The Gas Station stood by the side of the road, alone and halfway buried in the snow. The building was painted a faded green and black. Its size was deceptively small, and there were only two fuel pumps out in the open. Everything was halfway buried in the snow. Beca could barely make out the double doors that led inside and annoyed she realized that this was going to require considerable digging.
"Is this it Chlo?" Beca asked as she nodded towards the building coming up.
"Yeah, that's the place," Chloe responded, looking towards the Gas Station.
Noticing that everything was dark, Beca whispered, "Doesn't look like there's power here either,"
"Oh, well do you think the old man will be there? Maybe he could help us," Chloe asked hopefully.
"I dunno Chloe, it doesn't look like anyone's been here for a while," Beca said not seeing any vehicle tracks.
"Oh..."
Beca hearing the disappointment in Chloe's voice quickly added, "But hey maybe he is? You never know right?"
Chloe realizing what Beca was trying nodded and said, "Right, you never know!"
Beca parked the car close to the gas pumps out of some long-gone habit. She got out of the car, and the first thing she noticed was that it was lightly snowing again. It wasn't bad, but it still worried her. Ever since this started, the snow had become so unpredictable that no one knew when they would be hit with another snowstorm. They'd been lucky to have made it to the gas station before another blizzard hit. The last thing she wanted was to be on the road when that happened.
There was nothing but dead and dying trees and endless snow around them. But the hairs on the back of her neck pricked up, and she got an eerie feeling that someone or something was watching them.
She looked around once more carefully, trying to find anything out of the ordinary but there was nothing. Deciding to be cautious she grabbed the black tactical backpack and unzipped the main compartment, after rummaging through it she found the big hunting knife. She unsheathed it halfway and saw her reflection on the blade. Just in case she thought as she quickly stashed it on the inside breast pocket of her coat, and slung the backpack again.
Chloe noticing Beca tucking the knife asked, "What do you need that for?"
"Um, just you know, opening stuff? Like letters and other stuff that need opening," Beca answered, slowly drifting off realizing how ridiculous it all sounded.
"Sure makes sense, you never know when you have to open a letter during the snow apocalypse."
"You should really leave the snark to the experts," Beca quipped with a smile.
Chloe rolled her eyes and warned, "Fine, just be careful with it babe,"
"Of course, totally, you know me, I'm super responsible."
Looking at the abandoned gas station, Beca and Chloe stood by the Subaru. Beca hoped that the pumps were the old school type, analog, with machinery instead of touchscreen electronics. Beca pulled out both shovels and handed the bigger one to Chloe. Without saying anything they quickly got to work on digging out the pumps, the snow was slightly frozen and required considerably more effort to dig out. But it didn't take long for them to reach the monitors, and unfortunately, while they were older they were still digital. Beca groaned and whacked the side of the machine with the shovel.
"Damn it! There's no way to get these working without power." Beca was worried, they needed fuel, or it would be game over for them.
"Let's check inside, maybe we'll find something," Chloe said, ever the optimist.
"Yeah, yeah, alright," Beca reluctantly agreed.
They got to work on digging out the entrance. It was hard work here too because the snow was frozen and hard and it took longer than they expected. Beca was breathing hard and frowning, the small shovel was effective but after a while, the handle hurt her hands, even through her gloves. Chloe was working just as hard as her, doing her best with the bigger shovel. After 10 minutes of hard digging, they reached the handles, but there was a massive chain locking the double doors. Beca groaned louder this time.
"Goddamn it!" Beca yelled and hurled the small shovel to the side. Then she dropped on top of the snow and closed her eyes. "I give up!"
"Whoa, what happened to my Mrs. Bear Grylls?" Chloe asked, concerned as she stood over her grumpy girlfriend.
"Just leave me here Chlo," Beca said dramatically.
"This is- Oh! Wait, I know what's going on!" Chloe exclaimed and started to run towards the Subaru, promptly falling face-first into the snow, because of her crappy but cute boots.
Beca sat up just in time to watch her girlfriend eat snow, and trying her hardest not to laugh yelled, "You good Chlo?"
Chloe quickly got up and shaking off the snow, yelled out, "Yep! I'm OK!" and kept moving, though more carefully this time.
Beca grinned and thought she was so freaking adorable. And decided to lay back down and watch as the snow fell around her.
After a few minutes, Chloe carefully made her way towards the Subaru holding a box with some of their supplies. Then she sat on the snow next to Beca, "Oh my butt is cold," Chloe complained. Beca smirked and restrained herself from saying what she was thinking.
Chloe pulled out the little camping stove from the box and, after a few seconds of tinkering with it, managed to get it to work.
"What are you doing?" Beca asked, not bothering to stand up.
"I am taking care of you."
"What?"
The little camping stove could only warm up one can at a time but it worked, and Chloe opened one can of minestrone for Beca and a can of chicken noodle soup for herself. It didn't take long for the tantalizing smells to reach Beca's nose.
"That smells really good."
"Good! I'm making us lunch."
Beca looked at the slowly boiling soup and her stomach audibly grumbled, "Dude, I didn't realize I was this hungry."
"Yeah, I forgot you used to do that," Chloe said without looking up from the can, she didn't want it to burn.
"I used to do what?"
"You don't remember? Back in college, whenever you would get super sucked into a project like when you were making an arrangement for us, or when you were super stressed out, you would forget to eat, and you get like this, a little crabby and um a bit extra,"
Beca stared wide-eyed, she decided to overlook the extra comment because Chloe was right. Beca wasn't the best at taking care of herself, she could easily go hours without food and survive on caffeine until she crashed. It wasn't that long that she spend weeks surviving off caffeine and ramen noodles sucked into work just to avoid thinking about Chloe, and those had been dark days. Beca feeling a strange mixture of hunger and affection wrapped her hands around Chloe and whined as she gave her a gentle shake, "I'm hungry Chlo!"
"Oh! I know baby, it's almost ready, guess I gotta go back to making sure you eat huh?" Chloe asked as she leaned her head against Beca. Chloe figured that maybe this wasn't all that bad after all, in a way it felt like camping with the person she loved the most.
