Indead-ted To You

IX

BENICIA

“Oh s**t!” Tommy cursed! “Oh!” I exclaimed! Both Cori and Leigh were freshening up in the women’s stalls, I thought all the guys were in the break room eating or in their bed-cubicles we created! Tommy was shirtless, with black underwear and jeans undone and belt unfastened. His hair was a mess over his eyes. What did he say he was? 40? He looked like an underwear model. A mass of man just chiseled in muscle, tattoos and… scars on his chest and one large one that was diagonal from bottom left peck to his right hip. After a humiliating few seconds of letting my eyes take in the tall length of him, I turned heading out of the door, speaking hurriedly, “I am so sorry! Both of the women’s stalls are taken, okay bye!” Once it was closed, I took a slow deep breath. Good god!

The next week and some days were harsh rains. And it didn’t lessen up at all today Making us stay longer than planned. I sat on my temporary mattress. I had changed into shorts, a tank top and one of the flannel button ups I’d taken from what Joe and Tommy brought back from one of the stores. It was dark due to no sun and gray clouds but my little book light shining in my space. I heard my stomach growl. We had dinner already. Just canned chicken soup, again. At least it was hot, but broth, noodles and bits of chicken and added jerky still felt like it wasn’t enough. I was going a little mad not being able to shower also. Especially using the cold water. I wondered about my family again. I heard Tommy get onto his mattress from the other side of the divider between our beds. I’d sort of avoided him since I walked in on him. Not that it mattered because i thought about it regardless if we talked or I looked at him.

“‘Doing okay, Beni?” Tommy said from his side. The sudden sound of my name from him made my nerves jump! “I’m good. How are you?” I responded. “Fine. Tired…” it was quiet for a second. “I think I’m going to go on a run once this rain clears up. Do you want to come?” He asked. I felt my heart beat pick up. And before I could answer, I heard his bed once more than he appeared from around the divider, “I know the last time it was a lot and probably scary but I promise, I got you this time.” I gripped my notebook I’d been doodling in to my chest, nodding, “Okay.” He nodded, a smirk forming on his lips, “Okay then.” And then he disappeared back to his side. I let out a quiet breath, feeling the heat subside in my chest and face. Hey, I’m not going to scold myself because he was a good looking man. But I was scolding myself at the thoughts that had only grew more curious after seeing him the other night. I’m sure he’d had someone or multiple that kept his appetite fulfilled. I was a young struggling artist. My own family and boyfriend weren’t fans so that says a lot. But a girl could admire, right? It was better than sulking over Jace.

Night came and rain still fell. We sat in the break room, eating beans and rice. Cori tried to dazzle up each dinner. They were never bad. But it wasn’t your go-to or a cheeseburger meal. And I was missing it badly. But I wasn’t starving. So yet again, grateful.

I cleared my dish and washed it.

“I can do that, hon.” Leigh offered. I smiled at her. She looked tired. Don had been a bit unbearable since we set up here and the weather was bad. He would complain constantly and Leigh would get the brunt end of it all. It so happened Joe and Tommy went out to the van quickly, because he never did it in front of the men…. I remember being that tired of Jace.

“You’re fine, Leigh. You relax.” I nudged her. Making her playfully swat me with the rag then place it gently on my shoulder.

“She doesn’t mind. Plus she’s here while we run around. She can clean up.” Don said, placing his bowl by the sink. Laughing like it was a playful joke.

I rolled my eyes. Leigh sighed beside me. “She does more than clean.” I said simply. Looking back to see in my peripheral that he heard, and grabbing his bowl to wash it. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head. “Chill out, dude.” Jimmy sounded from the table. Don turned to him now. I set the bowls down on the side of the sink and turned around, drying my hands, watching Don as he honed in on him. “Excuse me?” Don chuckled. Jimmy squirmed a bit in his seat, then he cleared his throat, “Leigh’s very kind. You shouldn’t talk like that to your wife or around women. She does take good care of this place to make you comfortable… and you b***h like a girl!” That’s when Don about flew across the table, attempting to punch Jimmy in the face. I grabbed for the bowl I’d just rinsed and crashed it across the back of Don’s head! He collapsed onto the table and fell onto the floor. Leigh screamed, Cori exclaimed, “Beni!” And Jimmy was on the floor from his chair falling back to avoid the punch. Don groaned on the floor, weakly but quickly getting up. Joe and Tommy ran in taking in the scene.

“What the hell went on in here?” Joe boomed! We suddenly heard banging from outside the exit door of the break room. The dead ones! We’d been too loud! I froze. My palm bleeding from shattering the bowl on Don’s head. I held it behind me. “What happened?” Tommy asked the room. Don gave me a cold stare as he held the back of his head. I shook my head, “Nothing. Don fell.” I lied. Keeping my eye contact with him. Tommy and Joe looked between us. Don groaned in pain, after wincing, our eyes met again, “Yeah. I fell.”

Joe looked down at Jimmy on the floor, “And you’re just there because?” Jimmy got to his feet quick. Straightening himself out. “Alright then.” Joe did one more survey of the room then left. Leigh went up behind Don with a rag. “I’ll get my med bag.” Cori said quietly, exiting the room.

Tommy looked at me. And averted my eyes to placing the rag from my shoulder onto the counter then walked past him and to my bed.

After about 30 minutes or so, Cori appeared around the corner of one of the dividers, into my space. I smiled when I saw her. She looked at my hand, the bandage I’d created from a t-shirt had been died a dark red from the cut it covered. Cori shook her head and coming to sit beside me. She unwrapped my bandage and began to clean it, making me wince.

