“… had just received a grant for community development. We were trying very hard to improve the city,” Peggy was saying.

“So,” Pepe's man said thoughtfully. “Most of the city is on septic tanks or rudimentary sewer systems.”

“Exactly. We didn't start actually zoning of the city until a year ago.

It pissed off a lot of people, that's for sure. And we just started passing ordinances for new construction.”

Jack stared at Peggy as she talked. She must realize he needed a cookie.

Travis sighed. “We're dealing with an archaic system for the hotel and city hall. We'll have to come up with something soon. This isn't like a big city with a network of underground systems. Sewer will become an issue.”

Pepe's man frowned as he studied something on the desk. “It's better to start planning now before it is an issue. Now that we have most of the fort construction mapped out, we need to think long term.”

Jack decided to concentrate on Travis.

I need a cookie, Jack thought intently.

Instead, Travis patted his head and scratched him under his chin.

“Okay, so how we are going to make the fort sanitary and functional in the future? I would suggest that we began immediate inspection of any buildings we absorb into the fort so we…”

Jack gave up and left the office.

Walking into the lobby, he saw the human puppies playing hard.

They were running around and screaming, but none of them even smelled like cookies.

Jack sat down, yawned, and looked around.

Katie walked up to him and leaned down to give him kisses. She wasn't smelly like the old man, but she smelled like a mother. He kinda liked it. Smothering him with kisses, she hugged him tight, then wandered off.

Still, there was no cookie.

Jack flopped down and began to chew on one paw, studying his surroundings. The human puppies may not smell like cookies, but maybe one of them would go get some. Yes, this was his best bet.

Nerit walked up to him, knelt down carefully, and patted his head.

“You're a good boy, Jack.” She smiled and rubbed his ears.

As she reached into her pocket, his ears perked up and he thumped his tail.

With a smile, she slipped him an Oreo cookie and walked off.

Jack chewed it up, grinning to himself, then gulped it down.

Ah, now he could enjoy his day.

He stood up, stretched and headed out into the construction site.

Maybe if he was lucky, they'd let him sit up next to the guard so he could bark at the loud, stinky dead things.

Yes, yes, that sounded good.

Too bad he couldn't roll around on them though…

3. Silent Night

What had once been dubbed the “zombie corral” was now a very nice, walled-in courtyard decorated in a thin film of fresh snow that glimmered with the reflections of the Christmas lights strung all over the fort.

Katie leaned against the rail of the guard post, looking down over the wall where children were being hustled back in after an impromptu snow fight. The tiny snowflakes were still falling, but she knew that by morning the snow would already be melting away. Snow never lasted long in these parts.

November had been a hard month. Construction had gone into over drive. It had felt like it had been non-stop until December 16th. They had reclaimed Main Street, the former zombie corral, and moved the trucks out to a new perimeter. Bit by bit they were spreading out, making things more secure.

Travis was working long hours with Eric to map out their future expanded fort. At times, Travis looked overwhelmed as he sat deep in thought. It was a lot to worry about. At times, it consumed him. But every night, when he held her, she could see that he was happy and at peace with her.

Katie looked up. More flakes touched her lips and cheeks. The sky was clear and beautiful. She sighed at the wonder of it.

Nearby, down in the street, Bill and Katarina were trying to build a snowman with Peggy and her son, Cody. It was a peaceful scene. It made Katie smile. In a few years, Katie and Travis would have a little one to build a snowman with. If things didn't go to hell…

No, she couldn't think like that.

A few weeks ago, the bulldozing of the old buildings across from the hotel had brought many people up onto the roof to watch. Zombies had rushed the bulldozers and the snipers had picked them off. The bulldozer drivers also seemed to have fun running the zombies over.

The cabs had been encased in a protective mesh, so no one was lost, though there had been a scare when one zombie had dragged a sniper down off a truck. The sniper had shoved the tip of his rifle through the zombie's eye and had been rewarded by cheers from the onlookers.

This was definitely a strange new world.