"I can do it, I can totally take care of myself, I just- you know I get distracted, but like is it ready yet?" Beca said as she looked closely at the soup on the stove.
"Almost, here, drink some water, it'll help you feel full," Chloe said as she gave Beca one of the bottles of water. Beca begrudgingly took it and drank deep, she was right, it helped. Chloe had always found this version of Beca adorable, whenever she was hungry she'd regress a bit and act adorably childish. Once it was ready she gave Beca the hot can of soup and a spoon.
"Be careful it's hot!" Chloe said with a smile and started to boil a can of chicken noodle for herself
Beca nodded but being stubborn she quickly ate a spoonful and then realizing it was hot opened her mouth and started to fan herself in a panic.
"Ah!" Beca shouted.
"I said it was hot!" Chloe tried not to laugh.
"You said hot! You didn't say it was freaking lava!" Beca mumbled as best as she could with a mouthful of scalding soup. Chloe laughed and handed her back the water bottle. Beca quickly downed some.
"Better?" Chloe asked.
"So much, shit, I didn't think it'd be that hot!" Beca complained.
"Yeah, this little stove actually works great!" Chloe said as she looked at the little gas stove. Chloe thought looking at the small gas canister while she tried not to think about how long it would last.
They sat in silence and enjoyed their lunch of soup and water. It was delicious and it did wonders for their mood.
"Feeling less extra?" Chloe asked with a teasing smile.
"Shut up, calling me extra," Beca grumbled mildly annoyed, "But yeah you were right, I definitely needed to eat something," Beca grumbled as she scooped the chunky goodness from the can. Chloe smiled, she would need to keep an eye on Beca, she does so much for her, she'd been driving all day, and must be exhausted and the cold weather made it so much worse.
"Yeah, so we're going to have to keep a close eye on our diet, cold temperature burns a lot of calories and dehydrates you fast."
"I guess that makes sense," Beca's mood darkened. Calories, something else to keep track of, they had some food, but that won't last very long. But the most immediate concern was the fuel situation, if they didn't figure out a way to get fuel out of these pumps they'd be in real trouble. She was sure that what was left in the tank wouldn't get them far, and then what? Walk? Die in the snow? Beca shook her head, she didn't want to think about that right now.
Beca sighed and looked up, snow was still lightly falling, and they were surrounded by the woods. Even with their current situation, it was impossible not to find her surroundings beautiful.
After seeing Chloe smiling at her Beca decided to remain hopeful. Right now all that mattered was the company and the delicious soup she was eating. Unfortunately, after she finished her soup, she was still feeling hungry, and the fact that she might have to get used to hunger terrified her.
"Here, you need more protein and sodium," Chloe handed Beca the trail mix and beef jerky.
Beca looked at the snacks on Chloe's hands surprised, and wondered if she could read her mind. She resisted the urge to grab the snacks right away.
"Shouldn't we like I don't know… ration it?"
"We are, and I'll keep track of that, but for now you need your strength, that soup was barely 400 calories and not enough protein or fat."
"Fine, but you should have some too!" Beca insisted.
"I will, now have some! Come on!" Chloe started to shove the food into Beca's face playfully, making Beca recoil and wave her away, "OK! Stop, Ah!"
Beca grabbed a handful of trail mix and a piece of beef jerky and took her time with it. She ate the peanuts first.
"So how do you know all this stuff about fats and protein and whatever?" Beca asked as she popped peanuts into her mouth.
Chloe taking a bite out of the jerky, "I took a nutrition class, in the program."
"But like for animals, right?" Beca asked referring to Chloe's time in Veterinary school. She was now eating the dreaded and gross macadamia nuts.
"Sure, but there's some overlap."
"How so?" Beca asked.
Chloe smiled wickedly and said, "Well I don't wanna get too technical but let's just say you probably share the same dietary requirements of a chihuahua."
"What!" Beca coughed and almost choked on one of the almonds, while Chloe laughed out loud and handed her the water bottle again. Beca gulped the water and exhaled.
"You trying to kill me Chlo? Chihuahua," Beca grumbled.
"Sorry, I couldn't help it, are you OK?" Chloe apologized, her smile reflecting genuine concern.
"I'm fine, but I'll get you back for that one," Beca glared and looked away. And ate the rest of the almonds. She looked at what was left of the trail mix, she had decided to save the best for last, the M&Ms. She stared sideways at Chloe who gave her a small guilty smile. Beca stared at the sky and sighed, and begrudgingly separated the red ones and ate the rest.
"Here," Beca offered.
"What?" Chloe instinctively extended her hand, and Beca gave her the red M&M's.
"I know you like the red ones."
Chloe looked at the small pile of red M&M's in surprise, "Oh Becs, that's- that's so sweet. Thank you."
"You don't deserve them but whatever," Beca shrugged, she'll always argue that they all taste the same but it didn't matter, if Chloe likes the red ones, then she can have the red ones.
"Aw, Now I feel bad for the chihuahua dig,"
"Good, cuz you totally should," Beca scoffed.
Chloe gave her a quick side hug and ate the M&M's and squealed with joy, thoroughly enjoying her little chocolate treat. Beca smiled, worth it.
Beca could feel her strength slowly coming back. Chloe was right again, the simple carbs and extra protein were making a big difference. Beca remembered the instant coffee and pulled it out of her black tactical backpack.
"Oh, let's make coffee!"
"That's a great idea! I'll boil some water," Chloe said excitedly and got to work boiling water in one of the pots they took from the cabin.
"Do you want some?" Beca asked as she added a spoonful to one of the enamel mugs they took from the cabin.
"No, that's all for you baby, I'll have some tea."
"You sure? You should have some caffeine."
"Got it covered, Earl Grey," Chloe said as she pulled out the small bag with assorted tea bags.
After the water finished boiling they poured it into their respective mugs and relaxed for a bit. The coffee was cheap, bitter, and strong and Beca loved it. Chloe took a sip of her tea but she was barely paying attention to it, she was more focused on how content Beca looked right now.
Beca looked up at the falling snow, things were still dire, but for now, she felt better. It was starting to get dark and they would need shelter soon. She looked towards the double doors and the big chain again. Beca quickly stood up and said "OK I have an idea," and ran towards the Subaru and opened the hatch. Chloe stared after her confused. Beca suddenly emerged triumphant, holding the axe she used to cut down the Christmas tree.
