I grab a shower and make some food for us, leaving his plate on the counter. I’m not going to fight with him today. I know I’m dragging my feet as I do the daily chores with the animals and garden but I’m just not ready. It’s getting close to supper time when I finally start gearing up to go outside. I see Ben out of the corner of my eye watching me but say nothing. He’ll know soon enough what’s about to happen. I turn and look into his eyes briefly before nodding and palm open the airlock door. I don’t look back and it closes behind me as I step through.
I don’t give myself a chance to think about it anymore. I just grab a communicator and move to the next door. I take a deep breath and palm it open and then step out. The clearing in front of my door looks the same as the last time I was out here but the noise is different. Instead of the quiet dead forest with no sound except the wind, I hear the chop of an ax against wood and the snap and crack of more than one fire. I take the first step towards the noise and push all my emotion away.
I make my way through and around the groups of people that are huddled around campfires. The smoke from so many fires that are keeping them alive in the cold is like a haze clinging to the ground. I keep my head down and don’t make eye contact with anyone. I’m not ready to talk to Rex yet. It’s been three days since I exiled him, Sasha and Matty. My skin is crawling and the hair on the back of my neck is standing up while I walk through more people than I’ve seen in the last seven years. I feel panic start to overcome me being in the middle of so many people but push it down as I come to the end of the campfires. I take a quick look back at the way I’ve come but I don’t see Rex or his friends. There are a few tarps and tents set up to one side so they might be in one of them. Surrounding the camp where my dead forest used to be are stumps of trees. It amazes me that they have cut down so much in just a few days.
I pick out the widest stump I can find, push back my hood, take a deep breath and step up on the stump. No one is looking my way and I’m not going to yell for attention so I pull my handgun and fire a shot into the air. There are a few startled screams and some jump to their feet but most people are too cold to move more than their heads to look my way. I see more movement as a few people dash out from the tents and tarps. There’s Rex and Marsh followed by Sasha and other people I don’t know. Rex’s face splits into a huge grin as he sees me but I’m not out here for that so I look away and focus on the air just above the main crowd.
“My name is Skylar Ross. My home is behind you inside that mountain. Beside my home is a huge empty cavern. It has plenty of space for all of you with electricity, heat, hot water and all the food and supplies you need to live comfortably. It’s yours. I don’t care what you do in it or how you run it."
"There is only one condition. Your former leader, Ted, came into my home and put a gun to my seven-year-old brother’s neck. He threatened us and tried to take my home from me. I killed him. The same thing will happen to anyone who tries to gain entry into my home. You stay on your side and I’ll stay on mine."
"Just in case anyone thinks they can overwhelm me, you should know that there is an A.I. computer that controls all the mechanics of the barracks and I control it. I won’t hesitate for an instant to order it to cut all of the services off if I feel threatened.”
No one moves and no one speaks when I pause to take a breath. My eyes glance over at Rex and I see he looks confused and hurt so I look away again.
“There are doors that will open shortly to the north of you. I suggest you gather your things and go inside them.”
That’s it. That’s all I have to say to these people. They can figure out the rest with AIRIA’s help once they’re inside. I’m about to step down from the stump and get AIRIA to open the barracks doors when the alarm from the communicator blares out, followed by AIRIA’s voice.
“Skylar Ross, a meteorological anomaly has been detected. Seek shelter immediately.”
I look up at the sky and frown in confusion. The temperature’s not dropping, if anything it actually feels a little warmer. The sky is the same boiling grey, black it’s always been. I don’t see or feel a problem until there’s a sting on my upturned cheek. I reach my hand up to rub it away when something hits the back of my hand and it too starts to sting and then burn. I look closely at my hand but all I see is a drop of water. Then I understand, it’s raining. It’s raining for the first time in seven years!
I look up and out at the crowd in wonder until another drop hits my forehead and starts to burn. And that’s when the screaming begins.
Chapter Five … Rex
“I’m sorry Rex, we don’t have a choice. We can’t stay here anymore. We didn’t find anything out there today and the little bit of food and water left will be needed to travel into Banff. I know you hoped that your friend would change her mind but it’s been three days and we have to go.”
Lance squeezes my shoulder to try and lessen the impact of his words but I had already resigned myself to Skylar not changing her mind so I give him an understanding nod. He pulls out the tattered map and starts to spread it out on the tent floor when a gunshot blasts out in the camp.
We all freeze for a moment before lunging for our meager weapons and out the flap of the tent. I scan around looking for the threat and freeze again when I look in the direction everyone else is. My face cracks into a smile so big my cheeks hurt. There she is, my girl, standing on a stump. I knew she wouldn’t let me down! Our eyes meet for a brief moment before she turns away and starts speaking. My smile slowly melts away at her words. Our people will be safe now but what about us? How can she not feel the same way I do about her?
I can tell she’s done her speech and I’m about to race through the crowd towards her when her alarm goes off and AIRIA’s words boom out of the speaker at her waist. I see her flinch. She raises her hand up and then finches again before her eyes go huge and she looks right at me. Her eyes are filled with wonder for a brief moment before they fill with fear and then people are screaming and shoving each other.
