Surviving The Aftermath (Book 1): The Dead Linger by Liz Roberts Page A

sit next to her and just waited.
    “Its survivor’s guilt, I guess you could say. Everything, why am I here and not someone else? I’m sure you lost someone close to you, a girlfriend, a wife, how do you not look at me and think why is she here when the person I loved is not.” Jill finished and they were quiet again. Casey couldn’t believe Jill had said what he had thought many times over, not just in reference to her, but countless others. It just didn’t seem fair. Whole families had survived, why not his. It made him feel like he wasn’t good enough, like he didn’t deserved to live. The rain started coming down pretty steady, they could really use it too.
    “Now you’re quiet. I’m sorry, I upset you. I’ll just go now.” She said and started to rise.
    “No wait, at least until the rain slows.” He grabbed her arm to keep her seated. “You’re partly right, I’ve had those thoughts before, but more about myself than anyone.” Casey couldn’t elaborate further, he felt too many emotions all at once suddenly and couldn’t talk. “So what was your dream about?” he asked quickly.
    “Always the same. I’m running, . .  never fast or far enough. Then it switches, and I’m home.” She was quiet. “I go running into the house. Every time, it’s the same way. I see my family, their skeletal remains posed in positions as if they were alive still.” A tear went down Jill’s cheek. “Then I’m in that house again. It’s cold and dark, I’m all alone, that man has been shot, and his dead eyes stare right through me and his wife is nowhere around. And it’s not that wife those creeps are dragging out of there, it’s me, and I’m screaming.” She looks up at the ceiling and uses hands to try and get the emotion out. “Screaming for her to help me, and I can see her hiding in the bushes, watching this happen. Why doesn’t she help me, I keep thinking.” Jill was quiet again, they both were. “Please say something.” She asked Casey.
    “Are your folks dead?”
    “I don’t know. We lost contact a couple days after the initial chaos. I was in California on a business trip. I’ve been trying to get home ever since. It’s taken a long time obviously but I’ll make it one day.” They were looking at each other, clearly both wanting to say something, but what could you say.
    “What about you? How did you end up here?” Jill asked, now feeling raw from having spilt her guts about her inner demons. Stuff she hadn’t told anyone ever, because there was just no one to talk to about stuff like this before.  This particular question though, was the wrong question to ask Casey, and she knew it right away. Immediately she could see his shoulders hunch up a bit and his face turn grim.
    “There’s nothing to tell.” He said in a surly manner. Jill immediately understood what was happening, he was done with her, she hoped up off the wood pile.
    “Got it. Enough said.” Jill now visibly upset, feeling slightly foolish for what she thought was happening but clearly wasn’t, she got up and started to walk in the rain back towards the building where she would go and lock her door, put her pillow over her head and scream in embarrassment and frustration.
    “Wait Jill don’t leave upset.” Casey said halfheartedly. Not really putting much effort to call her back, what would he say to her? While it was great talking to her, hearing her stories about surviving and the occasional antic dotes about growing up, he didn’t want to get into his past or talk about his family. He just didn’t understand why it was such a big deal, discussing one’s past. Tom or Kurt never made it an issue. Why her? And why was it bugging him that she was upset now because of his holding back.\
     
    Chapter 3
     
    Days continued to roll by, it had almost been a month since Jack arrived, and he really liked this place. Especially Meghan.
    “Hey Meghan!” Jack came jogging up to her side. “What are you up