Afterglow: An Apocalypse Romance (20 page)

He looked at her, his eyes shocked at the anger in her voice. He shrugged. “I was checking it out. I didn’t want to bring you and Charlie in if it wasn’t safe.”

They were at the entrance to the store now, and they continued in, Creed lighting the way with his flashlight.

“I thought something had happened to you, Creed!” It was foolish to get mad at him right now. Nina knew that. But she also knew that this anger was building for some weird reason, and she couldn’t hold it back.

“I was fine. Everything’s fine, Nina.”

“Whatever,” she muttered.

“Right back atcha, sweetheart,” said Creed casually, but there was an undertone of something—anger? annoyance?—in his words. “Come on, buddy,” he said to Charlie. “Let’s find a place for you to pee.” They headed to the back of the store, where there might be a bathroom they could use, or maybe he planned to take Charlie out in back to go.

Nina tried to fight the tide of rage that still threatened to overtake her. To distract herself, she browsed through the clothing. Surprisingly, the shop hadn’t been ransacked. It looked untouched, like they were the first people to come through since everything started. Behind the counter she found a shopping bag, and she stuffed it with candy bars from the display near the checkout. There was also a fridge with a glass front displaying soda and waters, and the plastic bottles inside were still good. She filled another two bags with soda and water. By the time she’d placed all three bags by the front door, Creed and Charlie were back.

“Wanna help me pick out a new jacket?” Creed asked Charlie.

“Yeah! What’s wrong with the one you’ve got?” Charlie asked, and Nina smiled, despite her bad mood, when she looked at Creed in the thick flannel.

“Nothing,” said Creed. “I’m just looking for a new leather jacket. Come on. We can’t stay here too long.”

Nina watched them head to the racks of jackets, heard Charlie insist that Creed get the one with skull on the back. She headed back to the front of the store to wait for them.

About fifteen minutes later, she heard Charlie’s voice, filled with glee. “Nina! Look!”

“Charlie. That is so awesome.” Nina laughed as Charlie ran toward her, wearing a kid-sized leather jacket and looking unbelievably proud.

“Do you like it?” he asked, his big eyes looking at her and seeking affirmation.

“I love it. You look really cool.”

“I look just like Creed, don’t I, Nina?” If he’d sounded proud before, he was beaming with pride now.

“You do,” she answered. “Check this out, Charlie. I got a whole bag of candy bars, and I’ll let you eat one in the car. How does that sound?”

“Awesome!”

Creed emerged from the back of the store in a brand new leather jacket, and for a moment Nina couldn’t breathe. She’d been with him for weeks now. She knew he was hot and built and sexy as hell. But somehow the way he looked right now, the way he walked with just the hint of a swagger, the hard set of his scraggly jaw as he looked into her eyes, unsure of how she would react, made her pulse quicken.

He tilted his chin at her. “You ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Nina said I can eat candy in the car!” said Charlie as they walked outside.

“Do you think she’ll let me have some too?” asked Creed, but he was looking into Nina’s eyes as he responded to Charlie.

Nina thought her heart might stop. “You can have anything you want,” she whispered, but the wind took her words and carried them away, so she cleared her throat and said, “I think we should all have as much candy as we can eat today.”

Charlie scrambled up into the truck, and Nina was about to follow him in when Creed grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

“What’s going on, Nina?” He put his hands on her shoulders, turning her so she was facing him, staring directly into his chest. Gently he reached down and, with one finger, tilted her chin upwards so she was looking into his eyes.

“Nothing,” she managed, but that was a lie. Emotions filled her body, a wild mess of them, all warring for space. Love, anger, fear, frustration. It was too much, and she felt tears building, the kind that couldn’t be stopped. A single drop traveled down to her cheek.

Creed wiped it away with his thumb. “Nina, talk to me. Tell me what’s going on. Are you OK? Are you hurt? Or sick?”

“No, I’m fine. I just...” Her voice trailed off.

