The First Days (As the World Dies 1)

"Yeah," Travis assured her and hoisted her up.

Juan and Mike lifted her up over the wall and laid her down on the platform.

"Dropping from the harness is real loca, Loca," Juan informed Jenni.

"What if you had missed and hit the spikes?"

"Um, you would miss me?"

Juan snorted. "Yeah, right. "

Travis leaned down and gingerly touched the side of her face. It was throbbing and hurt like hell. "Katie, Katie…"

"I think I'm going away," Katie whispered.

She passed out cold.

Beyond her, past the wall, past the fence, past the trucks, the corral was seeped in blood and gore and nothing moved.

They had won.

Chapter 16

1. Voices

Katie swam to the surface of consciousness slowly. The darkness was deep and stifling. She clawed at it, trying to rise, trying to break free.

"…defending all of us…"

Travis' voice.

"…shot a man in cold blood…"

That was the Mayor's voice.

"…there is no cure for a bite…"

Juan sounded pissed.

"…we would have had to shoot him anyway…"

Curtis was defending her. Wow.

She struggled to push up through the thick membrane of the darkness and strained to speak.

"Don't be an idiot," a woman's voice said.

Peggy, the city secretary.

"Yeah, this world has all new rules. Katie did that guy a favor. "

Jenni, safe and sound.

"Who is in charge around here?"

The Mayor again, sounding shrill.

"Well, I would say Travis," Juan said.