The setting sun caused most buildings in the town to cast long eerie shadows. The soulless wind whistled as it swept through broken windows and abandoned rooms.
From behind the scope of his rifle, Shai took it all in.
The crisp winter air slapped against the side of his head, searching for skin to bite. A stinging sensation in eyes made them water. The urge to blink was resisted as Shai remained focused on the area ahead. His view changed as he swung the weapon, covering ground he had already looked at moments before.
"Anything?" a voice called.
Reaching out, Shai adjusted the scope. The next moment the barrel of the gun swept left.
He was about to give in to the urge of his watering eyes when the movement caught his attention. The gun turned further left, Shai's finger hovered above the trigger as he took a breath.
There!
His finger tightened. When the object of his attention swam into focus the finger relaxed. Shai released his breath. He couldn't resist the snort. At the other end of his scope was nothing other than a feline. The cat sat before a closed door and was calmly grooming itself.
If the prey is not afraid then a predator isn't nearby. With one smooth motion Shai stood and slung the rifle over a shoulder. "We're good."
Turning he caught sight of the others.
Fabian was crouched in front of the truck, a gun propped up in one hand. Mav leaned against the door vehicle, one leg behind the other. Roanna sat on the hood, no doubt letting the recently running engine warm her.
"Alright then." Fabian jumped to his feet. "Let's see what we can find and move on."
Mav banged a hand on the window. Lake's figure shot into view as he sat up. The boy sleepily turned to stare outside. Mav's attention had turned to the back as he grabbed a backpack and began to empty it.
"Just how sure are you that there aren't going to be guests to welcome us?" Roanna asked.
The door of the truck opened and Lake stumbled out.
"Pretty sure," Shai responded as he walked over to Mav. The wound in his leg no longer throbbed, numbed by the cold.
"That doesn't sound convincing," Roanna jumped off the hood.
Shai grabbed the empty fuel can. "I trust cats."
"Huh?" Roanna lifted an eyebrow. "You what?"
Mav tossed the empty backpack to Lake while Fabian had already began to climb over the pile of cars that blocked the fork in the road leading into the town.
"I think..." Roanna turned a finger in her ear. "I think he said something about cats...can someone translate?"
Shai simply responded by pointing in the general direction where the creature with whiskers had been moments before.
Roanna's eyes followed the path, however, she ended up turning to Mav. The boy shrugged before heading after Fabian.
The truck door opened again and Asumi stepped out. The girl kept her head low.
Roanna glanced in her direction before shuffling her feet. She abruptly turned. "I still say we should keep going!" She called after the other two boys.
"We'll run out of gas!" came Mav's reply. "Besides...it'll do you good to stretch your legs."
The girl muttered something under her breath before setting out after them.
Lake shot Asumi a glance before following.
Only Shai and the grieving girl were left. Shai grabbed a second container. He walked by Asumi and shoved it into her arms. Without waiting to see if she would follow, he trailed after the others. He knew she would come.
He easily swung himself up on the first car.
"Too bad there isn't a trail of bunkers ahead we could travel through," Roanna, who was now some way ahead, spoke. "It would make this a lot more like a camping trip."
"Now that would have been useful," Lake agreed.
"Not enough resources to spare to build and stock them," Fabian informed them from the front.
"Tell us something we don't know," the reply was shot by Roanna. "You think we'll at least find some food around here?"
"Who knows?" Fabian jumped from the last car. The boy turned to the others, a grin stretching across his face. "I say, finders keepers." He turned and bounded off into the town.
The others paused.
"See you later losers!" Mav jumped to the ground and sprinted after the other boy.
Shai leaped into action, bounding across the cars. In front of him both Lake and Roanna sped up. Shai jumped to the ground only a few feet behind them. He took off, joining the mad dash.
The teenagers streaked across the ground, laughing along the way. For the moment their situation was forgotten as they rushed to be the first to find something good. Roanna disappeared into a house with Lake close at her feet.
Shai skipped that one and aimed for the next. His hand reached for the door handle when he hesitated. The grin that had made its way to his face, slowly dropped as he turned. In the setting sun he saw Asumi's figure standing on the last car. The fuel can dangled from one hand as she stared back the way they had come. There was something about her stance that made Shai wonder. His eye left her to stare in the same direction.
Does she feel it too? The thought flittered through his mind as uneasiness shot through him
Laughter broke through the moment. Shai turned hand on the door knob. When it didn't turn he used the butt of the rifle to break it. He was in in moments and found himself eagerly scouring the interior as he rejoined the game.
Three cans of beans and one lucky one of peaches later, the group sat around a small fire. They had unanimously voted to stay and heat the beans before resuming their journey. As the flames crackled Shai leaned against one of the three walls in the door less garage that they had picked out. The walls kept the wind at bay and the fire was actually providing some warmth.
