contact.
I’m right behind Imani, so Siggy hugs me next, squeezing tight across my shoulders. “Oh, June! I thought you were—I thought—”
She can’t say it, and she doesn’t have to.
“I know. Me too,” I say.
Imani and Blair look at each other, almost like there are words waiting to be said. Instead they hug quickly, once, and then draw apart.
Siggy and Imani stand between me and Blair. But that doesn’t stop my hand, reaching around instinctively behind them, and touching Blair’s shoulder, briefly.
“I’m glad you’re safe,” I tell her.
“Me too,” Blair replies. “Glad about you guys.”
We smile at each other awkwardly, but don’t hold eye contact for too long. The relief I feel that Blair is okay is real. But so is the lingering hurt from before the zombie apocalypse started.
Mia’s stilettos click as she crosses to the bar.
“Cuellar, you big lummox, good to see you.”
Cuellar laughs and puts down his drink. He holds his arms wide and then lifts Mia off the ground in a bear hug.
“I shoulda known barracudas would be okay,” he teases her.
“Still a charmer.” Mia squeezes him back.
Cuellar puts her down. Rosa and the others come forward, and we take a moment for rushed introductions.
“Hey.” I motion to Blair and Siggy. “You might wanna take those badges off. Take my word for it.”
Siggy and Blair nod and don’t ask why, they just hurriedly pull the lanyards over their heads.
Then Simon asks Cuellar, “How’d you end up here?”
“Well, it wasn’t planned exactly,” Cuellar says, his rough voice lilting in humor. He turns and rummages behind the bar, bringing out another glass. He tips a bottle of whiskey at Linus.
“How about it, limey? Looks like you could use it.”
Linus winces but nods.
Cuellar pours another drink for himself and one for Linus.
“Anyone else want one, sing out or help yourself,” he says.
Mia immediately steps behind the bar and grabs a glass.
“Backstage was awful, and confusing,” Siggy says to me. “Everyone rushed to the exit, but only one door opened. I fell, and Blair helped me up, then we ended up near the back of everyone running out.”
Her eyes start blinking rapidly. “I can’t believe this is happening!” Her voice is small, and incredulous. “Is it anywhere else? I can’t get a signal, can’t text my parents or Mark.”
“I’m sure he’s okay,” I tell her.
Siggy grabs my hands, squeezing tight. “Do you really think so?”
“Absolutely. He’s safe,” I say, putting as much conviction as I can muster into my voice.
Siggy’s big blue eyes start to shimmer, but she takes deeps breaths and fights the tears back. It’s almost like I can see the love she feels for Mark radiating from her, like how heat lifts off pavement.
I rub her shoulder in a way that I hope says I’m sorry I ever gave her a hard time about Mark.
Emotions. Woof, they’re hard.
I glance at Imani. Her eyes are glistening, too, and I know she’s thinking about her parents. And Tishala.
“Okay,” Imani says, blinking fast. “So you’re in the hallway. Then what happened?”
“In the hallway there was one of them already. The infected,” Blair says.
“A zombie,” I say.
“Yeah,” Blair answers, nodding.
“It attacked the first group who ended up in the hall. Then they split,” Siggy says.
“She means the group split in half,” Cuellar interrupts. “Into two groups.”
I would like to tell him that I knew what she meant, and he doesn’t need to explain for her. Like anyone says “split” to mean “leave” anymore.
I keep my mouth shut, because Siggy doesn’t look upset with him.
Instead she’s looking at him like he’s her hero.
But Blair catches my eye and gives a slight eye roll. I tip my chin to let her know I saw.
Cuellar picks up the story.
“Half of ’em went one