I don’t know what’s happening until I start to feel stings on my face that turn to burns. I rub at my face but it feels like acid is dripping on me one drop at a time. I scream her name but it’s lost in the other screams filling the camp. Marsh shoves me under the tarp and then takes off into the crowd. I search frantically for Matty and see him through one of the tents open flaps. He’s crying in Belle’s arms but I lose sight of them when more people push into the safety of the tent. I look up at the tarp above me and my mouth drops open when I see holes develop in the plastic. What the hell is going on?
I shove away a few people crowding under the tarp as I try and get back out to the camp. I have to find Sky. We need to get these people into the barracks. The flimsy tarps and tents we have won’t last very long. Just as I reach the edge of the tarp and push through more people trying to find shelter, another gunshot booms out. The crowd freezes and screams stop just long enough for me to hear Sky yelling.
“Go north! The doors are open!”
The surge of people I was fighting through turns and heads away from the tarp in the direction she’s pointing to. I get swept up in the crowd but manage to break free before I lose sight of Skylar. I stagger in her direction while trying to look every which way for Matty and Belle. I finally see Sasha’s red hair in the crowd and then Lance with Matty over his shoulder. They’re headed north in the direction Skylar had pointed to and I know Lance will make sure the rest of our group makes it to safety as soon as he can.
I spin back around and run towards where I last saw Sky and see her and Marsh scooping up two small kids each before they start running towards me. Sky’s face is whiter than snow and her eyes are filled with panic and fear. Marsh is beside her, trying to hold on to the struggling toddler in his arms. The toddler is trying to reach his mom, who staggers along behind them. The woman is falling behind as she tries to carry two suitcases and run at the same time. I dodge around Marsh and Sky and grab the suitcases from the woman and scr
eam at her to run.
My face, head and hands burn with every drop of acid rain that lands on them and all I can think about is getting us all under cover. The four of us start to catch up to the main group and my belly lurches as I realize that they’ve all come to a stop except for the pushing. I don’t understand what the delay is. The doors into the barracks are big enough to drive a truck through, there shouldn’t be a bottleneck causing this backup. I look over to Sky but her eyes are shut tight against the rain and red welts are starting to form on her beautiful face.
“SKY! Sky, what’s happening? Are the doors not open?”
Her head swings my way and she opens her eyes to slits to see what’s happening. She shakes her head and then jostles the child in her arms to a better position so she can grab the communicator on her belt.
“AIRA, are the doors open? Why aren’t these people moving?” She screams into the box to be heard over all the noise of over a hundred frantic people.
“Skylar Ross, airlock decontamination procedures cannot commence until the outer doors are closed. Maximum occupancy of the airlock is forty people at one time.”
Skylar screeches in frustration causing the kid in her arms to let out a matching wail of fear. She shouts over the screaming kid.
“AIRIA, override the decontamination process and open the inner doors! We’re getting burned out here!”
“Skylar Ross, override accepted.”
We stand with our heads down as bigger drops of the acid rain start to fall faster. It feels like forever until the crowd ahead of us starts to move but I know it’s only a few moments. Both Marsh and Skylar are hunched over the small children in their arms, trying to protect them from the rain as they stagger forward. When the ground under our feet changes from dead grass to concrete, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. I let the two heavy suitcases drop from my hands and quickly spin around and look back out into the dead forest to make sure there is no one left outside.
Skylar’s heavy breathing is coming in gasps as she moves up beside me and does her own scan before turning away.
“AIRIA, scan perimeter for life signs. If nobody’s out there then shut the outer doors!”
There’s no response from the computer but the doors start closing so everyone must have made it in.
The soft sobs of the children’s mother are muffled as she pulls the little boy from Marsh’s arms and buries her face against his neck. We all just stand there catching our breath until Lance runs through the inner door and snatches Marsh into a fierce hug before his arm shoots out and pulls me into it.
“Thank God! I couldn’t find you. I thought you were still out there!”
He moves us back a step and looks us over to make sure we aren’t too damaged by the deadly rain and then nods with relief. His gaze swings over to Skylar who’s still standing in shock with a squirming toddler in her arms. Lance takes two steps towards her and plucks the kid away from her and set’s the kid on its feet before pulling her into his arms for her own hug. I can see her flinch but she just stands there with her arms at her side and her face pale and blank until he backs away.
“Skylar, my name is Lance. I’m Marsh and Rex’s dad. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for my family. First rescuing Rex and Matty and then allowing us into your home. You’ve most likely saved all our lives.” When she makes no reply, Lance frowns and continues. “I also want to apologise for what helping us has cost you and your little brother. Rex has told me what you went through and I wish I could have stopped it. I’m sorry Skylar and thank you for all that you’ve done.”
I watch Sky’s face but it stays in a blank state. Only her eyes show just how much pain and turmoil she’s feeling. Her eyes dart my way before looking back at Lance and she nods.
“I have to go.”
Wait, that’s it? She’s just going to disappear again? No, no way. I won’t lose her again.
