by Dawn, M. K.
Rainey didn’t turn around. “I’ve been wondering when you’d stop by.”
“I assume you heard about what happened during the supply run?” Sloan asked. “I didn’t see you at the town meeting.”
“I went to bed early. I wasn’t feeling well.” Rainey stacked the books from her hands on the table. “But you knew that already, didn’t you?”
“Britney mentioned it.” Sloan grabbed a chair from the student’s desk nearest to Rainey and sat down. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.” Rainey took a seat in her office chair. Even though she faced Sloan, she kept her eyes on the desk.
“Why won’t you look at me?”
Rainey lifted her tear-filled eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
“The truth would be a good start.” Sloan thought she knew the secret Rainey was hiding, but she wanted to hear it from her.
“I’m sorry,” Rainey choked on her tears. “I should have told you. Then you wouldn’t have gone on that supply run and the SUV wouldn’t have been stolen. It’s all my fault.”
Sloan moved her chair, so she sat across from Rainey. “The supply run was happening whether you needed medication or not. I had already planned to go to gather more stock for the clinic.”
“I’m sorry.” Fat tears rolled down Rainey’s cheeks.
“How long have you known about the cancer?” Sloan asked.
Rainey pulled out a handkerchief from her top drawer. “I found out three days before the charity ride.” The one held for Axel’s daughter, which brought the riders to Myrefall. “They caught it early enough the doctor didn’t see a problem with postponing the surgery for a few weeks. And then, all this happened.”
“Why didn’t you tell Britney?” Sloan couldn’t imagine keeping such a serious illness a secret for this length of time.
“Because there was nothing she could have done about it, and I didn’t want to worry anyone.” Rainey touched the spot on her face. “When you and Evelyn arrived, I thought about mentioning it, but I knew it was already too late. I tried to hide it the best I could, but then, this spot showed up.”
“That’s not the original spot?”
Rainey blew her nose. “No. It was on my leg but disappeared pretty abruptly a while back. I thought it was a good thing, but then, other symptoms started, and I knew it had spread.”
“What symptoms?”
“Fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches, weakness in my legs and arms.” Rainey wrapped her arms around her chest. “I had an aunt who died of melanoma and know the symptoms all too well.”
“I wish you would have told me all this to begin with it.”
Rainey hung her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“Please, stop apologizing.” Sloan took her hand. “Like I said earlier, I had planned to go anyways. But if I would have known the extent of your illness, I could have brought back medications to help you deal with the symptoms. You’ve seen what terminal cancer does to the body. I don’t want you to suffer any more than you have to.”
“Thank you.” Rainey sucked in a shaky breath.
“I still would like you to see Evelyn this afternoon after class lets out. One of her specialties was oncology. I know there probably isn’t much she can do, but it would be good to get her professional opinion.”
“Um, are you sure she’s feeling up to it?”
Sloan placed the chair back behind the desk. “Yes. I spoke with her this morning, and she’s in the clinic now, helping Makayla. She’s expecting you.”
Rainey smiled. “I will. Thank you, Sloan. For everything.”
“Of course. I should get going.”
The door swung open, and the children piled back in their seats.
Molly and Blake waved at Sloan as she passed. Carson gave her a slight chin tilt.
Sloan wanted to pull each of her nephews and niece into her arms and hold them tight. Instead, she settled for a quick hug from each of them, including Carson, who didn’t fight her embrace as she thought he would.
As she headed back to the clinic, she shed the tears she’d been holding back. Tears for Rainey and the cancer they couldn’t cure. Tears for Evelyn and how devastated she would be when she found out there was nothing they could do for Rainey. But mostly, she cried for Britney and the kids for the loss they would soon face. Rainey had become part of the family over the past few years. Her death was going to be rough.
Not that death was ever easy.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Nathaniel’s out again?” Britney asked as the other teenagers entered the barn
Diego ignored her, enthralled in whatever Mia whispered in his ear.
