Thump. Thump. Thump.
The cadence drove Nick into a state of discord. Panic dug into his veins until he was dizzy.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Boots, underlined with screams, thundered after them. Nick covered his ears with his hands and fell to his knees.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
It was too much, pounding into his eardrums like ramming against a locked door. Nick opened his mouth and screamed. His body shook from the fear and the exclamation. He screameduntil his lungs were empty, and when he stopped, all was quiet. Nick’s chest heaved with the effort of stabilizing himself.
When he opened his eyes, Kate stood before him, her voice muffled as she tried to break through his hysterics. Her eyes were watery and wide as she stared at him with concern. Nick pulled his hands away from his ears. Laughter echoed from out of the trees in the distance, but there were no shrieks, no screams, and no boots.
“Nick, please! Talk to me! What is happening?!”
“Keep moving! We have to go…they’re after us. The woods…that’s why we can’t hear…” Nick gasped.
“I can hear them. The laughter is far off, still. Nick, please calm down.”
“I’m not talking about the laughter. I’m talking about the screams! The boots!”
Chapter 7
After a few hours of walking, Nick decided a break was in order. They approached a row of apartments, and Nick led them inside to rest and gather any supplies they might find.
Choosing an apartment at random, the pair checked each room and found it clear of danger. Nick sat on the dusty couch that faced a broad bay window. He dropped his head into his hands, rubbing at eyes that stung with exhaustion. Kate sat beside him, her body rigid as timidity prevented a confident consolation. Nick swept her hand into his and kissed the back of it.
“I’m okay,” Nick said. Yet, there was defeat in his voice. Even with the change of location, the pounding of the boots still resonated in the back of his mind. Kate eyed him, studying his features to find that the self-assured, determined man she knew was questioning everything about himself.
“Can we talk about what happened?” Kate asked, her voice small. She braced herself for an aggressive response. Nick only shrugged, his vacant eyes fixed on a TV displaying a screen of dust.
“That town, it made me feel crazy. I know it probably wasn’t the town. Something just felt broken inside my head when we were there. I think I was… hearing things.” The last of Nick’s words fell off into a whisper.
This was it. This was the moment where Kate was supposed to say something profound, something that would encourage and assure him that everything would be okay. She was at a loss. Kate nestled her head into his chest, enveloping herself in his warmth.
“I’m here,” Kate said. It was all she could manage.
Nick wrapped his arms around her, and they laid out on the couch. Several moments went by until Kate was breathing deeply, her chest rising and falling in Nick’s embrace. Though his eyes longed to close and find rest, his mind was churning. He felt as though he was falling apart.
Nick did not have time to lose himself. His duty was to be a shield, a provider, a protector. If he let himself slip, Kate would be left to sift through the wreckage. And so he pushed the disorder of his mind into a box, buried it deep inside, and fell asleep.
They woke several hours later, intent on finding supplies before they carried on to their next destination. Kate walked about the living room with measured steps, eyes sweeping the contents for useful items. A worn, chipped dining room table held nothing of importance. Kitchen appliances with blank screens stood purposeless. Nick rummaged through drawers in the kitchen while coming to the same conclusion as Kate. There was nothing here worth taking.
Papers covered a desk in a thin layer, and Kate touched a curious finger to each one, though they appeared to be only junk mail. Nick walked up behind her, pressing his chest to her back, and peering over her shoulder at the papers. As he lightly ran hisfingers up and down the side of her arm, goosebumps formed on her skin.
Kate turned to face him, a sultry smirk spread across her lips. Her hands slid up his firm chest and around the back of his neck. Pulling Nick’s face to hers, Kate kissed him, pushing her tongue between his teeth. Nick leaned into her, placing his hands on either side of the desk and pinning her body to his. The shuddering breaths of his arousal created a feral warmth in Kate, and she slid her body back into a sitting position on the desk.
Kate pulled Nick between her knees, her tongue still dancing with his. The stiffness of his jeans pressed against Kate’s center, sending an explosion of heat across her body. When she slid her hand across Nick’s erection, his breath hitched. He opened his eyes for a moment, as though he could see Kate’s thoughts. Nick ached to know what she had in mind—where she intended this to go. Instead, her eyes were closed, lost in their kiss.
Kate took Nick’s belt in her hands, fumbling the leather through the loops. He grabbed her wrists gently and pulled away from their caress.
“You wanna’ do this here?” Hesitation crept into Nick’s voice as he looked around at the dingy household. Kate’s teeth tugged at her lower lip, and she nodded. She clutched Nick’s shirt and pulled him back into her, their lips meeting once more.
As Kate reached for Nick’s belt again, movement in her peripheral pulled her attention away. She drew in a quick breath, and her eyes widened as she stared at the front door.
“What is it?” Nick asked, following her gaze.
“I thought I saw something, a shadow on the window,” Kate whispered.
