AVERY’S POV
Hannah’s hand trembled as she dabbed at the bruise forming across Joel’s ribs.
We had found shelter in an abandoned warehouse near a housing block.
The air smelt of dust and mold, but it was safe.
And ‘safe’ was perfect right now.
Nadia sat hunched in the corner, clutching her bag to herself as she stared at nothing.
I ached to walk over to her, to hold her through whatever she was thinking, but there was no time for that — we had to move as soon as we could.
Then, there was the newcomer.
I couldn’t get my eyes off him.
Almost worried he would spring out with a gun in his hand and tell us how stupid we had been for trusting him.
But somehow, he remained crouched at the edge of the warehouse, taking stock of all the things we had left.
“You’ve been there for ten minutes. What’s wrong?” I trudged over to him, hand resting lazily on the hilt of the blade tucked in my belt.
He muttered something like a curse under his breath and straightened, leveling me with a piercing gaze.
“We’re short on two bottles of water. Think we left it in a hurry.”
Oh fuck.
I pinched the bridge of my nose and turned to the others.
“I thought I was clear that nothing should be left behind?”
Hannah looked up at me, her brows scrunched in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
I turned to Declan.
“Declan says two bottles of water were left behind. Meaning we’re left with only 7. It’s barely going to be enough unless we keep it to a strict ration.”
Hannah turned to Nadia — still crouched low by the corner of the warehouse — and her lips pulled down in a frown.
“I told you to grab everything.”
I raised a hand to silence her.
“Don’t shout at the kid, Jesus. You were supposed to look after her. Not assign our food and drinks to her. What were you thinking, Hannah?!”
The whole place went silent and everyone stared at me.
Hannah looked shocked, her face drawing in what seemed to be guilt before she looked away.
“I’m sorry.”
Derek stumbled to his feet, a slight hobble in his steps.
“There’s a supermarket just down the street. I used to go there a lot with my brother.”
I leveled him with a glare, annoyance clouding my features.
“It’s too much of a risk, why is everyone just saying shit? Do you know if it’s still stocked? I have just a full magazine left and if I run out of bullets? Then what? We stumble into a hoard and die?!”
This wasn’t like me.
I knew that.
I was stressed — no, stretched to the very limit.
Every time I closed my eyes, visual images of bodies fluttered behind my eyelids.
Including the ones I had been responsible for.
I was barely keeping it together— Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Hannah, finish up with the dude, and come here to join me. We’ll split what we have into rations. Enough for a few days. And then, well, we hope to see something else on the road.” Declan was already moving, emptying everything to the floor.
“Derek. I saw a toolbox there. Check if there’s any useful tools in it. May end up being useful to us eventually.”
Derek was already moving, Nadia shuffling behind him as they checked the corners of the warehouse.
I ran a hand through my hair, my breath shaky.
“Hannah. Handle the rations. Declan, come with me.” I was already moving towards the center table, riddled with dust and objects.
With a hard swipe, I sent all the books on it crashing to the floor, gaze drifting up to see Hannah and Declan looking at me.
“Now, Declan. We don’t have all day.”
He gave one worried look to Hannah who quickly looked away, before he jogged over to me.
I grabbed the map from my bag and laid it across the table, hand jutting out to a particular spot.
“Here. We should be here. What’s the fastest route to our target?”
Silence.
Jesus.
What was it with everyone and pissing me off today?
I glared up at him, but he seemed unfazed, his brows scrunched together.
“Are you okay, Avery?” His voice was hoarse, almost rough and I shut my eyes at the sound of my name.
Was I okay?
My heart was doing something loud in my chest and I desperately needed something to distract myself with.
“Of course I’m fine. Concentrate.” My hand dropped to the hilt of the gun in my holster and I felt his gaze drop there too.
“I think you should give me that, Avery.” He continued, his voice soft.
I almost scoffed.
“I’d sooner put a bullet in you than do that. I’m fine.”
He raised both hands in surrender.
“Right. You’ve just been full of shit for the last hour, thought I’d check in.”
That made my neck snap up.
“Excuse me?”
The bastard had the audacity to shrug.
“Just saying. You’re basically in charge. And you’re losing your shit. Not really a good example.”
Wow.
“Why don’t you lead then, newcomer? I’ve kept them alive for this long, not you, okay?” I hissed.
Declan nodded, though I knew he still had a lot to say.
“Whatever.” He hunched over the table.
“Still the North gate?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Obviously not asking for directions to your house.”
He didn’t look up.
“Yeah, you’d have to ask nicer for that.”
“Declan, make yourself useful. I thought about going through St Mary’s hospital.”
He traced a finger across the crumpled paper, a frown on his face.
No.
The northern boulevard passes too close to a dormant Rig I spied from a vantage point a while ago.
If it reactivates, we’re trapped.
We go around through the sewer access here, come up behind the train depot, and make for the North Gate from the east.”
“Okay. We’ll move at dawn.” I was already reaching for the map when his hand closed around my wrist, firm and cold.
“No.”
My eyes widened and I twisted in his grip, but he didn’t budge.
“Let go. Are you insane?”
His expression didn’t change.
“I’m better with maps. I’ll take it. That’s the point of a group, isn’t it? Each person gets their own niche.”
For a second, I could only stare at him, different thoughts running through my head — mostly how I could kill him and stage it like an accident.
Because I still didn’t feel comfortable with him.
“Fine. But don’t run off with it.”
He let go of my wrist, rolling up the map.
“Trust me, Avery. If I wanted that gun even…”His gaze dropped to my pistol.
“I’d have it.” Then he was walking away, back to helping Hannah who was crouched beside the supplies, cataloguing everything.
Oh?
“You guys get along pretty well.” Joel’s voice came beside me and I jerked.
“Fuck.” I turned to him, grabbing my backpack off the table.
“Go get some rest. You’re beat up.”
He rested heavily on the table, his gaze searching mine.
“I was hoping I could talk to you about something.” He blurted out.
I froze, midstep from rushing off to check on Nadia and Derek, then I looked down at him.
“What?”
He looked around, making sure no one was listening.
“That Rig that followed us the other day? I’ve been thinking about it.”
My heart lurched.
“What about it?”
Joel looked almost skeptical about what he was about to say.
“What if…it was looking for something specific? Nothing could have given us away. But it seemed locked on something.” He paused and looked up.
“Or someone.”
For a second, I didn’t say anything.
Then— “What’s your working theory, Joel? You’re being vague.”
His expression remained the same.
“What if it was looking for one for us?”