#us27

“It seems pretty bad,” Najia explained. “Infected, the whole bit. We might be here a while.”

“Hopefully not too long,” Gil said. “Can’t be sticking around longer than we need to.” He smiled to Najia. “And we’re so close to finding your gramps, too.”

“Maybe,” Najia hesitated. She was eager to get to the coast, but feared what she may or may not find.

Leah, Marlon, and Sam joined them after a moment.

“You just gonna hog all that beer?” Leah said to Shane, reaching around him and grabbing a can from the back seat. She waved the can in the air. “Anyone?”

Najia, Marlon, Gil, and Sam nodded and Leah passed four cans their way before grabbing one for herself.

“Sure, drink all my beer,” Shane muttered.

“You have a damn twenty-four pack,” Leah accused him.

“Best money can buy.”

“Tell ya what,” Leah started. “When we finish these off, I’ll go back into that store and buy you another case.”

“Big end of the world sale, yanno,” Gil added. “Can get ‘em for nothin’.”

Leah elbowed Shane and winked at him as she brought the beer can to her lips. Shane smirked into his own can as he did the same.

Najia shifted her gaze to her feet, then turned her back on the little group, staring out into the darkness.

“Your grandfather’s at the coast?” Sam asked her.

Najia shrugged. “Maybe. Hopefully.”

Sam sighed. “Yeah. I’d like to think Dad will be there. But who the fuck knows any more in this world.”

Najia hesitated. “What if he’s not there?”

Sam met her gaze and searched her eyes as he pondered her question. Finally, he broke his gaze and drank his beer. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead.”

“Me neither,” Najia muttered, turning to her beer. “That’s the only goal I’ve had in my life over the last couple months. I don’t know what I’ll do if he’s not there.”

“I guess we find a new goal,” Sam said softly.

“Like what?”

Sam’s gaze was on the Hummer where Harvey worked on his brother’s leg. “Survive. Live.”

“I don’t know how much longer anyone can survive this.”

“Then we make the most of it, I guess.” Sam turned back to her and smiled. “Do all the things we couldn’t have done before. Steal beer. Shoot shit.”

Najia smiled. “Those things just don’t seem as exciting when you know there’s no consequences.”

Sam’s lips twisted to the side and he nodded. “I guess that’s true. But I’m sure there are other things, too.”

“Travel the world.”

“Find bigfoot.”

Najia laughed. “See the northern lights.”

“Find Nessie.”

“You and I have very different ideas of exciting.”

Sam shrugged. “It’s a goal, isn’t it? And hey, who the hell knows what’s out there, surviving like we are.”

“Well,” Najia said, lifting her can. “To surviving.”

Sam tapped his against hers. “To living.”

*****

Vincent bravely made it through Harvey’s make-shift surgery in the back of the Hummer. The wound was cleaned, stitched, and wrapped carefully, preventing further damage and infection. Harvey admired his work as the boy rested against his mother in the back seat.

Under Harvey’s orders, they agreed to stay the night in the parking lot to let Vincent rest before beginning their journey once more. They positioned the vehicles carefully in a circle in an attempt to block light from the fire that would drawn in any Shadow People. They gathered around in folding chairs dragged out from the store and continued to drink.

Najia watched as smaller groups began to form. Penny, Harvey, and Maru formed one group across from her, none with beer in hand. Harvey seemed smitten with the pretty red head. When she spoke, he leaned in, listening intently, as if she were an angel whispering a prophecy. But when Maru spoke, Penny’s dimples revealed themselves and she looked away quickly, not daring to meet her gaze, intimidated by her brilliant mind.

Gil and Marlon kept to themselves as they often did, observing their group like two alpha wolves guarding their pack. Demetrius found comfort in Jodi’s company as she looked over her son sleeping soundly. Abigail and Sebastian had found their way to one another, but did not speak much, and Morris sat quietly by himself, seemingly disinterested with the people who had rescued him. Leah and Shane continued to enjoy each other’s company, drinking heavily, while Clint and Gunther spoke casually with one another.