Juliet kept her eyes locked on Eli. “He’s still sick.”
“Seriously?” It had been three days. “Has anyone checked on him?”
The blatant lack of acknowledgment pissed Britney off to the point she couldn’t stop herself from screaming. “Excuse me! Is anyone listening?”
All four heads whipped in her direction.
“Sorry.” Juliet batted her eyes. “What were you saying?”
“Juliet, Diego...outside, now!” Both hesitated, which had never happened before. “Is there a problem?”
“No ma’am.” Diego averted his eyes as he passed Britney on the way out the door. “Come on, Juliet.”
“Fine.” Juliet chanced one more glance at Eli before storming after Diego.
Britney waited for the door to close before she ripped into Eli and Mia. “I don’t know what the two of you are doing to distract them, but it stops now. They—you—everyone around here has a job to do. Too many distractions and this farm starts falling apart. Do you understand what I’m tellin’ you?”
“You don’t want us to be friends with them?” Eli’s innocent act almost had her fooled.
“Friends?” Britney looked between the two. “Is that all that’s going on here? Is that why Juliet is making goo-goo eyes at you and Diego didn’t hear a word I said even though I was standin’ three feet away?”
“We’re so sorry.” If Mia was putting on some kind of show, her acting skills far exceeded Eli’s previous attempts. “It was never our intention to show up and cause problems. We just want to be a part of this wonderful and generous community. If we’re a distraction for Juliet and Diego, we can find other work. Terrance might be able to use us in the mornings as well. The recreation center is a busy place.”
Britney chewed on her inner cheek, allowing her a chance to think. “Give me a few minutes to talk to them, and I’ll let you know.”
“We’ll start on the morning chores.” Mia patted Eli’s arm. “Ours and theirs, if you need more time.”
“Thanks.” Britney hesitated before leaving the twins alone, unsure if there was more she needed to say. Out of the two, she trusted Mia the most. Eli had bothered her from the start, but he seemed to listen to Mia, which made things a bit easier. “We shouldn’t be long. Worry about your chores for the time bein’.”
“Sure.” Mia’s face brightened. “Just holler if you need us to work on anything else.”
“Thanks.” Britney mentally scolded herself for thanking the girl again. Mia and Eli were the reasons things were not getting done as quickly as they used to be, and instead of laying down clear expectations, Britney thanked her. How the hell did that happen?
Britney found Juliet and Diego waiting outside, arguing amongst themselves in Spanish and loud enough to cause people to stare as they walked by.
“Enough!” Britney pulled them apart. She’d seen them argue before, like siblings do, but never like this. “What’s goin’ on with you two? Slackin’ on your chores. Ignorin’ me when I talk. A whole bunch of teenage attitude that I thought the apocalypse scared out of you. And then, there’s Nathaniel. Have either of you checked on him lately?”
“I did yesterday morning. Brought him some breakfast. He said he had the flu.” Diego’s eyes darted to Juliet. “She hasn’t. All she cares about is Eli.”
Juliet shoved Diego in the
arm. “Shut up!”
Britney massaged her temples. “Diego, go start your chores. Juliet and I are going to take a little walk.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Diego hurried off to the barn.
“Let’s go check on Nathaniel.” Britney started for the RV park.
Juliet huffed. “Why do I have to go?”
Britney whirled around and got into the teenager’s face. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Because less than a week ago, you had a huge crush on him.”
Juliet crossed her arms over her chest. “I wouldn’t say huge. Besides, things change. He’s not even my type.”
“And Eli is?” Britney wanted to strangle the girl. “Just because some smooth-talkin’, good-lookin’ guy shows up, doesn’t mean you get to treat your friends like shit. You don’t know anythin’ about Eli or what his intentions are with you. Nathaniel, on the other hand, is kind and cares about you, would do anythin’ for you, and you just threw him away like his friendship meant nothin’. How do you think he’s feelin’ right about now? He’s sick, has no family left, and not even his friends have stopped by to visit.”
