than she was letting on. She wasn’t making eye contact, which was very unusual for her.
“You know that when this is all over, I’d like you to stay…I don’t want you to think that once you’ve helped me out that you need to go.” Kevin leaned back against the side of their little snow pit.
“What about the others?” Willa finally spoke after a moment.
“They will be thrilled to have you,” Kevin said with a dismissive wave.
“No,” Willa sat up straight and looked Kevin in the eye, “I mean my others…the rest of my group.”
Kevin scratched his chin thoughtfully. He hadn’t ever considered it. When she’d shown up in Newark and offered to help, he just assumed she’d left her other group.
“How many?” Kevin finally asked.
“Never mind,” Willa dismissed his question and turned away.
“Wait!” He was pretty sure he hadn’t done anything wrong. He simply wanted to know what they were looking at in terms of logistics. He’d acquired farming tools and even scored the location of a serious farm where he would be returning in the spring to gather up even more stuff. If he did it right, he would never need to head west for the Dakotas. He could continue to develop and fortify this location. It would allow them access to several cities and towns without being smack dab in the middle of populated areas where the probability of large numbers of zombies would be likely.
“I’m asking because I plan things,” Kevin explained. “I think it would be fantastic to have your group join mine. I bet we have fewer problems like what is happening now.”
“Twenty-seven,” Willa whispered. She looked up at Kevin through a lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes.
“That’s not so bad,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“And you wouldn’t have a problem with all of us joining you?”
“Let’s get through this first,” Kevin said. “But no…I wouldn’t have any problem and neither would my friends.”
“We’ll see,” Willa said and closed her eyes. “Now get some rest, we will move out a few of hours after dark. It is gonna be a long couple of days.”
5
Vignettes XXVI
Aaheru stepped out of the hotel and into the unseasonably cold afternoon. The breeze coming in off the sea was a mixture of salt, sand, and death. From this location, he could see down into the city of Alexandria. With the sky clear and the sun just starting its climb, he could see their route almost perfectly.
In the parking lot, a flurry of activity was taking place, but it was as if the world had been muted. Nobody spoke much above a whisper as they loaded equipment into the various cars, tucks, busses, and vans.
“I am ready to depart, my Pharaoh,” a soft female voice said at his back.
“Ahmes, my child,” Aaheru said as he turned to face the young, dark haired girl. Her body was extraordinarily developed for only just celebrating her fifteenth year. “Have all the preparations been made?”
“Yes, it has been done as you demanded.”
“The sacrifice shall be rewarded.” Aaheru placed his enormous hands on Ahmes’ tiny shoulders.
“It is at the pleasure of our pharaoh that we serve in any way demanded.”
Yes , Aaheru thought, he had chosen well in all aspects . His advisor was unflinchingly loyal. The woman he’d recently selected to replace his previous companion was turning out to be precisely what he needed. Being pharaoh was more than simply assuming the title; there was a certain air of authority and power that he must exude if he were to truly revive the entity and office of a true Egyptian pharaoh. This young woman tended to his needs in a manner befitting a god.
A god , Aaheru mused. The pharaohs of old were considered the representations of the gods on Earth. Their edicts were not placed before anyone for approval. They simply were law. The time had come for Aaheru to demonstrate his power.
He looked across the parking lot to the bus being loaded with all the women—the
“You know that when this is all over, I’d like you to stay…I don’t want you to think that once you’ve helped me out that you need to go.” Kevin leaned back against the side of their little snow pit.
“What about the others?” Willa finally spoke after a moment.
“They will be thrilled to have you,” Kevin said with a dismissive wave.
“No,” Willa sat up straight and looked Kevin in the eye, “I mean my others…the rest of my group.”
Kevin scratched his chin thoughtfully. He hadn’t ever considered it. When she’d shown up in Newark and offered to help, he just assumed she’d left her other group.
“How many?” Kevin finally asked.
“Never mind,” Willa dismissed his question and turned away.
“Wait!” He was pretty sure he hadn’t done anything wrong. He simply wanted to know what they were looking at in terms of logistics. He’d acquired farming tools and even scored the location of a serious farm where he would be returning in the spring to gather up even more stuff. If he did it right, he would never need to head west for the Dakotas. He could continue to develop and fortify this location. It would allow them access to several cities and towns without being smack dab in the middle of populated areas where the probability of large numbers of zombies would be likely.
“I’m asking because I plan things,” Kevin explained. “I think it would be fantastic to have your group join mine. I bet we have fewer problems like what is happening now.”
“Twenty-seven,” Willa whispered. She looked up at Kevin through a lock of hair that had fallen across her eyes.
“That’s not so bad,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“And you wouldn’t have a problem with all of us joining you?”
“Let’s get through this first,” Kevin said. “But no…I wouldn’t have any problem and neither would my friends.”
“We’ll see,” Willa said and closed her eyes. “Now get some rest, we will move out a few of hours after dark. It is gonna be a long couple of days.”
5
Vignettes XXVI
Aaheru stepped out of the hotel and into the unseasonably cold afternoon. The breeze coming in off the sea was a mixture of salt, sand, and death. From this location, he could see down into the city of Alexandria. With the sky clear and the sun just starting its climb, he could see their route almost perfectly.
In the parking lot, a flurry of activity was taking place, but it was as if the world had been muted. Nobody spoke much above a whisper as they loaded equipment into the various cars, tucks, busses, and vans.
“I am ready to depart, my Pharaoh,” a soft female voice said at his back.
“Ahmes, my child,” Aaheru said as he turned to face the young, dark haired girl. Her body was extraordinarily developed for only just celebrating her fifteenth year. “Have all the preparations been made?”
“Yes, it has been done as you demanded.”
“The sacrifice shall be rewarded.” Aaheru placed his enormous hands on Ahmes’ tiny shoulders.
“It is at the pleasure of our pharaoh that we serve in any way demanded.”
Yes , Aaheru thought, he had chosen well in all aspects . His advisor was unflinchingly loyal. The woman he’d recently selected to replace his previous companion was turning out to be precisely what he needed. Being pharaoh was more than simply assuming the title; there was a certain air of authority and power that he must exude if he were to truly revive the entity and office of a true Egyptian pharaoh. This young woman tended to his needs in a manner befitting a god.
A god , Aaheru mused. The pharaohs of old were considered the representations of the gods on Earth. Their edicts were not placed before anyone for approval. They simply were law. The time had come for Aaheru to demonstrate his power.
He looked across the parking lot to the bus being loaded with all the women—the
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