“No! No!” I scream, rising to my feet, stumbling as my vision swims.
Three arrows simultaneously land in each of the hellhounds; one through an eye, one through the heart, the third through the neck. The hounds die instantly. Erica flutters above me. Silent tears run down her face. Joe makes gurgling sounds and clutches his throat.
“No!” I cry again.
I go to him, crawling through the ferns, healer hands flickering a weak glow. I reach Joe and slap my hands down on his chest, not wanting to touch his wound, not wanting to cause him any more pain. His hands fall from his throat as his eyes dim.
Erica hovers above me. I’m vaguely aware of others in the group approaching. I squeeze my eyes shut and think of Joe. Big, strong, invincible Joe with his wonky nose and friendly nature. And the kiss, our special kiss in the meadow that I will always hold in my heart. The healing warmth splutters in my hands, not strong enough yet, unable to heal.
“Wake up, Joe! You can’t die.” I throw my hands at his chest again, willing the clouds in his eyes to evaporate.
He stares unseeingly at the sky, his chest still. As I place my hands on his throat, directly onto his wound, lights flicker in the forest. Voices sound in the forest, coming this way.
“Oh crap!” Erica mutters above me, taking to the sky and flying away.
“The army, they’re coming.” Is that Hal?
“Silver, we have to go.” Matt’s voice in my ear.
“Silver? Please.” Dad holds my arm.
“I can’t leave him.” I throw myself over Joe’s body, tears flowing freely, refusing to give up.
The flashlights come closer. The odd shout echoes through the trees, and twigs snap as the army advances toward us.
“Take the invisibility pill and run across the valley. There’s a hollow about two miles down the other ridge. Wait for us there,” Matt says to the others.
Paige kneels by my side. “Silver, he’s gone. We have to go now, we have to leave him.”
I refuse to look in her eyes. I sob louder.
“Go, Paige, I’ve got this. Take care of Dr. Melody,” Matt whispers. “You’ve got someone to stay alive for, in the cave. Mine’s right here.”
The lights begin to blind me. I can hear the ragged breaths of the army as they run through the forest. They must have followed us from the prison. Joe’s death is all my fault.
Matt pulls me off Joe, shoves his hand in my pocket and finds my invisibility pill. He forces the pill into my mouth and makes me swallow. He downs his own pill, then vanishes. But I feel his arms around me, his breath on my neck, his hand cupping my mouth, willing me to stay silent.
The army arrive. They shine their flashlights on Joe’s lifeless body, illuminating the blood covering his neck and chest. The lights beam up into the trees, around the forest, into bushes, and seem to shine straight through Matt and me. I squeeze my eyes shut then, so they won’t catch the light.
Matt pulls me backwards, slowly, edging away from the bulks and ogres who stand before us. There must be at least twenty. Are they looking for the missing scout group? What difference does it make? They’ve found us, found Joe.
“Shame about the hounds,” a bulk mutters as Matt and I edge toward the ridge. The soldier squats over the dead hellhounds. A lead dangles from his hand. “Where’d the arrows come from?” He barks his findings into a walkie-talkie.
We reach the ridge, turn our backs on the army and run down the bank into the valley. Matt tugs me along, probably afraid that if he lets go I’ll run back to Joe. A gust of wind tunnels across the valley floor and gives me the slap I need. I suppress the image of Joe’s lifeless eyes, his inert body, his mangled throat, and the pools of blood for another time and run with Matt, overtaking him, pulling him along instead. No one follows us across the valley. We make it up the eastern ridge and into the trees once more.
Matt pants. I open my canteen, take a swig and offer it to him, or where I think he’s standing. His body reappears before me, shimmering, not quite solid.
“This way.” He grabs my hand. We walk deeper into the woods, advancing on the cave, looking for the hidden hollow.
Smudges of dirt streak Matt’s face. His watery eyes brighten with exhaustion. His clothes are rumpled and his hair matted. My own appearance isn’t much better. I’m covered in blood, Joe’s blood, all over my arms and legs. Leaves stick out of my hair. My eyes sting as though filled with sand.
