Other Plans
1
Dog pushed his heavy warmth down on the two shivering mutts, trying to lend his heat. With little fur and no outdoor experience, the tiny animals had no business traveling through a blizzard at night. Neither do I, Dog thought.
The engine roared to life under them and Sally shouted in triumph as her dogs whimpered in fear. She had stopped to fill up the gas tank and it had taken a long time to accomplish against the driving wind. Sally lowered her goggles and pulled the large tarp back over the two cars, creating a vacuum of space that would fill with the heat of their bodies. She had a hole in it for her head, and she quickly tucked it under gear to hold the ends down. Then, she gunned the engine and drove them forward, straight into the snowstorm.
Once again covered, the three canines huddled together miserably and waited for the endless ride to be finished. It was dark. A full day had gone by without Sally stopping for anything except bathroom or fuel. Dog was positive he’d now passed his female.
The bumpy ride smoothed out suddenly, and Dog braved the cold to poke his head out of the only hole. It put him in Sally’s lap and she nuzzled his soft fur like a pack mate while studying the house ahead of them in the headlights. She hadn’t been here since before the war. It looked exactly the same…except for the missing sight of her mother staggering down the front stairs to greet her as she got off the school bus each afternoon.
Dog swept the log house and then the small pond. Frozen, there were three furry shapes sliding across the surface. The area around the house was a mix of woods and suburb, but the large cabin still appeared out of place among the fabricated homes. Dog stayed quiet, hoping Sally’s pets would. They could not assume the people or the animals were friendlier in the north. The snow shifted and the shapes vanished in the darkness.
The furry forms reappeared near the garage of the home that Sally was trying to reach. She saw three big birds land on the roof. The vulture’s aggressive stances suggested they now ate more than roadkill. She swept the other rooftops and found too many shadows glaring toward her headlamps.
Dog whined uneasily, increasing her anxiety.
The storm began to calm as the animals milled around and the wind dropped low enough to hear the sounds of nails clicking and tapping. Animals snorted and huffed, frozen ground cracked.
“Not good.”
Dog nudged her arm. Come on!
Sally slowly took out a small box. Finger on the red button, she gunned them forward. Wind and snow battered the vehicle.
The wolf ducked under the cover, regarding the two shivering dogs. Stay down.
The two dogs didn’t respond. They’d stopped speaking shortly after the ride started. Dog was positive they were on the verge of vomiting again.
Sally hit the button, hoping the fresh batteries would respond. To her shock and pleasure, the garage door began rolling up. She’d honestly thought she would have to go through it.
Sally slowed, trying to keep them from slamming into the house as they plunged inside the garage. The ATV did thump against the wall of the cabin and Sally winced, hoping it hadn’t done real damage. She hit the button again to lower the door.
It didn’t respond this time and Sally climbed from the lightly smoking ATV and hurried to the door to do it manually.
Dog stayed with her, ready to bite anything that came too close, but none of the outside animals reacted to their entry except the vulture that flew away. It was almost as if the other creatures hadn’t even seen them, when Dog knew differently.
Sally stared through the tiny garage window for a long moment, noticing the same things as the wolf. The animals out there hadn’t reacted to their arrival. They just glowered at the house.
She rubbed Dog’s fur gently. “Let’s get fed, huh?”
Sally made sure the door to the house was secured and then set up camp for the night. In the morning, when there was light to view by, she would explore the cabin. For now, the garage was a smaller space to heat.
Sally quickly had a small fire vented through the garage window, and a hot meal bubbling in a pot. She hadn’t been able to bring many of the things she needed, but this home had been setup for survival the last time she’d been here. It was where her father had taught her to hunt, to fish, to cower in fear of his belt.
Sally curled into a corner in her sleeping bag and the three animals slowly joined her, after sniffing and relieving themselves. She didn’t mind the smell, though in the morning she would make it clear that only this room would be used for that purpose. If the backyard still had the tall privacy fence around it, then this room could be kept clean.
Sally let sleep pull her under as Dog’s heavy body settled onto her feet. The small mutts were already on her chest and stomach.
The woman was more animal than human, and Dog found it comforting. Life had been much like this before Marc had started chasing his own mate and the wolf went to sleep feeling safe despite their surroundings. Maybe this could be home while he waited for his female to catch up.
