{"id":333,"date":"2013-07-22T14:32:16","date_gmt":"2013-07-22T14:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/?page_id=333"},"modified":"2013-07-22T14:32:16","modified_gmt":"2013-07-22T14:32:16","slug":"chapter-90","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/story\/chapter-90\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 90"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 90<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

I had a lot to be thankful for in my old life, but when did I ever stop to count my blessings?\u00a0 Not nearly often enough.\u00a0 I was always on the go, always working or traveling; I didn\u2019t have time to stop for anything, not even my family.\u00a0 It\u2019s no wonder Bree left me and took Barty with her.\u00a0 I guess I wasn\u2019t much of a husband or a father.\u00a0 Sure, I provided for them \u2013 a magnificent roof over their heads, private school tuition for Barty, designer clothes and fine jewelry for Bree, and all the luxuries my money could buy \u2013 but I see now that it wasn\u2019t enough, that I didn\u2019t give them what they really needed:\u00a0 my time, my attention, and my love.<\/i><\/p>\n

Now I have all the time in the world and no one to spend it with.\u00a0 I\u2019ve come to care about AJ, Brian, Gretchen, and Gabby, but it\u2019s not the same as having a family of my own.\u00a0 I know I should be grateful to have good people in my life, even to be alive at all, but sometimes I can\u2019t help but wonder, what for?<\/i><\/p>\n

What is there to give thanks for, really?\u00a0 Our survival?\u00a0 The roofs over our heads?\u00a0 The food in our bellies?\u00a0 Sure, in my day-to-day existence, I appreciate these things, but how long can we really go on living this way?\u00a0 What\u2019s the point?\u00a0 Everyone else is dead \u2013 Kevin, Nick, and Riley included, from the looks of it \u2013 and eventually, we\u2019ll be dead, too.\u00a0 A hemophiliac, a gimp, a minister, a schoolteacher, and a little girl, surviving the zombie apocalypse together?\u00a0 Yeah, right.\u00a0 It\u2019s only a matter of time before we meet the same fate as everyone else.<\/i><\/p>\n

And when that time comes\u2026 in a way, I\u2019ll be thankful.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Thursday, November 22, 2012<\/b><\/i><\/b>
\nWeek Thirty-One<\/i><\/p>\n

On the fourth Thursday of November, Howie found himself missing his family more than ever.\u00a0 Not just Barty, not even Bree, but his mother and father, his older brother and three sisters, and the nieces and nephews he hadn\u2019t seen nearly enough of before the plague had claimed them all.\u00a0 He was filled with regret as he remembered all of the times he\u2019d put his career ahead of his family, even his own son \u2013 all the late nights he\u2019d spent working, the business trips he\u2019d taken away from home, the holidays and school functions and Little League games he\u2019d missed for the sake of furthering his company.<\/p>\n

And for what?\u00a0\u00a0 It was all gone now; he\u2019d lost everything, the company and his family, too.\u00a0 Of the two, there was no question of which he missed most.\u00a0 His career in real estate was meaningless now. \u00a0His money was worthless.\u00a0 Only the people in his life still had value, and of most of them, he had only memories.<\/p>\n

But memories were not enough.\u00a0 On that day, he longed for his family even more than he craved his mother\u2019s pumpkin pie or the fat, roasted turkey carved by his father.\u00a0 It was not just a day to feast, but a day to be with loved ones and give thanks for all the good things in life.\u00a0 But on the first Thanksgiving in the new world of the undead, Howie felt no love or gratitude.\u00a0 He felt only bitterness and sorrow.<\/p>\n

He could tell he wasn\u2019t alone in feeling that way.\u00a0 AJ and Gabby seemed equally miserable.\u00a0 Though the memorial garden had helped Gabby get through her grief, the approaching holiday had sent her spiraling back down into the depths of despair.\u00a0 She missed her mother and father, and there was nothing any of them could say or do that would change that.\u00a0 Meanwhile, AJ was still mourning the loss of his mobility, as he dealt with his injury.\u00a0 His leg was healing, but not fast enough for his liking.\u00a0 He was a free spirit who had lost his freedom, rather like an exotic bird locked away in a cage.\u00a0 He was moody and restless, but no less reckless \u2013 Howie had to watch him constantly to make sure he didn\u2019t push himself too hard and set his recovery back any further.<\/p>\n

