Theo took a couple of steps closer, pulled the hammer back, and smashed it into the back of the man’s head. Once. Twice. The muffled thud permeated the glass, and I swallowed back a wave of nausea. He went back for an unnecessary third strike, but as disgusting as it was, I understood. None of us wanted to be taken by surprise when our lives were so unsteady.
His breath wrenched from him as he straightened, and he shared a tentative smile with Laura and Tim.
“They did it,” I said, almost scared to feel relief. “And no one got hurt.”
“Better get them inside now,” Owen said. “More could be close by.”
As he flicked the lock, Theo raced to the opposite side of the road, yanked up the lid of a wheelie bin, and lost the contents of his stomach.
“Oh, Theo,” I whispered, my hand on my chest as he wretched. He’d push through any feeling, any situation, to keep the rest ofus safe. If it hadn’t already been obvious, he’d made that crystal clear now.
He straightened and wiped his mouth, his gaze locking with mine. The second he registered Dustin’s presence, his expression darkened.
I’d forgotten about him.
With a fortifying breath, I turned and faced him, but he’d already disappeared.
Only the soft bang of his broken door let me know he’d been here at all.
Twenty-Three
theo
“You need a shower,” Sadie said, shutting the door to my apartment.
I slid the hammer onto the hall table, catching sight of the blood on the end before I turned away. “I need a toothbrush more than a shower.”
An acidic aftertaste was still stuck in my mouth, but throwing up had probably been the best thing to happen to me. If I’d barely blinked after smashing someone’s skull, Sadie might not have wanted to be anywhere near me now.
“You can do both.” She cupped my elbow as if dealing with an invalid, bypassing the couch where my pillow and blanket were stacked neatly on the end. “It’s my turn to take care of you this time,” she said, her breaths still heaving from her after climbing the stairs, “so grab a change of clothes, and we’ll get you cleaned up.”
Laura, Tim, and I had hauled the bodies behind the bins, out of sight but not out of mind. Now, my hands were covered inblood and fluids, and my head was stuffed with images I didn’t want in there. “I’m too tired to argue with you.”
“Perfect.” She kept hold of me as we entered my room.
I admired her attempt to keep the mood light—but I’d just killed someone, even if they were technically already dead. The crunch of bone under metal would echo in my head for a while yet.
Sadie looked up at me, her optimism slipping when she clocked my expression. She stopped beside the bed and faced me. “Theo.”
“I’m all right.”
She stared at me for a beat longer, her gaze flicking over my features. “Interesting,” she said. “Even when you’re struggling, you can still find the energy to bullshit me.”
I shook my head with a faint smile. “Using my own words against me now?”
“Maybe.”
Before I could predict her next move, she slipped her arms around my waist, and her cheek met my chest like a kiss. As I breathed in the smell of soap on her skin, something loosened inside me, and I pulled her even closer. “Iamall right,” I said, touching my lips to the top of her head. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
“All I do is worry about you,” she said, “and Ava—and Tim and Laura.”
I stroked the back of her head, then remembered the blood on my hands and stopped. “I’m adjusting. In a couple of days, it’ll be easier.”
“I can’t imagine what it’s like, but I guess I’ll find out for myself soon enough.” She slid her hands up and down my spine. “It’s crazy to think this is our life now,” she said. “That we have to deal with it forever.”
We didn’t know that part yet. Maybe the infected would drop dead for real after a few weeks or months of decomposing. Or we might see another mutation, and the rules would change again. “We’ll figure it out,” I said. “Learn how to use weapons and where to hit. Teach the girls and make it as safe as we can before anyone leaves.”
Thoughts of running drills and developing weapons skills rushed in, but I hugged her tighter and shut them down. There’d be time for tactical discussions later.
