Page 18 of Surviving Her

“Eliza,” she whispered urgently, leaning closer to shake her travel companion awake. “Eliza, wake up. We’ve got a major problem here. I’m not kidding, Eliza! Wake up.”

As Eliza stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open, River’s gaze lingered on her face longer than it should have. Even in the dim light, Eliza’s beauty was undeniable—her soft, dark hair fanned out across the makeshift pillow, the curve of her delicate lips as she mumbled something incoherent, and the delicate flutter of her luscious eyelashes against her cheeks. River’s breath caught in her chest as a rush of heat coursed through her body. She’d known the minute she first saw Eliza that she was attracted to the older woman, but in this moment, the intensity of her attraction caught her off guard.

God, you’re stunning.

Desire mixed with anxiety was a potent cocktail of emotions, and she wasn’t too sure she’d be able to keep control of them. Eliza looked vulnerable, yet effortlessly alluring. River’s pulse quickened. All she wanted right then and there was to touch her, to draw her close and feel the warmth of her skin against hers, to lose herself in the intoxicating scent of her hair. It took her by surprise. She questioned if it was just the intense situation they’d found themselves in, or if maybe they were two souls meant to connect.

But River knew she had to push these thoughts aside, no matter how much her body protested. Still, she couldn’t help butlet her fingers linger for a moment on Eliza’s arm, her touch feather-light, before she shook her more insistently.

“Doc?” River’s voice was a little calmer, the urgency tinged with something else—something she’d love to confront but couldn’t, given the circumstances. “We really need to talk.”

Eliza’s eyes opened fully now, concern clouding her gaze as she registered River’s tone. She pulled back her hand, focusing instead on the trashed supply stash, trying to regain her composure.

Eliza sat up, her eyes blinking as they met River’s. The dim light emphasized the fatigue etched into her features, but River still found every inch of the woman beautiful. “What’s up? What’s going on?” she asked, her voice still slightly groggy.

River took a deep breath in an attempt to steady her racing pulse. “Our supplies are gone. Well, a lot of them. We’ve been robbed. I’m not sure how, but we need to figure out what happened…and find more supplies, I guess. I think someone just snuck in and took a bunch of stuff. Thank God they didn’t try to harm us.”

Eliza’s eyes widened with alarm. “Well, it didn’t happen on my watch, River. How come someone took our stuff? So much for our plan, huh? Where’s my sweater? I was counting on wearing that today. Jesus. Do I have to stay in these scrubs for the rest of my life?”

“I don’t know,” River said, her frustration evident. “Well, actually, I do. I must have fallen asleep. I’m sorry. I’m really fucking sorry, but I couldn’t help it.”

The small pile of remaining supplies looked pitifully inadequate.

“This isn’t going to be enough to sustain us, but at least they didn’t hurt us,” said Eliza, tears forming in her eyes.

River sat back on her heels, her face set with grim determination. “It took me nearly ten hours to cover the fortymiles to Campdale,” she said, her voice steady but weighted by the memory of that brutal trek. “But I’m in pretty good shape. I was moving fairly fast, and I wasn’t weighed down by anything. Even so, it was a brutal journey—plus, it was at night. My legs were cramping pretty badly by the end of it.” She locked eyes with Eliza, her expression firm but sincere. “We can totally make it without food, but it’s going to be rough. The most important thing is getting the supplies we need for my dad. That’s all I care about. After that, we have enough food to last us a while at the cabin, and there’s a spring nearby for fresh water. So let’s push through, okay?”

“How about we get a car?” Eliza asked.

“The roads south out of town are blocked. We’ve seen so many abandoned cars that I assume there’s no way out with a vehicle.”

They sprang into action, gathering what was left of their gear and preparing to leave the pharmacy.

“Okay, let’s look at what we have here: vitamins, plenty of gauze and dressings, antiseptic fluid, wipes, painkillers…” Eliza said, listing everything as she pushed it into River’s bag.

“Right…if we try to continue north, through my old neighborhood, we can get onto the road we need. It’s a more or less straight path up to the forest. Well, not straight, but direct. We just need to stay on that one road,” River explained. “There might be something left in people’s homes or stores along the way.”

Eliza nodded and they set out, their movements cautious and deliberate. The silence outside was oppressive, broken only by the distant, haunting groans of walkers.

“It looks like most people have made a run for it. They’re hiding…or dead. I mean…turned, infected…” muttered River sadly. “Actually, I don’t know what I mean. I’m putting a brave face on things. But this is just all so sad.”

“I know,” replied Eliza, pulling on River’s arm and bringing her closer. “I never thought I’d see anything like this. You’re doing such a good job.”

“I can’t thank you enough for helping me,” River sighed.

“Honestly, you saved my life, so it’s the least I can do. I don’t know what else I would’ve been doing other than trying to reach my parents, but maybe I’ll get enough signal to call them.”

“After we’ve sorted out my dad, I’ll help you do anything. The cabin is rural and safe. I’m sure my dad will have a way of making contact with the outside world.”

Eliza nodded as they made their way down the street.

The wind carried the scent of decay, and River gagged. The houses, once filled with the sounds of everyday life, stood abandoned, their doors ajar. River’s senses were on high alert as they approached the small grocery store that loomed ahead.

Inside, the store was a ghost of its former self. The shelves, once neatly stocked with goods, were now a chaotic jumble of debris and scattered items.

“Look for anything that might be usable,” River instructed, her voice low and cautious.

Eliza nodded, her gaze scanning the scattered contents of the shelves. “There’s not much here. Let’s break into someone’s house and raid their medicine cabinet. All we really need is antibiotics. I doubt anyone is living in them anymore.”

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