"Ah-ha! Yes!" Beca walked over holding the axe.
"Um, Beca are you OK?" Chloe blinked at the sight of her petite girlfriend holding the ax with a mad look in her eye.
Beca ignored her and without any preamble or subtlety, Beca raised the axe over her head and yelled "Go to hell chain!" and dropped the axe with all of her strength. She could see the cut in the chain and repeated the process over and over again until the chain gave out.
"Ha! You were right, Chlo! I feel so much better!" Beca said with a slightly deranged smile as she tried to open the door, but it was still locked. Without thinking about it much, Beca just raised the axe and aimed for the glass this time, it was shatterproof but Beca managed to lodge the axe into it and then repeated the process until she cut a hole wide enough for her to slip her hand through and unlock the doors from the inside.
Chloe just stood there staring in awe, "Why was that so attractive?"
"If you thought that was hot, you should have seen me with the Christmas tree," Beca said, as she held the door open for Chloe.
"Thank you!" Chloe smiled as she made her way inside.
Beca followed closely behind her when Chloe suddenly froze. Beca sidestepped her just in time.
"What the hell-?" But the words caught in her throat when she saw Chloe's face. Chloe was staring intently at something with her hands covering her mouth.
"What is it, Chlo?" Beca looked around frantically and finally saw it.
On a chair by the clerk's counter sat a man. His head was bent down and as they looked closer they could see his pale and waxy complexion. His skin had turned a purplish blue and his eyes appeared to be about to pop out of their sockets. His right hand clutched his chest with a tight grip. He was dead and partly frozen.
"Aw hell no!" Beca shouted, as she turned around and started to pace and hyperventilate. "Is that a freaking dead body? Oh, God!"
Beca stopped freaking out when she noticed how Chloe was frozen in place, her eyes locked on the body.
"Chlo?"
Chloe didn't respond. Beca took a deep breath to settle her nerves and whirled Chloe around to face her. Chloe's pale blue eyes were wide and trembling with panic and tears began to swell. The sight of Chloe frozen in horror ignited something in Beca. And the instinct to run away from the gross dead thing was overcome by an instinct to protect and nurture. Beca pulled Chloe in and held her tight.
"Oh God, Beca!" Chloe whispered, her body started to tremble slightly beneath Beca's embrace.
Beca wanted to be reassuring in some way, but all she could do was gently stroke Chloe's back as her eyes remained fixed on the frozen corpse not ten feet from her.
"Is that, the owner?"
"Yeah, he, um, he helped me with the groceries," Chloe nodded, her voice was strained and breaking.
"I'm so sorry Chloe, I can't begin to imagine how difficult this must be," Beca whispered and thought, guess he was here after all.
"I-I just can't believe it, I can't believe that's him, that nice old man," Chloe said, her voice buried in Beca's chest. Beca knew that they had to do something about the body, and she didn't think they could carry it outside, not without it incurring some long-term trauma on Chloe. She got an idea.
"Hey Chloe, could you go to the car and get one of the blankets? I think we can spare one."
"Yeah, yeah, alright, we can spare one," Chloe said in a hushed voice, but before she left the store she turned around and said, "Just be careful OK?"
"It'll be alright Chlo."
As soon as Chloe left, Beca turned and carefully walked over to the counter. The closer she got, the more distinct his features became. His eyes were gray and lifeless, and the very sight of them made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. But she noticed something strange, there was no smell. She briefly wondered if the cold was somehow affecting this.
Beca looked away and decided to focus on the tiles. With each step, she could feel the overwhelming fear increase. Her grip on the axe tightens. She walked around the counter, still focusing her eyes on the tiles, and saw that the space behind the counter was wide, and it gave her an idea.
"Sir, I am really, really sorry about this." Using the axe, Beca pushed the body to the side and let it drop to the floor. The sound of flesh hitting tile made Beca jump and she looked away again. "Oh God!"
Knocking over the corpse felt sacrilegious, but Beca knew that it needed to be done. Hopefully, this will help Chloe. As they say, out of sight and out of mind.
Chloe returned with a blanket and not seeing the corpse asked, "What'd you do?"
"Stay over there Chloe! He's umm, he's on the floor."
"Jesus! Beca why did you do that?"
"I just thought it'd be easier, you know. You got the blanket?"
Chloe sighed and relented, it was true, not seeing the body of the nice old man helped a little but she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about it.
"Fine, yeah, here," Chloe said as she tossed it over.
Beca took it and placed the axe on top of the clerk's counter.
"This is so messed up," Beca said as tried her best to place the blanket over the corpse without looking. As soon as it was done, Beca turned around and walked towards Chloe. She was done dealing with this.
"Should we, I don't know, say something?" Chloe said softly.
"What? Like how? Rites or something? I'm not really religious, I don't know any prayers or anything like that."
"I just- I feel like I should do something you know?"
"Um, sure, of course, I get it." Truthfully, Beca didn't understand it. The corpse scared her, she didn't feel beholden to it at all. If anything she wanted it gone from her sight as fast as possible. But looking over at Chloe who was trying her hardest to hold back her sobs, Beca understood that this was something Chloe desperately needed. Beca would be there with her every step of the way.
"Beca you don't- you don't need to if you don't want to but I'm going to sing OK?" Chloe stammered.
"No I'll sing Chlo, whatever song you want, I'll sing with you," Beca said quickly.
"Thank you." Chloe smiled at her and wiped a single tear from her face. She looked over to the body on the ground and cleared her throat.
Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven
Would it be the same?
If I saw you in heaven
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven
The tears streamed down Chloe's cheeks and slowly froze. Beca stared at her girlfriend in awe. She always loved Chloe's voice, it was gentle and clear. To her, it felt like a summer day's breeze. But right now her voice was heartbreaking and she could feel sadness welling up inside of her. Beca reached over and grabbed Chloe's hand. She knew this song.
Would you hold my hand?
If I saw you in heaven
Would you help me stand?
