Exposing ELE (ELE Series #3)

by Nuckels, Courtney

  We take a seat on the soft grass and watch the clouds float over the water as if it's the best show in the world.

  An hour must pass at least, with how long we sit in silence until Tony speaks. “Can I ask you a question, Willow?”

  “Shoot.” I turn to him.

  He looks at me as if gauging how he should ask this. That can't be a good sign. “Why did Alec and you break up?”

  Not a question I was expecting, but I'm sure it was a question that's been on his mind. “Um... I wasn't really the best girlfriend, you know.”

  Tony lets out a light huff. “I doubt that.”

  I raise my eyebrow. “Seriously, I wasn't. I did some stuff behind his back and I should have trusted him by letting him know what I was doing. I'm not sure why I didn't tell him that I was going to go after my parents or why I didn't just let him come, but I can't really go back in time and fix it. I made the decision and I doubt even if I could go back in time that I would have brought him into that mess.”

  “Why didn't you just apologize?” he asks as if it were that simple.

  “There was more to it. I kept stuff like that from him before in the shelter too. Also, he felt like I was keeping something else from him. I think that was the main reason we broke up.” I bite my lip knowing his next question.

  “What else were you keeping from him?”

  “He thinks I have feelings for someone else,” I say.

  Tony's eyes widen as the truth sets in. “Do you?” he asks a little breathlessly.

  “I think maybe so.” I look away shyly. The truth can be so awkward.

  “Oh,” Tony whispers.

  My eyes dart back to his and I instinctively bite my lip. I wonder what 'oh' means. Good, bad? I quickly say, “Anyhow, I'm not ready to really dive into that right now. I have enough on my plate.” I expect to see some relief in his eyes but instead he looks a little disappointed. That actually makes me feel better, knowing that he likes the fact that I might be feeling something for him.

  Tony stands to his feet and helps me to mine. “Well, if we're going to have anything good to eat tonight we’d better get to work.”

  I give him a smirk. “I don’t really mind having Ramen again,” I playfully suggest.

  Tony gives a small chuckle. “Ramen doesn’t exactly give your body what it needs to function. Come on, I’ll show you how to get a real dinner.”

  I follow Tony through the woods quietly while he sets snares and traps made from string, rocks, and twigs. I watch as he sets them up, one by one. His muscles strain against his shirt, which makes the shirt look like it’s about to lose the battle and rip. Tony catches me staring at his arms and I quickly look away, clearing my throat.

  I follow him as he wanders through the woods that he knows like the back of his hand. He takes me past a few Pine trees to where his favorite blackberry bush is. I taste one and it's perfectly ripe and sweet. We decide to take some back to the cabin with us. My hands get full trying to carry them all, so Tony takes his shirt off and makes a sort of satchel to carry the berries in. When he tries to hand it to me, I don’t notice; I’m too busy trying to figure out if he has a six-pack or a twelve pack. Catching me in a semi-stalkerish moment, he clears his throat. I snap out of it, blushing from head to toe. Embarrassing! I take his shirt and focus on filling it to the brim with blackberries.

  After we’ve picked the bush almost clean, leaving some for the animals, we head over to another clearing where he teaches me about wild greens and what you can and can’t eat. We find Stinging Nettle, Chickweed, Dandelion and Monkey Flowers. I’ve never eaten any of them before so I’m looking forward to this culinary adventure.

  We double back to where Tony set the traps and find a rabbit caught in one of the snares. Tony picks it up by the ears. He must see the look on my face because he says, “Think of it as food, Willow. Not a cute, furry pet.”

  I nod my head but my face still says eeekkk. I stand on the other side of Tony, as far away from little bunny foo foo as I can. It creeps me out knowing what's about to come next.

  Tony sends me with a pail to collect water and directions to the well so I can clean the things we gathered. He tells me that the water line from the well is clogged so I will have to get water the old-fashioned way.

  Tony stays behind to 'prepare' the rabbit. I guess prepare is the nice people word for butcher. My stomach churns a little with the thought. Don't think about it, Willow, I tell myself.

  I locate the well easily. Pushing back the cover, I attach the bucket to the hook at the top and slowly lower it down. It's interesting because I've never had to use a well before for water. I guess this cabin is too far out to be connected to the city water. Retrieving the water turned out to be pretty easy. I squat down next to the well and begin cleaning all of the greens and blackberries we’re having for dinner.

  I keep hearing Tony, up near the house, chopping on a stump. Images in my head of a furry bunny staring back at me from my dinner plate play across my mind. Gross.

  After I’m through cleaning, I gather up everything, along with a clean bucket of water for Tony to clean up his…er…mess. He sees the bucket and smiles, “I wondered when you were coming back. I started worrying you may have fallen into the well.”

  I roll my eyes and hand him the bucket. “I didn’t want to see bunny foo foo chopped to bits, okay?”

  He gives me a sideways grin. “Bunny foo foo?” he asks. It sounds funny coming from him. “You named our dinner?”

  I finally give in and laugh. It does sound pretty ridiculous.

  I head into the house as Tony washes up the blood bath. I find two large bowls, one to put the salad greens in and one to but the blackberries in. I steal a couple berries and put them in my mouth. The sweet, savory juice slides down my throat. Mmm, so good!

  Tony comes through the door with a skewered, butchered rabbit on a long stick. He places the stick in the fireplace on these two ‘legs’ that connect with a crank. He adds a few more logs to the fire and gets a good, strong flame going. “We’ll want to crank that every few minutes or so to keep it from burning.”

