“Yes, you.You ignored me when I said this was a problem and then you went dark when it started.You better have a great excuse for scaring me to death.Bitch, I thought you were dead.”
“I was kidnapped,” I said.
Tamara blinked.“Well, that’s a start.Why are you here?Why didn’t you call?”
“Cellphone went dead.Been kidnapped, as previously stated.Just got back and the whole town is a mess.I got a ride here to check on you.And… I kinda wanted to ask you for a favor.”
“Bitch,” Tamara said.“Bitch bitch bitch.You better not ask me for the motherfuc—”
“Keys to your car, yes, you know why I’m here.”
“I told you to get a car, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, you did,” I said.“But this is an emergency.I was kidnapped, Tamara.Come on.”
“I told you to stop hanging out with those weirdos,” she said.“Ohhhh, you have got some nerve coming here.Stacey, I mourned your ass.The last three days I’ve been sitting here thinking about how the last thing I ever said to you was something smart over coffee.Best friend in the world dead.Zombies on the street walking around.You have no idea what I’ve been through.”
“She was very inconsiderate not to have called you,” Joey said.
“Yes, she was,” Tamara said.“You want some creamer?”
“I’m good,” I said.“It’s not the same as the shop.”
“I bought some when I was there the other day,” Tamara said.“They’ve been delivering all over town.”
My frustration peaked.I couldn’t help myself.“You’re here talking about coffee when there is a horde of deadies outside.Tamara, the city is in trouble.”
“Let me guess.You’re the only one that can help save it.”
“No,” I said.“There’s other people.But I could help.”
“So why not let them do it?”
I paused.Maybe… maybe everyone was right.Wasn’t that what everyone was saying?I would just get in the way.And so far, they were right.So who was I?Was I some girl with a birthmark, or a girl with a destiny?Did any of it matter?
“Look, you’re right,” I said.“My phone’s been dead.I ignored you.You were right, Tamara.Okay?But it’s a little hard to get reception when you’re 2000 leagues under Lake Superior!”
“What, you’re going to tell me you were lost in Atlantis?”
I paused.
“So here’s the thing,” I started.
Tamara shook her head.
“Stop with the bull right there.I’m done.I’m out.I want to sit here and watch my soaps with what little data coverage I got left.I want to hunker down.I have a knife and some supplies.I have had a long few weeks avoiding this at my work when people started moving around and crawling out of the morgue.I deserve another day or two to be by myself and sit this one out.”
“Tamara,” I said.“You have every right to be upset.”
“Every right,” Joey said.
“And what gets me is you want to go right back into danger.You’re alive, and it’s like you don’t even give a shit.About how much it would hurt to everyone else if you were gone.It’s selfish, Stacey.Childish.”
“Selfish and childish,” Joey said.
“Shut up!”the both of us women said.
I paused, considered how to respond.“Look.I was not a good friend to you.I want to be.You know how I am though.I need to get into trouble or I start causing it.Look, we’ll chill out here for a bit.I could use a bit of a breather anyway.And then I can charge my phone and think about things.If they have everything under control, I’ll stay here.If they don’t…”
