“Cold.” Emma shivered, and Ben helped her slip under the covers.

  “Everything is going to be all right.” Ben’s initial concerns were starting to ease due to how well put-together Julia and Ed’s place seemed to be. They weren’t struggling to survive at all. At least it didn’t appear that way on the surface. He had more than his share of doubts today, and being shot at upon arrival didn’t help. But it was hard to ignore the amenities they were still enjoying here. And it wasn’t like they had everything turned on in expectation of their arrival. They were living like this with just the two of them here. Almost three weeks after the EMPs and they had enough electricity to power luxuries like air-conditioning, running water, and automatic doors. They enjoyed some of those things at Jack’s, but that was different. Running Jack’s generator wasn’t a sustainable solution, and they had only done it because he insisted and because he knew his resources would outlast him.

  Before Ben could give their situation any more thought, Julia returned with a prescription pill bottle and thermometer in one hand and a glass of something in the other. She was also wearing her stethoscope now, and although it was a small detail, it made him feel a little better about entrusting his daughter’s care to this relative stranger.

  “When’s the last time she had anything for the fever?” Julia asked.

  “Ahh, I think it was about two hours ago. We’ve been making her drink as often as we can.” The day was a blur of events; Sandy would know for sure. Ben moved back to the foot of the bed, making room for Julia to sit next to his daughter.

  “That’s good. It’s important to stay hydrated with an infection. I’m afraid she’s suffering from the early stages of sepsis. The cut on her foot, when did you say that happened?” She took the stethoscope from around her neck and listened to Emma breathe while waiting for the thermometer to register a reading.

  “Yesterday morning.”

  Julia shook her head. “I would have guessed much longer by the looks of her foot and her condition.”

  “It was in dirty water in a flooded parking lot,” Ben added.

  “Well, good thing you got here when you did. Much longer and she may have gone into septic shock and possible organ failure. We need to get her on a course of antibiotics right away.” Julia produced the pill bottle and took one of the long white pills from the container.

  “So she’ll be all right then, after the antibiotics kick in?” Ben asked.

  “I’m starting her on a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Without a proper test, I’m not sure what type of infection it is. I’d rather put her on an IV to introduce the drugs into her system at a much faster rate, but I don’t have that capability here, at least not anymore.” The look on her face indicated there was more to that story. He wasn’t sure why she didn’t have the ability to administer what his daughter needed through IV anymore, and he didn’t care right now.

  “But what you have will work, too, right?” Ben stood up and moved around Julia so he could help Emma sit up and swallow the pill.

  “Not exactly.” Julia sighed. Ben’s heart sank, and he felt the sweat on his neck turn cold.

  “What do you mean?” He knew what she meant; he just didn’t want to accept her answer. Not exactly didn’t mean they had come all this way for nothing, but it did mean they had squandered their chance to make it to Cloverdale and find help for Emma there. She wouldn’t make it much longer; Julia had said so herself, in not so many words.

  Emma swallowed the pill, and Ben encouraged her to drink a little more before easing her back into bed.

  “I want you to rest up. You’ll be feeling better soon.” Julia smiled and stood up, motioning for Ben to follow.

  “I’ll be back to check on you soon.” Ben pushed a strand of hair off her face.

  “Dad?”

  “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Can you ask Joel to come see me when he can?”

  “Sure thing.” Ben smiled as he backed his way out of the room. Julia was waiting for him outside, and when he had cleared the door, she pulled it closed softly.

  “What I meant was, I don’t have enough.” She held up the slim orange container and rattled the few remaining pills. “Not enough to run a full course through her. On top of that, I’m guessing, at best, about what type of antibiotic to give her. Without access to the proper equipment and the inability to run a blood culture test, we can’t be sure what type of pathogen to treat for. Without that information, the best bet is to give her a broad-spectrum antibiotic for now and hope for the best.”