If I saw you in heaven
Chloe looked at Beca behind a veil of tears and ice. She tightened her grip. She loved this song because her father had once loved this song. And the fact that Beca knew it too made her heart ache.
I'll find my way
Through night and day
'Cause I know I just can't stay
Here in heaven
I think I understand Chlo, this song, it's not just about him. Is it?
Time can bring you down
Time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart
Have you begging please
Begging please
It's about everyone, isn't it?
Beyond the door
There's peace, I'm sure
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven
It's about you, me, him, our parents, everyone.
Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven
Would you be the same?
If I saw you in heaven
Chloe, I hear you, I hear what your heart is saying.
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know
I don't belong Here in heaven
We'll both be strong. We'll survive, whatever it takes, Chloe I promise. They finished the song in perfect harmony. Beca didn't know when it happened but she was crying too. They turned to each other and hugged, finding comfort in the warmth of their embrace. After a few minutes of quiet reflection, Beca looked out the window of the garage and noticed it was really getting darker now.
"We should check this place out for supplies, Chlo. It's starting to get dark."
"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Chloe agreed.
"But like if you need more time it's cool, we can wait a little longer."
Chloe looked at Beca and shook her head with a sad smile. "No, I'm good, it kinda helps that he's behind the counter."
"You sure cuz we could-"
Chloe quieted Beca by placing a soft, cold, and slightly wet kiss on her lips, and with a gloved hand, she caressed her cheek. "Thank you, thank you for indulging me with this."
"Always Chlo," Beca said a little sheepishly.
The store was barren apart from a few rows of shelves and two wall coolers. Looters had ravaged the store. But by the coolers in the back, they found a door.
"Should we go in?" Chloe asked.
"We're here right?" Beca opened the door and they walked inside.
Behind the door was a dark storeroom full of what looked like inventory. The first thing they noticed was the musty, stale odor of dust, mildew, and rotting cardboard. The girls figured it hadn't been opened in a while. It was dark inside the storeroom, but there was enough light coming in through the windows and the door to navigate by.
There were old shelves and nondescript cardboard and wood boxes everywhere. Beca instinctively went to grab one of the boxes to check its contents but noticed the shelves weren't anchored. They were rickety and some other boxes fell next to her causing her to shriek.
"You alright Becs?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah, that scared the crap out of me, just be careful! These shelves suck!"
"Got it."
They carefully rummaged through the storeroom, unfortunately, most of the boxes were empty. It was clear that the looters had scoured through here too. Beca was getting frustrated by the situation, nothing but empty boxes. Then from not too far away Chloe excitedly shouted, "Jackpot!"
Beca hurried over to where she stood by the corner.
"Look, Becs, baby wipes."
"I wouldn't exactly call that jackpot but given our situation and the lack of a shower…" Beca paused and thought about it for a second, they'd been driving for most of the day, doing worked up a sweat digging out the snow. She probably reeked beneath all this protective winter wear.
"You know what you're right. Jackpot!"
"There you go, every little bit helps!"
"Right, God I can't believe, I'm actually looking forward to taking a whore's bath," Beca said.
They kept rummaging through the boxes and found more assorted supplies, like toilet paper, trash bags, and firelighters. Beca thought the firelighters were a godsend and wondered what kind of moron would overlook them. Then she noticed a large box behind one of the shelves. Inside she found half a dozen empty fuel containers. Beca sighed, frustrated. These would be a lot handier if they had fuel in them. Whatever might be worth taking anyway.
"Hey, Beca come here!" Chloe shouted after finding a door by the back.
Inside they found a small office with a desk and a chair with an old computer. But more importantly, there was a small cot. And a medium size cast iron wood stove.
"Well, it's not a hotel room, but at least it has a bed," Chloe smiled.
"A cot, but yeah better than sleeping in the car," Beca replied and sat down on the cot. The springs squeaked loudly, it was a tad stiff but overall not uncomfortable.
Chloe examined the stove and said, "You know, I think we can cook on this."
"Whoop de doo," Beca murmured.
"Still worried about the fuel?" Chloe asked.
"Yeah, I'm sorry Chloe, I know I'm being a bummer."
"Oh, well, how much fuel do we have right now?" Chloe asked sitting next to her on the cot.
"A bit over a quart, and it's not going to get us far," Beca tried her best not to let the hopelessness come through in her voice.
"I see, well… how about this, why don't I go get the map from the car, and you get a fire going for us? We can spend the night here, take it easy for a bit. We can make the pasta, open the wine, and have a little Italian food night. Then we can come up with a plan together. How does that sound?"
"Italian food night? Really Chlo?"
"Totes! We have some dried pasta, that can of chicken and some pasta sauce, come on it'll be fun!" Chloe gave Beca a gentle shove with her shoulder.
Fun she says. Beca was trying her best not to let her mood darken too much. "Chlo, how are you still so cheerful? This is bad, like really bad, if we don't find any fuel-"
"One of us has to stay cheerful, babe," It really was as simple as that.
Staring into Chloe's eyes Beca could feel hope resurfacing inside her. Beca smiled, "Yeah, you're right, OK, pasta actually sounds pretty awesome. But you're cooking it."
"Deal! You get the fire going, and I'll be right back," Chloe stood up.
"You got it." Beca was feeling better already, tonight there would be pasta, and the company of her favorite redhead. Maybe things weren't so bad after all.
Chloe walked past the storeroom and into the small store. As soon as she stepped into the store, a medley of gruesome sounds made her stop dead in her tracks. It was the sounds of teeth tearing into flesh, chewing loudly, then squelching of saliva, of masticating making meat tender and easy to digest. That horrifying sounds came from behind the counter, where the corpse was laid to rest. As Chloe moved as if in a dream, approached the counter. The gross symphony of a predator enjoying dinner became louder. And Chloe Beale, a future Veterinarian, knew exactly what was making that noise.
"Oh, Beca," Chloe whispered, as she froze. The chewing paused, it caught a new scent. This new scent was fresh, and that meant it was warm. The predator knew that in these trying times of endless cold, a warm kill was scarce.
