Katie could feel the terrible pain in Jenni's voice mingled with an even more terrible guilt. “It's not your fault, Jenni, that they died. ”
Jenni turned her head away, deep in thought. Katie could almost see the invisible walls sliding back up around that train of thought.
Jenni couldn't deal with that right now. Katie could see it. It would wait for another time.
“Fuck, Lloyd,” Jenni said at last. “Fuck him. I'm not going down without a fight. Whether it's fighting zombies or bandits or ghosts, I'm not going down without a fight. ”
Katie smiled and kissed her cheek. “That's my girl. ”
Jenni's lips slightly quirked upwards and she raised a trembling hand to wipe away her tears. “But I don't want Juan to see me like this. ”
“He doesn't have to,” Katie assured her. “Stay here tonight. He called me. He knew you would come here. ”
“I'm that predictable, huh?” Jenni laughed.
“He knows we're tight. He knows that if you're not with him, you're gonna be here with me. We're kinda like Thelma and Louise. ”
“Meets the zombies,” Jenni added with a soggy grin.
Katie laughed. “Yeah. ”
“I'm not driving off a cliff with you though,” Jenni said firmly.
Katie embraced the morbid humor that kept them from falling into the darkest of emotions. “But we can run over zombies together. ”
“Totally,” Jenni agreed. She fell over on her side and tucked her head on a pillow. She stared at Katie thoughtfully, her tears finally abating. “I'm not crazy. It really is Lloyd's ghost trying to kill me. ”
Katie lay down and tucked one hand under the pillow Travis' usually slept on. His scent comforted her. “As long as you don't give into him, you'll be fine. ”
Jenni rubbed her reddened nose. “Sometimes the first day feels like a hundred years ago. Today it feels like…today. ”
Katie gently smoothed Jenni's hair back from her face. “I know. ”
Rolling over, Jenni hid her swollen eyes and tear-stained face as she fought to recover herself. Katie draped one arm over her waist. They lay in silence for a few minutes. It was not a strained silence, but a comforting one as Jenni regained her composure and her shoulders relaxed.
Katie reached over her and switched off the lamp. Jenni sighed in a way that was reassuring. Katie could feel her friend letting go and sinking into the drained weakness that came after an emotional storm.
Katie snuggled down behind Jenni again, holding her close.
“You're the best friend in the world. The best I've ever had,” Jenni whispered.
“I love you, Jenni. You're my best friend. I'll always be here for you. ”
Closing their eyes, the two friends held each other until, at last, sleep carried them away.
Chapter 14
1. The Dead in the Night
“We have a problem. Let's go!”
Travis and Eric looked up to see Curtis rushing toward them. They were standing in the lobby, studying a map of the town. It was an antique and kept under glass, but it was surprisingly accurate. The town had not changed much in seventy years.
“We have to go! We have to go!” Curtis' young face was flushed under his blond hair. He was agitated and motioning with both hands.
“What's going on?” Travis lifted an eyebrow.
“The Hackleburg survivors are under attack!”