Zocopalypse (Death Fields 1)

“So you and Wyatt…”

“Me and Wyatt what?”

“It just seemed like…I don’t know. That wasn’t some sort of boyfriend-girlfriend thing?”

My rage toward Wyatt while we were in the diner came out of nowhere. I have no claim on him. He isn’t even my friend. Just a guy I met up with on the worst night of my life. That’s all.

“We’re just traveling together. Like you said. It’s safer.” I take a deep breath. “But we set some rules up—okay one main rule and he was about to walk off and it just freaked me out.”

Cole looks me up and down like he’s trying to see past the blood and the dirt to something deeper. I drop my eyes out of fear that maybe he’ll be successful.

“So no separating? It’s a good rule. You lose track of someone out here, you may never find them again,” Cole says.

I nod, pleased he understands.

A knock on the window interrupts our conversation and Wyatt jerks his thumb to the right. Daylight is fading and it looks like we’re making a stop. Chloe turns down a side road and we pass the weathered sign of a campground.

“Guess we’re going camping,” Cole declares. “You got a tent?”

“No.”

He shrugs and gives me a small smile. “Guess we’ll have to share.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

~Before~

5 Weeks Ago

Paul offers the couch to my mother. She doesn’t argue, exhausted from the day or really, the last eight months. He moves his sleeping bag to the floor and pops his earbuds in and promptly falls asleep. I sit with my back to the couch and my eyes on the door. It isn’t that I don’t trust him. I do. And that scares me. It’s the end of world—trust should be doled out sparingly.

Eventually I do fall asleep, my mind filled with dreams of being chased through a maze. I’m searching for something—I don’t even know what. I wake, neck at a funny angle, sore from my tailbone to my ears. It’s been only three days since we left home. It feels like a lifetime.

“Ugh,” I mutter to myself, rubbing the sore muscles in my neck. My feet bump onto my mom’s—she’s curled up on the other end of the couch. The room is dark other than the blue glow of Paul’s electronics. My vision adjusts. I look over at his pallet and he’s no longer there. The pinprick of nerves races up my skin and even before my eyes fully adjust I see him, facing me, wide awake back pressed against the door.

“Hey,” I say trying to keep my voice normal and whispering so Mom won’t wake up. “Is something wrong?”

He shakes his head. “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t leave before I got up.”

“Oh yeah, I’m thinking we’ll leave soon. We need to make some headway.” I hadn’t fully told him where we were going. Partially out of safety. The rest out of feeling like an idiot.

“I mean, you guys don’t have to leave right away, you know? I made some breakfast.”

He gestures to three napkins spread on the floor before him. A bagel has been placed in the center of each one. Cream cheese and a plastic knife sit to the side.

“Wow, you have bread?”

“There was a whole stash in the freezer—you know for open houses and stuff.” He hands me one and I only hesitate for a second before taking it.

“I really appreciate you letting us stay, but we’re trying to meet up with some family so we’re kind of on a schedule.”

“Oh,” he replies, his mood seeming to darken further.

I stand and with the help of my flashlight start gathering my things. I nudge my mom and she shifts, waking only when I flash the beam in her eyes. Once she’s sitting, Paul clicks on a small camping lantern and the room fills with a soft light. She doesn’t hide her surprise when he hands her a napkin and bagel.

“Oh thank you, dear.”

“Are you sure you want to leave already?” Paul asks again. “I have plenty of water and there is more food. We can move another couch in here.”