SurvivorZ

32

Lloyd watched her go. When she disappeared out of sight, he turned his scrutiny to the surrounding buildings. Dozens of dark windows stared back at him. He stifled a shiver, unable to shake a growing sense of unease.

The unusual nature of the country's attackers could simply mean that the base's forces had already mobilized. If so, a part of him was glad Denise ran into trouble on her way here. If her tardiness meant she'd be left to safeguard the base with the few soldiers remaining behind, at least her post would be a safer one than facing off against an army of the dead.

Perhaps thinking about the alternative was what caused his nerves to vibrate like live wires. Until now, he tried not to reflect on the perilous nature of his girlfriend's profession. Though they dated a few times in high school, it wasn't until after her return from the Gulf that their relationship took a serious turn. During that time, the most dangerous thing she had to face was the lengthy commute from their shared place near Clinton.

He had grown so comfortable having Denise Lowe in his life that he hadn't adequately prepared himself for the possibility of losing her. Knowing that she'd never abandon her responsibility, a desperate part of him wanted to club her over the head and drive her to Canada to keep her safe from herself.

He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his cigarettes and lighter. After inhaling the soothing taste of his Marlboro, he blew smoke out his open window and stared out over the mostly empty base. He hoped the nicotine shot would calm his nerves and provide something else to focus on. Instead, it sharpened his paranoia to a knife's edge.

Another soldier marched past, carrying an automatic weapon. The patrolling guard scrutinized him so thoroughly that Lloyd couldn't help but feel self-conscious. It occurred to him to wonder if they permitted smoking on a military base. Since the soldier didn't seem to be interested in coming over to stop him, he took another puff and watched him head off.

Looking elsewhere, he spotted another couple of men in combat uniforms working under the hood of a jeep parked outside a neighboring building. He smoked and watched them closely. Though they both leaned over the exposed engine, neither soldier had moved a muscle for close to a minute.

Maybe it was his paranoia whispering, but it dawned on him that they seemed less interested in their vehicle than in his. After catching their third surreptitious glance over their shoulders, he started to wonder if the jeep they were fixing ran perfectly fine.

"Blow me. What's this about?" he muttered. His gaze rose to the dark windows. Though he couldn't see anyone observing him, his nerves prickled. He was starting to feel like a bug under a microscope.

Lloyd glanced towards the front doors that had swallowed up his girlfriend. "Come on, Dee." The shotgun sat on the seat next to him. He hoped Denise returned before he nerved himself up enough to grab it and chase after her.

He looked back at the soldiers supposedly working on the jeep. One of them had produced a radio and was speaking to someone else now. His companion leaned against the vehicle, trying his utmost to appear casual while observing the clouds. He didn't fool Lloyd. Nobody except bird watchers and meteorologists took that much interest in the sky.

Lloyd finished his smoke and tossed what remained out the window. Though the men made no moves towards him, he couldn't shake the feeling of walls closing in. His hand dropped to the shotgun by his side. He slid it across the seat to his hip when the front doors reopened and Denise came strolling out.

Her appearance didn't help his anxiety. The worry she wore going in was now replaced with an expression of resignation. She reminded him of his mother on the day she told her eleven-year old son that his father perished in a construction accident.