“Thank you. I know I’ll get there. If it’s the last thing I do. I need to see my family.”
“Hey, Eb.” Mark’s voice carried across the bingo hall.
Eb turned around.
“Bill wants to head back to Seaver. You still interested?”
“Um… yeah. Yeah.” He looked at Lena. “Thanks again. I’ll see you in a little bit.” Eb waved to Ada and walked to Mark. He would take that ride to Seaver, trying not to worry about Cass and the others. Hopefully, they’d be back by the time he returned. If they weren’t, he wasn’t sure what he would do.
Cameron, AZ
It wasn’t getting any cooler, at least it didn’t feel it to Cass. It was more humid than she’d ever felt, and she sat outside The Trading Post hoping the night air would cool her.
Inside the air conditioning ran, but she just didn’t want to be in there.
She had a lot on her mind.
One of the passengers had died, another was critical. She was irritated because she knew they stood a better chance in town.
But there was no getting through to Art and Niles.
The heat and the death weren’t what lay heavily on Cass’ mind though. It was the fact that the fungus was growing exponentially fast; the possibility of total human annihilation loomed on the horizon and Cass… she just didn’t care.
Live or die, she felt it didn’t matter. Maybe when the time drew nearer she’d care.
Her thoughts went from Kit’s experiment to the sky. It was clear, star filled and bright.
She didn’t turn around when she heard the door to The Trading Post open, or the sound of footsteps on the porch. She did, however, look up when the beer was extended to her.
The second her hand touched it, she smiled. “It’s cold. Thanks.”
Kit sat down next to her. “You alright?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Cass sipped her beer. “Oh, that’s good.”
“You didn’t eat.”
“I did. Just not much. It’s not… Hamburger Helper tacos.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Did the two brainiacs agree to leave first thing in the morning?”
“They did. I want to also keep stashing what we can in the squad car.”
Cass nodded. “I’ll help. I’m gonna finish this first.”
“So, what are you doing? Just sitting here.”
“Thinking.”
“About?” Kit asked.
“The Space Station.”
“What?” Kit asked.
“See that?” Cass pointed. “That really bright twinkling star. That is the Space Station and a week before all this started we sent up a new crew. So right now, there are ten people up there, looking down at Earth. Knowing the fates of their families and watching as this world physically changes, all while… all while, they’ll never get home and they know it.”
“Wow, that is deep.”
“I can be deep.” Cass brought her beer to her lips.
“Maybe they’re up there thinking about a way to get home.”
Cass laughed.
“That’s funny?”
“Yes.”
“That’s some of the smartest people in the world up there.”
“And we have some of the smartest people in the world right over there.” Cass pointed to the church. “Sometimes really smart people have a hard time thinking outside the box.”
“I think those two are the exception not the rule.”
“Maybe.”
“But I agree with you, Art and Niles are not gonna be the ones to get us out of this mess.”
“If we can,” Cass said. “This may be it. This may be the way we go out. Like one of those movies where everyone knows the last day is at hand. Some go nuts, some just kick back.”
“I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way to go out.”
“How are you going to do it?” Cass asked. “I mean, if this is really the end. How are you gonna spend you last day?”
“With my son.”
Closed mouth Cass nodded sadly, then drank her beer.
“Cass, I am sorry for what happened to you and Eb. I don’t think there is a single person who doesn’t wish with all their hearts that they could change it.”
“I know.”
“I wish you and I were having days where we argued about my boy not treating your girl right, or Jordie telling you Kat won’t dress right for the prom. All that instead of did the chief or didn’t the chief act inappropriately in cell number three.”
“You really think of this?” Cass asked.
“I always think about what could have been.”
“Me too. At least now I do. For a long time I didn’t. For what it’s worth, I wish we were arguing about that stuff too. But… if the end does come you aren’t alone.”
“Neither are you.”
“Nah, I’m alone. I don’t have anyone special. I suppose I could grab Eb and hang with him. Sort of my default apocalypse buddy.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair, Kit. I blame myself. I mean, yeah, Eb left me, but I shut down. I didn’t open my heart to anyone.”
“I hear you on that. I did the same thing,” Kit said. “It’s been so long…” He peered up to the sky. “I’m not sure I am even capable of feeling anything. It’s like I’m numb.”
“Me too.” Cass rolled the beer bottle between her hands, then set it down. “Hey, Kit.”
“Yeah.”
“Kiss me.”
Kit nearly choked on his beer with a laugh. “What?” He faced her.
“Kiss me. Let’s see if I feel anything. See if you do.”
“Cass, if you’re wanting to deliberately prove you’re emotionally dead, us kissing is the way to do it.”
“Way to make me feel wanted.”
“It’s not about being wanted,” Kit said. “It’s about chemistry. Attraction. You wanting to see if you feel anything has to be tested with someone you’re more than friends with.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We’re too good of friends.”
“It would be weird.”
“Oh my God, Kit, okay, I get it.” She reached for her beer again.
“You know what? Fine.”
“Fine?”
“Yeah, let’s try. Can’t promise it will be any good.”
“Simple would work.” Cass turned and faced him.
Kit put down his beer and rubbed his hands together. He took a breath and cleared his throat.
“Why are you clearing your throat for a kiss?”
“You’re not making this easy, Cass.”
“It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to awkward and strange because it’s us. And we’ll never mention it again,” Cass said.
“Never mention it again?” Kit asked.
“Never.”
“It’s like we’re kids playing spin the bottle or something.”
“Kit, don’t make me come in for the kiss.”
“Okay.” Kit tilted his head left to right as if warming up for an exercise.
“Oh my God.”
Then, tilting his head to the right, he leaned into Cass and gently and ever so apprehensive, touched his lips to hers. The kiss was quick and he pulled back, but only a little.
Cass wanted to laugh. She wanted to giggle, but she couldn’t. She glanced up, her eyes meeting his and again, slowly Kit leaned into her.
The second kiss started out just as slow, but he didn’t pull back or stop and neither did Cass.
Within a moment, Kit took control, taking it from innocent to widening his mouth for a gentle sweeping kiss. It was nice, sweet, but it didn’t last long before something happened.
Bam.
The intensity instantly erupted.
For both of them.
Kit’s hand rested on her cheek, locking his fingers within her hair. He pulled her closer and Cass grabbed onto him. The kisses were deep, filled with an unexpected passion while their bodies clumsily tried to figure out what to do.