Chapter 8

 Ford twirled the pasta around his fork as he snuck glances at Evey. She was sitting on the bench with her legs crossed underneath her. She tapped her finger against her knee as her eyes darted around the empty street.

“Go inside,” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“To sleep.”

Evey sighed. Images of her Mother and Steven laying dead on the floor filled her mind. Lila’s screams and cries rang through her ears. There was no way that she was going to be able to fall asleep tonight.

“I won’t be able to sleep,” she said.

Ford shrugged his shoulders before taking a bite of the food Evey brought him.

“You’ll eventually fall asleep,” he said.

“I doubt it,” she said.

“It’s not safe out here.”

“I thought that this town was safe?”

“The base was supposed to also be safe.”

Evey bit down on her lip as she nodded. She looked over at Ford to see him staring at the road while eating. Her eyes fell to his gun.

“When are you going to teach me how to shoot?” Evey asked.

“Never,” Ford said.

“What if you die?” she asked. “We’ll be left defenseless.”

“If I’m dead then you are definitely going to be dead.”

Evey stood and turned to face Ford. She crossed her arms over her chest and he looked unphased as he continued to eat.

“Seriously?” she asked. “You won’t teach me?”

“I’d be wasting my time,” he said.

“Why?”

“You’d freeze. Remember the base?”

Evey knew what he was talking about. When she realized that they were heading toward the hungry Infected fear overtook her body. She could not move until Anjo had convinced her to go. She had no idea why she was so scared. She started working in the Emergency Department because she loved the rush of adrenaline. Now that it was her life on the line, it was not nearly as exciting.

“You have to have more faith in me,” she said.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Ford said.

Ford set the plate down next to him on the bench. He unfastened the knife that was strapped to his thigh and held it out toward Evey. She stared at it confused.

“Take it,” he said.

“Why?” she asked.

“Kill an Infected with this and I’ll teach you how to shoot.”

“What would that prove?”

“That you’re not going to panic on me or the group.”

Evey took the knife from his hand. She pulled it half out of the sheath to see that the blade was covered in dried blood. She remembered Ford driving the knife through the Infected soldier’s skull at the base. She shoved it back into the sheath and held it to her chest.

“Go to bed,” Ford said. “You’re distracting me.”

Evey rolled her eyes before stepping back into the house.

—

Evey was the first to wake-up. She tossed and turned all night. Her tears had returned when she thought about her family, especially Lila. Every time Evey went down to visit, Lila always insisted on sleeping in Evey’s bed. Evey was shocked when her Mom told her that she was pregnant with Lila while Evey was in university, but her Mom did have her as a teenager.

When Evey heard Ford come back into the house, she bit down on her lip to try and stop her sobbing. She clutched the pillow to her chest. She did not want Ford to know she had been crying.

In the morning, Evey was in the kitchen humming to herself. She found pancake mix and made breakfast. She thought about making French Toast, but that was what her family was cooking before their deaths. She stopped humming when she heard the stairs creak.

Ford walked into the kitchen. He was wearing the same clothes as he had last night. Evey had on the same clothes as yesterday morning, but took a hoodie out of the closet. Ford looked down at her thigh and she followed his gaze. The knife he had given her last light was strapped to her leg.

“Where are the twins?” Ford asked.

“They’re still in bed,” Evey said.

“Wake them up. We’re leaving soon.”

Evey took the last pancake off the frying pan and put it on the plate. She turned off the stove and went up the stairs to the bedroom. Josie and Joey were awake lying in the racecar bed. Joey had the book that Evey was reading to them last night and was looking at the pictures. He lowered it when he heard Evey open the door.

“There are pancakes downstairs,” Evey said.

The twins smiled and scrambled to get out of the bed. They ran past Evey and down the stairs. Evey giggled as she followed.

She was surprised when she saw that Ford had poured syrup on the pancakes and placed them on the plates for the kids. The twins took a seat and tore into their breakfast. They ate in silence, and then Evey stacked the dirty dishes in the sink.

Ford walked out of the house, gun in hand, and the kids followed. Evey was close behind. The rest of the Immune were gathered outside in a circle on the road. Josie and Joey played on the grass while Evey and Ford joined the group.

“Good,” Johnson said. “Everyone is here.”