Chapter Six … Skylar
My heart’s banging in my chest from the chaos that just happened. What was supposed to be a “here, take it” moment turned into a flight from danger. I can still feel the heat from the small girl I had grabbed when her mother stumbled. She had felt like a small furnace in my arms as we rushed to get in the doors of the barracks. I can hear her sobbing coughs even muffled as she pushes her face against her mom’s leg.
Lance seems like a nice enough guy but his words don’t change what happened or what’s going to happen. Rex is looking at me with these hopeful puppy dog eyes that I can’t bear so I just nod to Lance and say,
“I have to go.”
Lance nods back in understanding but as I go to step around him, Rex grabs my arm and swings me to face him.
“Sky, please, don’t go. We need to talk about what happens now. We need to…talk.”
His voice has so much hope in it that I have to look away before replying.
“There’s nothing to talk about Rex. You know where everything is in the storage rooms. It’s all yours. I need to get back to Ben and you need to get your people organised.”
I won’t look at him but he lets go of my arm so I slide around Lance and into the barracks. There are so many people in here milling around. More people than I’ve seen in seven years and even though the cavern is huge, I start to feel claustrophobic. My stomach is filled with nausea and a clammy sweat covers my skin. I try and keep my head down but it’s hard to maneuver through the crowd that’s bunched up at this end while looking at my feet. It’s also hard not to look when I hear crying and moans of pain.
I can’t help but look at the faces and hands that are covered with angry red burn welts. I know I have a few of my own that I’ve been trying to ignore until I can get back to the other side and a first-aid kit. I’m distracted by a sobbing woman who’s being tended by a man. One of her eyes is flaming red and swollen almost closed. She must have had some of the acid rain go into it. The man looks up from the damp rag he’s using to dab at her eye in frustration and meets my look. Recognition fills his face and he takes a step towards me.
“Skylar? You’re Rex’s friend, right? I need clean water to help these people with their burns and any first aid kits you might have to spare.”
Here’s another person I don’t know. My throat closes with more panic and I look around for a safe way through the crowd. It feels like they’re pressing against me even though no one is. The man must see the panic in my eyes because he steps right up to me and takes me by both arms.
“Whoa! Take a breath, it’s ok. Just breathe. My name is Ethan and I’m a doctor. I’m also Marsh’s Dad. It’s ok Skylar, you’re safe.”
I’m looking into his eyes and the kindness and compassion there calms me enough to take a steadying breath. The panic is still there but I’m getting control of it. He rubs my arms and nods encouragingly.
“Ok, can you tell me where I can find supplies to help all these people? Even clean water will help flush some of the chemicals off that caused the burns.”
I swallow down the lump in my throat but my voice still comes out a croak.
“There’s a fully stocked infirmary. It should have anything you need. It’s over…”
I go to point the direction, but there are too many people between us and the direction he needs to go so I just shake my head.
“Follow me. I’ll take you there.”
I don’t check to see if he’s following, I just wind my way through the crowd until I break free of it and finally can take a deep breath. The infirmary is at the far end of the cavern down by the offices and the door to get me out of the barracks. I’ll be able to just show him the way and then slip away to the tunnel. I need to get out of here and back to my own side before Rex tries to convince me to stay.
Ethan catches up to me and matches me stride for stride as I move away from the cots and closer to the far wall. I can tell he’s looking at me but I keep my gaze straight ahead, even when he starts talking to me.
“I really can’t tell you how
grateful we all are that you opened up your home to us. I know things were bad with Ted and that Sasha had a hand in that but I hope you can forgive us. None of us would have deliberately caused you or your brother harm or pain. We’ve all seen enough misery to last a lifetime since the bombs dropped. We just want a chance to be safe and survive as best we can. You’ve given us all an incredible gift, Skylar.”
I still have nothing to say. I hear his words and understand where both him and Lance are coming from but it’ll be a long time before I get the image of a gun pressing into my baby brother’s neck out of my mind. I’m glad these people will be safe now, especially after the acid rain hit but I still don’t want anything to do with them. I’ve done all I’m willing to do, Ben has to come first.
We walk a few more paces in silence until Ethan realises I’m not going to reply and he lets out a sigh before changing the subject.
“So, this A.I.? It’s a computer that runs the place? Is there anything we should know about it or how to use it?”
I feel my shoulders slump slightly as I realise that I’m not going to get away as quick as I had thought I would. When I furrow my brow in a frown, there’s a burning pain on my forehead that makes me wince and raise my hand up to gently press my fingers against where the pain is. I keep walking as I move my fingers lightly over my whole face and take a count of all the small burns on it. I count six spots by the time we reach the infirmary doors. There goes my chance at winning any beauty pageants.
I palm open the double doors and use my boot to knock down the stoppers to keep them open. The lights come on the minute I open the doors. As I turn to address Ethan, I see him standing there with this look of amazed hope in his eyes that are welling up with tears. He blinks them back and looks at me with a sheepish grin.
Endless Winter Box Set: Books 1 - 4 Page 22
