The fastest way was Ten Mile Road, the main route south from Hume, but when Susanna mentioned it, Douglas shook his head. #douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
Hashtag
#humelake
Advertisement · 728 × 90
"Do you have a trail in mind?"
"No, and that will slow us down, but that might be a good thing. If they get ahead of us, they won't be looking back. Hopefully they'll go one way, while we’re heading in another direction."
#douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #newadult #romance #mountains
0
0
0
0
They stayed on the old paved road, dodging potholes created from erosion in the years since the Fog arrived. The effort Douglas had used to catch the kidnappers had taken a toll on his body; he moved much slower than he was used to. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #newadult #romance #humelake
0
0
0
0
Susanna caught her breath. She turned slowly, taking in the sight and memories. What am I thinking? Petal is my life. "What should I pack?"
He puffed out a breath and began pulling items from her shelves.
#douglaslives #postapocalypse #newadult #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
Thoughts sped through his mind. Wish I'd killed the last bastard. Wonder how far he has to travel to get help. Can't hide our tracks. Maybe the rain will do it for me. Got to get away from this place. #douglaslives #newadult #humelake #mountains #postapocalypse
0
0
0
0
The Rugers boomed again, but Douglas had shot in haste, and though he clipped the man’s ear, the wayward shot allowed the man to turn and flee. Exhausted, but still holding the revolver, he dropped his arms to his side and closed his eyes. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #newadult #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
Angry at himself, he was forced to stop and rest, but he did take some satisfaction from his good guess, for he was certain that he knew where the men were headed. They are going to cross the dam, probably at night. #douglaslives #humelake #postapocalypse
0
0
0
0
When Douglas reached the café, he found others waiting at the front door.
“Not open yet?” he asked Adam, who was standing by Joe.
“Sleeping in, maybe.” Adam eyed Douglas suspiciously, as if he was responsible for Susanna’s carelessness.
#douglaslives #postapocalypse #newadult #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
Douglas was up early, but after hours of sleepless debate, he had decided that he had to say “good-bye” to Petal face to face. The fact that he would also see Susanna did not enter into his decision, he told himself. #douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
He saw Susanna sag.
“Goodnight, Douglas,” she said softly, sad weariness in her voice.
“Goodnight, Susanna." There was still anger in his voice.
He turned, took several steps, and then he snarled softly and turned again. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #newadult #humelake #romance #mountains
0
0
0
0
“After. Some people murdered him. They’re dead, too.” He gave Susanna a sidelong glance. “I didn’t kill them.”
Susanna blushed, for that is exactly what she had been wondering, and then she sighed. #douglaslives #humelake #postapocalypse #newadult #romance
2
0
0
0
“You know the bench outside the church?”
“Yes.” She was absently surprised at how good his hands felt, holding her.
“Sit on that bench with me during the service, and I’ll come.”
He had grabbed the upper hand. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
When Susanna’s face turned red, Douglas added, “to chop wood.”
“Yes, but others come, also. First come, first served.”
“Fair enough.”
#douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
“Dirty!” Petal said, and then she confided to Douglas, “If I talk to you, Susanna has to be with us.”
“Probably a good idea.” Douglas gave Susanna’s red face a sardonic glance.
#douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
Behind the curtain separating the public area from the private area stood a row of shelves containing the store’s items. Every day she sorted her stock, putting older items at the front of her shelves and placing the new items behind the old. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
"We just wanted to see if we’re bad. It choked me. Him, too. Maybe he’s not bad, just grumpy.”
“Maybe. Stay away from him, unless I’m around.” Her voice was firm, so Petal let out a big sigh of resignation.
“Okay.”
#douglaslives #humelake #postapocalypse #romance
1
0
0
0
“What’s that?”
“It’s a cigarette lighter. They used to have a lot of them back in the old world.”
A few minutes later, the man and the girl were coughing violently from the smoke in their lungs. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
The pre-teen was staring at him and holding something between her hands.
“You want something?”
Petal approached him cautiously as if he was a big dog she had never met. When she was three paces away, she lifted her hands.
“Whatcha got?”
“Cigarettes." #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
His stump was aching where it met the foam of his home-made prosthetic. He needed to find an abandoned car soon, so he could scavenge some newer foam from one of the seats. He sensed someone, and glancing to his right he saw Petal. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
He turned and grabbed the axe. She heard what might have been a chuckle.
Susanna’s widened eyes narrowed. She shut her opened mouth, yanked open the door, stalked through, and then slammed it. She stopped, leaned against the door, and sagged a bit. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
He lifted his palm, kissed it, lowered it so it was palm up, and then he blew the imaginary kiss toward Susanna. He made a clicking sound with his tongue against the top of his mouth, as if the kiss had struck her cheek next to her wide open mouth. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
Susanna stared hard at him for a short moment and then said calmly, “I don’t want a kiss.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to insist.”
Her temper rose again. “You’re going to force a kiss on me?”
“Yep.”
“Well, get it over with then,” she snarled savagely, her face a mask of disgust. #douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
Outside, Douglas found himself in front of a huge stacked pile of logs. An ax stood on its head leaning against a chopping block.
“Give me a half hour’s work for breakfast and an hour for dinner.”
“I appreciate this. In fact, I think you deserve a kiss.”
#douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake
0
0
0
0
The building’s rear door had originally swung out, but the door had been flipped so that the big iron hinges swung inward. There were thick iron brackets on either side of the door frame, and a two by four stood nearby ready to be placed in the brackets. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake
0
0
0
0
Douglas rounded the counter and followed Susanna through the curtain. In the rear of the small building, he saw pantry space being used for her supplies, and after that they passed a small bedroom. He was curious about that room, but the door was partially shut. #douglaslives #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
Her face reddened again, but not in anger.
“Ha, ha."
“How do you get the poison out?”
“Roast the nuts, mash them up, and then leach out the poison. I’m surprised you don’t know that.”
“I’d forgotten,” he admitted.
Her temper faded. #douglaslives #humelake #postapocalypse #romance
0
0
0
0
“Woman,” he repeated, appreciation in his voice.
She frowned. “Do you want anything else?”
“Any chance I can get some breakfast? Something real cheap?”
“I make inexpensive nut soup for the truly indigent.”
“Nut soup?”
She nodded. “It’s nutritious.”
#douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
She almost regretted correcting him when she saw his irises darken and saw his speculative glance slide up and down her body. Her face reddened, though she was modestly clad in a dress that covered her body from her ankles to just below her neck. #douglaslives #postapocalypse #humelake #romance
0
0
0
0
He winced but resigned himself. “All right."
She poured the brew from an old percolator into a ceramic mug.
He took a sip. “Not bad. You’re a clever girl.”
“I prefer to think of myself as a clever woman.”
#douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0
“Morning, Susanna.”
She didn’t respond at first, and then she gave him a curt, “Morning.”
“Any coffee?”
“I make a coffee substitute,” she answered grudgingly. “Acorns and dandelions.”
#douglaslives #humelake
0
0
0
0