Tech: Zombie Effect Chapter 15
Characters: Logan/Carter
POV: Logan
Before Carter could open his mouth, a young boy came running into the kitchen with a scruffy little dog on his heels. Logan sighed. His hopes for bed and a cuddle with his husband were dwindling away. He looked at the boy, the dog, and then the woman sitting at the table. He caught a glimpse of something....something like defeat in her eyes.
“I told him, um, Carter, that we could go to a hotel. If you’d just take me back so I could get my car, we’d be out of your hair.” The sound of defeat was in the woman’s voice.
“But mama, you said we didn’t have enough money yet! Can we stay here? Please? Scags likes it here!” As if to agree with the boy, the dog started barking.
“Logan.” Robert’s voice was a quiet caution.
Logan rubbed his eyes. He was too tired for this. They were all too tired for this. He made a decision. “You’re not going anywhere. Except to bed. Let’s get your mom cleaned up, ok?”
He felt Carter’s arms wrap around him from behind and his whispered, “Thank you.” And then his husband stepped around him. “Shelly, this is my husband, Logan. He really is a nice guy when he’s not tired. But as you can see when he’s tired he’s a real grump!”
Logan smiled Shelly. “I’m not a grump. However, I am tired as I’m sure you are too. Once Carter gets a bandage on that cut on your cheek and gets you an ice pack for that lip, let’s all get to bed. We can talk everything out in the morning. And please, don’t stress all night. We’re not kicking you or your son out. You’re safe here.”
“You wanna cup of coffee?” Robert asked the room. “I made a fresh pot.”
“Won’t that keep you awake?” Shelly asked.
“That’s the plan. I thought I’d take first watch.”
Shelly’s face showed fear. “You think he’ll come for me? We should leave! I don’t want to put you guys in danger. You’ve been so nice to me and Jimmy.”
“No. No. I don’t think your husband will come looking for you. He doesn’t even know you’re gone yet. Remember? And when he does come around,” Carter looked at Jimmy. “I mean, wakes up, he doesn’t know you are here.”
“Shelly, do you know what’s going on? In the world, I mean.” Logan got the feeling the woman didn’t know what was happening.
Shelly looked confused. “Like with the flu? The one that is making people aggressive?”
Logan nodded. “It’s a bit more than that. Let’s get some rest and we’ll explain more in the morning. It’s just very important that you and Jimmy stay inside. Please, don’t leave the house. Ok? I’ll explain everything when we are all more rested.”
“It’s ok, Shelly. You are safe. Jimmy is safe. We’re going to make sure the house is safe. No one can get in. And Robert’s going to stay up and make sure,” Carter reassured her.
“Logan, come on. Let’s make sure all the doors and windows are secure enough for the night. Tomorrow that’s the first thing we’ll do-make the entries more secure.”
Following Robert, Logan thought again of the good fortune of having the old army man around. “I’ll get the basement secure. It won’t take long and then I’ll come up and help with this floor.”
With a nod of agreement from the older man, Logan went down to the basement. The windows were much smaller than the others in the house and there were boxes of old stuff that could be used to block them. It took him no time at all to make sure the six windows were locked. He chose boxes of old books they’d packed away to stack in front of the windows. It might not stop someone determined to get in, but it would slow them down. And make enough noise to wake them.
Upstairs, Logan met Robert in the foyer. “The basement is good for the night.”
“I got the front door. It’s a flimsy door. We need to fix that first. And then windows. A good kick will knock it down.”
“I don’t think they planned for the zombie apocalypse when they built this place-a hundred years ago!” Logan snapped.
“Hey! I’m not bitchin’ about it. Just stating facts,” Robert defended.
Logan ran his hands through his hair. “Shit. Sorry, Robert. Carter’s right, I’m a grump when I’m tired. I appreciate you helping us out.”
Robert laughed. “Kid, I spent over twenty years in the Army. Your little whiny fit ain’t nothing. And you’ll get over it. Come on. Let’s finish this up and you get to bed. I’m waking your ass up at oh-three-hundred. Then I’ll get some shut-eye. You can wake me at seven.”
About four hours of sleep for each of them. Give Carter a full night’s sleep and then maybe tomorrow afternoon, he and Robert could get a nap in, Logan thought as he headed into the study. He checked the two windows. Secure enough for the night. Before going to the kitchen, he decided to get out the folders Carter had made. Robert might want to look them over. It might help him decide what needs to be done first to make this place secure and sustainable.
Going into the living room, Logan looked at the big bay window. That’s the weak point, he thought to himself. Hearing Carter and Shelly talking, he went back to the kitchen.
“Why don’t you all go on to bed? Shelly, there are two bedrooms upstairs. You and Jimmy could take one and leave the other for Robert, that’d be a help.” Logan saw Carter about to object. “Car, I’m coming up as soon as I finish the windows. Robert’s going to wake me at three. I thought you could sleep until about seven and then tomorrow let us take a nap while you kept guard. That work for you?”
“Yeah. But I’ll help with the windows.” Carter turned to the young boy. “Jimmy, can you take your mom upstairs? Show her the bedroom you guys will sleep in? It’s a double bed, so there should be plenty of room for you both.”
Jimmy was delighted with the responsibility. “Yeah! Come on, mama! I’ll show you where our room is!”
“Thank you. Both of you. I don’t know how I’ll repay you for all this,” Shelly said softly.
“Don’t worry about that. The world has changed.” At Shelly’s startled look, Logan reassured her again. “We’ll talk in the morning. For tonight, you and your boy are safe. We’re all safe tonight.”
“Night, ma’am,” Robert said as he walked into the kitchen. “And Jimmy? I’ll take the pup out here in a bit so he can do his business. You stay up there with your mom, ok? You make sure she gets her rest.”
“Yes, sir! Come on, mama. You need to rest!”
Once they heard the two walking up the stairs, Carter turned to them. “Her husband was beating on her. Jimmy showed up right after you left. I couldn’t not help him. He’s just a kid.”
Logan wrapped his arms around him. “I figured it out pretty quick. You did the right thing. We’ll talk to her in the morning. Explain to her what’s going on. Remember, we said we wanted this to be a safe place.”
“Go on up. I got this covered tonight.”
Logan wasn’t going to argue. He took Carter’s hand, said goodnight to the older man, and headed upstairs. It’d only been two days since everything happened and he felt he’d aged ten years. He needed bed.
On to chapter 16