Day Beyond the Dead (Book 1) (17 page)

     “Sorry but that isn’t good enough for me.”

     “Understandable. Well I’ll give you the run down while we sit here and the doctor examines her. When the shit went down we were good on base for a while but eventually we even lost control here. We retreated to this place and we’ve held strong ever since. When the undead would accumulate outside we’d kill them and discard their bodies somewhere else. Occasionally we’ll make sweeps for supplies and to kill whatever undead in our path. We figure the fewer the better. You guys are welcome to stay as long as you want. I apologize for the treatment before but as you know you can’t be too cautious nowadays no matter how armed you are. We’ve had people come here and even with all our weaponry they still tried to overtake this place. We ended up losing three people that day so we take it very seriously. I’m not about to lose another person due to carelessness or trusting the wrong people.”

     Damion interjected, “I can understand that completely.”

     “You sound as if you’ve experienced the same thing.”

     “Unfortunately.”

     “Just when you think the undead are the worst thing you can run into you find out there is worse. At least with the undead there are no false pretenses, no lies. You know exactly what they want.”

     “Very true.”

     “Ma’am?”

     “Yes doctor?”

     “She’s fine. I’m just going to give her some medicine for the pain and hydrate her but other than that she will be ok.” The doctor turned his attention towards Damion. “She did have a miscarriage though. I’m sorry.”

     “I figured she did. Thank you for taking care of her.”

     “It’s no problem.”

     The lady turned to Damion, “I am truly sorry. I’m guessing you want to be by her side right now so I’ll leave you to it. I’ll have some food brought in for you both though.” She went to walk out the door but turned back around momentarily, “Oh and by the way, my name is Kate. Kate Blanchard.”

     “My name is Damion and she is Christa.”

     “Nice to meet you Damion. I’ll have that food brought in.”

     Christa remembered something, “Wait a second please.”

     “Yes?”

     “Do you have a wall or something where you remember the people you’ve lost?”

     “Yes we do actually, but why do you ask?”

     Christa reaches into her back pocket and stares at the two pictures a moment before handing them to Kate. “Could you put these up there? The one is Sgt. Donaldson and the other is Bree.”

     Kate walks over to Christa to retrieve the pictures, “I will. Thank you.”

     “No, thank you.”

     As Kate left the room Damion walked over and pulled a chair up to the side of Christa’s bed and held her hand. “I’m so sorry baby. I am. We’ll get through this I promise you that.”

     Christa opened her eyes and gave a half smile to Damion, “I know we will. You know why?”

     “Why?”

     “Because I have you.”

     Damion takes Christa’s hand and kisses it, “and you’ll always have me.”

     “I heard we get to stay as long as we want.”

     “Yes. Do you want to stay?”

     “I do. I think we might have a real shot here and it’s the safest place for Anna.”

     “I think it’s the safest place for all of us at the moment.”

     “Damion?”

     “Yes baby?”

     “I need to tell you something before the pain medicine kicks in and I go to sleep.”

     “Yes?”

     “Come closer.” Damion leans over to where his face is directly in front of Christa’s. She looks in his eyes and takes in every detail about them before she finishes. “I love you” She presses her lips softly to his and savors that moment.

     “I love you too. Always have. Always will.”

    
I know you do baby. I know you do.

Dedicated to the love of my life.

Come what may you never waiver,

Always by my side.

You know me better than anyone and

Love me all the more for it.

From the moment I met you,

You awakened my heart, soul and mind.

I look forward in spending eternity with you.