2
“What should we do?”
Jeff shrugged in the darkness. “Leave her alone. Wait for her to go.”
“She had a remote for the garage,” Kevin whispered. “She lives here!”
They’d been enjoying a cup of hot chocolate with Musketeers bars melting in when they’d heard the engine and spotted the headlights.
Jeff was busy scanning the woman, wondering why she felt familiar. “Hang on.”
Kevin stared apprehensively at the garage door from the dark kitchen, still trying to recover from hearing an engine and then having it actually come to the one home on the block that was occupied. They’d hurriedly shut off all the lights and noises. Kevin had almost wet himself after two weeks of peace and quiet. With all the snow, neither of them had thought to see people so soon.
“Trouble,” Jeff muttered. But after Crista’s death, he didn’t have the heart to hurt the woman. “We’re having company.”
Kevin’s brows came together in confusion. “Someone we know?”
“One of them,” Jeff replied. “Gather the weapons and take a watch. We’ll make contact when I get up.”
Kevin had no trouble following Jeff’s orders. The man was a survival whiz and he’d already kept them out of bad spots more than once. He had also found this home, which had an amazing setup for this type of lifestyle. Once Jeff had added his touches, it had become a good place to lie low for the winter.
Jeff climbed into his warm hammock in the back bedroom, now eager to grab a few hours of sleep. He was positive he would need them once the woman discovered she wasn’t alone. He examined the pictures on the wall and grimaced as he flipped off his headlamp. He recognized the images. In the middle of an apocalypse, he’d picked a house that still had an owner.
3
Sally woke to the smell of frying meat and leapt to her feet, startling all three animals. They’d already smelled it and begun to drool.
Sally ran to the garage door as she realized there were voices coming from inside the home, but the sight of a huge black bear on the front lawn convinced her she wasn’t better off outside. Hoping in vain that she hadn’t been noticed yet, or that the people had arrived after her, Sally got her gun and approached the door. She was hoping to listen and determine what to do next.
She wasn’t prepared for the door to swing open as soon as she leaned on it.
Kevin quickly snatched the weapon from the surprised woman and pointed it at her. “Who are you?”
The tall woman was bundled up in jeans, boots, and a black coat that went all the way to her knees. Her hair was hidden under a mask and all they could really tell was that she had brown eyes and no lips.
Sally slowly stood up, not sure what the bristling wolf at her heels would do. “This is my house. Who are you?”
When she didn’t rush them or even appear angry, Jeff lowered his weapon. He signaled for Kevin to remain trained on her in the dim morning light.
“We’ve been here for two weeks, waiting out storms. When this one breaks, we’ll go,” Jeff told her. He’d thought about keeping the place, but it was her home. If they turned her out, where would she go? After Crista’s death, Jeff couldn’t do it.
Before Sally could reply, the wolf padded into the room, followed by the two bouncy little dogs that squeaked as they landed. Tiny claws skidded across the kitchen floor and vanished into the rear rooms.
The wolf stopped in front of Kevin, golden eyes on the gun.
Kevin slowly lowered the weapon, gaping. “Dog?”
Dog snorted and followed the two smaller mutts to keep them out of trouble.
Sally’s scowl covered what they could see of her profile. “Safe Haven?”
Jeff and Kevin both took offense at the way she spat the words, but neither rebuked her. They had their own issues.
“Not anymore,” Jeff answered, not liking the impression he was getting. Suddenly worried they’d let in a big problem, Jeff ignored the flinch to haul her over to the nearest chair. He jerked her mask off and dropped it in her lap. “Who are you and what do you know about Safe Haven?”
Kevin thought to protest, but he remembered how many assassins and traitors they’d dealt with and lost people to over the last months. Was the brown haired woman one of the few who had escaped Angela’s justice? Kevin had no sympathy. He wanted them all dead. If not for the government and Mexicans hounding them, Cynthia wouldn’t have shot anyone and turned to Adrian for an outlet. She wouldn’t be pregnant and he would be the one sliding into her at night–not Daryl.
Kevin winced at his thoughts. He’d been trying very hard not to consider it at all.
Realizing she needed to be careful, Sally said, “I had a home until some of those people came through. This is…was, my father’s house.”
