He seized the pistol, wrenching it from her grasp.
It didn't have any bullets, but it was still a big lump of steel.
'She's biting me!' Megan yelled.
Without thinking, Alex slammed the pistol into Chrissie's head.
Chrissie slumped.
Her teeth loosened from Megan's shoulder. She looked dazed, but conscious.
Megan searched Chrissie's pockets.
'I've got my phone!' Megan declared.
'Where's my knife?' shouted Alex.
Blood began oozing from Chrissie’s temple. She glared at Alex with pure hatred.
Megan bled from Chrissie's savage teeth marks.
Alex found his knife on Chrissie’s belt. ‘I’ve got the knife. Now search her everywhere, Megan. She might have found another weapon on Ericsson.'
Megan searched Chrissie in all the places Alex shouldn't. It was more dignity than Chrissie ever afforded them.
Finally Chrissie spoke.
'You and I are the same, Megan, except you're controlling him with your pussy.'
WHACK!
Megan delivered Chrissie a powerful slap.
Before Chrissie blinked away the effects, Alex opened his knife under her nose. 'Listen carefully. My knife never runs out of bullets. Understand?'
Chrissie nodded, but didn't look intimidated.
Megan lifted her weight off Chrissie. 'We're letting you up now. And you're going to leave us alone. Don't talk to us. Don't come near us. Just leave us completely alone.'
'There's nothing I want more,' Chrissie hissed. ‘Get off me.’
Alex climbed off her.
Chrissie lay still for a moment before rolling over and gaining her feet.
Alex braced himself for another fight, but Chrissie just walked away, wiping her bloody temple.
Megan released her breath, relieved.
Chrissie stopped at the artifacts.
'Great work,’ she said. ‘Now we're all going to die.’
She lifted her shoe and stomped down on the porcelain plate.
Already crazed with thin cracks, the plate exploded into a hundred pieces.
When the pieces settled, Chrissie glared back at them.
‘Here's a jigsaw puzzle to keep you busy until we all cook to death.’
#
His mother worried too much.
She'd wanted to drive him.
He'd been off crutches a week now. He could walk himself to the stupid dental surgery.
It's good to be out of the house.
He couldn't stand that house anymore. He couldn't stand living in a crime scene.
Stop thinking about it. In a few weeks you'll be nobody again.
He ran his tongue over his teeth, checking for cavities.
Hopefully this appointment is short. In and out. Then I'll send Mom a text mess—
Something lunged at Alex, roaring as it attacked.
Alex lurched away.
Adrenalin thundered into his system.
He spun to face his attacker, one hand a fist while the other reached for his knife.
Wait — it's behind a fence. You're safe.
The massive Alsatian German Shepard wanted to tear him apart. The dog almost jumped from its skin to reach him.
Alex felt instant fury.
If a person stood at this fence threatening every passing pedestrian, they'd be arrested.
Alex gripped the knife in his hoodie pocket and met the dog's eyes. You'd be the one who ended up dead, not me.
'Everything all right?'
The dog's owner emerged from under her house.
Alex glanced at her. 'Your dog just went crazy.'
The woman grabbed the Alsatian’s collar. 'You shouldn't have touched our gate.'
'I didn't touch your gate,' said Alex. 'I was just walking past. You should tie that animal up. Little kids walk along here. He could kill someone.'
'He's a guard dog,' she said, looking Alex up and down. 'He doesn't bark without a reason.'
Alex sneered at the woman, looking over her shoulder. 'Your house is a fucking dump. Your car is a piece of shit. There's nothing on your side of the fence worth stealing. You just like owning a dangerous dog.'
The woman began to look like the dog.
'Keep walking before I call the police,' she warned.
'For what?' scoffed Alex. 'Walking past your house? Complaining about your savage dog? Your dog needs a bullet. The police will probably shoot it.'
The woman reached for the gate latch. 'Keep walking or I'll let Rogue out.'
The dog went berserk.
