“It wasn’t too bad at first,” said Jan. “But the last couple hours things have gotten much worse. I don’t even know the name of the last town we passed through, but there was no one there left alive. They were all infected or dead. We managed to lay low and avoid them, but if they’d spotted us then there would have been no chance to escape them all. That’s why we made for the countryside and these woods. I suppose you two had the same idea?”
“There’re half a dozen of us actually,” said Nick. He wanted to let the three men know that he wasn’t without backup if they tried anything. “We came here in a bus.”
“Mind if we join up with you?” Jan asked.
Dash pulled a face. “You serious? We don’t need to team up with this honky and his bitch.”
Nick clenched his fist and took a step forwards. “I think you might want to learn to keep your mouth shut, blud.”
Dash stepped forward to meet him. “You want a piece of me, honky?”
Jan stepped between them both. “Look, with all that’s going on, I think safety in numbers is the only thing that is going to help any of us. If we join up then we can try to figure something out, together.”
“No way are we joining up with you guys,” said Nick. “We don’t know anything about you.”
Jan sighed. “What if I said, please? I promise to keep Dash on a tight leash. To tell you the truth, I’m beat, and pretty darn terrified. I just want to be around other people, you know? If you allow us to come with you and your group, then I promise we won’t be a burden. We’ll pull our weight.”
Nick didn’t know what to do. Was it really a good idea to team up with bunch of criminals? Could he turn his back on somebody asking for help?
“What were you in for?” Eve asked.
“I tried to rob a bank,” Jan replied bluntly.
Nick cleared his throat. “And what about your friends?”
“I’m innocent,” said Dash.
“Sure you are,” Jan said, frowning at his companion. “Dash, here, was done for dealing. As for Renee, I don’t honestly know. Fella doesn’t talk none. Only reason I know his name is because I heard the guards use it before they bit the dust. He’s a bit of a strange one, to be honest; but no harm that I can tell.”
Nick stared at Renee and found himself agreeing. The man was a picture of gentle calmness. He was almost smiling, but not quite. The blinking of his eyes was a slow and careful affair, like that of a dozing cat. For some reason Nick felt no sense of danger from the man – it was his two colleagues that were the bigger worry.
But what could he do? It was a free country and he couldn’t exactly stop the prisoners from following him. It would be better to extend the hand of friendship than to make an enemy. Nick didn’t like the thought of a bunch of angry criminals hunting them through the woods.
“Okay,” he said finally. “But you keep yourselves to yourselves and don’t upset anyone. These people have been through a lot.”
Jan smiled. “I understand. Lead the way, brother.”
***
Nick emerged back into the clearing. Everybody was standing around waiting for him. Eve had told them to stay put when she’d followed after him. When they saw the three newcomers they grew immediately apprehensive.
“Who are they?” Dave demanded.
Nick introduced the three men. “This is Jan, Renee, and Dash. They’ve had a similar day to the rest of us.”
“Why are they all wearing matching tracksuits?” Cassie asked.
Nick decided that honesty was the best policy. “Because they’re prisoners,” he said. “They’re going to tag along with us for a while.”
“Are you shitting me?” said Dave. “They’re supposed to be locked up, not roaming free. No way are they coming with us.”
Dash sucked at his teeth and tugged at his long beard, but didn’t say anything.
Perhaps he really is going to behave himself.
Jan, as was becoming the pattern, was the one to speak on behalf of the prisoners. “Look,” he said. “We are indeed supposed to be locked up, but right now there isn’t really a lot in the way of authority. We were sprung free by pure accident, and ever since then we’ve just been trying to survive. We didn’t escape by force; it was just a fluke of circumstance. What would you have us do?”
Dave sighed. “You better not be rapists or murderers.”