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"Toet your stepson," Katie assured her

"And kill hed, her eyes still feeling horribly large and swollen "Yeah, kill zombies"

"But avoid malls and farmhouses and helicopters"

"And find ourselves a handsome black man for the an to laugh and it felt aathered and ht Hour

Jenni’s heart pounded almost as fiercely as her footfalls as she rushed down the stairs with Mikey beside her Her fingers slid down the banister as she struggled to not fall headlong down the stairs Mikey’s hand was slippery in hers and she tugged him hard as she reached the bottom of the staircase and headed toward the front door

She felt Lloyd grab her long hair and yank her backwards

"Don’t touch my Mom!" Mike’s hand slipped from hers and her little boy launched himself at his father

"No," Jenni whispered and her eyes snapped open Her heart was beating so hard in her chest it hurt Slowly, she sat up and struggled to catch her breath

Katie was sleeping beside her with her ar eyed Jenni drowsily and she rubbed his brow lightly

"I’ his head back down

She was sure he was tired, too, after their long day Plus he had started the day with surgery and had endured their crazed escape fro shaken, she slid fro to the moans of the dead outside Lloyd always used to make her watch zo her had been so Every tis to upset her Pretending to be a zo always made her scurry away from hi to her

And then this …

No, don’t think about it, she told herself

She ran her fingers through her hair to comb it back from her face and walked to the door Careful not to make too much noise, she turned the handle and slipped out into the hallway Down the hall she saw a di roo anchor to several people including a e chair with a quilt laid gently over him A rifle lay on the floor next to him

"He couldn’t sleep," Nerit’s voice said quietly from behind her

Jenni turned around and saw the older wo a cup of tea "I had nightmares"

"Me, too," Nerit said with a weary smile "Would you like sohed "That would be awesome"

They settled into the kitchen, Jenni tucked into a stiff-backed chair as Nerit put on a fresh pot of tea

"You know, zombies always scared ht much about theht the "

"Serial killers and all that"

"Terrorists, too" Nerit shrugged and cut two slices of the Italian-style cheesecake "Ralph likes the monster movies He says they’re a safe kind of scary"

"Not anyreed and set down the dessert in front of her before taking a seat as well

"I…had kids" Jenni raised her eyes and gazed at Nerit "They died thisinco like that, but Nerit only answered with, "I’ht A bum, he said" Jenni stabbed at the pierce of cheesecake with her fork A little bit of it crumbled off and she scooped it up and ate it