Only Brian and Gretchen seemed happy and hopeful lately.\u00a0 Brian, in particular, was a changed man.\u00a0 He was no longer quiet and solemn, but outgoing and downright cheerful.\u00a0 His eyes had lost the haunted look that had clouded them since his arrival on the base; they twinkled with laughter now, as he tried to give the others reasons to smile, entertaining them all with songs and impressions.\u00a0 It turned out he was quite the comedian, but no one appreciated his sense of humor like Gretchen. \u00a0She laughed at all his jokes, even the lame ones, and beamed him bright smiles that lit up her whole face.\u00a0 Neither of them seemed to be affected by the holiday gloom that had descended upon the others.<\/p>\n

No one knew for sure what had caused this change, but Howie and AJ had a pretty good idea, which they discussed when Gabby wasn\u2019t around.\u00a0 \u201cI think the Reverend got himself laid,\u201d AJ said in an undertone one night, smirking at Howie, who snickered.\u00a0 \u201cWish he\u2019d share some of that with the rest of us, but I bet he\u2019s all monogamous.\u00a0 Too bad there\u2019s not more ladies left in the world\u2026 who are over the age of thirteen, I mean,\u201d he added, with a glance towards Gabby\u2019s closed bedroom door.\u00a0 \u201cI ain\u2019t no pedophile.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howie couldn\u2019t help but wish for the same thing, whenever he watched Brian and Gretchen together.\u00a0 They were certainly acting like a couple, holding hands and touching each other when they thought no one was looking, spending lots of time locked up in their house together, when they weren\u2019t working on the wall or their garden.\u00a0 It was a little sickening, but Howie tried not to resent them too much.\u00a0 At least they had found something to keep surviving for:\u00a0 each other.\u00a0 If only he could be so lucky.<\/p>\n

But as winter approached, he wondered, What\u2019s the point?<\/i>\u00a0 How much longer could they expect to survive, with just five of them left in the world?\u00a0 The base offered security and supplies for now, but eventually, their stock would run out, or the undead, desperate for human flesh, would gather and break down their defenses.\u00a0 One way or the other, they would die, too, and sometimes, he felt that sooner would be better than later.<\/p>\n

In honor of Thanksgiving, though, he kept his dark thoughts to himself and joined the others around a dinner table set for five to share the feast Gretchen had prepared.\u00a0 Howie had to hand it to her:\u00a0 she\u2019d certainly put her best effort into making the meal special.\u00a0 The table was set with fine dishes and glassware, decorated with candles and a homemade centerpiece, and piled with food.\u00a0 Before they started passing dishes, though, Brian insisted on saying a blessing, so they joined hands and bowed their heads.<\/p>\n

\u201cHeavenly Father,\u201d Brian began, \u201cwe thank You for this day, for this feast and fellowship we\u2019re about to enjoy.\u00a0 We thank You for bringing the five of us together, for allowing us to survive, and we ask that You please watch over our loved ones who are no longer here with us.\u00a0 We also ask that, if our missing friends are still alive, You help guide them home to us.\u00a0 In Your name, we pray.\u00a0 Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d Howie murmured and heard Gretchen do the same.\u00a0 He cleared his throat and took a swig of water to wash away the lump that had risen at the mention of Kevin, Nick, and Riley.\u00a0 Then he looked at the spread on the table and said, \u201cThis looks wonderful, Gretchen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen!\u201d Brian said again, and Gretchen beamed, looking pleased with herself.<\/p>\n

Of course, there was no turkey on their Thanksgiving table, but she had roasted a couple of seagulls that Brian had shot and plucked clean for her, and she served those, along with fish, in place of a turkey.\u00a0 It was not the same, as Gabby was quick to point out, but it was still fresh meat, and the rest of them tried to pretend the gulls were just tiny turkeys.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, the Pilgrims didn\u2019t have turkey at their Thanksgiving, either,\u201d Gretchen said, serving Gabby a piece of fish when she flat-out refused to try the gull meat.\u00a0 \u201cThey ate seafood, too, and duck and venison \u2013 deer \u2013 because that\u2019s what was available to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gabby rolled her eyes, but Brian smiled at Gretchen.\u00a0 Howie and AJ exchanged a knowing look across the table.<\/p>\n

Maybe the main dish wasn\u2019t same, but Gretchen had managed to fix all the other staples of a modern Thanksgiving, improvising with the ingredients she could find on the base.\u00a0 She cooked Stove Top stuffing and turkey gravy from a packet, whipped up mashed potatoes out of a box, and served cranberry sauce out of a can.\u00a0 But her green bean casserole, made from canned green beans and Campbell\u2019s cream of mushroom soup, was as good as any Howie had tasted, and so were her homemade rolls and candied yams, topped with melted marshmallows and lots of brown sugar.<\/p>\n

