After 30 Days

Forty-One Day 59

I figured that we must have gotten as much useful information out of this group as they had to give. Marcus seemed to be content to sit there and talk, and from the position of the sun as it moved overhead, we'd been there too long already.

But before we went I was going to need a few minutes of privacy thanks to the several bottles of water I'd chugged. My spine cracked audibly as I got up from My seat on the ground. I started away from the group with thoughts of finding someplace secluded out back when someone said loudly enough to get my attention, "It's been a while since anyone came through here with a dog."

I turned around to see that it was Sara that had spoken. "Yeah, I guess you don't see dogs very often anymore," I agreed with her.

Before I could finish my escape she continued, "He's not even skinny. The last couple of dogs we saw were so thin that there wasn't much left to them."

I eyed Rex. His ribs were still clearly visible under his fur. He had slowly put on weight, but he still needed a few more pounds. But compared to these people, the dog was pleasantly plump.

When I didn't respond she continued. "Have you had him long?" Everyone was paying attention to our conversation now, silently hanging on to my every word in a way that was starting to creep me out. Tom was even leaning forward in his chair.

My hand found the hair on the dog's back and I reflexively grabbed a handful to keep him close. "Yeah, a while now," I answered her.

She frowned slightly and shot a sideways glance at Tom. Seeing her, he took over. "I'm guessing it's about time for you folks to be on your way. If you're going to make it to the next town before dark, you'll have to hurry." He stood up.

My three companions had picked up the strange shift in the atmosphere too, and they all got warily to their feet.

"I believe you're right, we need to get going," Marcus told him as he picked up his bag from the ground hurriedly. Shawn scooped up both his stuff and mine, and walked the few steps to stand next to me.

"Sure, sure." Tom looked around at his group, "We understand. It's not safe to be on the road at night, so you need to go. We just have to settle the matter of your debt and you can be on your way."

The sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach told me that I was not going to like whatever they were going to ask for.

"Our debt?" Marcus looked more confused than anything else.

Tom nodded gravely, taking another step closer. "Oh, absolutely. We're reasonable people, and I know you don't have much seeing as you're traveling and all. But I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

I had started backing up, Shawn staying close beside me, and my hand still gripping Rex's hair. Sam, looking equally as worried by this turn of events, was moving closer to us, away from the circle of strangers. He kept his gaze focused on them like he knew that things were about to get really ugly. Marcus, still looking confused, noticed that we were backing away and took a few steps himself. Then he stopped.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid that I don't understand. What debt?" He sounded like he was doing his best to reason with someone who didn't speak the same language as he did. Like he couldn't quite comprehend what the other man wanted.

Apparently tired of his ruse, Tom dropped all manner of civility. His tone was clipped. "The water. You owe for the water that you drank. There's nothing free in this world, don't you know that?"

Shawn, Sam, and I were starting to get a little distance between us and them. In a few more seconds we would be back on the road. Marcus still stood feet away from where he had been sitting, his mouth now hanging open in surprise. He sputtered something indignant about not knowing that we were going to have to pay for the water.

"Come on you idiot," I muttered under my breath. "Move."

But he didn't move. Tom had taken a few more steps and now stood next to Marcus. The rest of his group had moved as well and formed a group just behind Tom. They all stared at us as we retreated, even the kids, all except for Lisa who glanced our way and then looked back at the ground.

"You all come back here now," Tom's voice rang out in the quiet. Sunlight glinted off of the large knife that he suddenly had in his hand. Grabbing Marcus by the arm, he pointed the knife at his side. "You give us what we want, and then you can all go."

Frozen to the spot, I didn't know what to do. There was no way that I was going back to within reach of those people again. If Tom was using a knife then he probably didn't have a gun. We were far enough away now that I thought we could escape unharmed. Except for Marcus.

I still didn't like Marcus, but he was a human, and part our group. I couldn't just abandon him either.

"You are not going back over there," Shawn told me in a low tone. Grabbing my arm, he started dragging me backwards again.

A yelp sounded and Marcus tried to move away from his captors, but the knife that now had it's point in his side kept him from struggling too hard.

"Bring that dog back over here and this will all be over quick," Tom told me directly. His face was dead serious as he stared into my eyes.

I gripped Rex's fur harder. Time stopped as I realized exactly what they were asking for. Then reality snapped back into place as the little boy reached up and tugged at his mother's ragged shirt.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

The gravel under my feet changed to pavement and I knew that we were back on the road. I couldn't look down to check though, my gaze stuck on the horrifying sight back at the restaurant. A small red stain had started to spread out from the spot where the knife stuck into Marcus. It wasn't a lot of blood, but enough to let us know that they were serious. They would hurt Marcus if we didn't give them what they wanted.

There was no way I was going to let them eat my dog.

Still clutching his backpack to his chest, Marcus looked like he was going to wet his pants, if he hadn't already. "Just give them the dog," he hissed.

"Last warning," Tom's voice boomed out again. "We're either going to eat Marcus here, or that dog. Your choice."

In the moment, I'd somehow managed to forget that we were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. That reality was brought back into sharp focus when a zombie dashed around the corner of the building and plowed straight into the group of people standing there. My mouth fell open as the thing screeched and someone from the group screamed.

Chaos erupted. Apparently caught as unaware as I had been, they fumbled and struggled to keep the zombie from reaching them. It didn't look like they were having a lot of success. With a wild, desperate look in his eyes, Tom managed to keep his hold on Marcus as he began struggling to escape. The group devolved into a chaotic mass and it was hard to see what was happening.

Shawn took a couple of steps toward the fight but then changed his mind. He came back to stand next to me. Sam moved closer to us too, and we just stood there, unsure what to do next.

Suddenly, Marcus and Tom emerged from the group. They were struggling over the knife. The kids were crying loudly now and someone was swearing. They were trying to corral the zombie, but only having marginal success. Then a small figure flew out of the group and slammed shoulder first into Tom, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

"Go!" Lisa looked up from where she'd landed in the dirt and shouted.

Marcus didn't need to be told twice. Scooping up his bag from the ground he bolted in our direction as fast as he could run.

With Marcus free, I felt no qualms about finally turning and running myself. Booted feet pounded on the pavement behind me as the guys began to run too. In the growing distance, the zombie screeched again and someone yelled for help.