That explains that young photos, Jeff thought. He settled into the chair across from her, considering their options. He had a bad feeling about letting her stay, but he was also reluctant to send her out to a frozen death. And, Dog was with her. Jeff had always found the wolf to be a great judge of character.
“We’ll leave after the storm breaks,” Jeff repeated, gesturing for Kevin to close the garage door. “You’ll stay here in the living room, where we can keep an eye on you.”
Instead of the pleading or rage he was expecting, Sally rubbed at her arms and glared.
“You have to sleep sometime.”
Jeff lunged forward to place his gun against her temple.
Sally snarled, “I’m not afraid you of! Shoot me!”
Startled by the rabid response, Jeff holstered his gun and took out the handcuffs. “I have other plans.”
Sally screamed.
Dog came running, followed by the two squeakers.
Kevin drew his weapon, not sure who to shoot.
“The wolf!” Jeff shouted, struggling to cuff sally’s hands in front of her. “Damn, lady. I didn’t mean it that way!”
Sally continued to scream until Jeff moved back and then the noise cut off abruptly. An eager grin came over her weather-beaten face as he rotated to find Dog snarling, fur in full bristle.
Jeff, running on instinct because there wasn’t time to think, said, “Tell me she’s safe to leave loose and I’ll cut her free.”
Dog growled again, but couldn’t follow through. The woman was definitely dangerous.
Jeff walked away and Kevin holstered again, already tired of the drama. The last two weeks were so peaceful!
Dog padded to Sally and sat down in front of her, head swinging between the two men.
Kevin stayed on his post at the front window of the house, unable to count all the animal tracks in the light snow that had come in overnight. While Jeff slept, they’d had a migration come through and the variety in it had been astounding. What was more shocking was that the creatures had been going north, not south like when Safe Haven had come across moving herds. It was as if the animals were being drawn by something.
Jeff resumed their morning ritual of breakfast and music, flipping on the iPad he’d connected to a nice speaker system. With Kevin on duty in the front and the wolf now here, Jeff felt safe enough to increase the volume a bit and enjoy what so many of them had taken for granted nearly every day of their old lives.
The deer steaks didn’t take long and Jeff made three plates, thinking that at least the animal migrations provided a steady diet. With winter here and the herds coming through, he and Kevin already had a nice stock of meat. They would continue to add to it.
Sally studied the two men, glad of the warmth in the room and the wolf settling down on top of her cold feet. The trip here had numbed her and when she woke, she hadn’t had time to notice how cold the garage had become. Her toes were still icy.
Kevin spotted a nice buck and slowly eased the window open. He picked up the Winchester from the window ledge.
“Baggin’ one,” Kevin called, easing the window open. He quickly took aim and fired.
Sally flinched at the report, as did Dog. The animals outside stared in avid hatred as the body fell.
“Headin’ out for it,” Kevin called, pushing the window open to climb down.
Jeff set the spatula aside and came over to cover Kevin from the window. He would take the carcass to the cleaning area that they’d chosen to set up in the backyard. From his position, Jeff could observe him until he shut the gate.
Instantly sorry that he hadn’t grabbed his coat, Kevin ran to the buck and grabbed it by the hoof to drag away. He slipped and slid, but it wasn’t hard to transport the warm body across the icy ground. He was quickly into the backyard with it and had the gate locked. Too stubborn to stop and go in for his coat, Kevin began skinning and cleaning the deer. He and Jeff had gotten quicker at it and he was confident that he would be fine for the ten minutes it would take to get done and hang it up.
In the other corner of the snow-covered yard, a small tunnel under the fence glared in unnoticed danger as furious animals studied the laboring man hungrily.
4
Inside the cool house, Jeff hurried toward the kitchen without reacting to the cuffed woman’s flinch or Dog’s low growl. He could smell the steaks burning and chose to leave the window cracked to vent the harsh odor.
Sally stuck out a foot as the intimidating man went by and he tripped, falling into the wide coffee table with a loud crash.
Jeff groaned as his head struck the corner and he slid to the floor.
Dog leapt to his feet, startled, and Sally rose, going to the prone man. She slid his gun and knife free, then dug for the keys to the cuffs.
In the front of the house, the black bear returned, coming straight for the front window where the rifle was still laying. The smells and sounds of people were not supposed to be here.