Howie had second helpings of everything but the seagull, stuffing himself well past the point of being full.\u00a0 \u201cNow, I hope you saved some room for pumpkin pie,\u201d Gretchen said, smiling, as they started to get up from the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did,\u201d Gabby piped up instantly, looking somewhat happier than she had before the meal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can always make more room for pie,\u201d AJ added, belching loudly and grinning.\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u00a0 Good stuff, Gretch.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good,\u201d Howie agreed.\u00a0 They all felt better with full bellies, but once the table had been cleared, they stood around the kitchen, looking at each other, unsure of what to do next.\u00a0 Howie had never attended such a small Thanksgiving dinner; he came from a big family, and for him, Thanksgiving usually meant a large gathering at his parents\u2019 house in Orlando.\u00a0 It felt strange with just the five of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou guys go sit down, let your food digest,\u201d said Gretchen after a few seconds of silence.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m gonna wash some of these dishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll dry,\u201d Brian volunteered right away, joining her at the sink.\u00a0 Howie and AJ smirked at each other again, before retreating into the living room with Gabby.<\/p>\n

Howie sat down in an armchair, Gabby flopped onto the couch, and AJ stayed put in his wheelchair, his broken leg elevated on one of the footrests.\u00a0 They looked each other.\u00a0 Finally, Gabby said, \u201cSo\u2026 what would you guys be doing with your families right now if this was a normal Thanksgiving?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching football!\u201d Brian called from the kitchen, without missing a beat.\u00a0 They all laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cSame thing I\u2019m doing now \u2013 dishes!\u201d Gretchen sighed, and they chuckled some more.<\/p>\n

\u201cDrinking,\u201d said AJ, totally deadpan.\u00a0 No one laughed at that; Howie and Gabby looked away, avoiding eye contact.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about you, Howie?\u201d Gabby asked, breaking the awkward silence for the second time.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would you be doing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Howie tried to think.\u00a0 He honestly wasn\u2019t sure.\u00a0 He thought his family usually turned on the traditional Thanksgiving football games, but he couldn\u2019t remember ever having watched one closely before.\u00a0 He\u2019d never been much of a sports guy.\u00a0 Neither was he one to help clean up the kitchen; that was the women\u2019s job.\u00a0 He liked to have a drink or two with dinner, but his family wasn\u2019t the type that spent holidays getting drunk together.\u00a0 So how had he spent his last Thanksgiving with them?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he was finally forced to admit.\u00a0 He dragged his hand through his hair, feeling his brow furrow.\u00a0 \u201cNothing special, I guess.\u00a0 Talking like this, maybe.\u201d\u00a0 Or working on my iPad, while the rest of them talked,<\/i> he thought, being honest with himself.\u00a0 The realization sent a stab of regret shooting through his heart.\u00a0 He had taken so much for granted, missed out on so many moments he would never get back.\u00a0 \u201cWhat about you?\u201d he volleyed the question back to Gabby, mostly to keep his mind from digging too deeply into that thought.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsually we played a game after dinner.\u00a0 Like, a board game or cards or something like charades or Pictionary.\u00a0 We could play a game now, if you want.\u201d\u00a0 For a brief moment, her whole face lit up, childlike in its enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

AJ ruined it by snorting at her.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, \u2018cause I\u2019d rock at charades like this.\u201d\u00a0 He gestured at his bum leg.\u00a0 \u201cI am pretty good at Pictionary, though,\u201d he added, with an evil grin that told Howie his kind of Pictionary probably wasn\u2019t appropriate for a thirteen-year-old to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, maybe we could play cards or something,\u201d he said, without any of Gabby\u2019s enthusiasm.\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t a big fan of games.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoker,\u201d growled AJ.\u00a0 \u201cTexas Hold \u2018Em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll play!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know how to play poker, kid?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but you can teach me!\u201d\u00a0 Gabby\u2019s face was still glowing.\u00a0 Even Howie, who wasn\u2019t a big fan of children, either, except for his own, found himself smiling in relief at the sudden lift in her spirits.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, alright\u2026 you find some cards, and we\u2019ll play,\u201d AJ agreed.<\/p>\n