Beca forced herself out of the chair and checked the wooden stove, it seemed sound but it looked like it hadn't been lit in a while. She just hoped it was clear, and placed the firelighter inside. She crumbled a few pages of old newspaper she found on the desk for kindling. And with the help of one of the stormproof matches from her tactical bag, she got the fire going. This would work for a little bit, but they'd need real wood to keep it burning all night. Great, something else to take care of.
Inside the desk drawers, Beca found a bottle of Jack Daniels, she unscrewed the top took a whiff, and thanked her lucky stars.
"Now this is a real jackpot!" Beca celebrated and placed the bottle on the desk.
She also found a big manual that looked interesting but something else caught her eye. Beneath the manual, there was a red box. She placed it on the desk and lifted the lid. Inside there was a big red flare pistol.
"Oh, this is kind of cool," She looked at the instructions and examined the flares, there were three shells. She familiarized herself with the mechanism, it was fairly simple. It only carried one shell at a time, and the barrel opened easily. The only tricky part was that you had to hold the small safety button by the side to pull back the hammer. It was strange that she was fascinated by the red flare pistol because Beca had never really cared for firearms in general. But somehow holding this one felt right, maybe it was because it fit neatly in her hand.
She was distracted fiddling with the flare gun and hadn't noticed that Chloe still hadn't returned. Beca looked up and noticed it was getting dark. She perked up her ears, trying to listen for her, but it was eerily quiet.
"Chloe?"
When Beca didn't hear anything she felt a surge of panic. She made her way to the door and her hand stopped inches from the doorknob and she looked at the red flare pistol on the desk.
"Chloe?" Beca said as she made her way past the store room. She was getting increasingly more alarmed by the second. She could see down the aisle and it was empty. Beca shivered, it was getting colder, night was definitely coming and it was going to be a bad one. She looked around the store and could barely hear a very quiet voice whispering her name.
"Beca?"
Chloe came into view at the far end of the aisle, she was stepping backwards very slowly. She was backing away from something just out of Beca's sight.
"Chloe!" Beca said out loud.
"Shush!" Chloe didn't turn her head and was visibly shaking.
"Wha-" Beca started, but then she heard it. The terrifying telltale click-clack of sharp claws against tile. Beca saw the large gray wolf. Its head was down and his hunches high, menacing, and its eyes were fixed on Chloe. Chloe kept backing away until she touched the wall and yelped.
Time stood still for a second as Beca witnessed the scene unfold. A big wolf was about to maul Chloe. Beca felt her heart pump slowly and strongly, it wanted to jump out of her chest. Its beat quickened and adrenaline started coursing through her, getting ready for the fight of her life.
That's- that's a big fucking wolf. Jesus Christ! Do something Beca! Do something! Anything! Beca thought.
"Hey! You stupid mutt!" Beca screamed as she slammed the empty shelf next to her with her free hand, and it got the wolf's attention. "Leave her alone! Come here! Come get me you over-sized umm Chihuahua!" Was the first thing that came to mind. Beca kept slamming the shelf with her free hand. Oh, Beca! What the fuck are you doing Beca! Do you even have a plan here?
The wolf made its way slowly towards Beca and she could see the fiery white glow of his eyes. "That's right you dumb mutt! You don't want her, you want me! Come on! Come get me!" Beca said as bravely as she could, but she was shaking and her voice was high. The wolf bared its teeth, it was still hungry, and it wanted the smaller noisy human.
Oh, Beca! You dumb bitch! You got what you wanted, what do I do now? Shit shit shit! Run?
The wolf lunged towards her at full speed, its fangs bare hungrily.
Run!
"Chloe get out of here!" Beca yelled as she turned and ran for the storeroom, the wolf hot on her trail.
"Beca!" Chloe screamed. Her heart was pounding, each beat an echo of panic. Her legs felt like cement, they simply refused to move. Her hands were shaking visibly. And she could only stare as Beca led the wolf away. Beca was risking her life to save her.
I have to do something! Move Chloe! Move! Do something! Unfreeze you bitch!
Chloe screamed at herself, doing her best to will her body into motion. A flood of vivid memories flashed in front of her eyes. She saw Beca as she did when she awoke from her bout with hypothermia, and how her eyes were teary and her smile grew wide with immense relief when she realized she had come back to life. She saw Beca pulling in a small Christmas tree that she chopped with her own hands, a proud smile on her face and her cheeks rosy because of the cold. And she saw Beca with a mad look in her eyes as she lifted the axe over her head to cut chains.
That's it! If she can do it! So can I!
The picture of the love of her life being strong and brave fueled her, and she was able to take a step forward. She had regained control of her legs. Chloe noticed the subtle glint of the axe on the counter.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck Beca you dumb idiot! Beca thought as she ran as fast as she could into the storeroom and took a corner, just narrowly avoiding the wolf's lunge. The wolf skidded and slammed against one of the shelves, prompting boxes to tumble. Beca noticed this and got an idea. She ran again when the wolf chased she took another corner and immediately reached for one of the rickety shelves and using all her strength she pulled it down. It fell on top of the wolf. With the momentum, Beca lost her balance and fell backwards. The wolf whined as the weight of the shelves and assorted boxes crushed it. She could hear the soft whines of the wolf beneath the wreckage.
Beca sat there, her eyes and mouth wide open as her heart tried to claw out of her chest. What the fuck just happened? Was I- Did I almost get mauled by a fucking wolf?
Suddenly, the shelves rocked, and the wolf crawled out from under them, lurching towards Beca once more. Out of instinct and without looking, Beca raised and fired the flare gun at almost point-blank range. The shot was deafening, and Beca's ears were ringing. The flare rocketed with a surprising lack of recoil, its bright red glow briefly illuminated the storeroom and the wolf shrieked. When the flash subsided, the air smelled of gunpowder, sulfur, and flesh burning. And Beca saw the wolf lay motionless, the flare embedded in its right eye.
Got you motherfucker!
Unfortunately, her excitement was short-lived. Beca heard a low growl before she saw the wolf bare its teeth again and open its remaining eye. It was still alive. The wolf slowly rose and rocked side to side, then shook its head violently, trapped between agony and rage.
