Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

through some binoculars.”
    “Someone in the watchtower would sound the alarm if they saw someone.”
    “Yeah, well, whatever. I need a gun.” Winky started walking across the lobby.
    “We ready to do this?” asked Peter.
    I put my arm around his shoulders. “You and me are ready for anything, right? We’ve made it this far.”
    Peter resisted walking, making me stop too.
    “What?” I asked.
    “I just want to say a couple things, in case I die.”
    “You are not going to die, don’t be stupid.”
    “Just in case. I want you to know that I love you, first of all.”
    I kissed his cheek. “Of course you do. And I love you, too. Come on.”
    “I also want to thank you. For bringing Trip back to me.”
    “Yeah, that was awesome, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes. I had to slap some sense into him, but if you hadn’t brought his cheek over here for me to do it, we’d still be alone. So thank you. And he says thank you, too.”
    “Make him tell me,” I said, giving Peter an evil grin.
    “He’ll hate that. Okay, yes, I’ll make him do it.”
    I hugged Peter. “Can we go now? I need to cover you in armor and bullet proof stuff.”
    “Good. I look tough in that stuff, don’t you think?”
    “Oh yes, definitely. About as tough as old Fuzzybeans.”
    “Hey. Fuzzybeans has claws. Don’t count old Fuzzybeans out of the picture.”
    We made our way down the hallway, passing kids running by in bullet proof vests and helmets, carrying guns. Their boots on the concrete floors reminded me of an army mobilizing.
    It was scary to think that we were an army right now. And the enemy was coming for dinner.
    ***
    The day passed slowly. Dark clouds rolled in, making the waiting and the nervousness worse. It was just as dusk was taking a firm grip on the landscape when an alarm sounded out of one of the watchtowers in the front of the compound.
    I was in the lobby with Peter, Ronald, Jamal, and Winky. Paci and Trip were out in the field with Derek and Flick, Rob and Fohi as backup commanders. They were visiting each of the barriers and keeping spirits up, spreading news and reports, delivering food and water. Fuzzybeans never left Fohi’s shoulder. Every time they passed by the front lobby, we could see the splotch of white by Fohi’s neck.
    Another alarm came right after the first from one of the watchtowers in the back.
    “They’re coming on two sides!” said Peter, panic in his voice.
    “What, you expected them to just come to the front door?” asked Winky, sarcasm lacing her voice.
    She hitched her rifle up on her shoulder higher. The flak jacket was too big for her, and the helmet kept falling down. Mine didn’t fit any better. We’d both been sweating our butts off for hours.
    A third alarm came from another watchtower on the back side of the compound.
    “Surrounded,” whispered Jamal.
    “Nobody panic,” I said, taking the binoculars from the nearby counter and putting them to my eyes.
    I saw nothing at first. But then there was a movement up the street from the gate.
    Red shirt.
    “It’s that friggin’ Robson chick. And she’s walking with a bunch of fat motherfuckers.”
    “Canners,” said Ronald. “Those are the only people with body fat on them anymore. Shameful.”
    “She’s a canner?” asked Winky. “Why’d she let us pass if she’s one of them?”
    “Wait,” I said, not sure what I was seeing. “It’s her, but … I’m not sure she’s with them.”
    Robson hadn’t been the prettiest girl I’d ever seen before, but she’d undergone a not very good transformation since the last time we’d met. The closer she got, the more detail came into view.
    “Oh, this is not good,” I said. “Not good at all.”
    “What? Let me see.” Winky took the glasses off my face.
    I looked at the twins and then Peter. “They must have taken her and her people prisoner. She’s pretty messed up. They’re marching her to our gates.”
    “Why would they do that?” asked Ronald.
    “To get us to surrender,” said Peter. “Don’t do it, Bryn.”
    I frowned at him. “Of course I’m not going to do it.”
    “But what if they threaten to kill them if we don’t?”
    “Duh! They’ll kill us all if we let them in, idiot!” yelled Winky. “They’ll just have to die.” She was getting hyped up from the pressure.
    I could feel it happening in my chest too, wanting to burst out in a fit of anger and fight. “Chill, Winky. We can’t get mad at each other, that’s not going to