Sally rushed to the garage door with the knife in her teeth and the gun in her cuffed hands, struggling to open the door and not drop either weapon. She stumbled into the garage and shut the door to protect her pets, then quickly went to the ATV. She hadn’t found anything in the man’s pockets, but she’d brought her own cuffs and, her own keys.
She was loose a minute later and the smell of smoke drew her notice. Something was burning. She remembered the cooking food and reluctantly went back to the door. She didn’t want her pets to burn.
Sally saw the man was still on the floor and hurried to shut the propane off. As she spun around, she realized she could hear the other one screaming from the backyard. Guilt slapped her and then terror followed as she saw the huge bear in the open window. The gigantic head was inside the window, lips drawn back as it scented the room.
Dog was in front of the bear, as were her pets. All three of them were growling but not barking, and Sally hesitated. The Winchester was on the ledge under the window, but she didn’t think she could get to it without being bitten or clawed, and if the bear chose to climb–
The bear began to heft itself through the window.
Dog growled harshly and the two small dogs yapped furiously.
Close the window! a voice shouted in her mind.
Sally rushed forward and slammed both palms into it, hitting the bear in the nose with the glass.
The bear flinched in confusion and Sally quickly snapped the lock in place, lungs burning from the air she’d forgotten to take in through her terror.
The bear roared angrily, rattling the pane as it pressed against the cold glass.
Sally stumbled backward, panting in fear.
A hand wrapped around her ankle…
Sally screamed.
Jeff jerked the woman down as the vulture swooped. It had come in the window while Sally was in the garage. Jeff hadn’t been able to see anything for a minute due to the head bump, but he’d heard every noise–including the bear trying to enter their den.
Dog lunged as the vulture dove again.
Jeff covered the woman as the two animals fought for dominance, and he awkwardly got to his sidearm. There wasn’t a clear shot, however, and he finally had to roll them out of the way and under the protection of the kitchen table.
The two small dogs joined the wolf, snapping and growling, biting where they could reach. The two main rooms were heavily damaged with splintering bookshelves and chairs.
A piercing cry echoed and then silence fell.
Jeff scanned the chaos and found Dog’s teeth clamped around the vulture’s face. He hurried over to put his gun against its head and signaled Dog back.
Used to laboring with the Eagles, Dog responded immediately and Jeff pulled the trigger.
The vulture slumped to the floor as blood pooled and Jeff dragged the carcass to the window.
He picked up the rifle. “Get over here. When I tell you to, open the window and swing it easy. I need all the time you can give me.”
Sally didn’t think of arguing and she took a place nervously, flinching as the screams from the backyard increased in volume.
“Now.”
Sally flipped the lock and gave a firm push.
The window swung open, a bit too quickly, and Jeff tried to narrow his aim as the bear immediately crowded into the opening. He ducked in and shoved the gun under the bear’s thick neck.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Jeff kept firing even after the animal stopped advancing to make sure it was dead. A 30-30 was light for a bear this size.
Sally retreated from the bloody, damaged room, shocked and angry. My house!
Jeff spun toward the backyard, aware that Kevin’s screams had stopped.
5
Kevin kicked at the vulture when it tried to follow him under the picnic table. He’d been swarmed with the birds before he could even draw his weapon.
The big bird lunged forward again, snapping violently.
Kevin kicked, aiming this time, and caught it across the face. He heard a crack and a whine, but he had to spin around in the snow to kick at the other side as a second vulture tried to bite his arm.
Finally able to get his gun out, Kevin scrambled toward the shed that was next to the table and rolled free. He gained his feet as the two vultures gave chase, cawing loudly.
Kevin fled into the shed and slammed the door on the aggressive bird, cracking another part of the hard beak. He didn’t want to open fire and bring anything else to his location. He wasn’t sure why Jeff wasn’t helping him after all the screaming, but he assumed there was a problem inside too.
Kevin put his back to the door, needing to know he was safe here for the moment.
“What…?” He ducked as spiders threw themselves from the ceiling.
Kevin slapped at the arachnids and yanked the door open as two loud shots rang out. He looked down at the gun he hadn’t fired and then at the dead vultures Jeff had handled. “Nice!”
He holstered and began pulling his shirt off as the spiders that had landed on him started biting.