Realizing she had a few precious seconds to plan her next move, Beca tossed the empty flare gun aside and pulled out the knife from inside her coat. But because of her gloves, her grip was clumsy and in her nervousness, the knife slid out of her grasp.
"Oh shit!"
The wolf, driven to madness and partly blind by the burning ember in its eye, lunged forward, teeth first. It no longer cared what it destroyed, just that its rage must be felt.
Beca quickly grabbed a wooden box nearby and held it in front of her like a shield. She screamed as the wolf bit into it and shook it, trying to break it apart. Beca caught the glint of the knife just off to her right. Using all of her strength, she secured the box with one hand and her feet as best as she could as her free hand tried to reach for the knife, but she was just out of reach.
Oh, God! Why aren't my arms longer! I hate being short! Come on, almost there!
Beca thought desperately as she tried to reach for the knife. The very tip of her fingers were just making contact with the grip. Then she heard a loud thump followed by a sickening crunch. The box she was using settled. Beca lowered her impromptu shield and looked up. Chloe was standing over her, holding the axe that she had driven into the wolf's skull. She had been able to get close to the wolf thanks to the blindspot caused by the embedded red flare on its right eye.
Beca scrambled back, to get away from the dead wolf. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, but she could feel a sudden warm wetness engulf her lower body.
"C-Chlo?" Beca stammered. Her eyes were still focused on the dead wolf. "Jesus, was that-?"
Chloe just nodded, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her hands still gripped the axe and there were drops of the wolf's blood across her face.
"That's a fucking wolf, right? I'm not imagining this, right? This is a fucking wolf right here in front of me?" Beca asked, her voice trembling and high with adrenaline.
"Yeah," Chloe whispered flatly. She had no idea what had happened, one second she was about to be mauled and the next Beca lured it away, and then she was grabbing the axe and bringing it down with all her strength into an animal.
"Chlo?"
"Yeah?" Chloe's eyes regained their focus and she shook her head, snapping out of it. Then she finally let go of the axe, still lodged into the wolf's head. And turned to hug Beca tightly and she responded accordingly.
"Are we- are we OK? Am I alive? Are you OK?" Beca rambled hurriedly.
"Yeah, we're alive," Chloe reassured softly but her tone was flat and lifeless.
"Are you OK?"
"Yeah, just a bit shook," Chloe whispered.
"OK! Good! And we're sure it's dead, right?" Beca asked as she pointed at the carcass, still in disbelief.
Chloe didn't bother to look, "Yeah it's dead."
"Did we do the right thing? I know you're a vet and all but-"
Chloe hearing the tone of guilt in her girlfriend's voice shook her head. "No baby." Chloe pulled Beca's face to look at her. "We did the right thing. That wolf would have-" Chloe said softly, her hands slowly and desperately reaching to grab Beca's sleeve. "We had to do it, Beca, I had to do it, I just… I couldn't bear the thought of losing you," Chloe threw her arms around Beca and held her tighter than she ever had in her life. Beca could feel her trembling.
"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too, Chlo." Beca squeezed her girlfriend tighter, hoping to calm her trembling.
"You were so brave, Beca," Chloe whispered.
"Me? Dude, you're the one - you saved my ass!" Beca protested.
Chloe shook her head. "If you hadn't been there to distract him…"
"Don't say it, we worked together, that's all." Beca gently wiped the still-warm blood off Chloe's face.
"Yeah, you're right, we worked together," Chloe agreed with a nod.
"You know what sucks though? I uh- I think I pissed my pants."
Chloe looked at the pool Beca was sitting on. The image broke through the intensity of the moment and Chloe had to fight the urge to chuckle and said, "Good thing we found those baby wipes then, huh?"
Beca looked at her and she couldn't hold it in and laughed, it was a little manic but she was laughing. The insanity of what had just happened felt so ridiculous she just had to laugh and Chloe joined her and hugged her once more. They're alive and that's all that matters.
They were able to get all of their supplies from the Subaru just in time before the blizzard hit. Once safe inside, they created a barricade across the glass double doors using the empty shelves. They didn't want any more surprises coming in the dead of night. Then they barricaded the door of the storeroom and settled for the night in the small office.
Beca did her best to clean herself with baby wipes. She threw out her old underwear and donned a new pair of black panties. As for the pants, she briefly considered throwing them out but decided against it, they were very effective and expensive winter wear. So instead she boiled some snow in the biggest pot they had brought from the cabin and boiled the pants. Once she was happy that they were sufficiently cleaned, she set them to dry near the stove.
Outside the blizzard picked up and the wind howled but inside of their little haven they were warm and safe. They had their little Italian night and made the pasta. In a different pot, they boiled the spaghetti and then added the canned chicken and sauce. They didn't have fresh vegetables, or any seasonings whatsoever so it wasn't like the great pasta dishes they would have back in the day but they were so hungry it was still delicious. With their bellies full of pasta they felt a semblance of normality come back to their bodies. It was unfortunate that not only the wine was still frozen but they couldn't find a corkscrew so they decided to save it for another occasion.
After dinner, Chloe sat on the small cot bundled with all their available bedding, to write in her journal. Chloe was absentmindedly chewing on her pen, trying hard to concentrate. So much had happened in the last couple of hours. The wolf, the body, and now if they didn't figure out what to do about the fuel, who knew what would happen? She looked up at Beca and it felt like she was seeing her for the first time. The pen fell out of her mouth. Beca was sitting in the desk chair next to the stove, wearing nothing but panties and a black t-shirt, carelessly reading the manual, her legs propped up on the desk. Her legs were still moist from the wipes and glistened tantalizingly against the dim light of the fire.
"Damn," Chloe involuntarily whispered.
"You say something Chlo?" Beca didn't look up from the manual.
"Nothing," Chloe shook her head and bit her lip, shifting her focus back to her journal. How could she be thinking about Beca's legs right now? There's so much going on, so much to worry about.
But, really, how could she concentrate on how dreadful their situation was when Beca was right there? And not wearing pants! Looking like some unbothered, uncaring heroine, in her freaking underwear.
