Feeding Frenzy

Chapter 35

 "What do you mean?" Evey asked.

"She went back to where she dropped Chester," Joey said.

He yawned before rolling onto his side and curling into a ball. Evey thought that she was going to be sick. She clutched her pounding heart before rushing out of the room.

This cannot be happening, she thought. This is not happening.

Ford was lying on the bed. He had one arm tucked behind his head. His brows were furrowed when he saw Evey burst into the room.

"We have to go," she said.

Ford shook his head as he pushed himself to sit on the bed. Evey used the flashlight to find her knife and gun on the nightstand. Her hands were shaking as she tried to fasten the straps.

"Evey, what is going on?" he asked.

"Josie is gone," she said. "She went to go find that fucking bear."

Ford scrambled to get off the bed and find his clothes. They hastily got ready before running down the hallway. Evey used the flashlight to guide them through the dark house. They ran out the front door, and Evey shone the light around the street. How long ago did she leave?

Johnson was sitting on the porch across the street. He leaned back in the chair with his feet on the porch railing. He was fiddling with the radio in his hands. He kicked his feet off the banister and stood when he saw the light.

Evey ran across the lawn toward Johnson. Which direction did Josie run off into? She surely would not be able to retrace their steps to Chester. How could Johnson even let a little girl run away from the group? If it were Gomez, she'd understand.

"Where did she go?" Evey asked.

"Who?" Johnson asked.

"Josie," Ford said. "She ran away."

Johnson's eyes went wide.

"Where did she go?" he asked.

"You didn't see her?!" Evey shouted. "You're supposed to be on the lookout."

"I'm looking out for Infected, not little girls running away."

Evey balled her fist at her side. Ford put his hand on her shoulder and pushed her back. She was too far from Johnson to swing, but Ford could not predict what she would do.

"She was in the house with the two of you," Johnson said. "How did you not notice her leaving?"

"We said she snuck out," Ford said.

Evey bent over, placing her hands on her thighs. If she and Ford were not having sex, this would have never happened. There were only two bedrooms in the house. Did everyone else know that? One of them should have been sleeping on the couch.

"I didn't see her," Johnson said. "Which direction do you think she went?"

Ford let out a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked from his left to right, but it was useless in the dark.

There was a screech, and Evey stood straight. It came from her right. There was a louder screech that pierced the silent air. Evey brushed her fingers along the knife on her thigh before she took off running. That poor little girl was probably fighting for her life against a hoard of Infected.

"Evey!" Ford shouted.

He quickly caught up with her. He put his hand on her arm, but she pushed him off. The flashlight was in a tight grip in her hand. The beam of light bounced as she ran.