When All is Lost

Chapter 38

The dead didn't bother me anymore, but they sure still enjoyed visiting.

Footsteps alerted me to the fact that someone else had joined us. "Hey," Ian's weary voice cut through the family room. "Prisha's been looking for you."

"Me?" Ray asked. "Why?"

"She said you'd told her you'd help her move the firewood when she finished chopping it."

"She's done already?" Ray asked, sounding surprised. Prisha may have had her flaws, but no one could say she wasn't a hard worker. Though she didn't go on raids, she did just about everything else.

"She's been done for a while."

"Shi-" Ray caught himself before Misty could scold him. She wanted all of us to work on our language around Jamie. "Shoot. Alright, I'll go find her."

"Are you sure you should?" Misty asked. "What about your stitches? Is Carlos up yet? Maybe he can do it."

"No," Ian said through a yawn. "Let him sleep a bit longer. It was a long night. Want me to do it?"

"I can do it!" Jamie interjected.

He couldn't. Prisha had spotted people passing by our house while we were gone during the night. Jamie wasn't allowed outside at times when the risk was high.

"I got it," Ray stated, clearly wanting the others to back off. "I wouldn't have offered if I didn't think I could do it. I'll be back in a bit."

I could hear him leave the room. A moment later, my knee that poked over the edge of the couch was nudged.

"You know it doesn't count as resting if you don't actually rest," Ian chided.

I scowled. "The sun feels nice here."

"Sure, but wouldn't it feel even better to crawl into a nice, soft bed with a bunch of covers?"

I cracked an eye open at him. "Not really, no."

He grinned down at me, holding out a hand expectantly. I let out an exaggerated sigh before taking it. "Are you going to take over Ray's spot?" I asked. Someone needed to be on watch.

"In a minute," he said as he guided me out of the room with a hand on my back. "Let's get you tucked in first."

I scoffed even as I let him usher me into the bedroom. "I'm fine. Really. I can take over for you if you want."

Ian laughed as though even the notion of it was ridiculous. As I sat on the bed and began to unlace my new winter boots, I could feel Ian's gaze on me. I refused to look up.

"Do you still want us to leave in two days?"

His question made my eyes dart to the door, checking for the others before meeting his. "Yes, we have to."

I hadn't told the others that our time in the house was at an end. Spotting fires was becoming harder and harder. It was at the point where I had to go on patrols to even find smoke in the skyline. It had taken almost forty-five minutes to walk to last night's house.

We had more than enough supplies to take us farther south. The snow on the ground was only about three inches high. It was time.

I refocused on my boots and Ian leaned against the wall across from me as I pulled one off. "Did you tell Ray?" I asked.

"No. You asked me not to."

I nodded as my second boot came off and I scooted myself so my legs were under the covers. "Thanks. I'll tell them all tomorrow. I just want them to have one more day to relax."