In his dream, Noah was surrounded.
All around him were the mouths and flesh of the infected. Their bodies hurtled at him from every direction; their nails scratched at his skin. He did his best to dodge them, but he couldn’t seem to walk. His feet felt like they were rooted in cement.
He was walled in. Trapped.
All he could do was close his eyes and shield his face, hoping they somehow wouldn’t get to him. His arm throbbed. One of them must have taken a bite out of him.
He had to do something. He had to get free.
He kicked his legs and cried out, but he met resistance. It felt like his limbs were encased in concrete; he was powerless to move. There had to be a way out, a way to get to his family.
He opened his eyes to a sea of faces.
This time they were faces he recognized. Standing around him were his mother, father, and brother.
Susan Chambers’ brown hair was matted and tangled, her teeth rotten. James Chambers stared at him with sightless eyes, and Ricky’s mouth was covered in gore. They’d all been infected. He hadn’t gotten to them in time.
There’d be no happy reunion, no saying goodbye.
Noah screamed. Without warning, the haze cleared.
He was lying in a white-walled room, surrounded by the beeps and clicks of machinery. It took him a second to determine where he was, and even longer to remember what had happened.
I was shot. Caddy pulled me into the truck, and we were driving to the checkpoint.
Did we make it?
He looked down, noticing a bandage on his arm. He must’ve been treated. But where was Caddy? Was she here, too?
“Noah?”
A voice was calling his name. He recognized the pitch and tone, but it didn’t belong to Caddy. He shifted his focus to the chairs next to him.
Three people were sitting next to his hospital bed. All of them were people he recognized. Two of them were people he’d never thought he’d see again.
“Sam? Delta?”
The older man smiled. Aside from a few cuts and bruises, his tan face looked exactly the same as Noah remembered it.
“You made it, kid.”
“Am I dreaming?
Delta laughed. She reached over and patted Noah on the leg. Her blue eyes were big and round and full of concern. Her long dark hair had been tied back in a ponytail, and she looked just as beautiful as when he’d last seen her.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she said.
He smiled. The last time they’d been together, they’d shared a kiss. He still remembered the taste of her lips as she’d pressed them to his. To see her again made his heart leap.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, still groggy from sleep. “All of you.”
Caddy sat next to them, beaming. The sight of his three friends together was surreal, but it was one he could get used to. Despite the odds, all of them had survived, and all of them were here together.
Noah glanced at his arm.
“How’s it feel?” Caddy asked.
“They must have me on some good meds, because I don’t feel a thing,” he said.
His companions laughed. Hearing the commotion, one of the nurses stepped over to his bed.
“How’re you feeling, Mr. Chambers?” the nurse asked.
“I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse.”
“We’re going to keep you in here for a little while, then we’re going to get you set up in your own living quarters. You’re going to need a lot of rest.”
Noah smiled. “That sounds great about now.”
“Your friends can stay a few more minutes. Then we’ll need them to leave.”
“OK, thanks.”
The nurse skirted away, headed for another patient. Noah turned his attention back to his companions.
“I don’t know where to begin,” he said. “So much has happened…”
Delta shook her head. “Don’t think about that now. The important thing is that we all made it.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk,” Sam said. “You should just try and relax.”
Noah’s brow furrowed.
“What about Dan and Quinn? Are they here, too, somewhere?”
Sam shook his head.
“They stayed at the salvage yard. That was the last we saw of them. But if I had to bet, they’re doing fine. Dan is a resourceful guy. I’m sure we’ll hear from him sooner or later.”
“We told the military where they were,” Delta said. “Their descriptions, the location of the salvage yard. They promised to send troops to find them. Hopefully, when this is over, we can all reconnect.”
Noah nodded. He was still in awe that his two friends had made it, that somehow fate had brought them together. Several minutes ago, his brain had been filled with images and nightmares; now his mind was filled with relief.
The sight of his companions made him want to spring from his bed and hug them. At the same time, he knew he was in no shape to do so.