Jeff covered Kevin from the two new vultures that had flown to the fence and the men hurried inside the house through the rear patio. As they locked the door, the sound of wood splintering echoed.
“Was that the side gate?” Kevin asked, still trying to remove his clothes in between slaps, swipes, and itches.
“Yep,” Jeff confirmed, watching a slightly smaller bear charge into the yard. “But he’s got a meal waiting, so we’re good for the moment.”
“Uh,” Kevin cleared his throat, fighting the need to scratch. “Maybe not.”
Jeff rotated to find Sally holding a 9mm and the handcuffs.
“Your turn.”
“No,” Jeff grunted in annoyance. I’ve about had enough of this chick already. “Shoot me.”
Sally blinked. “What?”
“You’re not cuffing me, lady. Shoot me or put that gun up and work on the mess,” Jeff instructed. “It’ll take the three of us hours to straighten things up.”
Sally examined the mess at her feet and then the two angry men. Reluctantly, slowly, she holstered.
Kevin let out the breath he’d been holding and allowed himself to itch until he had skin under his fingernails.
Jeff got the medical kit and spent a few uncomfortable moments helping Kevin apply ointment. The arachnids weren’t poisonous, but the wolf spider venom often caused an allergic reaction. To be sure they were covered, Jeff insisted Kevin swallow a capsule of Benadryl. He wasn’t in the mood to perform a tracheotomy.
“I’m gonna fall out,” Kevin warned as he swallowed it. “Been up all night for my shift and now this? You won’t be able to wake me if things go crazy again.”
Jeff shrugged, grinning. “So? You just won’t feel them eating you.”
“Oh, man!” Kevin groaned, snickering. Jeff was forever popping off with something like that.
“Grab something to eat and go to bed. The woman and I have it covered.”
“Sally!” she snapped from her lost stance in the middle of the destruction. “Before he goes, we have to shove this body outside.”
“Work around it,” Jeff ordered, gathering what he needed. “I want that hide and a big chunk of the meat. We’ll store some of the rest for dog food.”
“Uh…maybe we should change plans,” Kevin stated suddenly, staring through the cracks in the boards they had nailed over all the entrances. “The yard is filling up. We should shut that window and get some cover on it.”
Jeff took a moment to judge it for himself. He was astounded by how many creatures were roaming the property. “Yeah, we’ll shove it out now. I’ll carve it later.”
The three of them heaved the cooling corpse out the window, glad the big bear had only made it half inside. They never would have been able to do this otherwise. Jeff kept track of the shadows moving through the light snow as they tossed out the biggest part of the gory mess. Deer and wolves were mingling, along with goats, a moose, a whole line of ducks, and a list of other animals. All of them could be a threat or a meal, and Jeff tried to judge the situation from a survival aspect. Unless the moose charged their door, none of the other animals out there could get through to the rear room of the home where he had chosen to make a stand if it was needed. However, they had to eat, and the food and the outhouse were in the back.
“We have to repair that side gate,” Jeff stated, scanning for what they needed.
Kevin shook his head, scratching at his neck. “I’ll fall asleep on you. Take the…Sally. I’ll stay at this window with Dog until I can’t stay awake.”
“Okay,” Jeff agreed. “Coffee’s on the stove.”
“Good idea,” Kevin agreed, taking the rifle along.
Sally gawked at them. “You’re doing what?”
She wasn’t as upset over the two men being here anymore. If she’d been alone, the vultures in the yard would have attacked her the first time she stumbled to the bathroom. Sally hadn’t realized how bad things had gotten with nature and the vendetta against mankind, but the growing tension said she was about to witness it.
“I have to get my things,” she stated, leaning down to comfort her two shivering pets. They’d stayed in the bedroom during the ruckus and only come out a moment ago.
Dog took a seat near the bloody window, observing the front yard.
Jeff watched her from the door, partly out of caution of a stranger and partly because of the feeling that things weren’t finished yet.
Sally hefted her bags and kits over her shoulders and wrists, wanting it all in one trip, and she let him hold the door open for her, but said nothing-not even thank you.
Sally awkwardly strode to the second small bedroom in the dusty hall, glad to discover that the men hadn’t been in here. She dropped her gear and went to the oil lamp on the mantle without using her flashlight. She knew her way around blindfolded.
