I stared
at
the
surroundings
wide-eyed
with
mouth
agape.
The
house
was a
two-story
log
home
built
directly
into
the
wall
of the
canyon.
The
barn
was
a
few
yards
away,
as well
as a
storage
shed.
I
counted
about
twenty
adults
and
seven
children
running
around.
I
opened
the
door
and
stepped
onto
the
ground.
Quinn
came
around
the
front
of
the
truck.
“You
okay?”
I
closed
my
mouth.
“I…I
can’t
believe
this.
I
t’s
beautiful.”
Quinn
placed
his
hands
on
his hips
and
squinted
at
the
house.
“It’s
not
much,
but
it’s
home.
The
house
was
originally
built in
the
mid-
1800s
as a
hideaway
for
outlaws.
There
are
secret
passageways
that
lead
through
a
series
of
tunnels
and
caves
to
several
outlets
a
few
miles
away.
It’s
a
perfect
escape
route
if
a
zombie
ever
gets
in
here.”
“Have
you
ever
had
a
zombie
get
in
here?”
Quinn
shook
his
head.
“No.
We’re
pretty
secluded
out
here.
We
didn
’t
really
even
know
there
was
a
zombie
outbreak
until
we
heard
it
on
the
radio.
They
tend
to
stick
to
the
major
cities.
That’s
where
the
food
source
is.”
He
turned
to
the
soldier.
“C’
mon.
I’ll
show
you
around.”
The
man
followed
Quinn
as
he
introduced
him
to
the
other
survivors.
I
walked
to
the
barn.
The
smell
of
fresh
hay
and
dirt
swirled
in my
nostrils,
and
a
bay
horse
met
me at
the
corral.
I
gently
placed
my
hand
on
the
anima
l’
s
nose.
It
huffed
out
a
breath.
Sadness made my breath catch in my throat.
The
last
time
I
’d
been
around
a
horse
was
when
I
was
thirteen—my
parents
took
me
on
a
horseback
adventure
through
Yellowstone
National
Park. It
was
a
four-day,
three-
night
trip
that
involved
camping
in
the
backcountry.
We’d
had
a
guide
so
we
wouldn
’t
get
lost
or
hurt,
even
though
we
didn
’t
really
need
one.
The
horses
had
done
the
trip
so
many
times
they
wou
ld’v
e
walked
back
to
the
ranch.
I
remembered
how
quiet
the
place
was
and how
many
animals
we
saw.
It
was
my
first
time
on
a
horse,
but
the
guide
said
I
was
a
natural.
After
the
trip,
I
begged
my
parents
for a
horse
of
my
own,
but
since
we
lived
in
the
city,
it
wasn
’t
feasible.
As
a
compromise,
they’d
allowed
me
to
join
the
local
country
club and I
took
riding
lessons
there.
I
didn’t
own
the
horse,
but
I
was
allowed
to
ride
it
whenever
I
desired.
I
’d
still
have
the
horse
if
the
zombies
hadn
’t
attacked,
and
I
wondered
if
it’d
survived
the
outbreak.
“You
ride?”
Quinn
’s
voice
broke
through
my
thoughts.
I shook
my
head.
“I
haven
’t
for
a
long
time.”
Quinn went
to the
gate. “You
want
to
go
for
one?”
I
frowned.
“We
really
should
get
back
on
the
road.
We
have
supplies
to
get.”
Quinn
flicked
open
the
latch.
“Why?
We
don
’
t
have
a
schedule.
Liet
won
’t
know
you
were
here
riding
horses
instead
of
getting
supplies.”
I
hesitated.
“C
’m
on.
It
’l
l
be
fun.”
I took several deep breaths. Quinn
had several good points, and it would be fun. Liet probably would never know. I shrugged
.
“Why
not?”
We
stepped
into
the
barn
and
readied the
saddles
and
bridles.
I
was
amazed
that
after
so
many
years,
I
remembered
how
to
do
it. I
swung
into
the
saddle
and
held
the
reins
loosely
in my
right
hand.
I
waited
for
Quinn
before
we
headed
down
the
canyon
floor.
The
red
rocks rose
for
miles
above
us,
and
the
sun
beat
onto
the
dry
ground.
My
stomach
was
in
knots.
We
’d
be
sitting
ducks
if
a
zombie
horde
found
us.
We
had
nowhere
to
run.
I
placed
my
left
hand
on
my
gun,
glancing
around
nervously.
Quinn
looked
over
his
shoulder.
“You
don’t
have
to
worry
about
zombies
here,”
he
called
to
me. “We
have
scouts
placed
in
various
lookouts
up
there.”
He
pointed
to
the
top
of
the
canyon.
“If
anything
is
coming
our
way,
we
’l
l
know
about
it.
Besides,
we
haven
’t
had
a
zombie
attack
here
in
years.
Like
I
said,
we
’r
e
too
far
out
of
their
way.”