  Ben stood motionless as he absorbed the news. He was stuck somewhere between fear and anger, and it suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on him. He steadied himself and took a few deep breaths. Now that he had stopped moving, the brutality of the day’s events was starting to take a toll on his senses.

  He gathered his thoughts and forced himself to stand up straight, suddenly realizing just how much he was hunched over. “Can we get more?” He was almost afraid to ask for fear that her answer would be no.

  “That would require going into town, and that won’t be easy.” The look on Julia’s face told Ben that she wanted to say more about the dangers in town but held back.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Ben knew what Julia’s tense facial expression meant. It meant more of the same things they’d dealt with everywhere since they left Colorado, only things were getting worse now as the days turned to weeks and supplies dwindled. Desperation was well-entrenched in the lives of every person lucky enough to survive this long. Or unlucky enough, depending on how you looked at it.

  “I have what she needs at my clinic in New Haven,” Julia said.

  “If things are as bad in town as you say, don’t you think your place would have been looted by now? Or worse, burned to the ground? I don’t know how far from home you’ve ventured, but there isn’t much left of most places,” Ben cautioned.

  “It won’t matter. The medicine will be there. We keep it in a fireproof safe in the back of the building. It’s the gangs that have taken over that worry me.”

  Before Ben could respond, the back door flung open and Ed stood aside while Max trotted into the kitchen, followed closely by Gunner, Sam, and lastly Bajer. The others weren’t far behind. The kids had their bags, and Sandy had been thoughtful enough to grab his things as well.

  “The trucks are safe for the night, all locked up.” Ed gently laid his AR-15 on the granite-topped kitchen island and went straight to the fridge. “Can I get anyone a drink?” He pulled a large semi-transparent container out of the refrigerator. It was filled with bright red liquid. The kids stared in disbelief at the cold container on the counter as Ed pulled glasses from the cabinet. It was shocking and a little surreal to see someone act so casually about using appliances and everyday conveniences as if they were nothing.

  “Yes please.” Brad was the first to speak up and helped himself to one of the bar stools at the island.

  “It’s a Gatorade mix. Hope that’s okay. There’s water if you prefer.” Ed poured a tall glass as Brad looked on intently, shaking his head.

  “No, this is good.” Brad licked his lips. Ed slid the glass toward him, and the boy wasted no time gulping down half its contents before taking a break to breathe. “That is so good.”

  Ed topped off Brad’s glass with a smile, then filled enough glasses for everyone before putting the almost-depleted pitcher back in the refrigerator.

  “Help yourselves if you want more. We have plenty, so don’t be bashful.” He smiled at Brad.

  “Thank you.” Brad caught a trickle of the red drink and wiped his mouth on the shoulder of his shirt. Ben stepped up to the island and put his hand on the granite countertop. The stone slab was cool to the touch; it had been a long time since he’d felt anything like that, so long it felt foreign.

  “I can’t believe you’re standing here in our kitchen. You have no idea how worried I’ve been. I thought… I thought maybe you guys were…” Julia looked her mother up and down, unable to get the words out as she fought off tears.

  “We really can’t thank you guys enough for getting Rita and Carlos here,” Ed jumped in.

  “We were happy to do it.” Ben smiled and nodded. But he couldn’t help feeling a little guilty about taking credit for something that almost didn’t happen. If it weren’t for Emma’s infection, they would be camping in the woods somewhere right now, well on their way to Cloverdale. Martin shot Ben a look, as if he could read his mind.

  “Well, we really appreciate you guys taking us in.” Martin held out his glass for a second and then took a drink.

  “How’s Emma doing? Is she going to be okay?” Joel asked. The question reminded Ben that Emma had asked to see her brother, but he thought it best to let her sleep for now.

  “The antibiotics I have left will have her feeling better by morning, I hope, but I don’t have enough here to wipe out the infection,” Julia said. “I’m afraid once she’s taken the last of it, her symptoms will return in a day or two.”

  “So what does that mean?” Allie took a seat at the bar next to Brad.

