When All is Lost

Chapter 25

"We need to get off the street." Ian's voice broke the reprieve, reminding us that we still weren't safe.

I turned to Carlos and noticed that his grip on his gun was nearly as shaky as mine. "Can we still get to the shoe store?"

Carlos's Adam's Apple bobbed up and down erratically. Paula had yet to see her husband's shaken stature as she had become fixated on the small family at our feet. She took off her winter jacket and draped it over the boy's shoulders.

"Carlos?" I asked again, finally seeing the fog of panic lift from his eyes.

"We can, but it's just there." He pointed to a small building only half a block away from us. It was in the same direction as the machete-wielding woman and her giant friend.

Great.

A groan came from the ground and Paula rushed to the redheaded woman just as she keeled sideways, grabbing her head in her hand. Blood was dripping down the woman's cheek, but I realized for the first time that she was holding her side as well.

Shoe store it is.

"Ian, can you take Prisha and Carlos and get that store open and checked over?" I was already moving towards the family, trying to think.

"On it." Ian waved the other two over and I heard them moving as I knelt in the snow next to Paula.

"Can she move?" I asked, avoiding eye contact with the boy.

"She can," Paula answered, keeping her palm pressed to the redhead's side. "But we'll need to be quick about it."

I looked at the dark-haired woman as she pulled glasses out of her jacket's pocket and put them on. The delicate gold frames matched her perfectly as everything about her seemed petite and fragile. I had no idea how she had managed to support her partner's standing as long as she had. Her hazel eye's behind her glasses studied me carefully as I did the same to her.

A wind brushed over us making me shiver. The dark-haired woman tucked the short strands of her hair behind her ears to keep them out of her face.

No weapons. No backpacks. No gear.

"We are going to help you guys get to a store just down the road. Is that okay?" My question was direct but my voice was coaxing. I didn't want to waste any more time and the cold was becoming unbearable shockingly fast.

The woman looked between her partner and the boy before giving me a curt nod. "Alright. Thanks."

That was good enough for me. "Ray, help Paula."

He hurried over and bent down to help lift the injured woman along with Paula. Her partner helped, but the dark-haired woman shifted a bit, noticeably putting herself between us and the boy. I instantly liked her for it.

As she stood and moved closer to the boy, I could see that she was only a tiny bit taller than him. One growth spurt and he'd surpass her. She also had a young face, making it hard to guess her age.

"Jamie," the woman said firmly. "Stick close."

The boy didn't answer, but he also didn't need to be told twice. He stayed right by her side with Paula's coat still on his shoulders. I turned away from them to keep watch and make sure we weren't followed as we slowly progressed down the road.

We hadn't made it halfway to the store before the woman couldn't go any further. Ray hurriedly passed Paula his crowbar and scooped the woman up and off her feet, carrying her the rest of the way.

Ian met us at the store's doorway, holding it open for Ray as he struggled the last few steps through the snow. I was the last one to pass over the threshold and into what was a much smaller space than I'd anticipated.