And thinking of strange…

Below her, Calhoun was running around in the snow, his arms outstretched, his mouth open to catch the snow. Nearby, Eric and Stacey were running around playing with their little dog, Pepe.

The survivors in the fort were extending the wall and claiming long abandoned buildings. Some would be destroyed, others renovated. But it would take time, and time was a strange, strange beast that did very weird things.

Lenore and Ken slipped out of the city hall front doors to join Calhoun in the snow. They immediately began pelting each other with snowballs.

Nearby, a sniper took aim and Katie heard the soft pffft sound of it being fired. She knew that beyond the wall a zombie lay in the snow truly dead at last.

Travis joined her, wrapping her tight in his embrace. She snuggled into his warmth and smiled.

“Love you,” he whispered, and kissed the top of her head.

“Love you,” she answered.

Behind her, the hotel was illuminated. People were still celebrating the turning of the year. Christmas lights were strung in many of the windows. A huge, fake Christmas tree, dragged up from the city hall basement twinkled in the night on the roof of city hall.

Christmas had been good. The Santa Patrol, made up of all volunteers, had successfully brought back all the gifts the kids had asked for. Calhoun had explained that Santa had to rendezvous with the crew away from the fort due to the messed up clones and aliens.

The kids had bought this hook line and sinker. It had been nervewracking to watch the volunteers leaving just to get stuff for a good Christmas for the fort's children. The Reverend had prayed over the group before they left. When all had returned safely, there had been many tears.

Christmas Eve had been lovely with caroling and a midnight service in the makeshift church in one of the old conference halls. Katie and Travis had squeezed in with everyone else and sang all the old carols.

It was at the service that the Reverend announced to everyone that Katie and Travis were with child. And it was at the service that Travis had shown her what the Santa Patrol had brought back for her. It was a silver ring with a cubic zircon, but she didn't care. She had sobbed like it was a diamond. Clad in jeans and sweaters, they had said their vows in front of everyone, including Baby Jesus and the Holy Family tucked into a manger scene in the corner.

“Couldn't show it for years in city hall cause of the supreme court,”

Peggy had said as it had been set up in the makeshift church. “I guess all that is done with now.”

Now, snuggled into her husband's arms, Katie watched the serene scene in the street with a small smile on her face.

“A new year,” Travis sighed.

“A new year,” Katie echoed.

“Couldn't be much weirder than last year,” Travis decided.

“No, probably not.”

Had it only been nine months since the first day? It didn't seem possible. It felt like a lifetime ago. At times, her serene life with Lydia in their beautiful home felt like a dream. She still missed Lydia terribly, but the truth was that time was now gone. It was lost like the rest of the world. This was her new reality, her new life, her new world.

She tilted her head to look up at Travis. The stress was showing between his eyes. She reached up with her cold red fingers to brush them over the grooves. He relaxed and smiled at her.

“It'll be the best year we can make it,” Katie decided. “We have the baby coming and so much to do with the fort.”

“I just want to make things safe for you and the baby and everyone else.”

Katie pulled him down and kissed him as she snuggled against his chest.

The snowball caught them smack dab in the middle of their kiss.

Sputtering, they both looked down over the old wall to see Jenni and Juan wrestling in the snow, shoving handfuls of the white stuff down each other's clothes.

Then they saw who the guilty party was. Nerit was fashioning another snowball with a grin on her face. With unequaled accuracy, she nailed Jenni.

Calhoun ran past, whirling around as he went, laughing hysterically.

Jenni snagged up a hand full of snow and tossed it at Nerit, who couldn't duck fast enough.

Meanwhile, Jack ran around barking as Jason hurled snowballs at his girlfriend, Shelley.

“Let's get down there, Katie.”

Scooping up the snow off the rail next to her, Katie tossed it at Travis' face, then ducked around him shouting, “Beat you down there!”

Beyond the walls, a lone zombie stood staring at the twinkling Christmas tree in the distance, fixated and confused, just staring…and staring…as the snow fell all around it.