“Why did you go and do that?” Cori whispered to me, not taking her eyes from tending to my wound. I thought for a second. “He was going to hit the kid.” I said. Cori used an alcohol wipe, gently cleaning the crusted blood and cut. I sucked in a breath with my teeth, it burnt! “Jimmy shouldn’t even be talking like that at his age,” Cori said roughly. “Beni, you need to be careful. They’ve been kind but Don isn’t a safe man. Why do you think I hover around her…” I watched Cori.

“If no one does anything we’re just as much a part of the problem than Don.” I said quietly. Cori’s eyes met mine, “I understand. However, besides Leigh’s safety, and Jimmy’s, you need to be careful for yourself too.” I nodded, as she assessed if I’d need a stitch up. Luckily, I wouldn’t.

After tending to my wound, Cori left me in my space again. It was late now. I lied down and closed my eyes. Listening to the thunder outside until sleep eventually took me under.

“Ben… Beni, come on.” I woke sitting up quickly, my vision adjusting to see Jimmy. “What’s going on?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

“Tom wants to go on the run, are you coming? The rain stopped but I’m not sure for how long.” He whispered. I nodded and he stood and left me to get ready.

I put on jeans, my sneakers, a tank top and a flannel hoodie. Tying my hair up in a ponytail. Ugh it was so dry, it needed a condition, I complained internally.

I came out to the back, Tommy and Jimmy waiting for me. “Finally! Let’s go, Ben!” Jimmy smiled, turning on his heels and walking. Tommy gave me a once over, a small smile playing on his lips. It made me a little self conscious. Was he laughing at me? I pushed the thought away, as we trudged up to the road and began our walk west to see what we could find.

The humidity was making me regret preparing for the rain. My clothes stuck to me. We’d had to take out a few of the sick ones. The guys tried to handle most of them, but I knew I had to step up and help too. We’d had to have walked about four miles, coming up on five. We went through some cars, but didn’t find much. Some corpses lied about the roads but these ones looked old or like someone had taken them out already. We finally came up to a large, warehouse store!

“Hell yeah.” Jimmy smiled at us. Still steps ahead. Tommy laughed and we walked through the vacant stores lot.

We came to the large garage doors that were the entrance of the store. Tommy and Jimmy finagled and pried at the doors. Nothing. They were closed, locked. I made my way around to some regular doors at the far left. Locked. Dammit. Then I noticed the large window beside it. I grabbed the bat from my bag and got into a solid stance. I took a deep breath, then swung the bat into the glass. It cracked slightly. I repositioned again, swung! And again! The crack was becoming larger when finally I gave one more hard swing and glass fell to my feet and around me. I used the bat to break off any glass along the edges where I could get up. Tommy and Jimmy approached behind me. They nodded in approval and we all climbed through.

We were in the mechanics area. Slowly scoping our way through. Tommy had his gun raised, eyeing every corner. There were towers of food left here. Pallets of them. Canned, dried, the unfortunate spoilings of meat and produce. We stayed together, going through each aisle. Grabbing anything canned and salvageable. Jimmy began to walk ahead as we became more comfortable. I had my bag off, loading it with whatever I could, and the duffel I brought.

Jimmy returned with a switchblade, “Tom, look at this!” Jimmy said excitedly. Tommy scoffed, “You better be careful there, young man. That’s a deadly weapon.” Jimmy continued to flip the knife around very not pro like. “Can I have this?” Jimmy asked. Tommy shrugged, “I don’t care, just be careful with that thing!” “There’s a bunch of stuff in that little weapons kiosk. You guys should check it out.” Jimmy said, not acknowledging what Tommy has said. We made our way to the kiosk Jimmy found his switchblade. I went for the jack knife with a turquoise handle. It came with a dark brown hip holster that instead of going just around my waist, it wrapped around my thigh like a garter. Cute. After I strapped it on, I looked up to see Tommy watching me. His brow arching. That damned sexy smirk painted on! “Cute.” He said. I smiled. Pulling away my gaze and moving forward so I didn’t gush. I continued a couple aisles ahead when I heard a rustle of something. I looked up at the tall shelves with pallets on it. I didn’t see anything. But I know I heard something. I heard it again, immediately getting reminded of the last time I investigated alone. So I made my way back to the guys. When I found them they were by the camping gear. Jimmy was holding a long tent bag, “Look this sleeps 10.” He held it up. “Alright,” Tommy shook his head, chuckling, “We’re not shopping man. Put what you find by the exit and we’ll be over soon.” Jimmy nodded lugging his bags and the tent bag to the door.

We stood for a short moment, then began our own walk back. “Thanks for coming.” Tommy said. I looked at him, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face, “Thanks for inviting me. And not babying me after the last time.” He shrugged, smirking at me. He began telling me about the plan to move on from our current base with the group. I knew what he said, but I was dangerously distracted by the thumping of my pulse in my ears. Did he know he made women feel… like this?! And sometimes when he looked at me, it’s almost like he was telling me he knew what I was saying in my head about him! Once we’d exited with our supplies, we ended up stealing a cart and putting all of our things in it and began our walk back to the group. As we were leaving I happened to hear the sound of something metal clang. I whipped my head back and looked around. Nothing.

“Everything good?” Tommy asked. “I thought I heard something… let’s get out of here.” I said, praying that it was, in fact, nothing.