Tonight, I turned the knob and entered.
Clutch lay in the middle of the bed, the sheets tossed around him. His skin gleamed with sweat. He grunted and jerked, lost within his dream.
Careful to not disturb him, I sat down on the edge of the mattress. I reached out and laid my palm on his chest. His blade swung out.
I sucked in a breath.
He stopped just before slicing my throat ear to ear. Blinking, his eyes grew wide. “Jesus.” He fell back onto the mattress, pulling the knife away. “Fuck, Cash. I could’ve killed you.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “You were having a bad dream.” Again.
He rolled onto his side, facing away from me. “It was nothing.”
I slid up on the bed, sitting with my back against the headboard. “Tell me about it.”
“Everything all right outside?” he asked instead.
I sighed, disappointed. “Just one. No problems.”
“What time is it?” he asked, sounding all too tired himself.
“Four.”
He sat up. “I can take over the patrol now.”
“No,” I replied, not moving. “I’m wide awake.”
He lay for a moment before sighing. “What are you doing?”
“I’m staying until you fall asleep.”
After several long seconds, he gave me his back. “Have it your way.”
I rested my head against the headboard and sat there in silence, waiting. I remembered when I’d had bad dreams as a kid, my dad would stay with me until I fell asleep. His presence chased away the imaginary monsters. I had no idea if it would help Clutch. His monsters were bigger and badder, but I couldn’t let him go on every night facing them alone.
After Clutch’s breathing became deep and regular, I crept from his room, grabbed another protein bar, and headed back outside. I had time to make another pass around the farm before the sky morphed from black to purple to orange. The world, for once, was at peace, and I savored watching the sun rise over the horizon.
Clutch emerged from the house looking refreshed, and we were ready to hit the road before the sun was fully over the horizon, with dew still creating sparkles on the grass. Jase limped outside to see us off, leaning on a tall stick for support, and armed to the teeth.
“I swear it, guys,” Jase said. “It doesn’t hurt bad. Take your time. I’ll cover the place today.”
Clutch nodded at Jase’s stick. “Then why are you still using your crutch?”
Jase pursed his lips.
Clutch narrowed his eyes. “The only way you’re staying behind is if you can shimmy up on the roof. That way, you can scan while you start replacing the busted shingles.”
Jase grinned. “Heck, yeah, I can do that.”
“Be sure to bring plenty of ammo with you. Watching for looters and zeds is more important than patching the roof,” Clutch added. He started to turn, then paused. “Oh, and use a mallet. I don’t want you drawing every zed in a ten-mile radius.”
Jase gave an enthusiastic nod. “You bet!” He grabbed his stick and hopped back into the house.
I smirked. “You were planning on letting him stay behind all along.”
He shrugged. “Ready?”
I held out my hand. “After you.”
With a fleeting smile, he headed toward the truck, and I followed.
On our drive, we came across a group of zeds feasting on a cow while the rest of the herd huddled together in the far corner of the pasture. I gripped my rifle tighter.
“We need to conserve our ammo,” Clutch said as though reading my thoughts. “They’re still a ways from the farm. Maybe they’ll keep moving on.”
“We should at least cut the fence,” I said. “Give the rest of the cattle a chance.”
He sighed before slowing to a stop. “We won’t be able to save all the livestock. The zeds will get to all of it eventually.”