Rowan travels the deserted streets looking for her parents' station wagon.  Common sense says taking shelter in the night is a good thing. But Rowan feels invincible.

She knows Zombies can't hurt her thus she's not afraid. Well, maybe a little. Anyone would be. She's making herself quite the target.

Suppose it's a one off? A fluke? She might not be so invincible then.

The wind howls. Doors creak. A barber sign spins. Far off, a dog barks. She recalls seeing a few pets here and there. Suddenly missing Midnight, she hopes the cat is okay. That they are all okay.

Cars, station wagons and campers line both sides of the street. Upon closer inspection Rowan realizes not all of the people are hunkered down in the buildings. She hurries on before she is taken for a Zombie.

For the moment, Rowan considers turning back then soldiers on. Suppose she is spotted? Panic might ensue. The last thing Rowan wants is to cause chaos. People are scared. The slightest thing can set them off.

But she takes the next step. And the next. She searches the side streets. There aren't many. Ten in all. Shades are down in windows. Curtains are closed. She can't look inside.

Winona is right. Morning is better. Rowan doesn't quit however, not when she is halfway through.

Her persistence pays off. On the very next street she spots the station wagon. Relief floods. Rowan runs, excitement pumping in her veins.

She approaches the car and peers in the windows. Her family is asleep, her Dad snoring away. Rowan knocks on the driver's side window. Her Dad jumps in his seat, body twitching. He blinks, rubs his eyes and blinks again. Recognition crosses his face. He is out of the car in seconds.

Rowan gets crushed in a pick her up bear hug. "We thought you were dead," he says huskily. Her Dad doesn’t normally cry but he is crying now.

"I'm okay. I'm alive."

Her Dad smushes her cheeks with his hands. He looks her square in the eyes, tears rolling down his face. "How? When we learned you weren't in the car--" He shuts the door. "Why did you get out of the car? It was too dangerous. You know that."

Rowan is taken aback by her Dad’s sudden anger but she's too happy to see him to mind too much. "I had to get the gas can."

"But how are you alive?"

"I took the fish with me."

Her Dad chuckles softly, anger ebbing. "That's my girl. You saved us all. The gas was enough to get us here."

"What is the name of this town anyway?"

"Cactus Ridge."

"Apropos." Dusty. Weedy. Rowan must have counted seventy nine cacti on her way here.

He hugs her again. "Get in the car, quickly."

Her Mom wakes up with startled cry. "It can't be you but it is. It is you Rowan. How are you alive? You don't have a scratch on you."

She's reluctant to say. "I found out I'm immune." Her family looks at her as if she suddenly sprouted wings.

"Immune?" Her Mom is skeptical and rightfully so.

"Yes. A Zombie bit me and died. They all did. Turned into husks."

"What does husks mean Rowie?" Toby asks. Under normal circumstances, Rowan hates the nickname, Rowie, but now she finds it endearing.

"It means they shrivel up and die. Nothing but skin."

Toby is impressed. "You have superpowers."

"Not quite. I'm not sure I can do it again. I'm not too keen on testing it out."

"You won't have to. We're leaving." Her Dad, now recovered, starts the car. Rowan sits back with her siblings. Everything is going to be okay now. Right?

Jamie slumbers on. Charlie is asleep in their mother's arms. Toby leans on her arm. But wait, something is missing. "Where's Midnight?"

Both parents look at her. "Who?"

"Midnight. The cat. Black with an ear bitten off?"

"Oh." Her Dad shifts into drive. "The cat set to howling when it discovered you weren't here. It took off as soon as I opened the door."

"We have to find Midnight. It could be lost."

"Honey, the cat is probably dead by now. We are going home."

"No. Midnight saved us all. If it weren't for him showing up at our campsite, we would all be dead. We have to find him."

"We haven't much gas Rowan. We will be lucky we make it to next town."

Baby Charlie lets out a wail. "There is no more milk." Her Mom is weary. Desperation etched on her face. She wants home and a warm bed more than anything. Hearing Charlie cry tears a part of her soul.

"Come with me," Rowan says. "I know of a place we can get more milk."

Getting out of the station wagon, proves difficult. Everyone is stiff from sitting for so long, especially her parents. Rowan grabs the bags and leads the way.

Taking her time, Jamie clutches her hand. Rowan hopes but is not certain Winona will allow her family access. She takes the back streets, guiding them to the alley behind the shop.