“You
what
? Tell me, Nina.” Creed’s words were filled with frustration.

“I just... I thought I was going to lose you, Creed. Before. When you took too long in the store. I thought you were dead, and I’d never see you again, and I can’t deal with that if it happens, OK? That’s what’s wrong, Creed. That I love you and I don’t want to lose you.”

Shit
. She’d said it. She hadn’t meant for it to come out like that, standing in a parking lot while Charlie bounced up and down in the seat, waiting for them.

They stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like forever. If she could take back the words, she would. In an instant. Because she realized he wasn’t going to say them back. His eyes looked stunned, like a deer in headlights, and his silence was answer enough for her.

Hope flitted in her stomach as he opened his mouth to speak. But instead he shook his head slightly.

“Get in,” he said. “We gotta go.”

* * *

As soon as Nina began to recognize landmarks, she couldn’t contain her anxiety and excitement.

“We’re going to pass a white house on the right in a few minutes,” she said after they drove by the Shorey Chapel, the small Unitarian church that was tucked away in the woods. “And then a jewelry shop and a really small convenience store. And then a cow crossing sign...”

“Cow crossing?” asked Charlie.

“I think it’s a joke. But yeah. And then the stop sign with bullet holes in it.”

“That’s bad.”

“It is. Kids out here get bored, I guess.”

“Do you promise the dog won’t bite me?” asked Charlie.

“What dog?” said Creed.

“P.J. Like pajamas?”

“I promise. I don’t even know if he’ll be there, Charlie.” Nina’s heart was pumping hard. They were close, maybe only five minutes away. What if nobody was there? What if the farm was empty, abandoned?

“Hey.” Creed’s voice, deep and low, interrupted her rambling train of terrifying thoughts.

When her eyes met his, they were filled with rare compassion.

“It’s going to be OK,” he said. “Whatever happens, it’s going to be OK.”

“Right. I know.” But Nina’s heart still hammered in her chest, and she took a deep breath, trying to stop the lightheaded feeling from taking over.

“Are you excited to see your grandma, Nina? And your brother?” Charlie seemed eager to get there, and Nina supposed he wanted a destination, a place they could stop and live for a while.

“I am, Charlie. I really am.”
Just please let them be there.

* * *

Nina hadn’t been to her grandmother’s “farm” in over a year, but she was still surprised at how many changes there were. The most obvious was a ten-foot barbed wire fence, chain-link but outfitted with privacy slats so it was impossible to see inside the area. Her property was relatively large at twenty fairly square acres, and as far as Nina could see, the fencing was up all around it. That was a good sign, wasn’t it? At least they didn’t arrive to find a burnt-down house and nobody around. Of course, there was no guarantee anyone was alive inside the fencing, or if people were alive, no guarantee it was her family.

As Creed parked the pickup truck, Nina reached for the handle to jump out, but Creed stopped her.

“Wait, Nina.”

“Why? Creed, we’ve spent weeks trying to get here! If you think I’m going to postpone this even a few seconds, you don’t know me at all.”

“We don’t know who’s in there, Nina. We don’t know for sure if it’s your family. Let’s be safe, OK?”

Nina growled. “I hate it when you’re right,” she said, pursing her lips.

“You’re so sexy when you pout like that,” teased Creed.

“Ew,” said Charlie. “What does
sexy
mean anyway? Like pretty?”

“Close enough,” said Creed with a laugh. He reached for his door handle, but Nina stopped him this time.

“I’m going to the gate. You and Charlie stay here. And don’t even try to argue with me, because you won’t win this time.”

“Fine,” agreed Creed, but there was tension in his face.

Nina knew he wasn’t happy about letting her go alone, but it was her turn. Her family. She got out of the car, gun drawn, and approached the fence.

They’d parked where the fence turned into a gate, which looked wide enough to drive a car through if it were opened, and Nina walked closer, wondering if it would be possible to peek inside if she got near enough.

