SurvivorZ: Grave Harbor

29

RUSTY

"Do you need help unpacking your things?"

Rusty lifted his head at the sound of his master's voice. Though most of what he was saying was unintelligible to the eleven-year old Chinook, his soft tone and scent of nervous perspiration made one thing clear. Charlie had feelings for the girl he was speaking to, the one named Danielle. Rusty approved of his choice in mating partners with a light tapping of his tail. Danielle smelled nice.

Much better than the smelly-angry man they ran into earlier. The stench of rot and death practically seeped from his pores.

This place of wind-swept fabric and noisy people was an exciting improvement over his foul-smelling kitchen. The scent of burning wood and chilled skin. The echo of hundreds of murmuring voices. The sense of despair, desperation, and sickness rising like a plague-filled balloon. The sights and smells overwhelmed him at first, but they gradually began to grow commonplace to his keen senses.

Except for the smelly-angry man's odor, of course. Rusty doubted he'd ever get used to something that bad.

The dog yawned and lowered his head to his paws. The familiar smells from inside the tiny, drafty shelter were far gentler on his nose. Comforting, even. It reminded him of his old house, and the family who were members of his pack.

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't have much to unpack." Danielle removed a shirt from her bag and took a whiff. "I should probably wash soon. What I do have is getting pretty ripe."

"Some of the women set up laundry facilities on the west end of the camp," Charlie said. "It's not much. A few washboards and tubs, with some clotheslines hanging in a heated tent. It's better than nothing."

Danielle smiled slyly. "I can do one better. I met someone with access to one of the neighboring homes outside the fence. I was thinking I'd surprise everyone with a proper machine washing, at least until the power goes out."

"Really? You've been sneaking away from camp? Who is this person?"

Rusty batted an eye at Charlie's surprised pitch.

"His name's Richard. He's been looking after his sister, Laurie. She has Lupus. That's why she couldn't pass the camp's medical screening. They've been staying nearby. With mom's help, I've been helping him smuggle out her medication."

"What? Maureen's taking medicine from the infirmary? Isn't that dangerous?"

Rusty batted another eye and threw in a tilted head for good measure.

"Only if we get caught."

"Richard's nice," Emily declared over the worn book spread open on her cot. "He brings me candy."

Danielle smiled. "Laurie's got a sweet tooth, so he frequently trades with others around the camp for candy and cookies."

Charlie gaped at Emily. "Am I the only one who doesn't know you guys have thrown in with Robin Hood?"

"Not just you. Other Robin, Drew, and Judith don't know either. Mom especially wants to keep it secret from Judith. I think she's worried she might rat on us."

"Rat on you?" Charlie chuckled. "You help sneak medicine outside the fence and suddenly you're Al Capone?"

"Hey! I'm not half bad at crime," she snickered.

They laughed together. Rusty's tail brushed the floor.

"You know, seeing as how you brought it up, what's up with Judith and your mom? They've been at each other's throats ever since we left Amherst."