Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

about Kowi?”
    Tears wanted to come, but I wouldn’t let them. “I can’t be with someone I can’t trust. You either need to come clean and tell me what’s going on with you, or that’s it.”
    He threw his arms up in frustration. “Dat’s it, what? We are enemies?”
    “No, don’t be stupid. Of course we’re not enemies. I could never be your enemy.” This whole thing was so damn confusing I didn’t even know what I was talking about now. I was running on instinct alone. “I care about you very much. You’re a part of my family. But you keep a piece of yourself away from me. Away from everyone. And until you give me all of you, you’ll just be … like a brother.”
    Bodo scoffed at that. “Ha. Yeah, okay. A brudder. A brudder who you take a shower with and get to the naked with. I don’t think so.”
    I’d bruised his ego, that much was clear. And I understood it was a fragile thing and that we had work to do before it was pitch black outside, so I decided to call a truce.
    I put my hand on his arm. “You’re right. Let’s just get all this stuff done and we’ll figure this out later, when we’re back at Haven, okay?”
    He nodded once, not saying anything.
    Five really awkward minutes later we were walking down the dock that led to the loom hut. The water in the pool was still but for a small current moving through the middle. No fires were lit in the hut nor were any lamps glowing. We walked as silently as we could, and I for one was praying that Coli wasn’t lying in wait.
    ***
    The looms were all still there. I got really excited for about two seconds until I noticed a figure lying underneath the contraption farthest from the doorway.
    My heart sank. Another dead friend, either Miccosukee or Creek from the looks of her clothing.
    “Rraaaawwrrr!”
    An unholy screech filled the air, causing me to scream in fright. I leaped and turned sideways, ready to punch, eye gouge or whatever else I needed to do to protect myself.
    A small, soft body hit my leg and scampered off into the darkness.
    I put my hand over my racing heart and laughed little. “Fucking cats.”
    “Dat scared da doodles out of me,” said Bodo, laughing a little too.
    The body on the floor sat up. “Who’s there? Winky?”
    I rushed over, so relieved the dead body was talking I nearly wept with joy. “Mandy! Oh my god, what are you doing here?!”
    “Bryn? Holy crap! Never mind me … what are you doing here?” She jumped up and gave me a huge hug. I stayed that way with her for a few precious seconds, reveling in her warmth and aliveness.
    We separated and I gave her a quick once over. “You injured anywhere?”
    “No. Luckily. Those a-holes didn’t get this far, but I was ready for them.” She gestured to a rifle on the floor next to her bedding.
    “And they’re not going to, either. We got rid of all the ones that were in the ceremonial hut.”
    “With Coli’s help,” added Bodo.
    Mandy got suddenly very sober. “You saw her? Coli?”
    “Yeah. She’s not good.”
    Mandy sighed heavily. “Tell me about it. She’s totally off her meds. I don’t know what to do about her.”
    “Meds? What meds?” I wasn’t sure if she was being serious or just using an expression.
    “She was taking something for her moods or whatever. She had a huge stockpile of the medication, but either it ran out or she trashed it or used it up … I don’t know.”
    “Well, that explains a lot. Did you know that Kowi’s gone?”
    “Gone? As in back at the ranch?”
    I shook my head, tears coming again as I realized I was about to give her the news that her chief and friend was no longer with us. “Gone as in killed. Gunshot, by those canners. Same with Jason. They’re both dead.”
    Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, my Jesus.” She shook her head in silence. When she spoke again her voice was rough. “You got all of them, I hope?”
    “As many as we saw. Except for the ones that Coli gutted.”
    Mandy turned to cry in private, her shoulders quaking with grief. “When is it going to end?” she moaned.
    I couldn’t answer her because it would be a lie to suggest it would. We’d forever be fighting off the evil in the world. It was a seriously depressing thought.
    “Why are you here?” asked Bodo. “Why aren’t you at da ranch?”
    “I had to protect the looms,” said Mandy when she was able to collect herself enough to speak. “We were going to transport them once we had the ATVs ready.”
    “ATVs?