Alex and Sam sat casually beside Najia as the three of them simply listened to the chatter around them. Dusty sighed at Alex’s feet, his face towards the heat of the fire.

“Looks like Shane found some new meat,” Alex muttered.

“We’re not meat,” Najia hissed at him. “Leah doesn’t even like him.”

“Why’s that?” Sam asked.

Najia hesitated. “I might have made him sound like an ass when I met Leah.”

“He is an ass,” Alex confirmed.

“I thought he was your boyfriend,” Sam said.

“He wishes,” Alex said with a smirk.

Sam shrugged. “You guys just seem close.”

Najia mocked Sam’s shrug. “He was just the first survivor I found,” she said. “We’ve only known each other a couple months.”

“I’ve only known you a day and I know you deserve better than someone like that, anyway.”

Najia hesitated. “Thanks, I guess.”

Alex cleared his throat. “Don’t try to flirt with her,” he warned Sam. “She’ll run away again.”

“Sam’s been kinder to me than you,” Najia hissed.

“Maybe more women would be interested in you if you weren’t so arrogant,” Sam accused.

Najia rolled her eyes. “That’s what I keep saying.”

“What’s it matter, anyway?” Alex said. “It’s the end of the world. Sooner or later, we’re all gonna die. Might as well not get attached.”

“I mean, if I could get laid before I die, I wouldn’t complain,” Sam said with a shrug.

“Well, yeah,” Alex agreed with a smirk.

“Unfortunately for you,” Najia said to Alex, “you won’t be getting any from me.”

“Please,” Alex said. “You’re not the only option any more.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Najia said. “I warned them about you, too.”

“Give him a break,” Sam said. “Alex was probably the kind of guy that thought his good looks and suave charm could get him any girl he wanted. He’s never had to deal with a pretty girl denying him before. See?” Sam pointed to Alex. “He doesn’t know how to handle it, so he resorts to petty childish insults to make him look tough and manly.”

“Suave?”

“He’s got jock brain, too.”

“That jock brain,” Alex hissed, “got me a full scholarship.”

Sam leaned to Najia, whispering in her ear. “The best part is he has no idea he insulted himself.”

Najia smiled and looked down at her beer can.

“Whatever,” Alex grumbled. “At least I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not.”

“Forget it,” Najia warned them both. “You’re acting like children. Be nicer to each other.”

Alex slunk back in his seat and turned his gaze to the fire.

“I’m sorry,” Sam muttered. “I wasn’t trying to start anything. I just don’t like the way he talks sometimes.”

Najia sighed. “Me neither.”

“For what it’s worth,” Sam said, leaning towards her once more. “You deserve better than every scum bag guy here.”

“Including you?” she said with a sly smile.

“Yeah, including me.”

“You don’t even know me,” Najia reminded him. “I could be a big slut for all you know.”

Sam shrugged. “I’m pretty good at reading people.” He paused. “Abusive ex boyfriend who dominated your life until this war gave you a chance to escape and start over.”

“Actually,” Najia said with a smile. “I had a very lovely life before all this happened. Single, but I had some good relationships. Good friends. It was just Dad and I, but we did okay. I worked in his shop. He was a mechanic.” Najia turned her gaze away and hesitated. “I didn’t even get to see him,” she said softly.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said quickly. “I didn’t mean to.”

Najia forced a smile and met his gaze. “It’s okay. But I don’t think anyone could look at this war as a blessing or a second chance.”

“Maybe not,” Sam said. “But why not try to find the positives? A little light when we’re stuck in this darkness. Sure, we’ve lost people. But I might get to see my father again. And I got to meet you.”

“I used to think that way,” she said. “It just gets a little harder with each day.”

Sam nodded. “I get that,” he said. “But, we’re all in it together, anyway.” His hand rested on her arm and he smiled.