“My point is, we got a bunch of Lifestraws, emergency blankets, first aid kits, fire starters. Everything we might need in the current state of the world.” As Luis spoke, he rifled through the bags, holding up the items as he listed them.
“You did well, guys,” Emery said, climbing back onto the bed. “Now, why don’t we all try to get a little sleep before we have to tackle the tunnel?”
I locked the door while they put the bags aside, and then we all joined Emery on the bed. After standing guard all night andthe long day we had, I was more than ready to shut my eyes for a spell.
Chapter sixteen
Emery
“Emery, Pequenino, it’s time to wake up.”
Mami’s voice filtered into my dreams. I was a princess who fell in love with a dragon and got whisked away to live happily ever after. Her voice confused my dream self enough that I startled awake. As I looked around, reality settled in. I really needed to stop reading so much smut. That won’t be much of a problem anymore since it was the end of the world and all.
“What time is it?” I asked sleepily. As my brain came online, I noticed the guys rushing around, packing and checking flashlights.
“Eleven,” Nico replied sullenly.
“Eleven!” I screeched, jumping off the bed and searching for my bag and bat. “We were supposed to leave two hours ago!”
“I realize that,” Nico growled back. “We all overslept. Your Dad was the one who woke up first, and it’s a good thing he did.”
“We only have seven hours to get out of the city!” I exclaimed. “Seven hours!” I felt myself start to panic. Seven hours was not a lot of time. Not when we were on foot, and man-eating humanswere everywhere. And that’s not even factoring in any obstacles we might face. What if the tunnel is flooded or blocked three-quarters of the way through, and we have to turn around?
Miguel’s hazel eyes appeared in front of me as he gently guided me back to the bed to sit. “Breathe, Em. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. It’s going to be ok. We have plenty of time, so you’ll have to postpone your panic attack. That’s a good girl.”
I took several deep breaths, my eyes locked on his like a lifeline. “Freak out later?”
“That’s right, Sweetheart. Freak out later,” he murmured.
“Ok. I can do that.” I shook my head, trying to shake off the doom I felt deep in my bones. I could do this. We still had options. Not as much time, but options.
“That’s good, because we got you a present,” Miguel said with a wink. “As much as we all love the bat, you’ve developed a habit of stealing my knife, so we thought maybe you might like your own.”
Luis brandished a knife nearly the size of my arm and held it out to me. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s big,” I replied, “but lovely. I love it! Thank you!”
I took the knife from him and weighed it in my hand. It was similar to the one Miguel carried. I unsheathed it and smiled at how sharp and shiny it was.
“I feel like a badass.”
“You are a badass,” Nico said as he approached. “Let’s get you suited up.”
I stood, and while Miguel got the knife fastened to my hip, Nico strapped a headlamp to my head, then clipped another flashlight to my pants. I looked at my parents and Mr. Higgins, who also sported similar light setups.
“Extra lights will be in Miguel’s bag,” Nico advised us. “Luis will have the firecrackers and other survival gear. Pack anyclothes you want to take with you in this other bag, and I will carry that.”
“I can carry a bag,” I argued.
“Yes, we can all carry our belongings,” Papi agreed.
“The only thing I want you all to have to worry about is getting through the tunnel safely,” Nico replied. “Please, let us worry about carrying the bags. Things could get tight in there, and I’d feel better knowing that none of you will end up getting stuck on something and becoming trapped.”
I sighed. I didn’t like it, but I also couldn’t fault Nico’s reasoning. Well, I could, but I wasn’t going to. “There’s no time to argue, so we’ll do it your way.”
Nico tugged me closer and kissed my forehead. “Good girl,” he murmured in my ear. I told myself it was his hot breath on my ear and not his words that sent a shiver down my spine.
Once everyone was ready, we left the safety of the mattress shop and headed toward the tunnel. The full moon was high in the sky, lighting our way. When we got to the tunnel, we all paused to take it in. Both lanes were filled with abandoned vehicles. I expected it would be that way all the way through. This was where things got dicey with so many shadows and hiding places for the dead... and the living.