“Stop now! Drop your weapon!” a harsh voice commanded, and Nina froze, unsure what to do. The voice came from inside the fence, she was pretty sure, but she couldn’t see anyone.

“I will shoot in three, two...”

Nina didn’t let the countdown finish. She gently laid her gun on the ground next to her feet and put her hands up in surrender.

“I’m looking for Lottie?” she said, trying to keep her voice firm. It wasn’t possible, was it, that she’d come this whole way only to find her grandmother’s farm taken over by some asshole—maybe more than one?

“Who are you?” the voice asked. It was a man, hoarse and loud, and if she had to guess, she’d say he was older, at least in his sixties.

“Nina. Her granddaughter.”

“Nina?” It was Logan’s voice, calling to her from the other side of the fence.

“Logan? Is that you?” Nina literally jumped up and down, unable to contain her excitement.

“Oh crap, Nina! I knew you’d make it! Is that your truck out there?”

“Yeah. I have two, uh, friends with me.”

“Opening the gate,” said Logan, and she heard the clanking of thick metal chains, then saw the wide gate slowly swing open. A rugged man in his sixties, with a rough gray beard and a wool cap pulled down over his head, was walking it open. He had on jeans and a denim work shirt unbuttoned on top of a hooded gray Chicago Bears sweatshirt.

Before she could spot Logan, he ran to her and lifted her up in a bear hug, twirling her around. “Neens, I can’t believe you’re here!”

“You thought I wouldn’t make it?” she asked as he set her down and elbowing him playfully in the stomach. While Nina was short, Logan was tall, and instead of the bright red hair she had, his was dark brown. But they had the same green eyes, and right now his were filled with joy.

“Naw, I knew you’d come. We all know how tough you are.” His grin was cocky and sure. But his voice shook and he wiped at an eye as he turned away for a second. When he grabbed her into another hug, it was fierce and powerful.

Nina laughed, then became immediately sober. “Mom and Dad?” she asked as Logan pulled her aside so Creed could drive the truck inside the gate.

“They’re here. And Grandma, of course. A few other people too.”

“Oh my god, Logan.” Nina felt weak with relief.

“Who’s with you?” asked Logan, gesturing at the truck.

“A guy. I met him in Mom and Dad’s neighborhood right before I left there. He traveled with me, and we found a kid. A little boy. Charlie. They’re good people.”

“You wouldn’t bring assholes.” Logan shrugged.

Creed and Charlie exited the truck and started walking toward Nina, holding hands, Creed looking distant and Charlie both excited and nervous. Nina opened her mouth to introduce them to Logan when she heard her parents, running from the farm house toward her and shouting her name.

“Neens!” Her mother enveloped her in a hug, the time-softened sleeves of her flannel shirt wrapping around Nina tightly. When she pulled away there were tears in her eyes, and she looked healthy, though thinner, her long gray-streaked brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail near the base of her neck. Had those lines near her eyes always been there? All Nina knew was the tears began and didn’t want to stop.

“What took you so long?” joked her father, but a sob racked his body as he hugged Nina next. “I’m glad you’re here, Nina Bean.” Like her mom, he appeared healthy and strong, and maybe it was merely the circumstances, but to Nina, he looked better than he ever had before.

“Where’s Grandma?” she asked.

“Harvesting. She’ll be back soon,” said Nina’s mom. “She told us every day that you’d be here.”

“I brought some friends,” said Nina, turning to Creed and Charlie and gesturing them over. “This is Creed, who actually is from your neighborhood. Old neighborhood. You know. Anyway, we met up, and we found Charlie during our trip here.”

Charlie still clung to Creed’s hand, but when Nina’s mom knelt down in front of him to introduce herself, he visibly relaxed and even smiled at her.

“Is P.J. here?” he asked. “Nina said he might be here.”

“He is,” said Nina’s mom. “He’s with Nina’s grandmother right now, but if we whistle twice, he’ll come running and be here in a few seconds. Do you know how to whistle, Charlie?”