to discuss them with you before things go much further…. Alone.”

Beth didn’t want to give too much away, no one besides Alden would understand her logic. To be fair, she knew there was a possibly they could understand the logic, but they would not understand the need. Tabitha looked at Beth with a tear in her eye, and Beth reached out to gently wiped it away, “Tabitha, we don’t need that now, alright. This is hard for me, and I know will be hard enough on you. We have been friends for quite some time now, and I really need you to be strong for me. I know I don’t have much time. What I really need is for you to…” Beth looked out the window and caught a glimpse of Colt. He was so angry. As if he could feel Beth’s eyes on him, he punched the tree as he walked by it.

“Tabitha, you lost Heath and I know how you felt. I felt horrible when I lost my family. No one had a clue at the time, what was going to happen in the days ahead. Colt not only lost Jess, but now he will be going through it all over again. I’m not telling you to take my place, but I am asking you to please just to be there for him. Maybe you both can find comfort in one another, because Tabitha, this isn’t going to get any easier. None of us know how long any of us have, and all we can do is just keep plugging along.”

Beth looked down to her hands, “To be honest, I don’t think there will ever be a cure …. not as long as there is no research facility out there. However, if there is going to any chance of finding one, everyone has to do a part. If we all give up, we are guaranteed that there won’t be a happy ending for anyone.”

Beth put her hand on Tabitha’s shoulder then pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear, “Please Tabby, you’re strong, and we all go through things in life to help one another. I know losing Heath was hard, but I really need you to do this for me, ok?”

Tabitha choked up trying to hold back her tears as she held Beth close to her. Beth was what she always wanted in a close friend or a sister, for that matter. She was right, losing Heath tore her in two, and maybe that was why she had to go through that. After a minute or two, Tabitha released Beth and smiled lovingly to her, “You’ve got it, Beth. I promise.”

After Tabitha spoke those last words, she got up and walked outside to check on Colt. He was nowhere to be found, so she decided that she would go check the woods. She hadn’t walked far when she saw Colt sitting on the ground by a big oak tree. Quietly Tabitha walked up to where he was, “I’m right here, Colt if you need anything.”

Colt looked over his shoulder as Tabitha joined him, “Tab, this isn’t a good time. I’m not trying to be a dick, but you can’t possibly know what I want or need.”

Tabitha walked around him, and leaned on a tree facing him, “No, you’re right, I can’t. But I do know that you are given a chance, I wasn’t… you get to say good-bye.”

“I don’t want that…Been there, done that…. remember?”

Tabitha just stared at him speechless, Colt pushed off the tree he was leaning on and began walking again. Tabitha followed him still not saying a word; she knew he would start talking when and if he wanted to.

They walked to the other side of the tree line and watched at a lone wanderer cross the sun dried land. Colt stopped and just watched it, “You would think we could beat something that looks like that thing does. They are slow and getting slower, they smell, and they fall apart… WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY WINNING?”

Tabitha shook her head, “It’s all about the numbers Colt, you know that.”

The wanderer had turned as soon as it heard Colt yell out; it was now no more than one hundred yards from them. Colt laughed, “Yeah, we are outnumbered, but there were four at the house, not a damn herd, or as Alden calls them, hordes. Four, Tabitha… and they killed Niz and bit Beth. How did that happen? You want to know what is really bugging me? The fact that Beth will want to be a damn guinea pig! The outcome with Beth will not be anything I can do. Dr. Beth will be doing tests on her blood to find a cure, or play a hero somehow. Alden will want to shoot her. Me… I want to save her; I want to keep her safe.”

Colt turned and looked at Tabitha, “But I can’t do that again, I know I can’t watch the woman I love go through that ever again.”

The wanderer was now less than twenty yards, Colt looked over at it… “Beth will be like that in just a few days, you know that, right? She will be coming after us as if we are meals. The woman that has patched us all up is now going to be the one wanting to rip us apart.”

Tears were welling up in Colt’s eyes as he pulled out his knife and ran for the wanderer, burying his knife in the monsters head. Tabitha joined him just as the wanderer dropped to the ground.

“Come back to the house, we will figure things out…”

Alden stood in the doorway looking at Beth sitting on the couch and Ceara was carefully wrapping Niz in a blanket that had a southwestern print on it. Beth looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She mouthed the words “I’m sorry,” then put her head down on a pillow on the couch, crying softly.

Ceara looked up at Alden; her eyes were red and swollen. Alden walked into the room stopping by the couch, he brushed Beth’s hair. He moved to Ceara who stood up, stuttering, I… I … finished it, Alden.”

He hugged her tight as his voice cracked a little, “Good Girl. Now finish it up, I’ll help you carry her out of here in a bit.”

