“It’s my own fault for getting comfortable in the Keys. Should have known things would get dangerous again.”
He scoffs. “Honey. Being queer is inherently dangerous. Even before the era of teotwawki. Just living our lives was dangerous. There’s the obvious, like heading out into the dead of night to hook up with a headless torso you’ve only spoken to on apps who may ormay not be a serial killer—or worse, a catfish!”
“The catfish is worse?”
“I always saw myself as the Sidney Prescott type. I can survive a serial killer.”
“Of course.”
“But then there was just walking down the street. Using a bathroom. Going to spaces specifically made for us only for an idiot with a gun to decide he’s been tasked by God to cleanse the gays from the world. It only got worse foreveryonewhen the world ended. And now we’re all on a... I guess only slightly more even playing field.”
I nod and look back at the Nomads, celebrating their scavenging finds for the day. That’s what I’ve been trying to impart on Jamie lately. We’re all on the same playing field, and maybe that means helping each other out and trying to win the game. Or whatever, I don’t know—Jamie can figure out the sports metaphor.
“What’s your vote?” I ask Rocky Horror. “Do we continue with the Nomads or go on our own?”
“Nomads. Safety in numbers. You?”
I nod. That’s how I felt before on the Keys, only it didn’t work out for us. But maybe the Nomads will be different. And if they have food and supplies, they could help keep us safe and get us to Maryland faster.
“I think you might be right.”
He leaves and goes over to Cara, probably to gauge her thoughts before our impending vote. Daphne and Kelly are with the kids, trying to tire them out for bedtime. Amy is chasing a crawling Henri-Two around in circles on a blanket, making her laugh and squeal. Ifinally have a quiet moment to close my eyes.
I’m so tired. Trying to sleep while the nerves in my arm are firing lightning bolts of pain is damn near impossible, but I could probably fall asleep in seconds right now.
Even with my eyes closed I know when Jamie returns and sits next to me. His steps are quiet, but it feels like the air has been disturbed around us. I can also smell the gasoline on him still.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yes,” I lie. “Just tired.” It’s not as bad if I follow it up with the truth, right?
Once the kids are asleep—minus Taylor, who now gets to vote with us—we talk about our options.
“Do we know what their plan is?” Amy asks.
“Rocky Horror and I spoke to one of the guys this afternoon,” says Cara. “They’re heading north. They had similar issues with supplies in the red states.”
“The hot states, too,” Jamie adds. “Without AC, the canned food spoils at over ninety degrees.”
“North means winter weather,” Daphne says. But we’re only in sweatshirts and jackets right now. The Florida days are in the sixties, but nighttime drops to the low fifties or the high forties.
Rocky Horror raises his hand. “I’m just leading with a yes. Let’s go with them. There’s strength in numbers, and so far we’ve been here for a few days and the Keys haven’t caught up with us. These people have vehicles, fuel, and food, and if we need to, we can get away from the Keys and Fort Caroline faster with them than we canif we’re on foot with seven kids.” He looks at Taylor. “Sorry, six and a half kids.”
Taylor rolls her eyes. But it’s hard to argue with Rocky Horror’s logic.
“Does anyone have any cons to counter Rocky Horror’s pros?” Kelly asks.
I turn to Jamie, expecting him to remind us that these people are strangers. He didn’t trust the people in the Keys and always had one foot out the door, so he has to be feeling similar about the Nomads.
But he just looks back at me, then around the circle.
Seriously? Nothing?
“They’re nomads,” Cara says. “They don’t have any idea where they’re going other than north. I know when we set out from the Keys we had a similar idea, but Amy, I don’t think your mom is able to accept fifteen people into her home. So maybe we need to talk about what the plan is for all of us, too.”
“Jamie and I were talking about that,” I say, jumping in. “The way Trevor made it sound, they could tell Fort Caroline we’re heading to Bethesda. Cara, you lived in Maryland. We were thinking maybe once we get to Henri, we get her to leave with us for a bit, maybe head somewhere else in Maryland farther from Bethesda. We camp out and wait there.” I turn to Amy. “Then when it’s safe, you can all go back home. Maybe we stay close by?”
But when I look to Jamie, he doesn’t seem to agree with the last part. Cara doesn’t answer me, either. She keeps her gaze on the ground in front of her, lost in her own thoughts. After about forty seconds of silence, Rocky Horror speaks again.