Chloe studied those legs. They looked smooth and she wanted to reach over and touch them. She wanted a refresher on how they felt beneath her fingers, how they smelled, and how they tasted. They'd been intimate every night since that fated Christmas Eve, and they were still getting to know each other's bodies. And it had been even more amazing than Chloe could have possibly imagined. It was so good she was addicted and right now she was craving her, she wanted her fix of Beca Mitchell.
Chloe shook her head and tried to focus back on her journal, which lasted about 10 seconds before she was looking at her legs again. Beca crossed her legs and made herself comfortable, then took a swig of whiskey from the bottle.
Oh, now she's doing it on purpose! Chloe thought frustrated and tried to look away, but she couldn't help it, the whole picture was really working for Chloe. She wanted to walk over and jump her bones. But she couldn't, it felt wrong. They've been through so much in the last 24 hours, it felt inappropriate. Now isn't the time for umm hanky panky! Right?
"How are you doing over there Chlo?" Beca asked with a small smirk, not looking away from the manual.
"Hm? What? Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just cold," Chloe buried her face in her journal.
"Oh yeah?" Beca looked at her with a cocked eyebrow.
"Yep!" Chloe nodded quickly, hoping her blush wasn't too obvious.
Beca put the manual down on the desk and walked over. Chloe's lips parted at the sight of Beca sauntering over, pantless and the bottle still in her hand. "You sure you're just cold?"
"Um, what? Yeah?"
"Right. Scoot."
Chloe moved a bit and Beca sat next to her and wrapped her arms around her. Chloe leaned into the embrace but her eyes were drawn downward. Beca's legs were right in front of her, close enough that she could smell the subtle clean fragrance of the baby wipes. They were so close that if she wanted to, she could bite them. Hell, she just might. Wait no! Not the time! Not the time Chloe jeez!
"Does this help?" Beca asked.
"Yeah, uh-huh, this helps, I- I um I'm starting to feel warmer already," Chloe said truthfully, her face was already flushed, and her body began to warm.
"It's been kind of a crazy day, huh?"
"Oh sure yeah totes," Chloe agreed quickly, still not really paying attention.
"Want some?" Beca offered her the whiskey bottle.
Chloe quickly took it without hesitation and drank deep, impressing Beca. The strong liquor warmed her and stoked the fires of her attraction. She scowled and exhaled. Not the time? Right?
Beca stared amused, and when Chloe handed the bottle back she took another swig. After a minute of silence, Chloe shivered and Beca leaned over and started to rub her shoulders, hoping to provide some form of warmth and comfort, and it worked.
Well, I tried! Chloe couldn't hold back anymore. She turned her head and kissed Beca. Beca's eyes widened in surprise for a second but then she closed them, giving in to the kiss. Their lips were cold and a bit chapped but they moistened them with their kiss. They could taste the whiskey on each other's lips. Chloe was feeling warm and daring and placed her ungloved right hand on Beca's cheek. When they broke apart they looked deeply into each other's eyes, their blue eyes reflecting the soft glow of the fire and the lust they felt for each other.
Beca breathlessly asked, "How can you- with everything that's going on?"
"Because it's you," Outside this small room and beyond this gas station, the world froze. Even though they had just survived a wolf attack, and saw their very first dead body, Chloe still wanted this moment. Even if the gas station burnt down, she'd still yearn for Beca.
Chloe pulled her down on the cot. Both of their hearts were pounding. Chloe had one hand under Beca's neck and the other was settled on her stomach as their lips met. She broke the kiss and moved her lips closer to Beca's neck. Beca could feel Chloe's breath against her ear and it gave her delightful goosebumps. Chloe's fingers slid beneath Beca's shirt. Chloe could feel the softness of Beca's tummy. Beca tensed and held her breath at the sudden touch.
Chloe nibbled on Beca's ear, causing her to moan softly. Chloe then moved her hands lower and settled them between Beca's legs. Beca twitched lightly at the touch, her hands were a bit cold. Chloe started to run her fingers gently over her legs, and they were just as soft as she remembered.
"That feels really good." Beca exhaled, her eyes closed. Chloe smiled, she was just getting started. She kept kissing Beca's neck, making her moan and lean her head back, allowing Chloe better access. Chloe's hands moved towards Beca's inner thigh, squeezing gently and then lifting her leg slightly.
"Um Chloe, a-are you sure? I just- I mean we just have the baby wipes and we've had a long day."
"I don't care, and when it comes to making love to you, I'm always sure," Chloe said, her voice hurried and confident.
Making love. Those powerful words made Beca turn to goo. She decided to just let herself get swept away by Chloe's passion. Chloe's index finger was tentatively running over her inner thigh, inching higher and higher by the second. Her fingers found the corner of her panties, and she traced the line of fabric gently. Beca jerked slightly.
Oh, God, if this is what she wants, then who am I to complain? Beca thought, but really she simply couldn't handle the teasing anymore. Her eyes glazed over with lust. Their eyes met for a second, both flushed and breathing into each other. The scent of saliva, sweat, and whiskey, mixed with the musk of their pheromones intoxicated them, and they wanted more. Beca inched closer to Chloe.
"Can you just-" Beca whispered, Chloe leaned in and kissed her again.
"What baby?" Chloe exhaled between kisses.
"Can you just make love to me already," Beca begged, in a hushed and desperate tone between Chloe's kisses.
Chloe didn't need to be asked a second time. Her kisses turned more forceful and passionate. Chloe pushed her tongue into Beca's mouth. Beca sucked her tongue with her lips. Chloe moaned, loving the sensation of Beca's lips wrapped around her tongue. They deepened their kiss, playfully exploring and drinking each other. Chloe broke the kiss and dug into her neck, Beca held back another moan and found an opening to kiss Chloe's shoulders.
Chloe's fingers were nestled between Beca's legs. She could feel the dampness over her panties and slipped a finger under her underwear. Her pussy was warm to the touch, and sensitive, she could hear Beca hissing as her fingers explored. Chloe alternated between gliding up and down and gently circling.
Beca moaned into her shoulder. Beca was losing herself to Chloe's touch. Beca leaned her head against Chloe's shoulders unable to think about what to do next, just focused on the pleasure her fingers were bringing her. She bit Chloe's shoulder. Chloe moaned, she loved it when Beca bit her in a drunk fit of passion, a little bit of pain always excited her.
