A Different Virus - Laura's Story

Chapter 51

We set up camp without our usual banter and song. People were worried and nervous. Diane seemed lost in thought. Ace and Dave joined us before too long and helped to set up camp. We made a small fire using dry wood to keep smoke almost at non-existent levels.

We made a supper of roasted rabbit, veggies, and leftover jerky and bread. I had never seen this group so quiet. Diane looked over at Nick, "Hey Nick?"

He looked up, "Yeah?"

"Could you please take a look above that tire axle? I thought I saw something hanging down earlier and forgot to mention it."

I gave Diane an odd look. She never just forgot things like that. Nick frowned and quickly got up. He headed over and rolled underneath to look up at the axle. He started laughing, which earned him many odd looks. I was one of the people giving him an odd look. What was so funny about a wheel axle?

Dave frowned, "What is so funny? Is something broken?"

Nick reached up and, with a bit of fighting, got a box of pancake mix loose and held it up as much as he could under the trailer. He grinned, "I found her stash!"

I giggled as I realized what he had found. We knew that Diane had hidden some prepackaged foods around the trailers, but no one had figured out where she had stashed them. Nick had put a lot of effort into looking for the hidden stash while Diane was outside of the camp. I guess she must have somehow known about his attempts.

Others started chuckling as Dave grinned and shook his head, "Well, bring it all out. We are too close to the fort to cook it tonight so we will save it for our next road trip."

Nick pulled everything out and put it with their camping gear so no one would think it was meant for the cooks at the fort. Diane had managed to tuck a lot of food under there. It made sense though, why raid houses or stores every night when you could raid one house that you were positive that was empty of zombies?

The mood lightened up a bit as we visited and softly sang some songs as sun dropped below the horizon and the stars came out. People slowly started heading for bed. Diane glanced at me and gestured to the trailer with her chin. I hesitated before leaning in for a good night kiss.

I very quietly whispered, "No matter what happens, come back for me."

I could barely hear my words, but she could hear them perfectly. Her dim eyes flickered with a brighter blue as she nodded. She kissed the top of my head and I headed up to climb into my sleeping bag. The evening sky had cleared and we hadn't bother setting up the tents.

I lay there for a long time pretending to sleep. I heard Diane quietly ask, "Do I have time for a run before we are expecting company?"

Ace's voice replied equally as softly, "I am not expecting them for at least half an hour yet, just swing by here occasionally in case they arrive earlier."

"Can do. Don't be alarmed if you see a running figure cross the road around that rock that you were sitting on earlier. I will try to cross there so you know it is just me."

"Stay safe."

"Thanks."

I didn't hear any footsteps, but that didn't surprise me. The grass was damp from the rain and Diane's footsteps were normally hard to hear. I had almost dozed off when I heard Ace and Dave started speaking.

Dave's voice was very low and I had to strain to hear it above several lightly snoring people, "What is going on?"

Ace's voice was very faint, "About half of the population in the Fort were gullible enough to listen to the fear mongering that had been going on when you left. For some reason, over four hundred people are convinced that Diane is infected with a mutant strain of the zombie virus."