Page 25 of Her Shadow

“Jesus! That again? You’re still not over that? It’s the fucking zombie apocalypse. The idea is to kill zombies. Or is that not the plan here? Should we be inviting them in? Making them tea and iced buns? Just tell me what you want from me, and I’ll do it.”

“You’ve shown we can’t trust you,” concluded Riley.

So that’s it? It’s as simple as that? They never even wanted to try.

The room felt like it was closing in on Sam. Her pulse roared in her ears as she tried to process what they were saying. The accusation, the distrust, it all felt so suffocating.

“You’ve made a big mistake,” Sam whispered, barely capable of holding her voice steady. “I didn’t take anything.”

But she could see it in their eyes. The decision had already been made. It didn’t matter what she said. They had already condemned her.

Riley took a deep breath, his expression softening, but only slightly. “I wish there was another way, Sam. But we can’t afford to lose what little we have.”

“You can’t afford to lose me, either,” Sam shot back desperately. “I’ve been pulling my weight around here. I’ve been helping secure this place. I’ve been in meetings with the captainall week about trying to get a lab up and running. I’m not the enemy here.”

Riley hesitated, but Marla’s glare silenced whatever uncertainty might have flickered across his face. She stepped forward, her voice like ice. “I’ve tried to be nice to you. I can see how you and Kara feel about each other. But this just isn’t working for the rest of us.”

There it was. The truth. So blunt and absolute. Sam couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This is how they saw her. They wanted her out. It was obvious to her that this was where this confrontation was heading.

And then the door burst open. Kara rushed in, her face pale with confusion and her hair flying behind her. It looked like a dream sequence to Kara. Her knightess in shining armor. “What’s going on?”

“Kara! Thank God you’re here. You need to talk to these guys.” Sam’s heart leaped at the sight of her girlfriend. Kara’s eyes darted between the people gathered, her expression growing darker by the second. She looked as if she was about to explode.

“They’re saying I stole supplies.” Sam started crying. “Tell them. Tell them I’d never do that. They don’t believe me.”

Kara’s eyes widened in surprise. Sam started to panic when she realized Kara wasn’t going to say anything.

Speak up for me, Kara! What are you doing?

The silence seemed never-ending, but finally, Kara opened her mouth and sputtered. “What? That’s insane! Sam wouldn’t?—”

“Kara, please. Hold up,” Riley interrupted. “We found the storeroom more or less empty, and she was the last one there. What the hell are we supposed to think? You bring this newbie here and then shit starts going down. You’re getting taken for a mug. She doesn’t even really want to stay here.”

“You’re supposed to believe her,” Kara said, stepping closer, her voice rising with frustration. “Have you not been paying attention to this woman? Have you guys not witnessed what she’s been doing for us? She’s helping us.”

Marla scoffed and rolled her eyes as she took a few steps toward Karla. “Helping herself, more like, and helping you sleep better.”

Sam’s jaw clenched. She could feel her back teeth grinding against each other. These people were turning against her. Well, were they ever really with her? There was no way this was just about the supplies. This was about who she was, what she was doing here, andwhat she represented. The outsider. She was the nomad who didn’t belong.

“Riley, what are you doing? This is madness, right?” Kara said, almost shouting. Seeing her in such distress made Sam feel sick to her stomach. “You can’t just accuse her without proof.”

“She was the only one with access, the last one in,” Marla said, her voice cold and sharp. “That’s proof enough. Duh!”

Kara looked at Sam, her expression pleading. “Tell them you didn’t do this, babe.”

“I have. But they’ve already made up their minds. I knew this was all a stupid fucking idea.”

Kara’s face twisted with frustration, her hands balling into fists at her sides. “This isn’t right. What are you going to do? Have you told the captain?”

“Not yet, but we will. I’m going to see her now. I don’t have a choice,” Riley said. “We can’t take the risk. She has to go. If we lose more supplies, people here will die.”

Sam’s stomach lurched. She’d seen it coming, but hearing it still made her breath catch. “You’re throwing me out for something I didn’t even do?”

“That’s the number one rule here. If someone threatens the safety of the rest of us, they’re out. And you’re a threat,” Marlaspat. “We can’t keep you here. We don’t have room for people likeyou.”

Sam turned to Kara. She felt desperate. “Kara don’t let them do this. Will you go and talk to Laeticia? I’ve done everything I can to prove myself.”

“We call her the captain. A little respect, please,” barked Riley.

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