Behind his back, Alex opened his knife with one hand. When that dog jumped at him, he was going to stab it so hard he’d kill it twice.
He met the woman's glare. 'Let him out.'
She frowned at Alex, studying his face.
'Open the gate,' said Alex.
The woman pointed at Alex. 'I know who you are.'
She stared at her dog and then yanked him from the gate. 'Come here, Rogue. Down, boy. Down. Calm down, Rogue.'
She dragged the dog under the house without another word.
Alex discretely closed his knife.
He noted the address. Stupid bitch with her stupid dog.
He was still angry when he opened the dental surgery’s door.
The place was empty.
Good. I won't have to wait long.
The receptionist looked up from her desk and smiled. 'Hello. Can I help you?'
Wow, thought Alex. She has a beautiful smile.
Alex nodded and gave her the letter.
Her eyes scanned the letter while Alex scanned her perfect face.
She looked up, met his eyes, and somehow managed to crowd even more teeth into her smile. 'I thought I recognized you. I'm so pleased you came, Alex. I'm Jessica.'
How old is she? wondered Alex, the dog thing entirely forgotten. 'Maybe five years older than me? She's absolutely gorgeous. Why haven't I seen her before?'
'Are you new in town?' Alex asked.
She nodded. 'I'm interning for credit toward my degree.'
'You're the dentist?' he asked.
She nodded and picked up some paperwork, smiling again. 'You look worried? It's just a routine checkup. No drilling, I promise.'
'I'm not worried,' said Alex.
'Well, come on then,' she prompted, opening a door.
Alex followed, appreciating how she looked from behind.
She must play sports, he thought. She looks fast on her feet.
He noticed a scar beginning at her hairline and disappearing under her shirt collar. It appeared something hot had either burnt or splashed over her back. Ouch — that looks nasty.
Alex leaned on the reclining dental chair as Jessica fetched a clipboard. He couldn't see the normal tools of dental torture.
'Am I the only patient this morning?’
'The surgery only opened yesterday,' Jessica explained, passing him the clipboard. 'Could you fill this in?'
Alex scanned the paperwork. 'We don't have insurance. I mean, we did, with my Dad's job, but he died. Mom's insurance doesn't cover dental.'
'Just ignore that,' said Jessica, donning a blue dental smock and tying it behind her back.
Alex felt awkward. The room had no windows and suddenly felt too small. This whole thing felt ridiculous.
'You know,' he said, setting aside the clipboard. 'My teeth weren't damaged. My cousin needs free dental work more than me.'
Jessica nodded sympathetically. 'Were his teeth badly damaged?'
Alex hated thinking about it. 'His teeth and gums. My auntie was really happy when she opened your letter. My cousin really needs this, but I'm just wasting your time. Sorry for the bother. I'm going to leave.'
Alex headed for the door, but Jessica grabbed his hand.
She grabbed his hand firmly, almost urgently. The unexpected, intimate contact stopped Alex cold.
Jessica shook her head. 'I can't help your cousin. Another dentist will
do that. One with more experience. I sent you the letter myself. After I read what happened, I wanted to help. I wanted to help you.'
She released his hand. Her eyes looked intensely concerned. She glanced at the door.
She means it, thought Alex. She's really worried I'll leave.
Alex went back and lay down on the dentist's chair.
'Should I take my hoodie off?'
'No,' she answered softly. 'You'll need it.'
Alex made himself comfortable.
Jessica clipped a heart rate monitor to his finger and said, 'Can I ask you a question?'
'You can ask me anything you like.'
'Why didn't you accept the Bravery Award from the Senator?'
The answer came instantly.
'Because nothing that happened that day should be celebrated. I don't want any reminders.'
'But you deserve it.'
Alex was tired of lying. He said, 'I didn't deserve it. I wish I knew you well enough to tell you the truth.'
Jessica studied him in a very peculiar way. She seemed to be assessing him. She said, 'I know exactly how that feels.'