Beca decided to reciprocate and with fumbling fingers started to attempt to undo Chloe's pants. She was getting frustrated with the overly complicated button, and as Chloe stepped up her finger game, the fumbling became more desperate.
"Why are you wearing pants?" Beca whispered, her frustration evident.
"Want me to take them off?" Chloe asked in a whisper.
"Just- like from now on you are not allowed to wear pants in bed, like-like as a rule OK?" Beca said.
"OK, not wearing bottoms to bed anymore, whatever you say," Chloe responded, her eyes closed, as she bit her lips. Chloe undid the button of her pants and hastily started to pull them down.
"Thanks, that's better, isn't that better?"
But Beca's mouth was once again kept busy by Chloe's lips. Chloe broke apart for a second to whisper, "Yeah, pants are dumb."
"Pants are dumb" Beca agreed, and as they kissed once more her hands moved towards Chloe's crotch and she started to rub over Chloe's panties.
"Panties are also dumb," Beca whispered.
"Want me to take them off?" Chloe asked between kisses.
"I'll make do," Beca responded finally slipping her fingers under Chloe's panties and finding the treasure she was craving. Chloe moaned in response to Beca's fingers. They may be rushed and a bit clumsy but Beca had learned how to please her. Chloe wanted more and parted her legs further, inviting her in.
They both worked their fingers into each other. The freezing temperatures outside their bubble were nonexistent, in here there was only heat. Their foreheads touched as their breathing synced. Beca could feel the subtle dampness of sweat on Chloe's forehead. Their eyes connected for a second, within them their passion for each other was evident. They brought each other to climax, it wasn't a tsunami-like it had been many times before, it was more like a gentle rising tide that gradually swept away the coastline. And it was exactly what they both needed right now. They gasped in unison as they let their heartbeat calmly sync to a gentle beat.
"Chloe?" Beca started, her eyes closed, her lower lip slightly apart, the glint of moisture tantalizing, and Chloe couldn't help but stare.
"Hm?"
"Thank you," Beca exhaled as she threw her hand up and wrapped it around Chloe, embracing her gently. "I think- I think I really needed that."
"Me too," Chloe said as she squeezed her tighter. Beca went quiet for a second.
"I could tell."
"Oh, could you?" Chloe asked confused.
Beca, finally feeling somewhat normal, teased, "You think I didn't notice you staring?"
"Can you blame me? Walking around with those dangerous legs of yours, in your panties like that." Chloe defended herself with a smile.
"You like that huh? I gotta remember to do it more often then."
"Yes please!" Chloe said eagerly and they shared a small intimate laugh, "You know actually, I was kinda restraining myself at first," Chloe confessed.
"Really? That's not like the firey ginger I know."
"Oh, I know! I almost jumped you! I just - I don't know with everything that was going on, I didn't want it to be inappropriate."
"I get what you mean, I do! I kind of felt the same way. But Chlo- just promise me something."
"Anything babe."
"Promise me, that no matter what's going on, or how bad things get, we'll always make time for um."
"Hanky panky?"
Beca considered her choice of words and smiling shook her head, "Sure, yeah, hanky panky, or you know intimacy, either one."
Chloe thought about this for a second. Beca was telling her something important. She was telling her that she needed her, just as much as Chloe did. She too had been thinking about Chloe, and craving her touch. But it was more than just sex, it was about intimacy, it was about needing quiet and warm moments like this.
In a sincere tone Chloe whispered, "I promise Becs."
Beca chuckled and leaned closer to Chloe. Being so close to each other was comforting, it helped heal the invincible scars of the day. After a moment of enjoying each other's warmth in silence, Beca whispered, "Today was scary wasn't it?"
Chloe nodded, her voice soft. "Yeah- Yeah, it was pretty bad. But at least we're together, right?"
Beca nodded, her heart so full of love for her, that it almost hurt. Beca wished she could say something, anything that explained the depth of how she felt, but she couldn't find the words. All she managed was a soft whisper, "You're right, we're together and that's all that matters."
They eventually fell asleep in each other's arms. It was warm in their cot, they were buried beneath every piece of bedding they had and holding each other. The blizzard raged on outside, and the cold became omnipresent.
After a few hours, the cold awoke Beca and she noticed that the fire was starting to die out. Not wanting to wake Chloe, she very carefully untangled herself from her embrace and snuck out of the small cot. She hugged herself in a feeble attempt to retain what little warmth there was left. She carefully tiptoed to the cast iron stove and threw a few more pieces of the wood they salvaged from the boxes into the fire. It took a second for the fire to come back to life. Figuring it would need more kindling she looked for more papers to throw into the fire and noticed something she missed on the open manual. One of the sections read, "Emergency fuel dispatch system in case of power failure."
"Oh shit!"
To be continued.
Author's Note: I really tried to make this a short chapter, but so much was already in the books. I hope y'all didn't mind the length too much, I'm going to try to keep the other chapters shorter.
Man the girls went through a lot on this one didn't they? I wasn't sure if I should have included the cot scene. If you've read some of my other works, you've noticed that I like my smut to feel real, organic and earned and that's just a personal preference. I actually questioned a bunch of folks about this scene needing to be sure that it would meet my criteria. I was reassured that there is such a thing as "thank god we're alive sex" so I decided to go for it. What did you think? Think it fit?
The wolf scene was actually quite difficult to write, I think I wrote like three different versions. I really wanted it to be not overly violent, and not exaggerated. In one of the versions Chloe completely shut down but then I rewatched the movies. It helped me remember that Chloe when push comes to shove can be competitive and even a bit aggressive. So it's not unreasonable to think that she would grab the axe and come in the last second to save Beca. I know this was a bit more action packed than my usual stuff, and boy howdy there's going to be a lot more of that in the next few chapters.
Folks, I don't usually say this but comments are encouraged and appreciated. I'm going through a bit of a rough patch in my life right now. I think they call it the writer's course, so any words of encouragement about the story would really help. You don't have to if you don't want to of course, I totally respect that. I'm just insanely grateful that you took the time to read my story. Thank you so much, it really means the world to me!