incredibly strong woman.”
When Windows raised her head, she fought back the tears. Denning didn’t know what to say. Cindy provided a welcome distraction when she exited the chicken coop, giddy with excitement. “That was so cool.”
“I’m glad you liked it. Come on.” Denning placed a hand on Cindy’s shoulder and led her away. “Let’s complete our rounds.”
The three of them walked along the southern and western perimeter fence, no one saying a word. After a few minutes, they approached the pasture where Walther grazed. As usual, the bull waited by the corner to greet Denning. When they got to within a few feet, Cindy broke away and ran up to Walther. The bull snorted.
“Cindy!” yelled Denning. “Don’t go near him!”
The warning came too late. Cindy jumped up onto the fence, reached over the top, and stuck her hand into the pen. Walther lifted his head. Denning thought he would bite or ram Cindy. Instead, he allowed her to pet him. As her hand glided across his scalp, Walther closed his eyes and pushed against her palm, making sure she continued.
Denning shook his head. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Windows.
“Walther is an ornery son a bitch. He hates everyone except me.”
Cindy glanced over her shoulder. “He’s just like you. All he needs is someone to be nice to him.”
“Cindy!” Windows’ jaw dropped. She turned to Denning. “I’m so sorry. She never—”
Denning was laughing too hard to hear her. “Don’t worry. They say animals and kids are good at judging character.”
“Still.”
“She’s right. My wife would have agreed with her.” Some of his good mood drained away at the memory of Anna.
“I hope you don’t mind my asking. The set up you have here.…” Windows hesitated. “Are you a survivalist?”
Denning chuckled. “I prefer the term prepper. Survivalist sounds like someone who is heavily armed and anticipating the end of the world. This is the only weapon I own. That and a .38 revolver I keep in my nightstand.”
“You were prepared for this,” Windows pointed out.
“Not for this.” Denning looked beyond the perimeter fence to the dead world beyond. “I always knew society would collapse someday. I assumed it would be a financial collapse or a pandemic. Maybe even a natural disaster. If anyone had ever told me that the dead would come back to life and start eating the living, I would have laughed at them. Who’s insane now?”
“The world.” Windows grew sullen.
Denning nodded. “It’s a good thing I planned ahead, otherwise I would never have survived this long. I didn’t intend for this to be permanent, though.”
“Are you saying you’re running out of food?”
“No. I’ve stockpiled canned goods and coffee, but they have a limited shelf life. Other than that, I’m fine. I have plenty of farmland to plant on, and I never eat all the eggs so I’ll have a continuous supply of chickens. Plus I have rain barrels located across the farm, so I’ll always have a supply of fresh water. What I don’t have is time.”
“What do you mean?”
Denning tried to hide the vulnerability in his voice. “I’m seventy-two years old, have high blood pressure and a bad heart, and ran out of my medication two months ago. Living like this is not doing my health any good. Sooner or later I’m going to die. It could be tomorrow, it could be in ten years. I have no idea.”
“And you don’t want to die alone.”
“I’ve been alone for the past ten years, so dying alone doesn’t bother me. What I am scared of is having a stroke or coming down with something that incapacitates me. That’s one of the reasons I allowed you and Cindy to stay, to be certain that if anything happens to me, someone will be here to make sure I cross over. Will you promise to do that?”
Before Windows could answer, Cindy stopped petting Walther and raced up to the two adults. “I love Walther. Can I visit him again tomorrow?”
“Of
When Windows raised her head, she fought back the tears. Denning didn’t know what to say. Cindy provided a welcome distraction when she exited the chicken coop, giddy with excitement. “That was so cool.”
“I’m glad you liked it. Come on.” Denning placed a hand on Cindy’s shoulder and led her away. “Let’s complete our rounds.”
The three of them walked along the southern and western perimeter fence, no one saying a word. After a few minutes, they approached the pasture where Walther grazed. As usual, the bull waited by the corner to greet Denning. When they got to within a few feet, Cindy broke away and ran up to Walther. The bull snorted.
“Cindy!” yelled Denning. “Don’t go near him!”
The warning came too late. Cindy jumped up onto the fence, reached over the top, and stuck her hand into the pen. Walther lifted his head. Denning thought he would bite or ram Cindy. Instead, he allowed her to pet him. As her hand glided across his scalp, Walther closed his eyes and pushed against her palm, making sure she continued.
Denning shook his head. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Windows.
“Walther is an ornery son a bitch. He hates everyone except me.”
Cindy glanced over her shoulder. “He’s just like you. All he needs is someone to be nice to him.”
“Cindy!” Windows’ jaw dropped. She turned to Denning. “I’m so sorry. She never—”
Denning was laughing too hard to hear her. “Don’t worry. They say animals and kids are good at judging character.”
“Still.”
“She’s right. My wife would have agreed with her.” Some of his good mood drained away at the memory of Anna.
“I hope you don’t mind my asking. The set up you have here.…” Windows hesitated. “Are you a survivalist?”
Denning chuckled. “I prefer the term prepper. Survivalist sounds like someone who is heavily armed and anticipating the end of the world. This is the only weapon I own. That and a .38 revolver I keep in my nightstand.”
“You were prepared for this,” Windows pointed out.
“Not for this.” Denning looked beyond the perimeter fence to the dead world beyond. “I always knew society would collapse someday. I assumed it would be a financial collapse or a pandemic. Maybe even a natural disaster. If anyone had ever told me that the dead would come back to life and start eating the living, I would have laughed at them. Who’s insane now?”
“The world.” Windows grew sullen.
Denning nodded. “It’s a good thing I planned ahead, otherwise I would never have survived this long. I didn’t intend for this to be permanent, though.”
“Are you saying you’re running out of food?”
“No. I’ve stockpiled canned goods and coffee, but they have a limited shelf life. Other than that, I’m fine. I have plenty of farmland to plant on, and I never eat all the eggs so I’ll have a continuous supply of chickens. Plus I have rain barrels located across the farm, so I’ll always have a supply of fresh water. What I don’t have is time.”
“What do you mean?”
Denning tried to hide the vulnerability in his voice. “I’m seventy-two years old, have high blood pressure and a bad heart, and ran out of my medication two months ago. Living like this is not doing my health any good. Sooner or later I’m going to die. It could be tomorrow, it could be in ten years. I have no idea.”
“And you don’t want to die alone.”
“I’ve been alone for the past ten years, so dying alone doesn’t bother me. What I am scared of is having a stroke or coming down with something that incapacitates me. That’s one of the reasons I allowed you and Cindy to stay, to be certain that if anything happens to me, someone will be here to make sure I cross over. Will you promise to do that?”
Before Windows could answer, Cindy stopped petting Walther and raced up to the two adults. “I love Walther. Can I visit him again tomorrow?”
“Of
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