Gabby shot off to ask Gretchen where she might be able to find a deck of cards in the house, and Howie looked at AJ with a shrug.\u00a0 \u201cWho knew all it took was offering to teach her poker to get her to smile?\u201d<\/p>\n

AJ tried hard not to smile, looking pleased with himself nonetheless.
\nGabby came tearing back into the room a few minutes later, but she wasn\u2019t carrying a pack of cards.\u00a0 \u201cDid you guys hear that?\u201d she demanded, her eyes wide.<\/p>\n

Howie felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck.\u00a0 He looked over at AJ, who stiffened in his wheelchair.\u00a0 Neither of them had heard anything.\u00a0 \u201cHear what?\u00a0 Zombies??\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo\u2026 honking!\u00a0 I heard a car honking; listen!\u201d<\/p>\n

They fell silent, but all Howie could hear was the clinking of dishes and Gretchen and Brian\u2019s conversation in the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cHey, lovebirds, shut up for a sec!\u201d AJ bellowed, and the two of them appeared in the doorway, looking alarmed.\u00a0 Brian held a dishtowel; Gretchen\u2019s hands were wet and soapy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust listen.\u00a0 Gabby thought she heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI did<\/i> hear something!\u00a0 It was honking; I\u2019m sure it was!\u201d Gabby insisted.<\/p>\n

No one moved.\u00a0 They all stood frozen\u2026 necks craned\u2026 heads cocked\u2026 ears perked\u2026 straining to listen.<\/p>\n

And then they heard it:\u00a0 a long, low, toneless note, as if someone was leaning on the steering wheel.\u00a0 It was definitely a car horn.\u00a0 Whose car, they couldn\u2019t say, but they all looked at each other hopefully, hesitating just a split second before they sprang into action.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think it could be them?!\u201d Gretchen gasped, hurriedly wiping her hands on a couch cushion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gotta be; who else could it be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnless it\u2019s just a zombie, stuck in its car.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo way\u2026 There are no zombies stuck in cars anymore, not around here.\u00a0 We got rid of them all.\u00a0 It\u2019s gotta be them!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, c\u2019mon, let\u2019s go!\u201d\u00a0 Gabby was already at the front door, looking back at them with impatience.\u00a0 They all grabbed their guns, a habit that had become as routine as pocketing one\u2019s wallet and keys before leaving the house, and followed her out, AJ bringing up the rear in his wheelchair.\u00a0 Brian headed automatically to the driver\u2019s side of their pick-up truck, while Gabby scrambled up into the bed.\u00a0 Gretchen got halfway to the truck before she stopped and turned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAJ, maybe you should stay here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHell no, I wanna see if it\u2019s them.\u00a0 Just throw me in the back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll ride with him,\u201d Howie volunteered quickly, and they helped AJ out of the wheelchair and into the truck bed, where he could lean against one side, his bad leg stretched out in front of him.\u00a0 Howie climbed in after him, and Gretchen slammed the tailgate shut and got into the cab with Brian, who had already started the engine.\u00a0 They took off, going much faster than the posted speed limit on the base.\u00a0 Howie clutched his rifle anxiously in his hands.\u00a0 AJ winced painfully every time the truck hit a bump.\u00a0 Gabby rose up on her knees, leaning over the side of the truck to get a better look ahead, until Howie said, \u201cGabby, sit down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, your mom wouldn\u2019t have wanted you to end up roadkill,\u201d muttered AJ, holding onto his leg.<\/p>\n

Gabby shot him a resentful look, but plopped back down onto her bottom with a huff.<\/p>\n

As they sped up Bayshore Boulevard, heading for the front gate, Brian suddenly laid on the horn.\u00a0 Howie\u2019s heart leapt into his throat; he twisted around to peer through the cab windows, trying to see what Brian had.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s them!\u201d he heard Gretchen cry.\u00a0 She pointed straight ahead, bouncing in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally, it\u2019s them?!\u201d\u00a0 Gabby was up on her knees again, trying to see.\u00a0 This time, Howie didn\u2019t bother to stop her.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll<\/i> of them?\u201d AJ asked, unable to see a thing.<\/p>\n

Howie squinted ahead, his face pressed so close to the rear window that his forehead smacked into the glass when Brian slammed on the brakes.\u00a0 \u201cOw,\u201d he muttered, rubbing his head.\u00a0 By the time he had turned around, Gabby had already vaulted herself over the side of the truck and was running toward the gate.\u00a0 Gretchen was right behind her.\u00a0 Brian left the truck idling in park and climbed out, too.\u00a0 Howie shrugged at AJ, said \u201cSorry,\u201d and jumped out after them, his gun still in hand.<\/p>\n

