myself.
Each individual bar was fastened on the left-hand side of the door in the wall studs by a heavy-duty hinge, same as the ones I had used long ago to hang the gate at the pasture field entrance. Lucky for me I had some extra in the barn leftover from that task. I also found the leftover latches and these were fastened to the wall on the right-hand side of the door. Once it was completed each steel rod could be unfastened and swung back, allowing the front door to be opened. Then, once the door was closed, it was as simple as swinging the rods shut and latching them in place. I stood back and studied the work I had completed, checking for anything I might have overlooked.
I tested the bars over and over to make sure they swung smoothly and noise-free. I jerked as hard as I could once they were latched and they didn’t give or budge. Seemed secure.
“Yes,” I said to Gus, “this will do nicely. If only we had more bars to secure the back door. But at least one entrance has a backup now in case a zombie horde happens to find us and breaks the door to pieces.”
I looked down at Gus, who was staring up at me from my feet. When I realized he wasn’t going to answer I started upstairs for a shower and then to bed. Turns out I was fortunate that night; sleep came to me dreamless and silent.
Chapter Six
October 3 rd : Ben’s side
The next morning Ben woke to the sounds and smells of breakfast. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and noticed the sheets were a mess. One corner of the fitted sheet was completely pulled off the mattress and he was nearly tangled in it. It took several minutes for him to remember where he was, and that this was no ordinary morning. Reality hit him like a ton of bricks. He groaned and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His stomach was growling and he had to piss like a racehorse.
He could hear the women downstairs talking and occasionally laughing, but he didn’t hear the guys. He jumped up, dragged his jeans on, and snuck out of his room and down the hall to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face after relieving himself, then stared at his reflection. His brown hair was a mess and there were dark circles under his eyes. He rubbed his hands over his cheeks and decided he’d better shave sometime today. His stomach growled again sharply, so he sighed and went downstairs.
“You’ve really never made scrambled eggs before?” Nancy was asking Kyra just as Ben turned the corner into the kitchen. She had a bowl in the crook of her arm and was furiously whipping eggs as she stared at Kyra.
“No, I’ve never made scrambled eggs before. I haven’t made much of anything really, I’m not a cook. I’m just too busy with school and stuff. I make a mean margarita, though, if you’re ever interested,” Kyra said, grinning at the older woman.
“Alright then, I’d say it’s about time you learn.” Nancy shoved the bowl into Kyra’s hands and pointed the whisk at her. “Well, go on. They’re just eggs, dear. Beat the hell out of them.”
Kyra took the whisk and smirked, but did as she was told. Ben smiled and poured himself a cup of coffee while listening to the friendly banter. Nancy busied herself with frying bacon and buttering toast while directing Kyra on the finer points of egg scrambling. Ben leaned against the sink and watched the two women, reminded of his own grandmother and how she used to smack his knuckles with a spatula when they would fry eggs together on Sunday mornings. She had died many years ago.
“Good morning, Ben, how did you sleep?” Nancy asked, snapping Ben from his reminiscing.
“Alright thanks. Where are the guys?”
“Oh, they went outside. Said something about patrolling,” Kyra answered over her shoulder.
“Did Mike go with them?” Ben asked. Nancy simply nodded affirmatively with her mouth set in a deep frown. She was still disappointed at Jake for the beating he had given Mike almost a day and half earlier. Nancy was a
Each individual bar was fastened on the left-hand side of the door in the wall studs by a heavy-duty hinge, same as the ones I had used long ago to hang the gate at the pasture field entrance. Lucky for me I had some extra in the barn leftover from that task. I also found the leftover latches and these were fastened to the wall on the right-hand side of the door. Once it was completed each steel rod could be unfastened and swung back, allowing the front door to be opened. Then, once the door was closed, it was as simple as swinging the rods shut and latching them in place. I stood back and studied the work I had completed, checking for anything I might have overlooked.
I tested the bars over and over to make sure they swung smoothly and noise-free. I jerked as hard as I could once they were latched and they didn’t give or budge. Seemed secure.
“Yes,” I said to Gus, “this will do nicely. If only we had more bars to secure the back door. But at least one entrance has a backup now in case a zombie horde happens to find us and breaks the door to pieces.”
I looked down at Gus, who was staring up at me from my feet. When I realized he wasn’t going to answer I started upstairs for a shower and then to bed. Turns out I was fortunate that night; sleep came to me dreamless and silent.
Chapter Six
October 3 rd : Ben’s side
The next morning Ben woke to the sounds and smells of breakfast. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and noticed the sheets were a mess. One corner of the fitted sheet was completely pulled off the mattress and he was nearly tangled in it. It took several minutes for him to remember where he was, and that this was no ordinary morning. Reality hit him like a ton of bricks. He groaned and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His stomach was growling and he had to piss like a racehorse.
He could hear the women downstairs talking and occasionally laughing, but he didn’t hear the guys. He jumped up, dragged his jeans on, and snuck out of his room and down the hall to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face after relieving himself, then stared at his reflection. His brown hair was a mess and there were dark circles under his eyes. He rubbed his hands over his cheeks and decided he’d better shave sometime today. His stomach growled again sharply, so he sighed and went downstairs.
“You’ve really never made scrambled eggs before?” Nancy was asking Kyra just as Ben turned the corner into the kitchen. She had a bowl in the crook of her arm and was furiously whipping eggs as she stared at Kyra.
“No, I’ve never made scrambled eggs before. I haven’t made much of anything really, I’m not a cook. I’m just too busy with school and stuff. I make a mean margarita, though, if you’re ever interested,” Kyra said, grinning at the older woman.
“Alright then, I’d say it’s about time you learn.” Nancy shoved the bowl into Kyra’s hands and pointed the whisk at her. “Well, go on. They’re just eggs, dear. Beat the hell out of them.”
Kyra took the whisk and smirked, but did as she was told. Ben smiled and poured himself a cup of coffee while listening to the friendly banter. Nancy busied herself with frying bacon and buttering toast while directing Kyra on the finer points of egg scrambling. Ben leaned against the sink and watched the two women, reminded of his own grandmother and how she used to smack his knuckles with a spatula when they would fry eggs together on Sunday mornings. She had died many years ago.
“Good morning, Ben, how did you sleep?” Nancy asked, snapping Ben from his reminiscing.
“Alright thanks. Where are the guys?”
“Oh, they went outside. Said something about patrolling,” Kyra answered over her shoulder.
“Did Mike go with them?” Ben asked. Nancy simply nodded affirmatively with her mouth set in a deep frown. She was still disappointed at Jake for the beating he had given Mike almost a day and half earlier. Nancy was a
Similar Books
