Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Fifty-One

Chapter Fifty-One: Changes

Silas knew the loss of Frankie and Comanche was a devastating blow to the group both emotionally and physically. They were fighters and Silas knew Colt was worried about their loss. But more than that Frankie's death was a mental blow.

She had been seen as the most physically capable among the women and now she was gone. The first loss the group had suffered to the rabid. They had all been tricked into thinking that somehow they were safe from the rabid; that they could deal with any rabid that came along with no problem—they knew better now.

He glanced at Charlotte who was still crying silently beside him on the cart seat. Lily, Rachel and Susette were riding in the back of the cart. Evangeline was driving the second card with Jedidiah seated beside her. Katherine was the lone rider on horseback.

No one had spoken a single word since leaving Colt and Ox. It was as if there was a tenuous thread holding everything together and everyone feared that the slightest noise could tear it and send them all spiraling.

"There's a town ahead."

Silas nearly jumped at the sound of Katherine's voice and he snapped out of his reverie to realize that she was right. There was indeed a town.

"We should stop." Rachel spoke up quietly. "We need supplies and rest."

"Colt said not to stop for anything." Evangeline countered. "We should keep going until he and Ox get back. If he agrees about the town we can always turn and come back."

"I doubt that Colt meant for us to pass up a town if we came to one." Katherine argued. "We can't afford to pass up a chance to scavenge for supplies."

"He said to stop for nothing." Evangeline reminded her.

"We have to stop." Katherine replied stubbornly. "We all need a feeling of security tonight."

"We'll stop." Silas spoke up. When Evangeline looked his way he smiled comfortingly. "We will tell Colt it was my idea to stop and you had no choice but to come along or continue alone."

Silas watched the fight go out of Evangeline and she nodded slowly. Katherine pulled her revolver as they rode closer to the town.

Silence filled the air and caused a shiver to wash down Silas's spine. The outskirts of the large town appeared quiet and still. They rounded the stage depot and looked down the main street of town. Other than a few rabid staggering about and the rotted and decayed bodies of horses, dogs and people on the dirt road, the going seemed clear.

"We'll take everything into the livery." Silas said, pointing at the large red painted building about thirty yards down the road. "We'll secure ourselves in there until Colt and Ox catch up and we can check for supplies."

No one argued with him and the few rabid that ran their way as they headed for the liverly were silently dispatched with knives and the butts of rifles. No one in this group was in any mood for rabid just now.

Silas jumped from the cart once they were inside the livery and he slammed the large double doors closed, securing the wooden board in place to keep the rabid out. He saw Evangeline and Katherine checking all the stalls and securing those windows closed as well.

Rachel opened the door to the tack room. "There's hay and oats for the horses." She said, stepping inside with hesitation. Her ear piercing scream filled the air when a bloody hand grabbed her arm and a rabid stumbled from behind the tack room door.

Before anyone else could react, Charlotte was there. She slammed the blade of her boot knife through the rabid's temple just before its teeth were able to sink into Rachel's arm. Charlotte pulled her knife from the rabid's head and wiped the bloody blade on her skirt.