Logan
The remaining weeks of summer came and went with little fanfare, the blistering weather eventually relenting, giving way to more bearable days and even cooler evenings. With the completion of the additions on the first round of cabins, another round was gearing up to begin. Meanwhile, Willow was readying for the upcoming fall harvest, after which the winter crops would need to be seeded.
While the seasons shifted, summer tumbling into fall, Willow and I were falling into a somewhat comfortable rhythm navigating the unfamiliar terrain of our new relationship. Comfortable for us, at least, not so much for the people around us. When we weren’t arguing, we were usually kissing, still unable to keep our hands off each other for any real length of time.
And as we fell into place with one another, so did everything else.
Willow and I began spending more time outside the wall; I’d teach her to drive in between scavenging through the nearby neighborhoods and, in time, she’d become quite good at both, amassing enough odds and ends to open a store of sorts—where people could trade for Willow’s scavenged goods. In true Willow fashion, none of what she scavenged and sold were necessities. They were always frivolous finds—entertainment items, along with decorations and knickknacks. While Willow remained the store’s gatekeeper, Leisel appointed Stuart in charge of daily management—a job that suited him better than working in the gardens. Headphones hanging around his neck, he was engaging with others for the first time; I’d even seen him smile once or twice.
And he wasn’t the only one.
With the completion of my bench turned shelf, currently housing Willow’s growing collection of books, I’d been busying myself with a variety of woodworking projects. Not only did it keep my hands busy and my mind occupied, but I’d also turned out to be damn good at it, too. Even better was the genuine pleasure on Willow’s face each time I completed something new.
We’d finally found some peace among the chaos. A real home in a godforsaken world. Some happiness to replace the hopelessness.
… or so I’d thought.
“Logan, Willow! Everybody up!”
A heavy fist beat against the cabin door, echoing throughout the small building, rattling the windows. Willow shot upright as I jumped out of bed, the blade I kept beneath the bed already in hand. While Willow scrambled for her clothes, I rushed to the quaking door, throwing it open.
Davey stood just outside, his hard features pinched twice as tight. He glanced from my blade to my naked body, his scowl quickly swerving back to my face. “Put some fuckin’ clothes on and get up by the gate,” he growled, turning to leave.
“What’s going on?” I called after him.
“Just get your ass to the gate!” he flung back. Jogging to the next cabin, he pounded on the door. “Wake up! Everybody up!”
“What’s happening?” Willow asked, shoving an armful of clothing at me. She’d already finished dressing and was in the process of winding her hair into a bun.
“No idea,” I muttered, shoving my legs into my jeans. “But you stay with me, alright? Don’t leave my side.”
After tucking several blades into my boots, and a few inside Willow’s boots as well, we hurried from the cabin, joining the growing drove of panicked faces moving quickly along the path.
Once everyone had congregated around the guard tower, Leisel and Joshua ascended the tower ladder, peering out at us from high above.
“Everyone!” Leisel called out. “Everyone, please quiet down. I’m going to get straight to the point—yesterday’s patrol ran into some car trouble and decided to spend the night in town, and it’s a good thing they did, because first thing this morning they spotted a sizable horde heading east on Main.”
As the crowd around us sucked in a collective breath, Willow and I looked at each other—her expression stricken. I knew what she was thinking—the same damn thing running through my mind. That maybe this wasourhorde—the same one that had stolen Lucas from us.
“How close are they?” a panicked voice called out.
Leisel held up a finger. “Now, we’re all aware that we don’t have enough resources or manpower to destroy a horde—certainly not one of this magnitude. Our strategy has always been to redirect them away from Silver Lake so that’s what we’re going to do, but we don’t have a lot of time. Yesterday’s patrol has already begun the process of luring them in a different direction, but it’s going to take a lot more people.” She paused, looking out over the crowd. “So, as much as I hate to ask this of you, I need volunteers.”
Several hands shot up, though not nearly enough. Unwilling to chance losing the first home we’d had in years, I grudgingly raised my hand. I didn’t particularly want to be involved, but neither did I like the idea of not being a part of the solution, and worse, not knowing what was happening. Beside me, Willow’s arm shot up.
“Logan and Willow!” Leisel called out, before I’d had the chance to snatch Willow’s arm from view. “Thank you. Please head to the garage with the others.”
“You two can ride with me.” Joe gestured for us to follow him. “Was talkin’ with Davey—we’re gonna try an’ herd ‘em north using the fortified vehicles. Got a couple of trucks scoutin’ ahead already.”
“She’s not going,” I growled, pulling Willow to a stop as she turned to follow Joe. “You’re not going—no fucking way.”
Shaking me off her, she gave me a withering look. “You know you can’t actually tell me what to do anymore, right? If you’re going, so am I.”
“Like hell you are,” I growled. “You’re going to stay here and—”
“And what? Pick potatoes while you’re out there fighting a horde of Creepers?Fuck that.”
Meanwhile, Joe had pulled up beside us, seated behind the wheel ofa double-cab pickup truck, an industrial-sized V-shaped plow affixed to the front end. Double rows of solar-powered floodlights sat atop the cab; a metal cage had been erected over the truck bed, and most of the windows had been reinforced with metal grating. The tires had been capped and equipped with metal plates; even the windshield had been fitted with protective wiring.
