Apocalypsis 04 - Haven

wanted to go after them, but I didn’t know what I’d say or do. I figured I’d probably just make it worse, so I stayed put.
    “When is it going to end?” asked Winky, coming through the crowd at the back of the hut. “Move it or lose it, people, coming through.” The crowd split to make room for her. It was when she fully separated from the group and got close that I noticed her arm was in a sling.
    “What happened to you?” I asked as I stood and took her into a gentle hug.
    “Coli happened to me,” she said wryly. She pointed to my bloody bandages. “What happened to you?”
    I waited a few seconds for effect. “Coli happened to me too.”
    “No shit?” she asked, smiling.
    “No shit. Girl’s crazy out there, throwing those knives like she’s in the friggin’ circus.”
    Several kids laughed. Then a round of sniffles began as everyone battled sorrow and joy at the same time.
    Trip spoke without turning around. “Sleep now. You leave at first light.”
    I finally got up the nerve and walked over to him and Paci, stopping on Trip’s left side and putting my hand on his arm. “Can we talk for a second?”
    Trip nodded, not even looking at me.
    I backed up a few steps so he’d follow me a little ways from Paci.
    When he was far enough away that I knew we could speak privately, I dropped my hand and lowered my voice so only he could hear me. “Peter is waiting for you at Haven. I hope you’re coming.”
    Trip’s jaw muscle twitching was the only sign I had that he’d heard me. Otherwise, he was as motionless as a statue and without expression.
    I continued, determined to keep delivering my message until he stopped me or walked away. “At the Triple Bar D they have a messenger system using carrier pigeons. They have contact points all over the state and in Georgia now, too. They’d like to have a point here with you guys so they could give you warnings of canner movements and kids on the run from canners. Will you send someone to get trained and to get some birds from them? They’re good people, Trip. I’ll vouch for them.”
    He did nothing at first. Then gave one sharp nod.
    “Okay, good. And I know you’re hurting and you have a lot going on right now, but I just want you to know you have my support, a hundred percent. Whatever you need, just say the word. Haven is waiting to take all of you in or just some of you … whatever.”
    Trip tensed his jaw again but turned his head to face me.
    For a while he said nothing, so I just stared at him. He was fiercely beautiful. I could see why Peter had fallen for him. He exuded maleness, but at the same time had some underlying sensitivity he tried to keep hidden from the world. I hoped like heck that Peter could teach him to let it out. If he didn’t loosen up a little and let some joy into his life, Trip was going to become too brittle to survive the madness that threatened to take us all.
    “Peter is waiting.” He said it like a statement.
    “Yes. He’s waiting for you to come.”
    “He left.”
    “Of course he left. What did you expect him to do? Stay when you couldn’t even stand up for him? Stay when you were turning people out who needed you? That’s not Peter’s style. You know that.”
    Trip turned his head away from me.
    “Don’t be so stubborn that you ruin your life. If you don’t care enough about your own happiness to follow my advice, then do it for Peter. If you don’t come to Haven and let him know how you feel, you’ll break his heart.”
    Trip said nothing.
    “And just so you know, there’s another cute guy at the prison now, so if you don’t go stake your claim soon you might have a problem on your hands later.”
    Trip’s head whipped in my direction. “Who?” He tried to sound angry, but all I heard was worry.
    I shrugged. “Just some guy.” I was totally lying my butt off, but I was doing what had to be done and felt zero guilt over it. “Pretty cute, though. If he were playing for my team I’d go for it.”
    Trip snorted, turning away again. “Don’t you already have enough boyfriends?”
    I punched him in the arm. “Shut up, asshole.” I noticed a small smile play across his lips just before I turned away to join Winky, Rob, and Bodo.
    They were all deep in discussion on the other side of the hut, and as I got near, I learned it was about the logistics involved in moving looms, cattle, horses, and other supplies from Kahayatle to Haven. As the details were revealed, I was glad that there