Lake crouched near it, gloveless hands hovering over the open flames. Roanna was poking at the cans of beans. The lids had been roughly cut by a knife with which Mav was now calmly playing. Asumi had her legs drawn to her chest as she stared at the flames.
With only one point of entry it was easy to keep an eye out for unwanted company and the group found themselves more relaxed. Shai's eyes moved from the flames to the cat that crouched in the shadows. As long as it stayed he knew there was nothing of danger nearby.
"I've never been so excited for beans in my life," Fabian admitted as his gaze stayed glued on the cans.
"Why are you excited?" Lake asked without looking up from the flames. He rubbed his hands. "I thought we said finders keepers?"
Mav chuckled while Fabian responded with a scowl.
"Too bad the reserves are empty," Shai murmured as he referred to the gas station they had found in their search. With the warmth came the reminder of the wound he had sustained. He tried to ignore the ache.
Mav lifted a hand and scratched the side of his face. "No gas. That'll be a problem."
There was a moment of silence broken only by the crackling of the fire.
"What happens when we run out?"
"We walk."
All heads turned in the direction of the voice. Asumi didn't lift her head or give any sign to show any more interest in the conversation.
"Would you look at that?" Roanna sat back on her hunches. "She speaks." She lifted the stick in her hands and pointed it at the other girl.
Unable to take the aching any more, Shai reached for the painkillers he had stowed in a pocket. He popped one in his mouth and returned the medication when the fire called his attention.
"While you're talkative," Roanna continued "Is there anything you would like to share?"
Silence.
Shai watched the cans of beans as their interiors began to bubble furiously.
"Nothing?" Roanna let out a sigh. "At this rate I'm going to keep forgetting you're here. Seriously." She waved the stick around. "At some point we may mistakenly leave you behind."
Shai decided to finally speak up. "Beans."
"B what?" Roanna turned to stare at him.
Shai didn't reply, eyes on the cans that were now overflowing.
"First cats and now be –" Roanna whirled. "Beans!" the word was shouted as she sprung into action. Lake jumped in to help rescue the cans and prevent any more of their dinner from being spilled.
"Jeeze, call every infected in the area here while you're at it," Fabian muttered.
Roanna took but a second to point a finger in Shai's direction. "He said there's none around. So if they come blame him."
Shai's gaze returned to the crouching cat that watched the beans hungrily.
Still here.
"They're ready." Roanna announced as the last can was successfully moved from the heat.
Fabian was on his feet. He grabbed a beanie hat to use as a mitt and cleanly snatched one of the cans. He lifted it to his lips only to let out a yelp.
"Can't say I feel sorry," Roanna told him as she carefully picked out the other can. "One between two?"
Lake went for the third but Shai beat him to it. He grabbed it and ignored the protest as he walked over to Asumi. Leaning against the wall he slid to the floor next to her. He offered the can. She hesitated before taking it. Shai couldn't help the smile. Looks like not even she can resist something warm. He turned watch Roanna and Lake bicker over the beans they were sharing.
Fabian had begun to gulf down the other but the sound of a knife scraping against a wall made him pause. Shai watched as his friend turned, gave Mav a smile as best as he could with a full mouth, and then held out the can as an offering.
In the meantime, Roanna won and got the first half of beans. Lake, who had given up the fight, leaned against the wall. "I should be home right now," the boy moaned.
"Homesick?" Fabian asked as he kept an eye on the can Mav was holding.
"No." Lake scowled. "I'm just trying to understand why in the world I did what I did."
"You mean wait for your friends?" Roanna asked as she gulped down a mouthful.
There was no reply.
Slowly, Roanna put the hand holding the can down. "You don't..." She hesitated. "You don't think they sent another rescue team, do you?" The hand was raised lower. "With his father being on the Force and all?"
"Not a chance." Lake took the opportunity to snag the can. He was already scooping the food into his mouth. "My old man's all about the rules. And the rule says they only come back once."
"Ok." Shai saw the next question coming as the talkative girl turned in his direction. "What about your sist–"
There was a pop followed by, "Dessert?" Mav held out the can of peaches, his beans back in the hands of Fabian.
"Mmm," came from Lake whose mouth was currently preoccupied with chewing. Both he and Fabian moved closer to the source of the sweater food.
Shai took the can of beans Asumi handed him and began to gulp down his half. He hadn't realized how hungry he was up until this point. A0s the warm food fell into his stomach, the others already began on the second course. Shai was about to tip his head back to get the last of the beans when once again his friend with whiskers caught his eye.