Juliet turned her head away. “I wasn’t trying to hurt him, I just...Eli is so...”
“I get it.” Britney cupped Juliet’s face in her hands and wiped away the lone tear with her thumb. “You’re not the only girl who’s gotten caught up in a cute guy and forgotten about the rest of the world. It happens, but now that you’re aware of it, you have to figure out a way to fix this.”
Juliet bobbed her head. “You’re right. I mean, just because I’m interested in Eli now doesn’t mean Nathaniel and I can’t be friends.”
Not really the path Britney would like to see her take but it was a start.
“Do you think we should stop by the kitchen and grab something for Nathaniel?” Juliet asked as they continued their walk. “Angie loves him, and I’m sure she’ll stop whatever it she’s doing to make him some soup or something.”
“That’s sweet, but I think we should check on him first.” The farm had kept Britney busy the past few days. She couldn’t even recall if Nathaniel had made it to any meals. “Depending on how sick he is, it might be better if we take him to the clinic.”
“Or bring the clinic to him,” Juliet said, “if what he has is contagious. We wouldn’t want him spreading his germs to everyone else.”
“You’re right. I hadn’t even thought of that.” She couldn’t even imagine how bad things would get around here if they had some sort of flu epidemic.
Juliet beamed. “I’ve taken a few of Dr. Sloan’s first-aid classes. She thinks I’m a natural.”
“Does she? I’m surprised she never mentioned it.” Britney paused at the entrance to the RV park. “Remind me, which is Nathaniel’s?”
Juliet pointed to the far end. “The really tiny one down there. It’s only big enough for one person, which worked out since both his parents...well, you know.”
Jerry and his group had stumbled across a half-starved Nathaniel just before Axel and his supply run had picked them up. Like so many others, both his parents had been bitten by the infested and turned. Nathaniel ended up trapped in his basement for nearly a week until Jerry’s people showed up looking for supplies, killed his infested parents, and freed him.
Nathaniel didn’t talk about it much, not that she could blame him. No one really spoke about the loved ones they’d lost, including herself. It was too painful, too horrifying, too depressing. And sadly, there was nothing they could do to change the past. All they could do was look to the future and make the best out of whatever time they had left.
They reached Nathaniel’s camper, and Juliet knocked. “I hope we’re not waking him.”
“Do you know if he’s left at all the past few days?”
Juliet shook her head. “I’m not sure. You’re right, I’ve been a shitty friend.”
“You’ll make it up to him.” Britney rubbed her back, not even caring that the girl had just cussed in front of her.
“Why isn’t he answering?” Juliet knocked again. “Nathaniel? Are you in there?”
Britney guided her away from the door. “Let me take a look.” She reached up to turn the door handle, and the door inched open. “Nathaniel?”
He didn’t answer, and she didn’t hear anything. No footsteps, no breathing.
“I’m going to take a look inside. Wait here.”
Juliet took a step closer to the door. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“Probably just sleeping.” Britney covered her mouth and nose with her shirt. If he was contagious, she didn’t want to risk inhaling his germs. “Wait here.”
Britney pushed the door open and eased inside. Juliet wasn’t kidding about the small size of the camper. There was a burner and sink to her right. Straight ahead, the wetbath. To her left, a slept in but empty queen-sized bed that probably converted to a dinette.
“Is he all right?” Juliet called from outside the door.
Britney did a quick check in the wetbath and found it empty. “He’s not here.”
“What?” Juliet came in behind her, making the already cramped room even tighter. “Where could he be? Do you think he went to the clinic?”
“Maybe.” Britney scanned the bed, her eyes pausing on something black stuck to his pillow. She climbed onto the bed, as there was no way around, lifted the black strands and held them between her two fingers.
“What is it?” Juliet asked.
Britney scurried off, her hands shaking uncontrollably. “Hair.”
“Hair?” Juliet scrunched her face. “What do mean? Like dog hair or he cut his hair.”