“I don’t want to get you guys in trouble,” he said. “Why don’t you go and get some food. There is food here, right?”
“Of course,” Caddy confirmed. “And it’s damn good, too. Better than those rice cakes.”
“We were on a steady diet of cereal for days before getting here,” Delta said with a grin.
The three of them stood, stretching their legs. It looked like they’d been there a while. Noah felt his heart swell at the thought of them keeping vigil.
“Thanks for watching over me,” he said. “All of you.”
“No problem,” Sam said.
The older man turned away, and then stopped.
“Oh, Noah,” he said. “I almost forgot.”
Sam reached into his pocket and pulled out a cellphone. He tapped the screen and put the receiver to his ear.
“He’s awake,” he said to someone on the other end. “Sure, I’ll put him on.”
Noah frowned in confusion as Sam held out the phone.
“Here you go,” he said. “It’s your mom.”
Noah smiled at his companions from his cot, balancing the tray of food on his lap. “You weren’t joking. This beats anything I’ve had in weeks.”
He reached for a fork, still favoring his left arm, and Delta swooped in to assist.
“Easy there, hotshot,” she said. “Remember what the nurses said. Don’t overexert yourself.”
Noah smiled and leaned back, grateful for the help. From somewhere outside the tent, a single gunshot rang out, but none of them bothered to look.
Over the past few days, the gunfire had grown less and less frequent, and the sightings of the creatures had been fewer and farther between. Although the campsite was still in lockdown, information had begun to trickle down to the residents. The news was positive.
The infection had been contained.
The creatures were dying out.
Soon, they’d all get to go home.
The military was still tight-lipped with the details, but the vibe of the campsite had changed from one of fear to one of hope. Noah noticed many of the soldiers smiling, and talk of returning home to family abounded.
He glanced at his friends with nostalgia. The three of them were sitting on the cot across from his. It was only a matter of time before they all disbanded and went their separate ways. At some point, some point soon, life would change again.
This time he hoped it would be for the better.
“What are your plans for when we get out of here?” Noah asked them, spearing a forkful of eggs.
Delta and Sam looked at each other.
“Sam and I talked about going to the West Coast,” Delta said. “There’s nothing left for me in Oklahoma. I take it you’re going home?”
Noah nodded. “My mom would have my head if I went anywhere else.”
His friends chuckled.
He glanced over at Caddy, who was staring at her shoes. He noticed she hadn’t answered.
“I have an idea, Caddy,” he said. “Why don’t you come home with me? My mom loves company, and we have a spare bedroom.”
“I couldn’t…” Her voice trailed off.
“I mean it,” he insisted. “Come. You’ll love it there. Portland’s beautiful, especially in the fall.”
The girl looked up and smiled. “I did always say I needed to get out of Chester.”
“It’s settled, then.”
Noah met Delta’s eyes across the tent. Though they’d been at the campsite for several days, neither of them had discussed the kiss at the salvage yard. In some ways, it felt like a dream. Hell, everything they’d been through did.
Noah still wasn’t sure what it had meant, if it had meant anything at all. But with the future wide open, they’d have plenty of time to figure it out.
“Why don’t you two come, as well? We can roll out the sleeping bags. My mom will have a field day.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I have my heart set on California,” Sam said. “I’ve been landlocked for too long.”
Delta smirked.
“What’s so funny?” Sam asked.
“Nothing. I’m just picturing you by the Hollywood sign.”
Sam swatted at Delta and the four of them laughed.
“What about you, Delta?” Noah asked.
“I promised Sam I’d accompany him to the West Coast. After that, though, who knows? I’ve never been to Portland.”
She gave Noah a playful grin, and his heart skipped a beat. His gaze drifted over his companions. Just a week ago, they’d all been complete strangers, people whose lives were headed in different directions. It was as if some cosmic force had brought them together, each playing a role in the others’ survival.
Whatever roads they ended up taking, Noah would carry them with him.
Even if this was goodbye, they’d see each other again.