Alex tried to ask what she meant, but at that exact moment a phone rang on the wall.
Jessica jumped. The phone had startled her.
Why is she so nervous? thought Alex.
Jessica answered the phone but only listened. She didn't speak. She didn't even say goodbye.
'Everything all right?' asked Alex as she hung up.
Jessica stared at Alex, giving him that strange feeling again. She looked on the verge of saying something, but she suddenly shook her head and unclipped his heart rate monitor.
'Everything's fine, but your pulse is a bit high. Pop this mask on for a minute. It will make you more comfortable during the examination.'
'I feel fine,' said Alex, waving away the mask.
'Please, Alex.' She looked him straight in the eye. 'I have to do this.'
Alex saw fear in her eyes. He nodded and helped her fit the mask. How can she check my teeth with a plastic mask over my mouth?
Something tumbled from his pocket and clattered to the floor beside the chair. He glanced down.
Oh, shit. My knife just fell out. This looks bad.
He looked to Jessica for her reaction. She quickly put her index finger to her lips in the 'be quiet' gesture.
Alex gave a small nod.
'So you don't have any allergies then?' she asked calmly, as though a concealed weapon hadn't just fallen from his pocket.
'Ah, no,' answered Alex, raising his eyebrow at her. What the fuck is happening here?
Jessica scooped up the knife and pushed it back into his pocket.
Okay, thought Alex. I don't think she's safe. Maybe that's why she didn't want me to leave. Was she being robbed when I arrived? Are they still here listening? Was it them on the phone giving her instructions?
Alex knew these types of places were robbed for drugs all the time.
He looked for a way to write a message, but she'd taken the clipboard.
Jessica opened a first aid box. She rapidly chose items from the box while asking, 'So when did you last visit a dentist?'
She made a swirling hand gesture at him as though Alex should answer normally.
‘Ummmm....I don't know. I guess it's been a few years now. I don't have many problems with my teeth.'
He didn't know what else to say. Obviously she was stalling for time. He improvised. 'So...are you enjoying the internship? Do you think you'll become a full-time dentist?'
What a stupid question!
Alex had a better idea. He pulled out his mobile phone and raised an eyebrow at Jessica.
She shook her head and urgently signaled for him to put the phone back into his pocket. She pushed the medical supplies from the first aid box back into his pocket with the phone.
Why do I need this stuff? Is she hurt?
'Oh, I've learned not to plan too far ahead,' she answered, trying to sound casual. 'This is what I have to do at the moment, but it's not forever.'
Alex stared at her, trying to get some hint of what to do next. She obviously had a plan.
'Now lay back and make yourself comfortable,' she said.
She placed her palm on his shoulder and nodded for him to lie back.
Alex did, reluctantly. He felt vulnerable. He tensed, ready to spring from the chair at her signal. He gripped his knife in his pocket.
She's too terrified to do anything, Alex thought. Maybe I should grab her and make a run for the front door. We'll be safer out on the street.
Jessica opened a gas valve behind Alex.
Hisssssssss
Alex smelled the gas as Jessica leaned down over him.
His last memory was of her warm breath on his ear.
She put her lips close and whispered, 'I'm sorry, Alex. Good luck.'
#
A piercing noise wrenched Alex awake.
Shit — did I fall asleep? I only shut my eyes for a minute.
He was drenched in sweat.
The chamber was practically a sauna.
I should have slept closer to the ice.
The corpses smelled putrid, like week-old road kill.
Sitting up, he winced as sweat trickled down his back. His acid burns flared like a dozen fresh bee stings.
Megan stood a few feet away. Her lean body was slick with sweat.
'How long did I sleep?’
Megan checked her watch.
'Four hours.'
Crack!
‘What’s that noise?’
Megan frowned across the chamber. 'Chrissie is trying to open the chest.'
'My, God, it's hot in here.’
'Take off those long pants,' said Megan.
Alex changed the subject.
'What's she doing now?'
