Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 16

 Evey was sneaking glances at Ford. He had a tight grip on the steering wheel and had his other arm out the window of the truck. Neither of them said a word as Ford drove around the town. Evey's knee was bouncing as she looked around for any Infected, but the streets were bare.

Ford pulled up to a baseball park. The truck shook when Ford drove over the sidewalk and into the field. Evey braced herself against the dashboard. Driving off-road did not seem natural to her. Nothing about this new world felt normal. He made it to the middle of the field, between two baseball diamonds, and parked.

"We're going to shoot here?" Evey asked.

"Yes," he said.

Ford opened the door and stepped out of the truck. Evey closed her eyes and let out a few deep breaths to try and ease the tension in her chest. The faint sound of Lila's screaming rang in her head. She had to do this. Josie and Joey couldn't die because she could not protect them.

"Coming?"

Evey jumped at Ford's voice. He had his arm on the top of the truck and was leaning in toward Evey's open window. She opened her eyes and looked over at him. He raised a brow and Evey swallowed past the lump in her throat. She took note of the stubble that was growing across Ford's chin. His blue eyes sparkled in the sunshine. She had never noticed before how his nose was crooked like it had been broken multiple times. Ford cleared his throat because Evey stared at his features.

"Ready?" he asked.

Evey nodded. He stepped back and she opened the truck door. Ford went around to the back of the truck. Evey crossed her arms over her chest as she followed. He opened the cab and pulled out one of the bags. He unzipped it to reveal an assortment of guns. He pulled a few out that Evey could not identify. He grabbed another bag and pulled out a couple of pop cans.

"Why the cola?" Evey asked.

"It's a target," Ford said.

"Where are you going to place them?"

Ford looked around the park before walking toward a tree. He picked up the end of the picnic table and dragged it to the middle of the field. He walked to the truck. Without saying a word, he grabbed three cans of pop and headed back to the table.

Evey took a step toward the guns. She had never seen a weapon like that up close before. She had only seen them in action movies. She stretched her hand out and grazed her fingers along the barrel of the gun.

"Hands off." Ford grabbed Evey's elbow and pulled her arm away. "I don't need you getting hurt."

"I am not a child," she said.

"Listen like an adult then."

Evey scowled and Ford let go. He grabbed one of the guns before walking away. He did not say anything, but Evey assumed that she was supposed to follow. He stopped in the middle of the field. He pointed his gun toward the cans. He fired twice and knocked one of the cans off of the table. Evey's heart was pounding at the sound of the loud bang. Her hands trembled from the thought of knowing she was going to learn to kill.

Ford lowered the gun and looked over at Evey to see her face had grown pale. Her hands were balled into fists to try and hide her tremor.

I worked in the ER, dammit, Evey thought. Be that badass nurse that you know.

"No?" Ford asked, the corner of his lips twitching into a smile. "We can go back."

"How do I fire it?" she asked.