“Can you use that gun?” Jeff asked from the doorway.
Sally pulled on her gloves with the tips missing, loving the mobility. “And that 30-30 you’ve got.”
“Good. The gate on the house next door might fit. I have to measure ours, then go over and take the new one off the hinges. You’re covering me.”
Sally didn’t argue. The sooner he got the gate replaced, the sooner she could use the outhouse. She’d needed to since she woke.
6
Jeff eased through the front door with his toolkit in hand, hoping the woman really could use the Winchester. Despite her height, Jeff doubted she was strong enough to carry the gate.
Sally stayed close, scanning for threats. Jeff had decided that only the small pack of wolves was actually dangerous and told her to watch them more than the other creatures. The tracks in the ankle-deep snow said bigger animals were nearby too, and he tried not to make much noise as they hurried to the side of the house.
Jeff studied their damaged gate and saw he’d been right about the fit. However, the frame was severely damaged. He wasn’t going to be able to replace it quickly or easily. Jeff swept the block for something to fill the area instead.
Pocketing his toolkit, he signaled at a minivan across the street. “Come on.” Jeff knew the battery wasn’t going to have power and he was glad the driveway that housed it was atop a short, steep hill.
He busted the window with the butt of his rifle, wincing at the noise, and opened the door.
“I’ll wedge it in there,” he told Sally when nothing bad happened. “You stay back a little, but not too far. When I hit the alley, the vultures will probably be drawn.”
“I’ll do it,” Sally stated, shoving the rifle at him. “You won’t fit through that window.”
Jeff didn’t argue. He’d much rather be the one with gun anyway. He slung the rifle over his shoulder. “Hold the brake and shift it into neutral. Don’t let go until I tell you to.”
“Okay,” she agreed, sliding behind the wheel.
“Once it’s rolling, don’t use the brakes at all. Steer it straight into the street. It’ll be going fast enough to roll up the yard and make it to the alley. I may have to push from there.”
“Okay,” she repeated, getting ready. She didn’t have any concern with his theory. The animals were still all around them, but not acting aggressive. What bothered her was the way Jeff’s eyes seemed to glow at times. “I’m ready.”
“Me too,” Jeff said, bracing to push from the rear. “Let’s go.”
Sally forced the van into neutral and Jeff pushed.
7
Standing in front of the reopened window, Kevin kept a steady scan of the area going, already fighting drowsiness. He was glad the itching had faded, though. He watched the van roll toward the house.
Next to Kevin, the wolf and the two small dogs also listened.
Crash!
The house shuddered as the van slammed into the alley between the homes, sending the mall dogs back into the rear rooms to hide.
The van jammed into the space, scraping loudly. Sally barely had enough room to wiggle through the driver’s window. It wouldn’t keep all of the animals out, but it was unlikely that another bear would try to climb over the van.
She joined Jeff at the bumper. He had the rifle ready, but there was no sign of the big birds or the wolves.
Jeff glanced around and realized there wasn’t an animal in sight. That was odd. “Are you okay out here for another ten minutes?”
“Yes,” Sally answered, curling icy fingertips into warm palms.
Jeff gave her the rifle and strode determinedly toward the slowly stiffening bear carcass. The block around them was frozen in white silence, with snow coming down again. The wind had died down, but the temperature was falling fast. Jeff tried to hurry as he collected the hide and other parts. Behind him, he could hear Sally shuffling from foot to foot as she tried to keep warm.
It was bloody, stomach-churning labor for most people, but Jeff didn’t mind. What sometimes bothered him was the sound the hide made as he ripped it up or the small splash of fluids that often sprayed as it came free. He usually remembered to turn his face away in time, but sometimes, it still splashed up his arm or cheek.
Sally was impressed with how fast Jeff took the hide from the carcass. He was forced to leave the bottom half, as they couldn’t roll the animal over, but he still managed to claim a long enough piece to fashion a nice blanket or several smaller items. While she waited, Sally studied the neighborhood around them that she could view through the dark and the snow. She remembered when it had only been their house and the one further down that had belonged to her aunt. Her father had brought his sister here to start a new life and in some ways, they absolutely had.
“But the abuse came along too, right?” Jeff asked, flipping on his headlamp. He’d been scanning her thoughts since she arrived.
