Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-One: A New Town, A Man Down and An Angry Savage

I don't want to stop!" Susette exclaimed as the train jerked and stuttered to a stop.

Katherine frowned at the girl. "Why not?"

"Because they'll be there!" Susette replied, wringing her hands staring out the window at the town they'd stopped beside. "Something bad will happen with them there!"

Katherine was impressed by what she could see of the town. It was certainly larger and more promising supply-wise than the town they'd taken the train from. And while she could see a few rabid wandering around, it didn't seem to be overrun, unless they were all holed up in a building.

However that simple statement from Susette had Katherine's attention jerking away from her assessment of the town and falling completely on the little girl. "Who is going to be there, Susette? What are you talking about?"

Susette's blue eyes were terrified as she pulled her knees up into her chest and wrapped her thin arms tight around them. "They'll kill you or someone else. That's all I know."

"Kill me....?" Katherine sighed and reached across the table to lay her hand on Susette's shoulder. "Honey, are you worried about the rabid?" When Susette didn't answer, simply continued to stare down at her knees, Katherine smiled comfortingly. "Don't worry about those monsters, Susette. This group has faced them down many times and we haven't ever lost anyone to them. They're not that dangerous if you're careful and smart, and our leader, Colt, he is both of those things. We won't let anything happen to you."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Susette whispered and Katherine felt sorry for the girl. She had lost so much and now was worried about losing more. It was strange though..... She acted much older than six at times like now. Then again, living in this new world probably had a way of growing a child up and killing their innocence fairly quickly.

"What's wrong with her?" Charlotte asked quietly as she walked over.

Katherine sighed and stood up from the table. "She's scared to stop the train and get off. She thinks that the rabid are going to kill me—kill all of us."

"Oh, Susette, honey, it's all going to be okay." Charlotte encouraged comfortingly. "Colt will make sure that everything is okay."

"That's what I told her." Katherine stated. Charlotte smiled but their attention was soon directed toward Silas as he entered the room.

"Alright everybody—" Colt began, as he too stepped into the dining car which was full of the entire group simply waiting on orders from their leader.

Katherine watched Evangeline walk over to Colt and stand beside him as if she were the queen bee.... Katherine didn't want to be bothered by the action but couldn't seem to help herself. As far as she knew Evangeline had done nothing to earn the respect of the group other than to become the woman Colt chose. Katherine wasn't interested in having Colt, she knew now that she never really had been, but she did want respect and she'd killed more rabid than Evangeline had. She'd been by Colt's side the longest. She deserved to be the lead woman. Not Evangeline.

"—I want to leave most of you on this train, preferably up top with rifles, just in case. I'm only taking a few of you into town with me to check it out. Comanche, Jedidiah, Frankie and Silas: you four will come with me. The rest of you will stay here."

Immediately protests filled the air, Katherine's among them. Colt shook his head and held up his hand to silence them all.

"Katherine, that girl seems attached to you. You might as well stay here with her and keep her calm." Colt began, and Katherine wanted to protest further but Colt turned to Ox who had seemed upset by his decision as well.