A couple of minutes later Matt indicates a small hollow. No more than a depression in the forest, beneath the roots of a massive tree. Hal, Kyle, Sawyer, Paige and my father wait there, faces expressionless. Matt and I crouch beside them. Paige reaches for my hand and holds me close to her. Matt rips some of his T-shirt into a strip, dampens it with water from his canteen and dabs off the worst of the gook from my face and arms.
“Where’s Erica?” Matt asks.
“We don’t know. She didn’t come with us,” Hal replies.
We sit in silence and wait for the lights to appear crossing the valley. I wonder who else we’ll lose before we reach the safety of the cave.
But is the cave safe? The army isn’t far away. Has it already been compromised? Just how far has Addison’s betrayal reached?
An owl hoots occasionally above our heads. Leaves rustle in the light breeze, and the moon falls behind a cloud. I smell dried blood and dirt and earth and horror. I know nightmares will follow.
My head rests on Matt’s shoulder, and I nestle into his body. Thank God I had enough energy to heal him. I take a moment to examine him; face encrusted in grime, hair unruly and matted, clothes ripped and torn and covered in his own blood. He is beautiful. And he is mine. I hope. If he’ll have me.
When sunlight filters to the forest floor, I realize we must have slept a few hours. The others stir, stretch their legs and climb out of the hollow. The army didn’t find us.
Matt opens his eyes and stretches. “We’re about two miles away. We’ll stick to this side of the valley, follow the tree line until we come level with the cave.”
“Once we’re there we’ll have to watch the entrance for a while to make sure it’s still safe. We’ll have to wait until nightfall to make a move, in case the army is still out there.” Hal gestures to the woods on the far side of the valley.
We rise and trudge along in single file. I allow myself brief moments to think of Joe, but I don’t stay there too long. The wound is too raw, the grief too painful to examine. A strange numbness envelops me, making me impervious to the heat of the day and unaware of the blisters on my feet. I think only of the path I follow and where to plant my next footfall. One foot in front of the other, onward. A bluebird circles above our heads, reminding me of my wings. We were ten, now we are just seven. Eight if Jacob made it back safely.
By mid-afternoon the small copse of trees in the valley that hides the entrance to the cave comes into view. We stand and watch for a while.
“Let’s sit and wait.” Hal ushers us to the ground.
I sit on the ground, cross-legged, watching the valley. Matt and Paige sit either side of me, equally expectant. While we wait, Dad tells us about his plans, so someone else will know if anything happens to him. He thinks he can harness the DNA of a bacteria to change everyone’s foreign DNA markers. The bacteria will recognize the intruding DNA modifications and direct the body to attack them, but he needs to figure out how to expose the adjusteds.
Another hour passes and a familiar, barking blur runs up the ridge. Einstein plows into Matt’s arms, and both of us shed a tear.
“I missed you, buddy,” Matt says, scrunching Einstein behind his ears. “I think it’s safe.” He stands.
We rise beside him, take one last look at the valley, and walk out into the night. It doesn’t take long to reach the small copse of trees and the entrance to the cave. Matt pulls the branches away, revealing the hidden doorway. Hal throws the door open. The familiar smell of damp limestone rushes out at me, making me eager to go inside. Small noises drift
up from the passageway, indistinguishable.
We wait a few moments, each of us building up our nerve. We could be met by the comfort of our home, the people of the cave, happy to see us, or by the army and death.
Einstein woofs and pads into the passageway. Matt smiles.
Together we make our way into the cave, down the passageway and into the main chamber. I link arms with Dad and tell him all about the cave. The dinner hour has passed and it’s the time of the evening when people gather to talk.
“They’re back!” someone shouts. The phrase catches, spreading around the chamber.
People assemble, staring at our haunted looks, our dirt-streaked clothes, the blood. But there aren’t many of them, maybe fifty from a population of four hundred. Francesca emerges from the group, wearing a beaming smile. She hugs each of us in turn, not caring about the muck.
