“And who is this?” Grace asked, gazing at Tatum.
“This is Tate. We came across her home on the way here.” Kate’s lips pursed, and her brows furrowed. “Uh, can we talk for a moment, Grace? The two of us?”
“My daddy touched me in places he shouldn’t. My little sister got killed in a storm yesterday. And I’m fucked up in the head,” Tatum announced. The four adults stared at her, mouths agape. “What? Might as well just get it all out now.”
Kate searched her mind for words to bring the awkward moment to an end. Nick’s mouth formed the start of a sentence, then the words dissipated before they were forged.
“This life is shit isn’t it?” Grace asked. The question had burst from her, abrasive and too loud. She took Tatum by the hand, and the two sat on the couch. “When all of this started, my mom and I were having breakfast at a cafe nearby. It was something we did every Thursday morning. My mom, man, she was incredible. The most supportive person and so genuine. I could tell her I did the smallest thing. Like, ‘Hey mom, today I folded my laundry!’ and she would praise me and tell the world how proud of me she was.”
Grace paused for a moment. She sat with her back to Kate and her face concealed, though she could imagine the tears that were springing to her eyes.
“Anyway, that morning, Mom and I were enjoying summer salads. You know, the kind with strawberries and blueberries and a sweet vinaigrette. All of a sudden, the man at the table next to us started laughing so hard that he fell out of his chair. I figured he was having breakfast with someone pretty hilarious, but when I looked over at him, his eyes were dark, and his lips seemed to be stretching from the laughs. It looked so painful.”
Grace continued. “Then, he ripped apart the woman he was dining with. And the table behind us began tearing into each other. And before I knew it, the whole place was in chaos. Blood and growls and laughter. Mom and I were running between people, dodging hands and teeth. We ended up backed into a booth. I was so scared.”
Grace inhaled deeply as she prepared herself for what came next. “I grabbed a fork from the table, ready to fight, but my mom….she spread her arms wide, covering the span of the three creatures in front of us, and lunged at them. ‘Run!’ she screamed. The last thing I saw was one of those monsters biting into her arm before I was sprinting. Running away like a coward.”
Tatum soaked in every word, fixating on Grace as she told her dark tale. A tear slipped down Tatum’s cheek, and though it pained him to watch her hurt, Nick felt relief. The child had emotions.
“Tate, my goal isn’t to compare my pain with yours. I don’t know you or what you’ve been through. But I just want you to know that we are not strangers to loss or sorrow. This world is still full of really good people. Nick and Kate have become the family we didn’t know we needed. And you’re part of that, too. We stick together.” Grace brushed a rogue strand of hair behind Tatum’s ear, letting the small girl fall into her embrace and sob.
“Let’s give them some time,” Ryan said, tapping Nick on the shoulder and directing him and Kate out the front door. “Did you make it to the fort?”
“Yeah, we met the people who run it and spent some time there. It seems legit,” Nick answered.
“Okay, cool. I guess there’s nothing left to do, then.” Ryan said.
“So, you’re going to come back with us?” Kate asked, trying to stifle the excitement in her voice. Ryan smiled at her.
“Yeah, we will.”
Kate’s smile widened. Ryan and Grace joining the community at the military base would offer them protection, friends, supplies, and a better chance at survival.
“What about the others here?” Nick wondered.
“I’ve mentioned it to them, but most here are stuck in their ways and wary of anything else. Maybe in time when we cancome back and report more to them,” Ryan supposed. “So, tell me about the girl.”
Kate’s smile faded, and she looked at Nick.
“She’s been through a lot,” Nick said. “We don’t want to push her on you guys, but she could use some love and stability. We would take her on ourselves, but Kate and I have more to do before we can settle down somewhere. Besides, it seems as though she and Grace have already hit it off.”
“Yeah, I’d say so. You know, Grace and I were never able to start a family of our own. The end of the world doesn’t seem like a good time to start, but maybe there’s no better time,” Ryan said.
“Ryan, I need a favor of you guys before we head to the fort. Kate and I need to stop by the hospital. Tate could come, but I think it would be best if she didn’t.”
“Sure, we can hang out with her for a bit,” Ryan agreed.
“Nick, we should ask her first,” Kate interjected. Nick nodded, and Ryan opened the apartment door a fraction to peek in. He leaned his head through the gap, then gestured for Nick and Kate to enter.
Grace and Tatum were sitting on the couch, their knees touching as they spoke. Grace was finishing up a story, and Tatum laughed. Her eyes sparkled, though the innocence and childlike wonder were long gone. Still, there was a glow reflecting a person who had been through the harshest events life could muster and was still able to sit and laugh at a stranger’s attempt to cheer her up.
“Hey, you two,” Kate smiled and sat beside Tatum on the couch. “Nick and I have to run an errand. Tate, do you mind staying with Ryan and Grace for an hour or two until we get back?”
Tatum looked to Grace, who gave her a sweet smile. The sentiment was contagious, and Tatum returned it, nodding.
“That’s fine. If you guys are trying to sneak away to do nasty stuff, you can just say so,” Tatum responded with a smirk. Kate choked on a nervous laugh, and Nick raised his eyebrows.
“Nothing like that,” Nick laughed. “We have to visit an old friend.”
