Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
“How are you and Dean doing?” asks Naomi with a friendly smile.
“None of your business.”
“Fair enough.” She grins. “But don’t you think we’d make a cute couple?”
“You are such a shit-stirrer. Don’t make me hit you. I’d probably miss.”
The woman throws back her head and laughs her ass off. Happy one of us finds the situation amusing. Though I am smiling, so…
We load up the back of one of the pickup trucks with our finds while Dean and Charlie do likewise with the other. Everything is happening in a swift and smooth fashion. We could be back in Wolf Creek in time for lunch at this rate. I even found some items in the craft section for Sophie and Hazel. Painting and mosaic sets and such. In this new world, the range of skills they’ll need will be dramatically different from the old. But there’s always room for art. There needs to be. Lose the beauty in your soul and you’ve got nothing.
Dean and Charlie are inside for one more load when a car pulls into the parking lot. It’s a purple classic Camaro. And they waste no time getting over to us, wheels screeching and stereo blaring.
Both Naomi and I move our hands closer to our weapons. This is not good.
Two white men climb out of the car. One rests his arms on the roof of the vehicle, watching us from behind his dark sunglasses. And of course, he’s got a shotgun.
The other wanders much closer than I like. He has short blond hair and is wearing a pair of pistols on his hips. He has one of those smiles you see on people who were told they’re cute one time too many and decided to make it their entire personality.
Neither of them seems sick. But I’d still rather they kept their distance.
“What a lovely surprise,” he says. “How are you doing, girls?”
Naomi and I just look at each other.
“Gosh, you two are pretty. But you’re not friendly?” He clutches at his heart like an idiot. “Well, that’s a crying shame. You’re going to hurt my feelings.”
“Given a few billion people died,” I say, “you’re going to have to forgive us if we don’t feel like flirting.”
The man standing over by the car snorts but says nothing. He has shoulder-length dark hair and tattoos on one arm. There’s a stillness to him I don’t trust. It’s like he’s holding himself ready for something. And I would very much not like to get kidnapped or killed today. Dean and Charlie are safe inside for now, at least.
Sadly, my bad attitude doesn’t dissuade creep number one. He doesn’t climb back into his car and fuck off into the sunset. Instead, he steps closer, inspects the contents of the pickups, and asks, “Where’d you girls come from?”
Neither of us answers.
“Must be somewhere local to be wanting this sort of stuff and not just focusing on camping gear.”
“Or the stores near us were picked over, so we decided to go for a drive,” says Naomi.
“Why do I get the feeling you’re lying to me?” The smile fades from his face as he comes closer. “Did you set up near one of the lakes in the west or are you from over by the coast? You can tell me…”
Both of our mouths stay shut. No way do we want these people knowing where we live.
Every woman has a story about a man like this. One who tried to corner and pressure and push her into doing what he wanted. Naomi and I back up a step and the creep follows. I don’t think either of us wanted to get into a gunfight today. However, the odds for it are unfortunately on the rise.
“Maybe you came down from the north,” he continues. “I heard a lot of those towns were burned to the ground. But who knows? How many more people are in your group? I’m guessing it’s mostly women and children, or you’d have someone helping you lift all of this heavy stuff.”
“Are you always this much of a patronizing ass?” asks Naomi. And honestly, it’s a valid question.
He ignores the comment and takes another step closer. “Not going to tell me where you’re from? No matter. We sure would love for you two to come see our place. Meet the man in charge of our community. You’d be a whole lot safer and well cared for with us. Why, we would just spoil you two lovely ladies rotten!”
“I don’t think so,” I say, braving it out.
But he’s so close now. “Come for a visit. I think you’d be surprised how much you’d like it. And I’m not taking no for an answer.”
“You’re going to have to,” says Naomi.
He gives our weapons a wary glance. Then he shakes his head sadly and says, “Such a shame. I was hoping we could come to some sort of agreement without any unpleasantness. But the thing is…I’m afraid you’re going to have to put all of this back. Everything here has already been claimed by Porter.”