Tooth and Nail (Draft In Progress - Book One)

Chapter 20 - Red Sky At Night

She was lying on her side on the edge of the couch, Allen's tight grip around being the only thing keeping her from spilling onto the floor.

Tamerlyn was in the kitchen with a backpack, refilling the pouch of canned food with travel-sized cereal boxes and chocolate oats bars. Jezebel watched silently as she looked around in the shallow pantry at canned green beans, chili, corn kernels, and still picked the junk foods. Jezebel rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing she'd have to repack it more strategically to fit the more needed foods in along side Tamerlyn's choice snacks. Drew strolled out of the resident hall in his white socks and boxers, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, turning into the kitchen like he'd done it a million times before, even after only being in the house for a week. They'd chosen today as the day to finally leave for Spicewood. It was the next logical place. They would take the car from the garage and drive to the city bus barn, choosing one near the gate with the most gas. They would dig through the barn office for supplies, and then hit the apartment complex nearby for even more. The Camp would have more food, but Jezebel had seen how they stock the pantry, and knew they needed to collect as much as they could before going to Camp Spicewood. Besides, buses have built-in CBs, and much more room for bags and boxes and crates of everything they'd collect.

It was an hour and a half drive on a good day from Haven to Camp Spicewood if they made no stops.

But, with them making every stop they could and collecting every gun from every body on the road, it took all day.

The Havens got really good at driving along in the grass median between the Tollway's two directions and jumping in and out of the big yellow contraption on missions. They moved like an army squadron. They made no noise. They were careful and meticulous and precise and cautious and quite, quite, successful.

Mile after mile of military conquest along Texas 45.

With everyone eagerly looking out the window, the bus was silent. Tamerlyn saw the La Frontera outlet shopping center and asked Drew to pull over, shouting "THAT, my friends, is our next stop."

Drew took the exit down he had seen his mother take many a time toward the center, cutting across the lanes and into the parking lot. Allen and Jezebel worked their way to the front of the bus, ready to be dropped at the curb and to run alongside as they took the first building.

A Red Lobster in the corner lot. Drew watched them kick open the door and continued to drive down Kouri Avenue, further into Sundance Plaza. The pair would hit the Red Lobster, Logan's Roadhouse, and Longhorn Steakhouse before running across the center to meet Avery, who would be finishing up Schlotzsky's after Tokyo Steakhouse. The trio would then cross Parker Road for Ulta, and stock up on soap and hairties. It was a strategy game they never thought they'd play. It was these places that were left fully stocked and organized, no one had come through since they closed on the first day of the Catastrophe. Why should they?

Drew parked the bus in the empty expanse of cement outside of Old Navy. Tamerlyn collected her pocket knife from the cupholder of her backpack and slid it between her jeans and belt, clipping it. She had her Winchester 1892 rifle loyally gripped in her left hand when she stepped off the bus, followed by Drew. They nodded at eachother and took off in opposite directions. Drew towards the Barnes and Noble at the closer end of the complex, and Tamerlyn to the Petco at the opposite.

She was hunting a hunter - hoping to find a large dog left abandoned inside, perhaps one who had been there for a haircut and stranded by its owner when the Catastrophe reached Round Rock. The dog would prove useful, and they certainly had the space.

He was looking for coffee, books, and music. The "Life" things. There was a Starbucks inside the bookstore, and he knew what kind Avery liked. Medium roast.