His eyes followed the path Gabby had taken, and he saw, on the other side of the gate, another truck.\u00a0 Squeezed into its cab, sitting three across, were Nick, Riley, and Kevin.\u00a0 They waved through the windshield, all of them grinning, none of them seeing what Howie, from his distance, could see:\u00a0 the undead, attracted by the horn, shambling in from all sides to surround them.<\/p>\n

Gabby, who had been dancing around in front of the gate, shouting, \u201cOpen it, open it!\u201d suddenly shrieked and backpedaled, as the zombies approached.\u00a0 Brian, who was already halfway to the guard\u2019s kiosk, hesitated, raising his gun.<\/p>\n

Kevin, in the driver\u2019s seat, rolled down his window and shouted, \u201cBrian, open the gate and close it again right behind us!\u00a0 Gabby, get in the control center with Brian and stay there!\u00a0 Gretchen, Howie, be prepared to shoot any of them who get through!\u201d<\/p>\n

Howie couldn\u2019t help but smile.\u00a0 Kevin had been back five minutes and was already back in charge.\u00a0 It was a relief; he had never been so happy to take one of his orders.\u00a0 He and Gretchen positioned themselves like sentries on either side of the gate, already firing at the closest zombies as it slowly slid open.\u00a0 Kevin gunned the truck\u2019s engine the first change he got, barely clearing the gate as he sped through it.\u00a0 The tires squealed as he slammed on the brakes again; Nick and Riley were already jumping out, guns at the ready, to join Howie and Gretchen in defending the entrance.<\/p>\n

The zombies should have fallen like toy soldiers as they were hit with the volley of gunfire, but they didn\u2019t.\u00a0 To Howie\u2019s shock, they exploded instead, sending rotting bits spraying everywhere.\u00a0 He staggered back, horrified, but Nick said casually, \u201cOh yeah \u2013 they do that now,\u201d and kept on firing.\u00a0 When there was nothing but a pile of body parts outside the closed gate, Nick lowered his gun and said, \u201cSorry for not warning you about the \u2018splodey zombies.\u00a0 We just found out about them ourselves about a week ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think it must be from the build-up of gases inside their bodies \u2013 you know, from the decomposition,\u201d Riley added, in a matter-of-fact way that told Howie they had discussed this prior.\u00a0 He glanced over at Gretchen, who looked just as disgusted as he felt.\u00a0 With the base mostly secure, it had been awhile since either of them had killed a zombie.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should burn the remains,\u201d said Kevin, surveying the sight grimly, \u201cbut I guess that can wait till tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course it can wait,\u201d Nick replied impatiently, grinning at the others, as if to say, See what I\u2019ve had to deal with this whole time?<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re finally home \u2013 time to celebrate!\u201d<\/p>\n

Riley and Gretchen were already squealing like a couple of schoolgirls in each other\u2019s arms, so glad to see each other again.\u00a0 Gabby ran at Kevin and threw her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest as she hugged him tightly.\u00a0 Brian was right behind her, grinning as he waited for his turn to hug his cousin.\u00a0 Nick strode over to Howie, his arm outstretched.\u00a0 He took Howie\u2019s hand and pulled him into a one-armed embrace.\u00a0 \u201cGood to see ya again, Howard,\u201d he said, grinning, as he released him again.<\/p>\n

Howie grinned back at the big, goofy blonde.\u00a0 \u201cYou too, Nicky.\u00a0 I can\u2019t believe you\u2019re back.\u00a0 We thought\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019d given up on us, huh?\u201d\u00a0 Nick laughed, easygoing as ever.\u00a0 \u201cYeah, we figured.\u00a0 We\u2019re just glad you guys are still here.\u00a0 We worried you might\u2019ve had to move on without us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u00a0 What took you so long to make it back?\u201d Howie asked, realizing they had arrived in a truck and not a plane, as the original plan had called for.\u00a0 Obviously, they\u2019d been forced to abandon both the plane and the plan.<\/p>\n

