What a coincidence they had the same scar. She eyed Caleb. Wearing a virtual reality helmet, he punched at the air.It would be really weird if he has one.Maybe the trio took a blood oath—one for all and all for one?
If she had to engage in a childish blood-letting initiation rite to join their club, that would be a deal-breaker.
She scooped enough rice for four people into a pot, added double the amount of water, covered it, and set it on the electric stove to cook then gathered the spices: dried minced onion, minced garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, and salt.
“There isn’t time to go to the grocery store and get back to go with us to meet the people,” Zack said.
“I doubt there’s a long line at checkout,” she said. She opened and drained the beans, poured them into a pot, added the tomatoes, a little water, and the spices, and set it to simmer. “It’s a twenty-minute walk. I could go, shop, and be back within an hour, hour and a half tops. We’re not leaving until 6:45, right? That’s three hours and fifteen minutes from now.” She didn’t relish venturing out during the hottest part of the day, but she’d also like to have breakfast in the morning.
“It’s not safe to be out by yourself,” Zack said. “There’s a Progg camp in the area.”
“What?” The spoon she’d been holding clattered to the floor. “You never told me that!” She’d assumed the trio had settled in St. Louis because there had been no sign of the Progg. She wouldn’t have stuck around if she’d known.
“I’m telling you now,” he said.
She picked up the spoon and rinsed it off. Fear loomed big and menacing again.
“Are you all right?” Sandy asked.
The rice was bubbling, cooking too fast. She lowered the heat. Appetite lost, throat spasming with fear, she doubted she could eat.
“No, I’m not all right. I wish you had told me. This…changes things a bit.”
“You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?” Sandy asked. “We don’t want you to leave! The situation isn’t as bad as he makes it sound.” She glowered at Zack. “They’re occupying the museum under the Gateway Arch. That’s miles away. We’ve never seen any in this neighborhood.”
The Gateway Arch was the tallest monument in the United States. On one family vacation to St. Louis, Chloe had ridden up to the viewing chamber at the top. You could see thirty miles in all directions. Who knew what kind of telescopes or scanners the Progg had? They could be peering into the kitchen right now! The hair on her nape prickled, and she had the urge to duck beneath the counter.
In a city gone dark, the house was a beacon of light at night, thanks to the generator.
Jesus.
“They may not even be there anymore. We noticed them when we first arrived, and we steered clear of them. Haven’t seen or encountered them since,” Sandy said.
If they had, they’d be dead.
“Sandy’s right. They’re probably long gone. I’m sorry for scaring you,” Zack said.
“The people you found—they’re not close to the Arch, right?”
“No. They’re not close at all,” he said. “They’re a few blocks from us.”
“I guess I won’t go grocery shopping today.” Or any day.
“For now, maybe you could go to the house two doors down?” Zack suggested. “That’s what we’ve been doing. If we’re in town, we’ll stop at a grocery store. But mostly we’ve been raiding the other homes for food.”
“We pretty much cleaned out the houses on both sides of us. But the next ones down should be fine,” Sandy said.
“I’ll do that.” She didn’t feel like going out at all, but she had to get food and water before she left. The trio could stay here, but she was not sticking around so she could be vaporized.
“You should go with her,” Zack urged Sandy.
“She doesn’t need to do that. I’ll be fine.” Having decided to leave, she’d be grabbing food she could eat on the run rather than cooking. She didn’t wish to signal her plans. A gut feeling urged her to keep her intentions to herself.
“I don’t mind. It will be fun!” Sandy said. “Like a girls’ night out! Girls’ afternoon.”
“Great.” She forced a smile.
“You’re still going with us to meet the new people, right?” Zack asked.
