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with everything that had happened since last year, he had never worked up the courage to tell her that he loved her, and she had never even gone within pistol shot of the
L
word. And now she wanted him to come right out and say it. Not in some romantic moment, not while holding hands as they walked through spring flowers, or while snuggled together watching the sunset. Right here, right now, on his porch roof, with all the exits and doorways to a cowardly retreat nailed shut.
    Her eyes were filled with green mystery and … and what? Challenge? Was this a test that was going to get him fried when he gave the wrong answer? Nix was devious and complicated enough for that sort of thing. Benny had grown up with her; he knew.
    That wasn’t it, though, and on some level he knew it.
    No, when he tried to put a label on what he saw in her eyes, the one that seemed to fit best … was hope.
    Hope. Suddenly his heart started beating again, or at least beating differently.
    God … maybe if he jumped off the roof right now he would fly.
    Benny licked his dry lips and swallowed a dry throat and in a dry voice said, “Yes.”
    Nix’s eyes searched his, looking for a lie.
    Somehow that made Benny feel stronger. He leaned toward her, letting her see everything she could find in his eyes.
    He squeezed her hand. “Nix … I love you so much.”
    “You do?” she asked in a voice that was as fragile as a butterfly’s wing.
    “Yes. I love you. I really do.” It felt strange to say aloud. Enormous and good and delicious.
    But Nix’s brow furrowed. “If you love me, then swear on that.”
    They were back to the question about leaving. Benny bowed his head for a moment, unable to bear the weight of what she was asking. Nix hooked a finger under his chin and lifted his face toward hers.
    “Please, Benny …”
    “I swear it, Nix. I love you and I swear on that.”
    Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she kissed him. Then Benny was on his knees, his arms wrapped around her, and both of them were crying, sobbing out loud under the bright blue sky. Even then, even with the terrible shared awareness of what lay behind them and before them, neither Benny nor Nix would ever be able to explain what it was that was breaking their hearts.
    Benny thought about what Nix had said in the cemetery. That leaving was like dying.
    FROM NIX’S JOURNAL
Questions:
     
Can zoms experience fear?
     
Do they know they’re dead?
     
Can they feel any emotions? (Do they hate the living?)
     

14
     
    “J UST SO I’M CLEAR ON THIS,” SAID C HONG IN HIS CALMEST AND MOST reasonable voice. “You want to take us camping in the Rot and Ruin?”
     
    “Yes,” said Tom. “Just an overnight trip.”
    “Out where the zoms are?”
    “Yes.”
    “Out where there are three hundred million zoms?”
    Tom smiled. “I doubt there are that many of them left. I doubt there’s more than two hundred million zoms left.”
    Chong peered at him with the flat stare of a lizard. “That’s not as much of a comfort as you might think, Tom.”
    “Hundred million fewer things that want to eat you,” said Benny. “Put it in the win category.”
    “Hush,” said Chong, “there are grown folks talking.”
    Benny covertly offered a rude gesture.
    They were in Benny’s yard. Nix sat nearby, wiping down her wooden sword with oil and trying not to smile. Lilah sat cross-legged on the picnic table, strip-cleaning her Sig Sauer automatic pistol. Again.
    “Are you going?” Chong asked her.
    Lilah snorted. “Better than staying here. This town is worse than the Ruin. If they go,” she said, indicating Tom, Benny, and Nix, “why would I want to stay here?”
    Benny caught Chong’s wince.
    Damn,
he thought,
that’s got to hurt
.
    It was clear from the frank look on Lilah’s face that she had no idea that her words had just jabbed into Chong’s flesh. Benny doubted she had a clue as to Chong’s feelings.
    “So that’s the plan,” Benny said brightly, trying to lighten the