Don't Whistle Past the Graveyard

Ch. Fifty

"I headed east-ish," I said quietly to Shane, walking with him over to the table I had seen him at earlier with Cassidy. I looped my arm around his waist, his arm resting comfortably across my shoulders and continued, "I came across some little dirt road. I don't even know if it'll be big enough to put on a map."

Nodding in the general direction I had taken, he asked, "You went that way through the woods?"

"Mm-hm," I hummed, smiling at the people who walked past us. I couldn't decide if it was funny or offensive when they looked shocked at my apparent friendliness, and wondered if I was actually drawing more attention by being anything less than hostile.

Which, admittedly, I'd been. Like Cam had so astutely observed: I wasn't very friendly. Not anymore.

 A bubbly personality didn't really have a place in this world. It always paid more to be suspicious... Or vicious. You can take your pick.

We got to the table, which had been jury-rigged from some sawhorses and a plank of three-quarter inch plywood. Not one, but three maps had been weighted down with small rocks. I took one look at the maps, which sported various levels of detail about the surrounding area, and couldn't help the small laugh that escaped.

Shane looked down at me, raising an eyebrow in question and I asked, "Are these your maps? Or Lauren's?"

Looking vaguely offended, Shane gestured at the maps and said, "All me, honey. Logistics is the killer of any decent operation."

I laughed again and shook my head, relinquishing my hold on him to lean over the maps. Shane pointed out the most detailed map, which was a mess of squiggly lines and numbers to me.

With a sigh, I sheepishly admitted, "Never was that great with maps."

Mumbling, Shane said, "Good thing there's not really anyone we can ask directions from then. Damn apocalypse saved me a few fights at least."

I raised my eyebrows at him, hand going to my hip. "What was that, honey?"

Shane smiled, looking at me with guileless eyes. "Nothin' babe. Just observing that it's great that we don't fight all that much."

"You are a terrible, terrible liar, Shane," I laughed. "Shut up for a minute and let me concentrate."

Shane snapped off a smart salute, making me laugh again, rolling my eyes before I leaned back over the maps. After a moment of intense silence, he leaned past me and tapped the paper. "We're right here."

"You wanna keep that finger?" I asked innocently, not looking at him and it was his turn to laugh. He came around to my side of the table and rested his chin on my shoulder, looking down at the maps as his arms went around my waist.

Starting at where Shane had indicated the settlement was, I traced what I thought might have been my route through the forest. To my enormous surprise, I found a thin, barely there black line, indicating a road. It even looked like it should be the right distance away from us.

"I think that's it," I said quietly and Shane nodded. With a frown, I said, "We don't really have the gas to wander around in the backwoods here. I'm only like... seventy percent sure that's it."

"Your seventy is better than most people's hundred," he said, his voice filled with confidence. I elbowed his ribs gently and he laughed again, his arms tightening around me.

We both stiffened when a voice said, "Doesn't look like you're working too hard."

We turned, with me grabbing one of Shane's wrists as he let me go, a snarl curling his lip up at the sight of Justin behind us. I glared at him—a look he returned—before we both started when Shane snorted.