“I'm fine. Really,” Katie stepped away from him, deciding it was time to go. She wanted to cry again and she wanted him to comfort her.

“Katie,” he said softly, reaching toward her.

“I'll catch you later,” she said, and briskly walked away.

When she reached the stairs, she hurried down the steps and put as much distance between her and Travis as she could. Once down in the hallway of city hall, she leaned against the wall and felt tears fall down her face as she gave into her pain and wept.

4. The Lonely Guard

Travis wanted to follow Katie, but he couldn't. Guard duty was a serious thing. The zombies were sparse of late, but they all knew how quickly that could change. Every time they felt they had secured their area, more of the walking dead would come wandering out of the landscape to screech and moan at the walls.

Rubbing his face with one hand, Travis let out a long breath. He had seen the torment on Katie's face, had wanted to comfort her, but knew she wouldn't let him. Perhaps things had gone too far when they had shared that kiss not too long ago. Immediately, she had withdrawn from him and there was nothing he could do but wait and let her work things out.

What he could do was make sure that the small haven they were carving out in the world of the dead stayed safe. Tomorrow they would secure the road next to the fort and take over the Dollar Store.

The shops next to it were empty and in disrepair, but they might be able to use them as well. To enter the hotel, they had to make sure the survivors were in a safe place. There was a risk with breaking into the hotel. If there were zombies inside, they could swarm out into the fort and that would be the end of everything. They had built a small walled in area up against the back of the hotel to use as an entrance, but there were no real assurances that the wrought iron gate would hold if a horde of zombies were inside the fort. As a secondary precaution, they planned to create a temporary shelter in the Dollar Store after blocking off the street.

Travis narrowed his eyes as the zombie staggered free from where it had been temporarily trapped. Raising the rifle, he fumbled with the safety. Using the sight, he aimed for the zombie's head. He felt uncomfortable using the weapon, but they needed to keep the area as zombie free as possible for tomorrow.

The zombie stopped walking and he could see a skirt flowing in the breeze around its crooked legs. It slowly began to raise its hand.

Before it could issue its horrifying screech, he pulled the trigger.

It collapsed onto the sidewalk as the echoes of the shot faded away.

With a sigh, Travis lowered the rifle.

Tomorrow was a new day.

A new beginning.

And that was all any of them could hope for anymore.

Chapter 2

1. Taking Risks

Beads of sweat slid down Juan's spine as he stood on the wall ready to direct the operator of the huge crane. The side street that ran alongside the fort had been left open until today, as it had been regarded as an escape route. Now, though, they needed the room to continue the expansion of the fort. The huge crane was lowering the long storage containers into place to block off the sides of the street.

Once that was done, they would send a team in to clear the buildings of any possible zombies.

By tomorrow, new walls would be in place to hold off the zombie hordes and the fort would gain the use of four more buildings.

Luckily, the downtown area was so old that the buildings were flush up against each other. They only had to worry about the two ends of the street and securing the back entrances into the buildings.

The breeze was still cool despite the sun's rays. He wiped his forehead beneath the brim of his cowboy hat. Looking over his shoulder, he could see the survivors watching from the safety of the fort. Excitement was already building. It was going to be an intense day and they all knew it. If their luck held out, it would be a good one, too.

Travis joined him on the wall, where he looked down at the front windows of the Dollar Store. They were covered in huge paper posters announcing the latest items for sale. The posters were mostly of Easter baskets and Easter treats. Juan frowned as he realized the holiday had passed without anyone even noticing it.

It was hard to see into the building. No one had seen any movement inside the store, but that did not mean that there wasn't anything inside.

“Think someone is in there? ”

Juan shrugged.

“We did try to get everyone into the construction site once it started going to shit. I know someone went over and knocked on the door, but they weren't open yet. ”

Travis yawned, rubbing his face.

“No sleep? ”

“Not a lot. You? ”

“Once we're in the hotel, I think I'll sleep a lot better, ” Juan answered.

“Yeah. I can't argue there. ”

“Hey, guys, ” a voice called out.

Juan and Travis both looked down to see one of the newest members of the fort climbing up the stairs to the wall. It was Eric, an engineer from Austin. He and his girlfriend, Stacey, had been rescued a week ago from a water tower on the outskirts of town where zombies had trapped them for nearly a month. Eric was still far too thin for his height, but he looked better than he had. He hesitated at the top of the ladder and looked up at them worriedly.

“Whazzup? ” Juan cocked his head curiously.

“Hey, I know you guys said I can't go into the store, but I really do feel I need to inspect the store and the other shops once they are clear.

You know, before we move people over the wall. All these buildings are really old and we can't be too sure if they are sound structurally. ”

Juan almost laughed. He was pretty sure most of the old buildings were better built than the newer ones, but Eric looked very sincere.

“Yeah, man, that's cool, ” Juan said.

“I don't see that as an issue after we're sure its clear, ” Travis agreed.

Eric climbed onto the wall and cautiously stood up. He gained his balance and folded his arms over his chest.

“What you guys did with the construction site to make it into a fort is outstanding, but”

“Eh, I understand.

” Juan shrugged. “We're taking risks all the time. ”

“But we can't risk too much or we lose everything.

” Eric pushed his glasses up on his nose.

Juan couldn't blame him for looking nervous. He had heard Eric's story and knew that he and his girlfriend had barely survived out there on their own.

Travis looked down the street toward the corner where he had killed the zombie the night before.

“We've already lost too much to risk the loss of everything. That's why we need a safe, secure location outside the main construction site for when we break into the hotel. So if there are zombies in there and they manage to get into the construction site, we can contain them.

Eric nodded.

“I know. I do. I understand. We're all just-” He motioned to all the people watching them from below.

“-scared to be on the other side of this wall. ”

Juan and Travis looked back toward the line of stores. Juan knew they were both thinking the same thing.

They had no choice.

“I know that they sent you up here for reassurance. I can promise you, and everyone down there, that we will not move anyone over into the new area until we're absolutely sure its clear of zombies. We'll also make sure the zombies won't be able to get in, ” Travis said in a very firm voice.

“We have no choice. With the summer storm season just around the corner and the temperatures sure to start hitting in the hundreds, we need to have a good sound shelter for everyone. ”

“Yeah, one fierce storm and we're flooded out down there. City Hall can't be a permanent home for everyone. It wouldn't be sanitary for long, ” Juan added.

“I guess the way things are set up right now just feels so safe.

Risking anything is just scary. I'm not dissing what you guys are saying or insinuating that you don't know what you're doing, just some of us…

” Eric faltered as he gestured down into the construction site.

Juan looked down as well. A good-sized group of people huddled together. Eric's still emaciated girlfriend was holding her Jack Russell Terrier, Pepe, and looking up at Eric with a worried expression. Juan thought she was a pretty little thing. She had long tanned limbs and pale blond hair, but her cheeks were hollow and her shoulders bony.

He could understand Eric's desire to protect her. The people gathered around her were also looking worried. Juan realized Eric was a spokesman for more than his own fears.

“Man, we got loved ones, too. We're not going to risk them. Okay? ”

Juan tried to give the man a reassuring look.

Eric looked toward Travis. The man gave him a firm nod before Eric turned to look at the Dollar Store. He seemed to come to some sort of peace about the situation and sighed.

“I'll let them know,” he said, and climbed down the ladder.

“You can't blame them, ” Juan said once Eric was down below and talking to the group.

“They weren't here to see this construction site get made into a walled-in fort. They weren't here, man. ”