Jacob runs up to Paige and literally sweeps her off her feet. She throws her head back and laughs. There’s only a slight trace of a limp.
“Where is everyone?” I ask.
Francesca’s eyes flicker cold. “The army came. Some of us managed to hide. Others were taken to compounds.”
I scan the crowd. Matt’s family pushes through the wall of people, and Megan wheels over people’s feet to get to her brother. Claus stands back a ways and bows. His eyes glisten.
“What about Joan?” I ask.
“Joan didn’t…” Francesca shakes her head. “People here need your help.”
A lump forms in my throat. “Of course,” I say. “I’m not quite at full strength, but I’ll do what I can.”
“Dr. Melody.” Francesca reaches for my father’s arm. “We’re so glad you’re here.”
“I’m glad to be with my daughter again.” He brings me closer to his side. “Now I just need to find my wife.”
“I understand,” Francesca says. Then she turns to Matt. “Is this all of you?”
Matt nods. “Erica’s alive, but she took off. The rest...”
“I heard about Joe on the radio, and your close encounter with the army.” Francesca purses her lips, and a clouded expression passes across her face. “I’m sorry.”
Matt’s sisters approach, launching themselves at him, causing him to stumble backwards.
“I’m coming next time.” Lyla punches his arm.
“There won’t be a next time.” Matt tousles her blonde hair. His parents wait their turn. Plates of food arrive, riding toward us on a sea of hands. We accept them greedily: hot stew with a dark, nourishing meat. We eat where we stand, too hungry for niceties.
“Wash up, get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow,” Francesca says.
After we eat, Matt, Paige and I go to the underground lake to clean up. Paige finds a cloth and dabs at the dried blood and dirt on my body until there isn’t a smear left. We check over Matt’s injuries and find the worst is healed, just bumps and bruises remaining. The hole in Paige’s wing has already begun to knit together.
The cave feels different somehow, as if aware of all the tragedy that has taken place. Loud echoes bounce against unfamiliar, jutting rocks. The walls are drier and crumble under my touch. I shed a few tears. Joe. Addison. Their loss burns inside me. Mom.
Matt leads all the injured residents to me. There’s an assortment of knife and bullet wounds. Some of them infected. With my limited power, it’ll take a few days to bring everyone back to health.
Matt sits beside me and slings an arm around my shoulder.
I pull away and turn to face his startling blue eyes. “Did you hear me? At the river?”
A fragile smile plays on his lips. “There was thunder, a roaring river, and growling lions. Did you thank me for pulling you across?” He winks, and I know he heard each one of those three important words.
I shake my head. “That’s not what I said.”
Matt pulls on the end of my hair. “I think you mentioned something about killing the hellcat and roasting its meat. Shouldn’t be hard with that new fire-breathing power of yours.”
A giggle tickles my throat. “That wasn’t it either.”
Matt cocks his head and scratches his temple in a parody of trying to remember. “Hmm. I guess you better repeat it then.”
I don’t hesitate. “I’m in love with you,” I say. The last few days proved to me there’s no more time to waste.
Matt frowns. “What about Joe?”
I stare at my hands. “I won’t deny I had feelings for Joe, but it wasn’t love.” I meet Matt’s blue eyes. “It wasn’t what I feel for you. Something always held me back with him. I thought it was because he was an altered, but then I ended up being the alt of all alts. It took me a while, but when he kissed me again in the woods… and you were there, watching, I knew it was you I loved.” I like how those words roll off my tongue.
Matt’s thumb makes a circle on my palm. “I suppose it goes without saying that I love you too?”
I smile. “I was hoping you hadn’t changed your mind.”
Matt socks me gently on the shoulder. “Diana? Seriously? You thought Diana and I were going to get together?”
“Now I feel foolish. I missed all the signs.” I lean against him.
He chuckles. “Yup, it took you long enough.”
“I know.” I lift my head and stare at his blue eyes, losing myself in their depths. “I’m sorry.” I hold his hands. “It’s just that—”
“Silver?
“I couldn’t believe... well, I was afraid...” I mumble.
“Silver!” Matt says a little louder.