Megan moved slightly. 'She’s looking for something heavy, I think.'
The ice had melted enough for Alex to see the corpses.
He pointed at the bodies. ‘Did she do that?’
Megan nodded.
Chrissie had built a little pyramid of bodies over the Chernobyl lock.
Megan covered her nose. 'That smell makes me sick. Should we roll them back to the ice?'
Alex checked the ice. Their mountain of frozen water had shrunk to a small hill.
Their life support system looked nearly spent.
He shook his head. 'The sun will rise in a few hours.'
'And then this place will kill us,' Megan finished.
'How will it happen?' she asked. 'At the end, I mean. How does heat actually...kill someone?'
'We'll just pass out,' Alex answered. 'We won't feel anything after that. It won’t be horrible.’
Megan passed him the diet Sprite bottle. 'But what actually kills us?'
Alex gulped down the cold water. 'Heat stroke. Like a heart attack. Is Chrissie naked?'
Megan checked. 'No. She's down to her underwear. It’s stuck to her. I need to talk to her now she’s calmed down.'
‘Calmed down?’
Megan nodded. ‘She’s been yelling and throwing things at me. Anything that melted from the ice she threw at me.’
Alex was surprised he’d slept through it all.
He got to his feet. 'Okay.'
Their chain clattered as they approached Chrissie.
Chrissie stood before the chest holding the horseshoe. She turned as they approached. She still wore her big gold chain, but otherwise she might as well have been naked. Drenched in sweat, her underwear was transparent.
'I figured it out,' she declared. 'I understand everything now.'
Megan pointed to the horseshoe. 'You mean the artifacts?'
'Yes,' Chrissie nodded. 'The artifacts and everything else. We weren't kidnapped. We're not being punished. We've been wrong from the start. The answer was right in front of us. This place isn't a prison.'
'What is it then?'
Chrissie waved her arms. 'This is our life raft.'
Chapt
er Thirty
Alex turned to go, but he couldn't.
Damn, this stupid chain.
'A life raft?' asked Megan. 'I don't understand?'
Chrissie pointed at the wall and beyond. 'We're protected in here. Protected from the outside. So are these artifacts.'
'Protected from what?' asked Megan.
Chrissie ran shaking fingers through her knotty hair. 'Something terrible. Something airborne. It must have affected the entire country. Maybe a viral epidemic. Maybe gas. I don't know. Maybe even radiation.'
Megan took a step closer. 'Why do you think that?'
'The masks!' declared Chrissie. 'All your abductors wore masks! They weren't hiding their faces. The masks protected them from the air. Just like this chamber is protecting us now. It was obvious all along.'
'Jessica wasn't wearing a mask when she abducted me,' said Alex.
'Then she's dead,' said Chrissie.
Megan asked, ‘Was your abductor wearing a mask, Chrissie? You haven’t told us anything about it.’
Chrissie paused, looking confused for a moment.
Alex had heard enough. He said, 'So why are they murdering us then, Chrissie? Why fill this chamber with traps if they are saving us?'
'They only need the strongest,' said Chrissie, sounding resolute again. 'The survivors. The traps cull the weak. That's evolution. That's the way it's always been. Only the true survivors could reach this chest. Opening this chest is the end. When we open this, they’ll let us out.'
Alex forgot to mention to Megan that the heat would also torment them with mind games before they died.
Chrissie seemed to be there already.
Chrissie knelt before the chest and gripped the horseshoe. She lifted the horseshoe above her head in both hands, ready to strike down on the lock.
'They gave us food.'
SLAM!
'They gave us water.'
SLAM!
'They gave us shelter.'
SLAM! — chink
The lock sprung open.
Chrissie dropped the horseshoe.
She yanked off the lock and tossed it across the floor. 'They've given us everything we need to survive.'
'Wait!' cried Megan, pointing toward the bodies of Ericsson, Glen, Carl and Victoria. 'What if you're wrong?'
MELT: A Psychological Thriller Page 27
