Blanche started to turn to bring the gun up when she felt something hard slam into her temple and she was sent spinning. The revolver slipped from her hand, then she landed on the disgusting, oily floor. Gasping, she tried to get up, but she was flipped onto her back and she saw a blur of long black hair and a pale face, then something hit her cheekbone with a sickening thud. Pain splintered her thoughts as she was pummeled into senselessness. Her last real thought before the darkness washed over her was that she should have taken the pregnant woman instead.
5. Winter Sky
Jenni staggered away from Blanche, her hands bloodied and her face splattered with red drops. Her hands were bruised, battered and her knuckles torn open, but she didn’t care. The bitch was down and not moving.
She reached over and grabbed Blanche’s fancy gun and pivoted on her heal to take aim at Ray and Brewster. But Brewster was unconscious and Ray was moving toward Juan.
“Stay away from him!” Jenni’s voice sounded faint and hoarse to her own ears. “He’s shot...I...I...” Roy faltered.
Jenni was crying, her tears hot on her face. She stumbled forward, her head throbbing. “Leave him alone!”
She regained consciousness after Blanche had shot her own husband. Remaining limp, Jenni had waited for the right moment to try to escape. Keeping her eyes slitted and watching through her hair, she had seen Juan get shot. It was then in a fit of anger and desperation that she had made her move.
Her head still hurt where she had rammed it into Brewster’s nose. In fact, her head felt huge and swollen and when she walked, she swayed. Blanche had nailed her pretty hard.
Juan looked so still where he lay slumped against the wall. Blood was pooling around his body and his shirt was stained red. Ray stood a few feet from him, looking unsure. Though he had a sidearm at his side, he made no move for it. Jenni staggered to Juan’s side. Falling to her knees, she whispered to him in Spanish.
Juan was barely able to lift his head. “Loca,” he barely managed to say.
Pointing the gun at Ray, Jenni struggled to get her sweater off.
“Look, let me go get help,” Ray said finally. “Shut up!”
Juan’s hand feebly touched her leg and she looked at him, tears in her eyes, struggling to think straight.
“I’ll go get help,” Ray said again. “Look, I didn’t think Blanche would pull this shit. Let me go get help!” Juan moaned and Jenni stroked his hair, trying to calm him. “Okay, go! Go!”
Ray nodded and ran toward the door that would lead to the construction site. Once he was gone, Jenni put the gun down and quickly removed her sweater and wadded it up. The wound was ugly and bleeding hard on the left side of his chest. Jenni didn’t even want to think about the damage the bullet may have done. Pressing her sweater against the wound, she tried to staunch the bleeding.
“Tengo frio,” Juan whispered. “We’ll get you somewhere warm,” Jenni promised. She stroked his hair and lay kisses on his clammy brow.
“I...always...thought...she was...a stupid...bitch...” Juan muttered, and tried to smile.
“Shh...don’t worry about her. I beat the hell out of her. No one messes with my man,” Jenni answered.
“That’s...my...Loca...” Juan smiled, but he looked too pale and his eyes were growing glassy. Jenni could feel his blood, hot against her flesh, soaking into the sweater. She looked toward the door and knew Ray wasn’t coming with help.
That was when she began to scream.
*
There were moments that would be forever seared into the memories of those who lived and worked in the fort. The terror of the first day, the raising of the first wall, the battle against the horde of zombies from the school, and countless others. But one that would haunt those that survived the coming terrors was the vision of Jenni, covered in blood, dragging Juan into the winter sunlight that cold morning.
Jenni would always remember the terror that she was losing the love of her life. But she would also remember how her screams brought the fort members running to help her. And for some reason, until her last day on earth, she remembered the color of the white winter sky and the single bird flying over head, riding the cold winds.
Chapter 7
1. Eyes I Dare Not Meet In Dreams
Travis couldn’t bear to look at Jenni. As she was guided into the hotel, he thought of the T.S. Eliot poem “The Hollow Men.” The line that came to him was: “eyes I dare not meet in dreams.” He had seen the utter hollowness in Jenni’s eyes when Katie had helped her into the hotel, and he had gone cold inside. She had looked almost as lifeless as Juan. Through the doorway, he could see Katie and Rosie gently cleaning and bandaging Jenni’s hands. Jenni’s hair was covering her face; her shoulders shook as she sobbed.
The lobby was loud with voices as word got around about what had happened in the garage. Nerit and her people were looking for Ray while Bill had Blanche locked away. The bitch was unconscious, but alive despite the incredible beating Jenni had given her. Travis hadn’t even recognized Blanche when they had carried her in to the hotel.
Travis felt sick to the pit of his stomach as he looked at the long line of blood donors. Charlotte was working feverishly to save Juan with Belinda assisting her. Brewster was in another room with Peggy and Stacey trying to clean up his shattered nose. The Reverend was leading a prayer vigil nearby. He wasn’t sure how bad off Juan was, but he knew the fort did not have the medical facilities needed to save his life. Travis tried to remember how did the T. S. Elliot poem ended. Didn’t Stephen King quote it in one of his books?
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper
The fort was abuzz with people talking about Blanche being the Vigilante. It was a consensus that she must have had help, but that she was the mastermind. Case closed. Travis rubbed his brow and looked up as Ken rushed up to him. “Did you find Ray?”
“No. And Calhoun is gone, too. We can’t find him anywhere. He was supposed to help with some wiring today and never showed up. Juan sent me to find him right before that bitch shot him,” Ken answered. His eyes widened and he pressed one hand to his throat. “Shit, Travis, think she offed him? Ed said Calhoun was acting weird this morning. He was all muttering stuff about the Whore of Babylon right before that biker guy left.” Travis shook his head, exhaling slowly, trying to keep calm. “Keep looking. He’s a wily, old man. He could be anywhere. I can’t see Blanche and her goons taking him out that easily.”