  “It means we go and get what she needs from your clinic.” Ben finished his drink. “You said your place was in New Haven?”

  “Yeah, but…” Ed rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes shot back and forth between Ben and Brad. He looked like he was searching for a way to finish the sentence that wouldn’t upset the boy.

  “Julia told me about the gangs,” Ben finished for him.

  “They’re brutal. We tried to get into town shortly after it all happened.” Ed paused and glanced at Julia. “We never made it to the clinic. Let’s just say we were lucky to make it back here alive. The things they’re doing to people unlucky enough to get caught…” Ed shook his head and looked down at the floor for a second.

  “I’m sure it’s nothing Ben can’t handle. Or should I say Rambo?” Martin snorted. Ben felt the blood rush to his face and was immediately embarrassed by Martin’s boast. The man couldn’t keep a thought to himself if his life depended on it.

  “I’m not so sure about that. I’d say we’ve been pretty lucky so far,” Ben was quick to add.

  “We’ve seen it all. Nothing can be as bad as where we met you guys.” Joel looked at Rita and Carlos. Allie squeezed Joel’s arm.

  “Oh, let’s not talk about that place.” Rita began to tear up and hugged her daughter again. Ben was in total agreement. The moonshiners’ compound was something he’d spend the rest of his life trying to forget, just like the rest of them would, he was sure.

  “It’s getting worse, too. We’ve had to fend off a couple attacks here, all in the last week or so. They’re getting desperate, probably running out of things to loot in town,” Ed stated.

  Sandy shook her head. “We’ve seen that, too. It’s getting worse, fast.”

  “I suspect we’ll become a bigger target here as time goes on,” Julia warned.

  “Yeah, there’s easier pickings right now with some of the other places around here. They’ll run out of those, too, though, at some point. It’s only a matter of time before they come for our supplies in force.” Ed crossed his arms. “But we’ll be ready.”

  Julia bit her lip. “I can’t imagine what it’s like in town now.”

  “I don’t expect you guys to go into town for the medicine. If you give me directions and the combination for the safe, I can manage on my own,” Ben said.

  “I’m going with you,” Joel stated. Ben almost said no out of habit, but he stopped himself. As much as he hated the thought of putting Joel in harm’s way, he needed the help. And of anyone in that kitchen, Joel would be his first choice when looking at things from a practical point of view. Brad looked like he was going to say something but kept quiet. Ben was sure his youngest wanted to volunteer but knew better than to offer and risk being told no in front of everyone.

  “I’ll go with you.” Ed uncrossed his arms and stepped back toward the island.

  “I can’t ask you to do that, nor do I expect it,” Ben said.

  “It’s the least I can do. Because of you, Julia’s parents are alive. They told me what you did for them. Besides, I know my way around town, and you don’t. The last thing you want to do is spend any more time in New Haven than you have to. We’ll take the side-by-sides.” Ed looked at Julia. “How many days until you run out of antibiotics?”

  “I’ve got enough to get her through the day tomorrow. Then we’ll be out. Oh, that reminds me. I’ll be right back.” Julia skated out of the room, weaving her way through the crowd of dogs, who had taken up most of the tile floor on the outskirts of the kitchen. Gunner was off by himself. As was Sam, unlike Bajer and Max, who had taken to each other like lifelong friends. It was the first time in days Ben had seen the dogs stop panting. The air-conditioned house was a welcomed change for all of them, and the dogs were no exception.

  “Looks like somebody has a boyfriend.” Allie joked as she watched Max and Bajer interact. The bigger German shepherd brought a tennis ball in from the other room and dropped it at Bajer’s feet.

  “Wow, Max never gives up his ball that easy,” Ed commented.

  “Here we go.” Julia reappeared as quickly as she’d left, weaving her way back through the dogs. “Iodine tablets.” She opened a bottle and dispensed nine of the round green pills onto the counter. “There’s no telling what you guys have been exposed to. Emma should take one as well.”