The cat had crept steadily closer, eyes glued on the can. While the others argued over who got how many peaches, Shai slowly lowered the beans. He tipped the can on its side and pushed it toward the hungry creature with fur. The cat hesitated but a moment before hunger overtook fear. A moment later it crouched and gulped down the remnants of the meal.
Fabian's laughter drew Shai's attention. He was just in time to witness the boy grab Lake under one arm and hold him back. With his other hand he was trying to snatch the can of peaches from Roanna who danced just out of reach while she tauntingly ate piece after piece. Mav calmly watched, a peach on the end of the knife he still held. He popped it into his mouth before his eyes turned to the cat and then to Shai.
Shai held his gaze for a moment before he leaned back and closed his eyes. Next to him Asumi rested her chin on her knees as she continued to stare into the fire.
The bickering three soon calmed down and joined the others in sitting around the flames.
This time it was Fabian that broke the silence. "When we get back, what's the first thing you're all going to do?"
Roanna didn't even hesitate. "Eat something that will fill my stomach."
"Hunker down and never leave the islands again," Lake chimed in.
Mav snorted at that.
"Come on." Roanna nudged Lake. "What about adventure?"
The boy turned and raised his eyebrows. "Oh sure. Getting left behind in a world that belongs to them? Sign me up any day!"
Fabian grinned at that. "There you go trooper. Just imagine. You'd get to run for your life during the day and feast on beans at night."
"Somehow I don't think my digestive system would thank me after a day." Lake winced at the thought.
"Oh great," Roanna groaned. "We're all going to be stuck in a car together."
"Yup." Fabian stretched and exchanged grins with Lake. The boys both put an arm around Roanna, squishing the girl helplessly between them.
"We'll be one big happy family," Lake informed her.
"You live together, you smell together," Fabian added.
Roanna's face scrunched up. "Gross!"
Mav chuckled and even Shai cracked a grin. The latter's attention was called when Asumi nudged him. Shai shot her a glance only to see that she was staring nervously at the exit. His eyes immediately darted to it. The cat was still there, but all the same, the uneasy feeling from before crept into his half-filled stomach.
"We should get going." He was the one who spoke the words everyone had thought and yet no one had wanted to bring up.
Mav got to his feet. "I've got the fire." He set out dousing it while the others grabbed what belongings they had gathered and deemed necessary to take. Armed with guns and some new equipment, they headed back for the car.
Roanna went straight for the steering wheel but Fabian stopped her. "Your turn in the back," he reminded.
The girl didn't protest as she climbed up. Lake joined her while the others took the interior with Fabian at the wheel.
"Hope you can at least drive somewhat better!" Lake called from behind. A moment later he let out a yelp, signifying Roanna's reaction.
"Hope they don't kill each other," Fabian commented. With a grin as he started the engine.
Shai grunted from where he sat next to him.
"Hey." Fabian was staring at Mav through the review mirror. "Seatbelt."
Mav returned the stare.
"I was taught to never drive without all passengers wearing a safety belt."
"Safety belt?" Mav repeated.
Asumi and Shai both reached for theirs while Mav stared back at Fabian.
"We're not leaving until you have yours on."
Mav snorted and Fabian raised an eyebrow. There was a sigh before the former reached for his belt and fastened it. He looked up stared at Fabian who smiled.
"Home sweet home, here we come." With that the vehicle lurched forward. Much to the dismay of those in the vehicle, Fabian broke into song. No matter how much Mav threatened, the boy seemed in the mood to sing, half in French and half in English.
Shai closed his eyes. A little while later Fabian had drifted off the silence and the others had succumbed to sleep. Shai opened his eyes and glanced at the boy next to him. Fabian's eyes were dropping.
"Want me to take over?" Shai sat up as he spoke.
"Nah." The headlights illuminated the bridge before them. "I got it." They began to cross. "Man, that sure looks cold."
Shai's eyes turned to the source of Fabian's comment. The moonlight reflected off the river which had its sides iced over and yet ran freely in the middle.
"It sure would suck to go for a swim right now, right?" Fabian asked.
Shai's lips twitched. "Be careful what you–"
CRASH!
Something slammed into the vehicle and it lurched the side.
Shai's seatbelt pulled painfully tight as it stopped his body from crashing through the front window.
There was a shout as the vehicle turned in a circle. It came to a stop, facing the direction they had come from.
Swearing, Mav undid his seatbelt and jumped out the door. "You guys okay?" he called.
Shaken, Shai looked back to see Asumi was staring at him with wide eyes.
Fabian groaned as he lifted his head from where it had slammed into the steering wheel.
"What the...?"
Shai felt it. The air grew colder and there it was. The feeling of death.
He opened his mouth in warning but it was too late.
CRASH!