Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 8

 Ford twirled the pasta around his fork as he snuck glances at Evey. She was sitting on the bench with her legs crossed underneath her. She tapped her finger against her knee as her eyes darted around the empty street.

"Go inside," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"To sleep."

Evey sighed. Images of her Mother and Steven laying dead on the floor filled her mind. Lila's screams and cries rang through her ears. There was no way that she was going to be able to fall asleep tonight.

"I won't be able to sleep," she said.

Ford shrugged his shoulders before taking a bite of the food Evey brought him.

"You'll eventually fall asleep," he said.

"I doubt it," she said.

"It's not safe out here."

"I thought that this town was safe?"

"The base was supposed to also be safe."

Evey bit down on her lip as she nodded. She looked over at Ford to see him staring at the road while eating. Her eyes fell to his gun.

"When are you going to teach me how to shoot?" Evey asked.

"Never," Ford said.

"What if you die?" she asked. "We'll be left defenseless."

"If I'm dead then you are definitely going to be dead."

Evey stood and turned to face Ford. She crossed her arms over her chest and he looked unphased as he continued to eat.

"Seriously?" she asked. "You won't teach me?"

"I'd be wasting my time," he said.

"Why?"

"You'd freeze. Remember the base?"

Evey knew what he was talking about. When she realized that they were heading toward the hungry Infected fear overtook her body. She could not move until Anjo had convinced her to go. She had no idea why she was so scared. She started working in the Emergency Department because she loved the rush of adrenaline. Now that it was her life on the line, it was not nearly as exciting.

"You have to have more faith in me," she said.

"I'll make you a deal," Ford said.

Ford set the plate down next to him on the bench. He unfastened the knife that was strapped to his thigh and held it out toward Evey. She stared at it confused.

"Take it," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Kill an Infected with this and I'll teach you how to shoot."

"What would that prove?"

"That you're not going to panic on me or the group."

Evey took the knife from his hand. She pulled it half out of the sheath to see that the blade was covered in dried blood. She remembered Ford driving the knife through the Infected soldier's skull at the base. She shoved it back into the sheath and held it to her chest.

"Go to bed," Ford said. "You're distracting me."

Evey rolled her eyes before stepping back into the house.

--

Evey was the first to wake-up. She tossed and turned all night. Her tears had returned when she thought about her family, especially Lila. Every time Evey went down to visit, Lila always insisted on sleeping in Evey's bed. Evey was shocked when her Mom told her that she was pregnant with Lila while Evey was in university, but her Mom did have her as a teenager.