“Barely, but yes.”
They haven’t talked much since they began this journey. Needing to conserve energy is more important, but he misses the sound of her voice and scolds himself internally for that inane thought.
Her head tilts a fraction, blue eyes squinting in the wind. “Do you hear that?”
The low rumble of an engine wafts across his eardrums, and he nods toward the snowbank up ahead. He might suggest they hide, but there’s no cover for miles. They are sitting ducks for whatever crests that hill. He braces himself, unsheathing the bow from his back while she pulls the gun forward. Not long ago, they would have been thrilled to see anyone else. Now, they’re only worried that whoever this is might try to maul them.
His pulse pounds in anticipation as a snowmobile flies over the ridge, skidding to a stop a few yards past them.
There is only one man, and so far he’s not racing at them like they’re on the menu. He isn’t missing his nose or eyeballs, either, as far as Theo can tell. He hops off the machine and approaches them with raised hands and a smile that’s a little too friendly and far too fake. That’s when Theo stops worrying he might be infected, and starts worrying about other, more common problems that could arise when meeting a strange man in the wilderness.
He steps in front of Nora and squares his shoulders. It’s only one man, but he could have friends. Theo’s not taking any chances.
“Come on now, we’re all buddies here. Didn’t expect to see anyone. You surprised me as much as I surprised you. Name’s Dalton. Pleased to meetcha.” His smile lifts a little higher as he eyes Nora. “Hey there, sugar.”
This fucker called his girl sugar. That’s a strike against him right out the gate that keeps Theo’s reply clipped and irritated. “Did you come from town? Got a radio? A working SAT phone?”
Dalton hisses between his teeth. “Barrow is just a few miles over that hill, but it’s a real shithole at the moment. Whole fucking place is falling apart. Wasn’t much there to begin with, but damn.”
“The whole place?” Nora frowns. “There’s nothing left? Explain.”
“She talks and she’s got a pretty voice.”
“She’s also got a gun pointed at your dick,” Nora deadpans, lowering the weapon to aim for his crotch.
“Sassy, too!”
She clicks off the safety and he isn’t nearly as amused anymore. That sick grin disappears as he reflexively tries to keep from covering his crotch. “Sorry. Sorry. Can’t give a woman a compliment these days. Anyway, didn’t hang around to find outif anyone was left back there once people started eating each other. The biters got that place pretty much cleared out.”
Theo narrows his eyes, not liking the sound of any of this. “Biters?”
“You ain’t seen ‘em yet?”
“We just want to know what you know. That’s all.”
Dalton shrugs. “Easy for you to ask while you’re cuddled up in that heated gear and I’m not.”
“Then you should start talking fast so you can get a move on and find warmer options.” Theo narrows his eyes, assuming this stranger is heading for the same research center they just left. He is woefully underprepared in terms of gear. If he wasn’t such a fucking asshole from the jump, Theo might have offered him additional supplies.
He does not.
“They wanna eat ya,” Dalton spits out. “That’s about it. Dunno how or why it happened, but if they bite you, then you’re one of ‘em. It takes about a day or so to kick in. Some of ‘em go for the weak or injured first when given a choice…they’re like animals that way. Some don’t seem to care so long as the target is breathing. Don’t seem to be no rhyme or reason to it. Listen, do you have a place to stay out here? Me and the boys barely got outta there alive. Heading for the next town, but the truck stalled, so I’m scouting ahead. Damn service roads are all covered now. Got a ways to go and ain’t the best conditions.”
He can see Nora’s face fall out of the corner of his eye, but he’s more concerned about that phrase‘the boys’. “How many are with you?”
“Two more. They stayed with the truck just before the ridge. We’re out here to bag some polar bears, but that ain’t exactly top priority anymore.”
“Isn’t hunting the wildlife up here illegal?” Nora asks, the disgust in her voice clear as day.
“Sure. Lots of things are, though. Who’s around to give us a ticket?”
Theo’s got a shitty feeling about these fuckers and while he might suggest they aim for the heated building he and Nora just left, something tells him that would be an awful idea. “We don’t have anywhere to stay. It’s just us.”
“Out here alone? Middle of nowhere? Not coming from a town? We aren’t too familiar with the area, maybe you can help with directions?”
“We were in a plane crash,” Nora says, evenly. “So your guess is as good as ours when it comes to directions.”
“Oh shit! Picked a hell of a time to get stranded, that’s for damn sure. If you wanna roll with us, you’re welcome to. Would love the company. Safety in numbers and all that.”