Sally froze for an instant, and then dismay and hatred flashed. “I can’t get away from you bastards!”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Jeff remarked, not pausing in cutting off chunks of the meat. He’d brought a garbage bag for hauling it.
“What?” Sally snarled, no longer observing their surroundings as she caressed the rifle.
“You’ve got a thing against people.”
“Descendants are not people!” she snapped. “All you do is hurt others!”
“Then why haven’t I hurt you?” Jeff glanced up at her, feeling the goose egg on his skull. “I believe you tripped me...”
Sally flushed and didn’t respond.
“If I were evil, you’d be raped and dead by now for something like that.” Jeff bagged his loot and stood up. “You’ve got a few seconds to make the choice, lady. Once I shut that door, you’re out here with the rest of the wild things that can’t be trusted.”
Sally wanted to refuse, but the cold and the sense that the man wasn’t a threat convinced her to follow him.
Around the pair, nothing moved except the snow.
Jeff held the door for her–it was ingrained–and Sally darted under his big arm to quickly get out of the way.
Kevin glanced over at them with glassy eyes. His shoulder was against the glass, window latched. “All sset?” he slurred.
Jeff gestured toward the bedroom. “Hit the rack.”
Kevin grinned and staggered that way without even a peek at Sally. He still wasn’t sure what had happened while he was outside, but it was obvious the woman had done something wrong. He expected Jeff to send her on her way.
Jeff pointed toward the dim hall. “We rigged up a temporary john for use during the storms.”
Sally disappeared down the hall without anything except a frown.
Jeff shook his head. “Some people…”
He went to the door to scan the backyard, noting she still had the rifle. The yard was empty of pests, though Jeff wasn’t sure when the bear had wandered off. The hole in the fencing was still there. Jeff quickly slipped outside to cover it.
The icy ground crunched under his boots and he hurried forward, grabbing the stone planter as he went. A few other pieces of furniture made a decent barrier and Jeff tugged the heavy picnic table over to finish it off. Even a bear wasn’t coming through here.
Jeff locked the shed door, and then made a fast stop in the outhouse. He was relieved not to find any spiders.
After her pit stop, Sally began cleaning the mess, piling most of it into the corner to be bagged. Paper towels were a thing of the past and she reluctantly used a few of her father’s older white towels that could be bleached.
The two small dogs sniffed and yapped happily beside her, and Dog lingered near the window, uneasy. Nature had given up much too fast.
8
By late afternoon, Kevin was back up and the two men reinforced the windows and doors. The feeling that bad things were coming was heavy in the air.
Sally also felt it, and held nails and tools while the men prepared the cabin. She also hated every moment of it and had to fight to keep her scorn hidden. She wasn’t certain that both men were descendants, but it didn’t matter. The first chance she got to leave, she would.
The two small canines mostly stayed under the kitchen table, shivering and scratching on the rug. Dog wandered the cabin, searching for a way out. If he could find one, then the other animals could gain entry.
“Another board?” Kevin asked, studying the two layers they’d already nailed over the rear door.
“No,” Jeff denied. “Let’s go get a few things from our freezer. We’ll use the bathroom setup in here when it gets dark.”
The men hurried to the coolers they’d strategically hidden to bring in the food, still not spotting any animals. Jeff had the bear meat in the house, but they also had deer, pig, and turkey out here. They’d spent the first week doing almost nothing but collecting food and gear.
Jeff noted that the hole was still covered with furniture barricade and the fences were free of birds. It was almost as if the migration had shifted in a new direction, which was bad for them. Jeff had been counting on meat for a few more weeks before winter forced them under cover.
“Oh, shit,” Kevin breathed lowly. “That’s trouble.”
Jeff followed Kevin’s line of sight and his stomach dropped. “That explains the animals leaving.”
“Yeah,” Kevin agreed, hurrying toward the house. “We gotta seal this place up, like now!”
Jeff lingered for a moment, awed. The snowstorm was almost upon them, even though the wind here was at a standstill. Huge, roiling masses were rushing their way, obscuring everything under it. The next block was still visible, but not beyond. It astounded Jeff that nature could fire such a deadly shot, but none of them had heard a report. Even a suppressor still allowed noise, but this was a vacuum of silence. It was amazing.