“Yeah?”
“Shut up already.” He pulls me into his arms.
His lips press against mine, soft and welcoming—it feels like coming home. My lips tingle as the kiss deepens. The tingling spreads, like butterflies fluttering against my skin. With our arms wrapped around each other, we fall back onto his sleeping bag. I pull him closer. My need becomes desperate. He’s my best friend. I love him with all my heart, and now I want so much more from him.
Matt pauses and pulls away to look at me. His bright eyes communicate desire.
“Don’t stop,” I whisper, hands under his shirt, stroking the smoothness of his back, willing him to come closer.
“Not yet.” Matt puts a hand to my cheek, caressing the skin there, and kisses me again, gently, and I know I will have to wait.
The next morning, while eating a freshly baked roll with strawberry jam that someone procured in our absence, a shadow emerges from the main passageway, hesitating on the threshold.
“Erica?” I say. “Is that you?”
She comes closer.
“Are you OK?” I ask.
“Getting there.” Tears shine in her eyes and her long, lavender hair hangs loose. “But I’m here now. I hear your mother needs to be located and a cure needs to be made.”
I smile. “It does.”
We stare at each other, and Matt gives her a hug.
“You two look good together,” she says after a while.
“Thanks,” I reply.
Erica’s wings remain a friendly yellow. “I’m glad.”
Over the next few days, my father sequesters himself in a distant alcove and begins work on a cure. A party atmosphere sweeps through the cave.
“The government has fallen apart,” Matt says as we walk in dappled sunshine. “Unadjusteds have broken out of compounds everywhere. Everyone is running.”
“So what happens next?” I ask, rolling acorns in my hands.
“We let the dust settle and we see where things fall. We let your father work and we find your mother.” The sunlight plays on Matt’s hair, making it lighter. “I think she’s with Earl.”
I frown. “And where is that?”
“I’m working on it, but I think he fled to California,” Matt says. “And I’ve figured out how to make this work.” He taps the hellcat remote against his palm. “When they arrive, we’ll have six or seven hellcats at our command.”
The next day we hold a memorial. The remain
ing fifty souls of the cave come to mourn, but our numbers are growing as new unadjusteds arrive at the cave every day.
We come to a weeping willow and bow our heads. Its soft branches cascade to the ground and create a private place around its trunk. Matt moves some branches aside and we walk into the coolness of this space. A small wooden cross marks Joe’s grave with the words: “Hero to all.” I smile. How appropriate. He would have been embarrassed by the accolade. There are several other markers too, including one for Addison. Neither of their bodies was recovered, but fresh mounds show the extent of the army’s massacre in the cave.
Kyle, Hal, Sawyer, Paige, Jacob, Erica, and Matt and I stand together beneath the willow tree. We say goodbye. After, Erica nods at me and begins to sing my song. Our song for freedom. Her voice carries on the air and weaves around my heart.
When you hear the lone wolf howling,
When sky comes crashing through.
With all the hellhounds growling,
If it ends, just me and you…
Just close your eyes and breathe in deep,
Look to the new sun’s sky.
Because our voice is freedom,
And they will hear us cry.
A breeze gusts through the trees and makes me shiver. Matt rubs my back. I hold a bunch of wildflowers, picked from the meadows. Kneeling, I lay them on Joe’s grave, thinking of the posy he once gave me.
Later that evening, when we wind our way back to the cave, the population is noisy with my freedom song. Someone presses my guitar into my hands and people sing at full volume, their eyes shining with new possibilities.
Paige’s wings flutter in time with the passionate chords. Fire sparks in Erica’s pupils. With one arm wrapped around Lyla, Sawyer nods his head, the rhythm pulsing through his curls. Everyone sings. Even Evan and Claus.
After dinner, Matt and I are tasked with cleaning the dishes. We walk to the lake and find my father kneeling at its surface, still muttering the lyrics, his face glowing in the warm light of the lantern.
He looks up at me and smiles. “I found the answer to getting the bacteria to the adjusteds.”
The Unadjusteds Page 27
