Don't Whistle Past the Graveyard

Ch. Forty-Nine

I didn't think it would be the greatest idea to just stroll into the settlement looking like I'd gone a couple rounds with the Terminator. Though I couldn't see my face, I was pretty sure I looked like I'd just been killed. Brutally.

Ideally, if I could find anyone of my choosing, it would have been Kyle. Shane, bless his heart, would have spent too much time making sure I was all right, as would Danny or any of the kids. Kyle would take a simple 'I'm fine' then focus in on the problem.

Turns out, I found the next best thing.

There was a portion of the fence that circled a grove of pecan trees. Usually that was a problem since it obscured the fence from any sight line provided by the house. My guess is that if they hadn't provided something, Shane would have wanted them cut down at some point.

Today though, it worked out because it gave me a way to get close to the fence without being seen and accidentally shot, mistaken for a zombie.

I took a moment to catch my breath, trying to keep the sweat beading up on my forehead from into my eyes. The blood had mostly dried, but the heat of the day was making perspire, which turned the blood into a sludgy, disgusting mess on my face.

Looking around, I grinned in relief when I saw not a single soul around. Carefully, I started climbing, trying really hard not to rattle the fence as I levered myself over the top, then dropped down into a crouch, still looking around.

Obviously, I wasn't looking hard enough.

I heard a small pop behind me and stiffened before whirling around to find Lauren watching me, unamused. She snapped her gum again, looking me up and down. "You bit?"

"You think I would have come back if I was?" I shot back.

Kyle might be sleeping with her, but that didn't mean I had to like her all that much. Which, when I think about it, is probably how he felt about me the first time we met.

Lauren cracked a tiny smile, then nodded at my bloody clothes. "What happened?"

I frowned, considering if I should tell her or not. Then this little thing I think they call a conscience pricked at the back of my mind, reminding me that this was her home. If anyone deserved to know, it was probably Lauren.

The fact that Justin didn't like her scored her some serious brownie points as well.

I looked down at the blackish blood streaking my arms and said, "I was out. Just..."

"You needed to be outside the fences for a bit," Lauren said, finishing the statement. I raised an eyebrow, reevaluating her.

I nodded. "I ran into a zombie, killed it and got a little more than I bargained for."

"You took out an entire pack by yourself?" Lauren asked, jumping to what I suppose would have been the first logical conclusion.

I rolled my eyes, a little affronted by her disbelief. With a sigh, I said, "No. It was just the one."

"What'd you do? Wrestle it to death?" Lauren asked with a small laugh, before sobering with an effort and saying, "Sorry. I've had to roll around on the ground with one of those things enough to know it's really not that funny."

"Would you just shut up and let me answer?" I finally snapped, exasperated and bloody and anxious to talk to Shane after I cleaned up a little.

Lauren nodded, leaning against one of the pecan trees. I said, "How much do you know about Justin?"

Lauren's blue eyes narrowed menacingly and she spit out her gum. "What did that asshole do now?"

I shook my head slowly. "Let's just say I found more than a dead one out there."