Jeff grabbed a few more items and lugged it all inside, where Kevin and Sally were sealing cracks and crevices with towels and old clothes from the dusty dressers. He joined them, thinking they were wasting time. When that storm hit this house, they might have to huddle in one tent for warmth and hope it was enough.
Jeff’s thoughts went to Safe Haven and he quickly scratched the idea of calling to warn them. Safe Haven had Samantha and a few other people who could sense these things coming.
Why didn’t they try to warn us? Jeff wondered.
You left, his demon answered. In her place, would you have warned people who fled?
Jeff hated that voice. He liked the uses and he’d chosen to accept it in his mind for that reason, but he still hated it.
Why? The demon questioned, hurt. Because I tell you the truths you don’t want to hear?
Because you can’t bring her back! Jeff snarled mentally. What good is power when it can’t bring her back?
The demon had no answer for that, only more painful emotions from adding another failure.
Jeff didn’t care about the demon’s feelings. He understood that he could control the power, but not be bonded at all. That was how he preferred things.
Dog came to Jeff’s side. There are cracks and holes. We are not safe here.
“Yeah,” Jeff grunted. “We’ll be in the main room, probably in tents. I’ll try to secure it.”
The snow is not the problem, Dog informed him. Another herd has come ahead of the storm.
Jeff hurried to the front window and discovered the ground alive with rabbits. Every size, shape, and color was represented and Jeff gaped.
His reaction drew Sally and Kevin, and the three of them stood there contemplating what it meant. Witnessing hundreds of rabbits flee northward brought all of them to the same conclusion. When the prey migrated, so did the predators. After the storm, this area would be covered in packs of hungry, cold, desperate animals hunting for anything to eat.
Dog whined suddenly, making the humans flinch, but he couldn’t stop the noise as he spotted the female and her pack chasing the rabbits ahead of the storm. Brute was still with her, but that was the only familiar face. Dog studied them intently, almost able to feel the cold on the pads of his feet, the crunch of the hare between his teeth.
The female stopped, her bloody muzzle swinging toward the house. She spotted the people in the window and her snout drew up in an ugly snarl that they felt. She wanted them dead.
Before another reaction could come, Jeff closed the blinds and the curtains. He motioned to Kevin. “Get the tape. We’ll seal this up now.”
Kevin retrieved the thick role of duct tape, and he and Sally held the boards and plastic in place as Jeff secured the window. In the center, was a small hole in the boards that Jeff planned to shoot through. He would rip the plastic open when he needed to get to it, but right now, it wasn’t a good idea to draw attention.
“We’re gonna pretend this is a zombie apocalypse,” Jeff ordered, making Kevin snicker. “No noises, and that means you have to keep those quiet.”
He pointed at Sally’s two little dogs.
“They’re small, they get excited easily,” she defended. “I won’t use muzzles!”
“If they bark, we’ll be attacked,” Kevin explained, wishing the woman wasn’t so hostile. “Do they at least obey you?”
Dog snorted, expressing his opinion.
“I rescued them,” she answered sullenly.
“So?” Jeff asked.
“So, they didn’t need to be beaten into submission!” she snapped.
“I don’t beat animals,” Jeff replied. He knelt down and snapped his fingers. “Come.”
The two little dogs immediately rushed over with excited bounces and wiggles.
Jeff regarded Dog as he pet them. Do they understand us?
Very little, the wolf answered. They have no control. May I suggest a muffled cage?
When it starts, can you get them into the bathroom? Jeff asked.
Maybe, Dog answered, watching Sally finger the butt of her gun in her holster. I think it would be best if she went in with them.
Jeff peered at Sally, taking Dog’s suggestion seriously. He didn’t like the vibes he’d been getting, or the lightly crazy thoughts she seemed to keep flowing continuously. If she were lying about being able to shoot, he would indeed lock her up. If she could be helpful during a battle, he preferred to leave her loose.
Dog whined again, and his big head swung toward the rear of the house.
The next instant, the storm hit their block. The afternoon light faded and snow enveloped the house. The temperature plunged as wind slammed into the buildings, while snow rained down in thick, deadly sprinkles.
“Get more layers of clothes on,” Jeff ordered, breath streaming out in front of him to prove the temperature had dropped instantly. “Load it up and bring the rest of the winter gear in here. It’s about to get very cold.”