What an odd thing to hear a stranger say about me. Not only because he barely knows me, but also because he’s right. Ididneed this. It lightened me a little. This little hobo of a guy has known me for less than twelve hours, and he’s already figuring me out.
“You’re an interesting guy, Zach.”
He grins. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Chapter Seven
Campfire
ZACH
The sun has set, and the temperature is dipping fast. This time of night creeps me out the most. It’s when I shut myself in. Seeing the massive beam of wood barring the door should make me feel better. Instead, it puts up a wall between the known and the unknown. Everything in the bank lobby is familiar and safe. But outside, in the darkness, who knows what’s lurking? It could be building, growing, and getting ready to attack.
But tonight is different. Aiden’s here, and it doesn’t seem so bad. It’s funny how the brain works. You can get disoriented when you close your eyes and try to balance on your own. But putting a single pinky finger on another person gives you a point of reference, and you feel steady as a rock.
Before he saved my life—and yes, hedidsave it—I planned to have him sleep in one of the other buildings. Or lock myself up in the vault and sleep in there. Before I installed all the steel plating, I’d done that plenty of times.
When he held my gun, I was at his mercy. It was my worst-case scenario. He could have forced the combination out of me, stolen what he wanted, and already been on his way. But he didn’t. Aiden is a good person at his core. This is a person I think I can trust my life with on the road.
The cold is creeping in fast, so we stoke the fire a bit to get more heat going. Even with daytime temperatures in the seventies, it can dip into the forties at night.
“Aiden, you get the bed.” I point my finger downward at it, a no-nonsense look on my face.
“I’m not stealing your—”
“I insist. You save my life. You get the bed. It’s a policy of mine.”
“A recent policy?” Aiden makes a wry smile.
“Yes, just enacted.” I laugh.
After a little more grumbling, Aiden relents and settles into the bed. He keeps his backpack close by with one arm hooked around the straps. Guess he’s worried about whatever’s in that box of his.
After marking the day on my wall, I drag one of the lobby chairs near the stove, wrap myself up in a sleeping bag, and sit in it. This will let me keep my eye on things. I don’t expect much sleep tonight, anyway. Too much to think about. Sitting up in a chair will help with that.
Before long, Aiden’s chest moves in a rhythmic motion, and the soft sound of his snoring fills the room. Hearing another person after being alone for so long is so comforting.
On the outside, Aiden looks clean-cut and totally with it, unimpacted by the Great Collapse. But a distinct sadness weighs him down. I saw in full contrast as he watched the movie how his troubles slid away momentarily. He had joy in his eyes, and his smile was broad and genuine. He looked like a different person.
I stare for a long time, thinking of the best way to ask him to take me with him. At some point, I must have dozed off because the sound of yelling wakes me. It’s Aiden. He’s tossing around in bed and making unintelligible noises. The only recognizable word is the name “Marcus.”
His dream continues for a while longer, and then he bolts up. I narrow my eyes to little slits to feign sleep. He tries to catch his breath and maybe even cries a bit. It’s sad to see. The urge to reach out and comfort him overwhelms me. But I resist.
After a few moments, he settles back into bed and drifts to sleep.
*
The next morning, I let Aiden sleep in as I go about my regular routine.
Everything is in working order, like yesterday. The only difference is the extra bit of caution I take walking through town. I used to love the garden. Now, the tranquility of that place is lost. I’ll always have a touch of apprehension.
No rabbits in the snares today, so I return to the bank empty-handed. When I get there, I find Aiden awake.
“You started without me.” He scratches his head and yawns.
“Seemed like you needed sleep. But don’t worry. I’ve got a great idea for a project today.”
“Somehow, I wasn’t worried.” Aiden smirks.