Nick didn\u2019t answer; Brian had just come over and pulled him into a brotherly hug.\u00a0 Howie went to greet Kevin, and everyone was talking at once, until AJ shouted, \u201cHey!\u00a0 Am I invisible over here or what?\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin frowned as he spotted AJ for the first time, stretched out in the back of the truck.\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened to him?\u201d he asked Howie in a low voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cBroken leg.\u00a0 And Jo\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Howie saw Kevin\u2019s eyes flash toward Gabby, who was walking back toward the pair of trucks with Gretchen and Riley.\u00a0 He shook his head.\u00a0 \u201c\u2026 she\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin didn\u2019t gasp, but sucked in a rattling breath, his brow knitting together.\u00a0 \u201cWhen?\u00a0 How?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2019Bout a month ago.\u00a0 Same way Kayleigh went,\u201d he answered, almost choking on Kayleigh\u2019s name.\u00a0 He swallowed hard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the wall?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cStill working on it.\u00a0 It hasn\u2019t been easy, since AJ\u2019s injury\u2026 you know, with only four of us\u2026\u201d
\n\u201cFirst priority, now that we\u2019re back, is to finish it,\u201d said Kevin, his jaw set.<\/p>\n

Howie nodded.\u00a0 Ahead of them, he heard Nick say, \u201cHey Gretchen, what\u2019s for dinner?\u00a0 I\u2019m freaking starving.\u00a0 We haven\u2019t had a decent meal in-\u201d<\/p>\n

Gabby\u2019s gasp interrupted him.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t you know?\u201d she cried incredulously.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s Thanksgiving!!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cReally?\u00a0 Today?\u201d\u00a0 Nick looked blankly at Riley, who shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, yeah!\u201d said Gabby.\u00a0 \u201cC\u2019mon, Gretchen made mashed potatoes and stuffing and green bean casserole and rolls, and we had to eat seagulls, instead of turkey, but there\u2019s pumpkin pie for dessert!\u201d<\/p>\n

That was all Nick, Riley, and Kevin needed to hear.\u00a0 They piled back into their truck, as Howie and the others went back to theirs, and together, the two trucks drove off to the block of houses they\u2019d turned into their home.<\/p>\n

Back in Brian and Gretchen\u2019s kitchen, Gretchen took out three more plates, while Brian brought in more chairs, and the eight of them squeezed around the table together, talking all at once.\u00a0 Nick, Riley, and Kevin seemed exhausted, but exhilarated, while Howie and the others pelted them with questions, eager to hear all about their adventure. \u00a0\u201cLet them eat first,\u201d said Gretchen, putting plates of reheated Thanksgiving leftovers in front of them, and the conversation died down as the three hungry travelers dug in.<\/p>\n

While they ate, Howie and AJ filled them in on everything that happened on the base, and Gretchen and Brian told them about their trip to Atlanta.\u00a0 Then it was Kevin, Nick, and Riley\u2019s turn to talk.\u00a0 Howie and the others listened in stunned silence, as they recounted everything that had happened to them since leaving the base \u2013 their disastrous landing to refuel the plane in Colorado, the explosion that had injured Kevin, the infection that had nearly killed him, their long journey home by road and by river, encounters with zombie boybands, zombie cowboys, and Cajun zombies, Nick\u2019s seizure in New Orleans, Riley\u2019s close call in the swamp\u2026 By the sound of it, it was a miracle any of them were alive, let alone all three of them.<\/p>\n

Howie was not at all surprised when Brian suggested another prayer.\u00a0 Once again, they joined hands, eight in the circle now, as Brian said, \u201cFather, we thank You again for this miracle You have given us.\u00a0 You have answered our prayers by bringing the rest of our family home, safe and sound, and on this day of Thanksgiving, we couldn\u2019t be more thankful for Your watchful eye and guiding hand.\u00a0 In Your name, we give thanks.\u00a0 Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAmen,\u201d the word echoed around the table, as they all looked up, smiling at each other.<\/p>\n

For a few moments, they just sat there, enjoying the togetherness.\u00a0 Howie felt full in a way that had nothing to do with food, though his belly was plenty grateful for Gretchen\u2019s cooking.<\/p>\n

It was Nick who broke the contented silence.\u00a0 \u201cHey, Gretch?\u201d he said suddenly, looking around the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cDid someone say something about pumpkin pie?\u201d<\/p>\n

They all laughed, and with a smile, Gretchen got up to dish out their dessert.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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Chapter 90 I had a lot to be thankful for in my old life, but when did I ever stop to count my blessings?\u00a0 Not nearly often enough.\u00a0 I was always on the go, always working or traveling; I didn\u2019t … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":8,"menu_order":90,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"onecolumn-page.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/333"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=333"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":546,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/333\/revisions\/546"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/undead\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}