“No.” Pain clutched her chest as the hair fell from her fingertips. “It’s falling out.”
Juliet gasped. “No, no, no. It has to be something else. Right? There has to be another reason!”
Britney pushed past her and burst from the door. She needed to get to the clinic and talk to Sloan, but she didn’t want to cause a scene.
“He wasn’t bitten,” Juliet cried as she ran up beside her. “He would have said something. You know he would have. You know him! After everything he’s been through, he wouldn’t have risked turning around us. He wouldn’t!”
“I know.” Britney hurried her pace but forced herself not to run. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s something else. It has to be. He can’t be infested.”
Britney slid to a stop at the sound of gun fire. “Shit!”
“Was that a gun?” Juliet’s entire body shook as she sobbed.
“Run to the clinic! See if Nathaniel is there.” Britney pushed Juliet when she didn’t move. “Go! Now!”
Juliet took off toward the clinic just as another shot rang out.
***
Britney could only describe the scene as chaotic. People had come from all over the farm to the small storage shed not a hundred yards from the school. Many were on their knees crying while others shouted over the noise. More than half had a gun in their hand.
“What’s goin’ on?” Britney yelled over the crowd.
When no one answered, Britney searched the area for someone she could ask. She spotted Axel and Archer up front, near the door of the closed shed but ran into Angie and Mac first.
“What happened?” Britney asked Angie, who was crying.
Mac tightened his hold on Angie. “An infested showed up while Gus and I were teaching the kids their survival training.”
“Oh, God.” Britney whipped her head toward the school. “The kids?”
“All fine. Axel checked them all.” Mac rubbed Angie’s back. “They’re scared but fine.”
Britney let out a ragged breath. “Thank God.”
“You would have been so proud of Carson.” Mac beamed. “He made sure all the little ones got to safety. Calmed their fears. Barricaded the door until Axel showed up. He probably saved those kids’ lives today.”
Tears streamed down Britney’s face. As proud as she was, at eleven years old, her oldes
t son should not have been in that position to begin with. “How’s he doin’? He puts on a brave face but—”
“He’s shaken up, but he’s a tough kid.”
Britney fought the urge to run into the schoolhouse to see for herself. “I’m assuming the infested is dead?”
Mac swallowed hard. “We’re not sure.”
“What do you mean? It’s still roaming the farm? Why is no one tracking it down?”
Angie lifted her head from Mac’s chest. “It’s in the shed with...with...Gus.”
Britney’s vision blurred as the reality of the situation sunk in. “With Gus?”
“He saved them, saved us,” Mac said in a distant tone, as if he’d gone back to that moment. “It came out of nowhere. I didn’t even have time to react but Gus, man, he unholstered his gun like he knew the thing was coming. Never seen anything like it. Missed the chest by inches. But it was enough to distract it so we could get the kids to safety. It tried to run, and Gus shot at it again. Damn thing was moving so fast, he missed.”
“How did they both end up in the shed?” Britney asked.
A hush had fallen over the crowd as Mac recounted the horror he had witnessed. “It knocked him to the ground and bit him on the arm. Gus fought it off but didn’t run away. Instead, he coaxed it to follow him, enticed it with the blood gushing from his wound. It followed him in the shed, and Gus barricaded the door, trapping them both inside.”
“We have to get him out of there.” Britney could only imagine the horrors that he would face.
“He’s already dead,” Axel said as he came up behind her.
Britney whirled around. “You don’t know that for sure.”
Axel scratched at the scruff on his chin. “I saw his arm just before he went in. The infested hit an artery. He would have bled out in a matter of minutes.”
“So, we’re just going to leave him in there?” Why was she the only one outraged? “He’s going to turn soon! We can’t let that happen. He wouldn’t want that to happen.”
Axel pulled her into his arms. “We won’t. Archer and I were just strategizing the best way to handle the situation. We don’t want to take a chance of the infested getting loose.”