  “Joel, why don’t you see if you can get her to take that? She was asking for you anyway.” Ben slid the extra pill toward his son.

  “Come on.” Joel took the pill and pulled Allie along with him.

  “I’m sure you guys are anxious to get cleaned up. And probably hungry, too.” Julia stared at her husband with wide eyes.

  “Right, yeah. Let me throw something together.” Ed jumped into action.

  “Don’t go to any trouble on our account. I’ll be content with getting out of these clothes.” Sandy picked at her dirt-encrusted shirt, causing a tiny cloud of dust to rise into the air.

  “Nonsense, I’m making you something to eat. It won’t take long. Meanwhile, Julia can show you guys to your rooms.”

  Ben glanced down at his clothes. They all looked pretty rough. But getting clean had fallen by the wayside recently, along with everything else. The focus had been on making it here for Emma’s sake, and with that accomplished, they could take care of some of their other needs. If Julia had enough medicine to get Emma through another day, they could afford to get some much-needed rest and sneak into the clinic tomorrow night. Ben would have pushed to make the run to town for medicine tonight if he thought he was physically capable, but he wasn’t.

  While Ed banged around in the kitchen, Julia led them all on a quick tour of the home, including the second floor, where the rest of the guest rooms were located. The house was like a maze, and every time Ben was sure they had seen it all, she led them into another area. He appreciated their hospitality, but all he really wanted to do was lie down and sleep. The only thing keeping him motivated at this point was the smell of food drifting up the stairs.

  Despite the size of the sprawling home, there weren’t enough rooms for all of them to have their own, which actually made Ben more comfortable. He would share one of the larger guest rooms with Joel and Brad. Julia produced a blow-up mattress from a nearby closet, and she whipped it out in a hurry for Brad. Sandy and Allie took the room across the hall, while Rita and her husband settled into the remaining guest room, closest to Julia and Ed’s room. Martin was left with a pull-out couch in the media room, located in a loft overlooking a portion of the downstairs.

  As the others began to settle in and take showers, Ben excused himself and made his way back down the ornate, winding staircase. He was anxious to check in on Emma again. Although he was sure they were all safe here, it felt strange for her to be out of his sight. Then again, all of this seemed a little odd. The house itself felt foreign in nature: the running water, lights at the flip of a switch, and the cool air that seemed to continuously flow from the ceiling registers. These were things that no longer existed in the world they had come to know. The whole experience was dream-like, and he half expected to wake up any second and find himself riding along in the passenger seat of the Blazer.

  The dogs were still lounging around on the cool tile floor in the kitchen, and Gunner barely lifted his head when Ben entered the room. While Ed was busy cooking, Ben took the opportunity to check in on Emma. Cracking the door just far enough to get his head through, he saw that she was sleeping soundly.

  “Em, honey, you okay?” Ben whispered as he waited to see the covers rise and fall at least once. He was being paranoid, but he didn’t care. After closing the door softly, he covered the distance down the short hallway and found himself back in the kitchen.

  “Here you go. I hope you like venison.” Ed slid a plate of food across the counter toward Ben.

  “Thanks, I do.” Ben eyed the mound of meat, carrots, and potatoes piled high on the plate in front of him, and his mouth began to water.

  “So we’ll take our shot tomorrow night. Late, though, maybe even early morning. Like two-ish. That’s probably our best bet to get in and out of the clinic unseen. It’ll give things a chance to quiet down,” Ed suggested.

  “Is it that bad in town?” Ben asked.

  “I’m afraid so. I guess it is everywhere. I was talking to the others earlier when we were locking up the vehicles, and from the sounds of it, you’ve seen your share of trouble, too.” Ed put the rest of the food into a large dish and covered it for the others to eat after their showers.

  “It’s been an adventure, that’s for sure,” Ben said between mouthfuls. The venison was some of the best he’d ever had. Of course, his leather belt might have tasted good right now.