“Not fair.” Connar said, pointing at Evey. “She gets a weapon? I want a knife.”

“Why does she have your knife, Ford?” Johnson asked.

“She’s got the kids,” he said. “Thought I’d give them a fighting chance.”

Evey wondered why he did not mention their deal. If they were upset about her having a knife, she was sure they would be furious if she had a gun. She was not going to mention anything.

“What’s the plan for today?” Harrington asked.

“We’re going to get supplies,” Johnson said. “After, we’ll keep heading north.”

“We’re going where for supplies?” Fiona asked.

“There’s a mall in the next town over,” Johnson said. “One stop and we get everything.”

Nicole raised her hand.

“Has that town been cleansed?” she asked.

“No,” Johnson said.

Connar smiled and rubbed his hands together.

“Sweet,” he said. ” A Dawn of the Dead experience.”

Ivan swung his hand and hit Connar in the back of the head. Connar wined and rubbed his head.

“Take this seriously,” Ivan said.

“My Romero knowledge is going to keep us alive,” Connar said.

“Who?” Nicole asked.

“The grand daddy of zombie movies,” Connar said.

Johnson cleared his throat to stop them from arguing.

“They are not zombies,” he said. “Three of us are going into the mall and one will stay out in the parking lot with the civilians.”

“I’ll stay with the trucks,” Harrington said.

“Good,” Johnson said. “Each of us going into the mall need to bring a civilian with him.”

Ford and Gomez groaned. Johnson held up his hand to silence them. He turned to look at the group of Immune.

“Any volunteers?” Johnson asked.

Connar’s hand shot up in the air as he stepped forward.

“I’m not taking him,” Gomez said.

“Neither am I,” Ford said.

“Fine,” Johnson said. “He’ll go in with me. We still need two more volunteers.”

Ivan stepped forward. Nicole grabbed his arm, but he shook her off. Her eyes went glassy as she shook her head.

“I’ll go in,” Ivan said.

“Good,” Johnson said. “Go with Gomez. We need someone to go with Ford.”

Evey looked over her shoulder at Josie and Joey. Her fingers grazed along the knife on her thigh. If she killed someone Infected, Ford would teach her how to use a gun. If she had a gun she could better protect the twins. Walking into a mall full of Infected would give her the perfect opportunity to kill one.

“I’ll go,” Evey said.

“Not happening,” Ford said. “Someone else.”

“No,” she said. “I’m going.”

Ford pointed at Anjo, whose eyes went wide.

“Me?” Anjo asked.

“Take Everett,” Johnson told Ford. “The doctor is not going in.”

Evey could see the tension leave Anjo’s shoulders.

“She’s a nurse,” Ford said.

“You are taking Everett,” Johnson said.

“She’s too valuable.”

“Then you better make sure that she does not die.”

Ford said nothing and stormed off to the truck. He slammed the door shut. Johnson snapped his fingers.

“Let’s go,” he said.

Evey turned and walked on the grass. Josie and Joey looked up at her. She crouched in front of them.

“We’re going on an adventure,” Evey said. “I need you to listen to the adults, okay?”

They nodded and got up onto their feet. They followed Evey to the truck. She lifted them into the backseat and fastened their seatbelts.

“Speed it up,” Ford said.

Evey rolled her eyes as she closed the door. Evey climbed into the front. Ford pulled out of the driveway before Evey could put on her seatbelt. They were second in line, behind Johnson’s truck. Ford had a tight grip on the steering wheel and his knuckles were turning white.

“Everett,” Ford said. “In the mall, listen to everything I say.”

“Roger that,” Evey said sarcastically.

“This is serious,” Ford snapped. “You die and they blame me.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t screw up.”

Evey sighed when they pulled into the parking lot of the mall. A dozen Infected men and women were wondering. A collection of screams filled the air. The twins covered their ears. Ford grabbed the gun and rushed out of the truck.

The Infected charged forward, and Johnson and Ford fired their guns. Gomez and Harrington climbed out of their vehicles and held their guns up. Evey’s heart was pounding as she watched the infected fall.

The shrieking ended and an eerie silence fell over the parking lot. Ford looked over his shoulder and waved at Evey, telling her to get out of the truck. She let out a deep breath before undoing the seatbelt.