We reached the edge of the road and started up. "Is it uphill all the way?" she asked tiredly.
"It's only a quarter mile," I told her. "You can make it. "
We did, but just barely, and I had to half-carry her the last few yards. I put her on the old couch in the living room and then went and got the medical kit I'd taken when I cleared out of Atlanta just hours before the missiles started falling. She had a slight fever and a rapid pulse, but I couldn't tell whether or not that was from our climb. But if she'd really been exposed to one of those Sidewinder strains, I couldn't take any chances, so I gave her one of my last few broad-spectrum pills and told her to get some rest. She was obviously more fatigued than I'd realized, and was asleep almost before the pill reached her stomach.
I covered her with her blanket and then stood there looking at her for a moment, wondering why I was doing all this. I had long ago made the decision to isolate myself as much as possible from what was left of humanity, and up till now I'd done a pretty good job of it. I wasn't about to change that policy, either. This was only a temporary aberration, I told myself firmly; get her well and then send her to Hemlock where she could get a job. Picking up the medical kit, I went quietly out.
It was late afternoon when I returned with the single rabbit my assorted snares had caught. The girl was still asleep, but as I passed her on my way to the kitchen she stirred. "Hello?"
"It's just me," I called back to her. I tossed the rabbit on the kitchen counter and returned through the swinging door to the living room. "How do you feel?"
"Very tired," she said. "I woke up a couple of times while you were gone, but fell asleep again. "
"Any muscle aches or dizziness?"
"My leg muscles hurt some, but that's not surprising. Nothing else feels bad. " She sat up and shook her head experimentally. "I'm not dizzy, either. "
"Good. The tiredness is just a side effect of the medicine I gave you. " I sat down next to her, glad to get off my feet.
"I think that you're going to be all right. "She inhaled sharply. "Don! I almost forgot—did you get to him in time?"
I shook my head, forgetting how useless that gesture was. "I'm sorry. He was already dead when I found him. I buried him at the side of the road. "
Her sightless eyes closed, and a tear welled up under each eyelid. I wanted to put my arm around her and comfort her, but a part of me was still too nervous to try that. So I contented myself with resting my hand gently on her arm. "Was he your husband?" I asked after a moment.
She sniffed and shook her head. "He'd been my friend for the last three years. Sort of a protector and employer. I'll miss him. " She swallowed and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'll be okay. Can I help you with anything?"
"No. All I want you to do right now is rest. I'll get dinner ready—I hope you like rabbit. Uh, by the way, my name's Neil Cameron. "
"I'm Heather Davis. "
"Nice to meet you. Look, why don't you lie down again. I'll call you when dinner's ready. "