The door is unlocked thankfully. Winona sits with a cup of tea in her hands. "Thought you might come back. Welcome," she says to Rowan's family. "I'm Winona. I rescued your daughter from the mob out there. Turns out she doesn't need rescuing."

"Rowan has a mind of her own," her Dad says. "Way too independent at times."

Rowan cringes but is soon distracted by Jamie who is shifting her feet in her usual I have to pee dance. "May I?"

"Go ahead on up. I will whip up some breakfast for you all."

Seated around the table the sounds of chewing and swallowing take precedence. The family gulps down orange juice. Takes huge bites of scrambled eggs and pancakes. No has eaten since the Zombies attacked. Even baby Charlie is greedily gulping down a bottle of milk.

While her family piles into Winona's queen sized bed to rest, Rowan is busy washing the dishes. Winona dries them.

"I seem to recall saying that I would help you find them in the morning." Winona's voice is kind with a hint of faded worry.

"I know. I couldn't sleep knowing they were out there somewhere. I'm just glad I found them before they left. They thought I was dead."

Winona clicks her tongue. "Imagine them leaving believing they had lost you forever. You did the right thing."

Rowan hands over the last dish. She dries her hands on a towel. "The station wagon has less than a gallon of gas. I doubt they would have made it to the next town. If I hadn't--"

"No sense in borrowing trouble from what ifs. Be thankful they are here and move on."

"I know. The question of the day is, what now?"

"You can leave anytime. You might go further and fare worse. The Zombies are staying away from here but who is to say they aren't attacking the other towns?"

"Meaning we're safer here."

"Until we know otherwise."

Rowan leans her left hip against the sink. "Why me? Out of all the people out there, why did you invite me in?"

"I had a feeling about you." Winona sweeps her arm out in a broad gesture. "I knew you wouldn't eat me out of house and home as those people out there would."

"Thank you for taking me and my family in. We're total strangers."

"Not anymore."

They both hear the plaintive meow. Rowan opens the door letting Midnight in. "Where have you been?" She scoops up the cat. His purr is that of a lawn mower. "I'm glad to see you too."

"I have some tuna." Winona opens the can emptying the contents onto a plate. She places a bowl of water next to it. "Pretty cat. Looks lopsided though."

Rowan laughs. Her first genuine laugh in days. "I know."

"You say he showed up unannounced at your campsite?"

"Yep. Came out of nowhere."

Winona eyes her door thoughtfully.  "I wonder how he got in?"

"The back door was unlocked."

"I locked it just before I came up here."

Both look down. Midnight is contently washing his paws. His purrs are so loud they vibrate through the floor. "He must have gotten in somehow. Through a window."

Winona snaps her fingers. "That's it. The attic. Come with me."

Up the attic steps they go. Two windows flanked the dusty attic. The east one is locked. The west window is open slightly. "That solves that mystery," Winona says, sealing the window.

Midnight's purrs stop suddenly. In Rowan's arms, growls emit from deep inside. "Uh-oh. This is what he did at the campsite. They're coming."

Each take a window. Rowan at the East one, Winona, the West. Zombies stealthily approach the town. They creep around the buildings. Poised for attack, the occupants of the vehicles are unaware trouble is lurking. "We have to warn them."

"Downstairs." Back in the apartment Winona is barricading the windows and doors. "Help me."

"Aren’t we going to warn them?"

"By the time we do it will be too late."

Rowan thinks again of how close she has come to losing her own family. Following her instincts ensured their survival. Can she do it again? A powerful urge overcomes her. She darts for the door but Winona is faster.

"Where are you going?"

"I thought I might be able to help some of them."

"And do what, invite them in? There isn't enough room."

"They could at least drive away."

"If they could take off they would have done it by now. Be reasonable. Opening the doors just to let them in is the worst thing we can do right now."

Rowan knows Winona is right. Even warning those nearest the shop is a disaster waiting to happen. "All right. I won't do it."

"Good. I'm not a cruel person. If I could help them I would. Besides, they refused to help you when you needed it."

"They still don't deserve to die. Or worse become Zombies themselves," Rowan points out.

"Touche."

Rowan wakes her parents, informing them quietly about the Zombies. Panic comes too fast. "Mom, Dad, stay calm. We are boarding up the windows and doors."

The boards over the windows create a buried in the hole effect. While they can't see the attack, they can certainly hear the terrified screams of people and the screeches of the Zombies. Being shut in isn't Rowan's favorite thing. She's a person of action. But what can she do against so many?