Don't Whistle Past the Graveyard

Ch. Twenty

When I woke up, Shane wasn't in the bed next to me and light was trying to edge around the blinds. I tossed off the blankets Shane must have covered me with and looked around, trying to find my shirt.

Shane had somehow managed to throw it into the adjoining bathroom, and it took me forever to find it. When I did, I yanked it on, then hurried out of the room, furious.

I panicked when I couldn't immediately find either of the boys.

"Shane! Kyle!" I called, then jumped when heavy footsteps came running down the stairs. Turning, I scowled when I saw Kyle and said, "You scared the hell out of me! Where's Shane?"

"Shh!" Kyle hissed. "He's upstairs. Keep your voice down."

My eyes widened at the implied statement. Kyle waved for me to follow him up the stairs.

"We found where everyone went," Kyle said grimly before leading me to the northernmost part of the house, directing me into a small bedroom.

I went in, and found Shane standing at the window, using a pair of binoculars he must have found. He glanced at me when I joined him before looking out the window again. I frowned at him, but looked down to see the streets dotted with milling zombies.

Whispering, I asked, "Where did they all come from?"

"I don't know," Shane muttered. "But they seem to be moving north."

"Any idea why yet?" Kyle asked, standing just behind me.

"No." Shane was still staring through the binoculars, scanning over the trees and houses, looking for whatever might be drawing the zombies' attention. "But it's fine with me as long as they keep moving."

Shane lowered the binoculars and turned back to us. "Kyle how long do you think we can stay here? Just in case."

Kyle crossed his arms, frowning. "With light and noise discipline, they shouldn't pay us any mind. We're good for rations and water. A week, if we're careful. Beyond that, water will be an issue."

Shane rubbed at the back of his neck, looking again at the zombies on the street. "Hopefully they just keep moving and it won't be a problem." Then almost to himself, he muttered, "Why are they here?"

Turning to Kyle he said, "Nothing happened on your watch?"

"Nothing of note. No sounds. No movement. Then you took over," Kyle said, and I remembered what I'd been mad about.

"Why didn't you wake me up for my watch?" I asked, my hands on my hips.

Shane looked over at me and said, "Not now, Raleigh."

"What's to wait on? We're stuck here until the streets clear up anyway," I responded, trying to keep my voice at a whisper.

Shane's mouth thinned into an angry line. "I said, not now."

"And I'm not some private you can boss around." I watched from the corner of my eye as Kyle retreated silently from the room. Still struggling to keep my voice low, I hissed, "Why didn't you get me up for my watch?"

Shane sighed before hobbling over to the bed and sitting down. "I'm really not that interested in having this little domestic with you."

"Answer the damn question, Marine!" Shane's head snapped up when I said that. I glared at him and said, "We all need to pull our own weight. Is there a reason you didn't wake me up when your watch was over? Aside from some macho bullshit I mean."

Shane glared back at me and growled, "Well, gee. It couldn't possibly have been because I'm just a nice guy."

"I don't need you to be a nice guy."