Alden turned and walked into his room and returned shortly with a bottle setting it on the coffee table, he then went to kitchen and came back with three glasses. As he opened the bottle he spoke softly, “I found this in Larry’s closet. I actually remember when he bought it almost twenty years ago. It is a bottle of Chivas Regal Scotch whiskey that is twenty-five years old when bottled. Scotch doesn’t age after it’s bottled… but it doesn’t lose its taste either. I found it about a week after we got here, but I was saving for… well hell, I don’t know why I was saving it, but now seems as good a time as any to open it.”

He poured them each a glass, and sat down with Beth on the couch. Ceara came over, sat on the floor by the table and picked up a glass. Handing Beth a glass, Alden raised his in a toast, “To three of the most wonderful women I have ever known, Niz, my little niece.” He turned and saluted her body. “Ceara, the little redhead daughter I never had, and to you Beth. The only doctor I could ever tolerate.”

He leaned in and kissed Beth’s forehead, and then they all touched glasses. Each took a sip. Alden looked at Beth, “I’m going to carry Niz outside. When I come back, we’ll talk about our options.”

Alden got up and walked over to Niz’s body. He lifted her with ease and carried her out the back door. As he placed her in a wagon, Tabitha and Colt walked up. Alden looked at Colt, “I ain’t going to ask how you are, I already know. And there ain’t nothing I can say that will ease your pain, but I will say this. That woman in there doesn’t need you whining over her. She needs you to man up and be strong. If you think you can do that, you can join us. If you can’t do that, you will only cause Beth more pain and anguish. And I’ll tell you something right now, I ain’t going to let that happen.”

Colt looked from Alden to Tabitha, then back to Alden, “Must be nice not to love a mother fucker on the planet, you can just be cut and dry… do this and that’s it!” Colt stormed off to the barn, throwing his hands in the air, “You people are fucking clueless as to what happens in the next couple days.”

Colt started cleaning the barn, organizing some of the wire, boards, and logs they had cut down. After about twenty minutes, he sat in the corner of an empty stall, with his legs stretched out in front of him. He sat bouncing the back his head off the wall, just trying to understand what was going on. Ceara walked around the edge of the railing, “Hey, Ummm you got a minute?”

“I think I can spare a couple, but need to get back to beating my head soon.”

Ceara smiled and climbed down beside Colt, “I’m sorry you have to go through this again. No one should have to go through it once.”

Colt just snorted as a reply.

“But Colt, you have to do whatever it is that Beth wants this time.”

Colt looked over at Ceara, “This time, I always do what Beth wants?”

Ceara played in the dirt for a second then looked back to Colt, “What I mean is that when Jessica got bit, she wanted you to shoot her, but you didn’t. I’m not saying that you did the wrong thing, but what I am saying is it should be the person’s choice. We shouldn’t have a right to tell them how they die, not in these days.”

Colt leaned his head back, “I know, but Ceara, I can’t go through it again, I just can’t.”

Ceara pursed her lips, “Who says what her choice is? Have you even asked or are you just assuming?”

Colt sat up surprised, “You don’t think she is going to shoot herself now, do you?!”

Colt was already getting up to go in the house, when Ceara pulled him back down, “No, Colt, she hasn’t said what she wants to do yet, but you are just thinking the worst…. not that there is a best.”

“What would you do if it was Charlie in there?”

Ceara got tears in her eyes, “I think about that all the time, but to be honest, I think it will be Charlie in your place. One thing I would say is I would be thankful for is the ability to say good-bye.”

Colt rolled his eyes, “Yeah, I’ve been told how I can say good-bye. Well guess what, I don’t want to have to say goodbye, so maybe I should just go out and get bit so I never have to say goodbye again!”

“Ok, I think that ranks as number one!”

Colt looked confused, “Number one?”

Ceara sighed, “Number one on the list of stupidest shit you have ever said!”

Colt actually chuckled, “Long list?”

Ceara patted his leg, “Not that long, but you do have a few really good ones. Come in when you’re ready. No one is going to expect this to be easy for you, so take your time.”

Ceara went back to the house, and opened a few cabinets only to close them again. She didn’t think anyone would feel much like eating. Alden walked into the kitchen and gave Ceara a shoulder hug, “Ok kiddo, we run things like nothing is going on. Beth will deal with this her way, I will need to take Niz home and talk to Running Buffalo and Stray Eagle.”

Ceara looked up when Alden said he was leaving, “NO… this happened because you weren’t here! You can make Colt go, or Tabitha… I’ll go!”

Alden shook his head, “I know where the camp is, you guys don’t. You know I have to take her home, plus I need to get Charlie home. I won’t be gone more than three or four hours. I will agree not to go till tomorrow; I will stay with everyone tonight to make sure everyone is ok.”

Ceara knew he was talking about Colt and that it was a concession to stay for the night, but she didn’t care. Ceara stomped her foot, “What if something else happens!”

A small um-mmm interrupted them, both turned to see Beth relaxing on the door frame. “Ceara, Alden is not the reason for anything, and he does need to make sure Niz gets home to her family. Just as we would want anyone in our group to be brought home.”