  I nod while admiring how self-sufficient Tony is… and his biceps. Shaking my head, I clear the cobwebs and finish the task at hand. I grab a blackberry from the bowl and squat down next to Tony. “Open your mouth and close your eyes,” I say to him. I swallow the knot that’s formed in my throat. My mother used to say that to me when I was little.

  Tony turns towards me and gives me an impish grin. He abides and opens his mouth, keeping his eyes tightly shut. I place the blackberry in his mouth but all I see are his lips. They’re hypnotizing. I move my fingers from his mouth and watch as he bites into the blackberry. His mouth turns up at the corners, “It’s sweet.”

  I break out of my trance when he opens his eyes and I nod my head in agreement. He turns the crank a few more times till the browned side is pointing upwards. Tony is illuminated by the firelight casting beautiful shadows across his face. The glow makes each of his features more prominent and that much more attractive to look at. He turns towards me and I watch his yellow eyes gain depth and meaning. He reaches out and touches the side of my cheek. My eyes instantly close and I revel in his touch. He places a piece of my hair back behind my ears and lets his fingers trace the line of my cheekbone all the way down to my chin.

  I open my eyes at the absence of his touch.

  “You’re so beautiful, Willow.”

  I bite my lower lip.

  He says this in all seriousness and I believe him. Breaking the moment, he stands and holds his hand out to me. I take it and he helps me up. “The salad dressing isn’t going to make itself,” he says aloud.

  “I wish it would,” I say to myself.

  “What?” Tony says, immediately turning around to face me.

  My eyes go round with shock… he just heard that. “Nothing,” I squeak.

  He holds my gaze for a few moments longer. His eyes filled with a silent humor. Then he turns back around t
o assemble the salad.

  I take a long deep breath and run my hands over my face. I’ve got to remember we can do that.

  Tony grabs some oil and vinegar and begins concocting a salad dressing. He puts a pinch of salt and pepper in it and mashes up some blackberry to make a vinaigrette. I guess I’ll add: cook, to the thousand-item list of things Tony can do. I can’t help but wonder if there is anything he can’t do.

  He reaches back under the cabinet and pulls out a jar of sugar. He breaks the seal and sprinkles some on the blackberries. I sit down on the sofa to watch the master at work. If anything, I’m in the way of this one-man show. Tony alternates between cranking the handle on the fireplace, making the salad, and setting the table. I ask him if I can help but he insists that I take it easy. He wants to make dinner for me.

  I must have dozed off for a bit because Tony wakes me by gently shaking my arm. The fire has died down some and it makes me wonder how long I was out. As if knowing what I’m thinking he answers me, “You were only out about half an hour.”

  I nod my head and sit up. Wiping my eyes, I let out a yawn. “It smells good…”

  “Well it should, I made it,” Tony says with confidence.

  I follow him into the dining area where he’s set up two plates… and a candle in the middle. The butterflies flutter in my stomach when it reminds me of that candlelight dinner we shared a while back. Only this time is different. This time not only am I single, but we’re also alone. That ups the ante a bit.

  I go to take a seat and Tony comes up from behind me, pulling out my chair. I sit down and he gracefully helps me scoot forward. He takes a seat and serves both of us our portions. I grab my fork and knife and try out the rabbit first. It’s good; not at all gamey like I thought it would be. The salad is divine and it goes perfectly with it. A girl could sure get used to this kind of cooking! Tony mentions in between bites to save room for dessert.

  After dinner, Tony brings out a dessert of warm blackberries with a sugary crumble mixture on top. It's absolutely ridiculous. I savor every bite.

  We've been mostly silent throughout the meal and I decide to break the rhythm with some conversation. “So, are you going to tell me how you learned to cook?”

  Tony finishes chewing his bite of food before answering. “Surprisingly, I learned from my dad. He went to culinary school in New York. Back when the virus wasn't a threat. He started teaching me the moment I could reach the counter. My mom also loved to bake. That double oven was a gift to her for their fifth wedding anniversary. She said it was one of the best gifts she ever received, with the exception of me.” Tony stares off at the stove, lost in a memory.

  I place my hand over his on the table. “It sounds like your parents were pretty amazing.”

  Tony looks back at me. The pain is still evident. “They were actually. It's hard for me sometimes to connect the past them with the people they turned into after taking that shot.” He looks down at the table and drums his fork against it nervously with his free hand. “I shouldn't admit it but honestly Willow; deep down in my heart I am happy that Dr. Hastings is dead.” He looks back up at me and finishes. “Anyone who had it in their right mind to create a substance that can cause that sort of reaction such as it did with the Reapers, deserves that fate.”

  I take a deep breath. “I wish I could say that I don't agree with you. That taking a life is taking a life no matter what sins they've committed. But, I can't help feeling like the world is just that much safer with him gone.”

  “I agree,” Tony says stoically. “So... this is pretty heavy conversation for our first date.”

  I look at him in surprise. “Oh really? I didn't know this was a date.”

  He gives me a crooked smile that makes him look that much more handsome. “I figure it is if you'd like it to be.”

  I think about it for a few moments. I don't know if I'm ready for dating yet. “Maybe we can call it that. I mean you did cook for me and all. As long as we take things slow, like a sloth crossing the street kind of slow.”

  He laughs at my analogy. “Yeah, that can be a-rr-a-n-g-e-d,” he says in a slow motion voice.

  I slap him on the hand and we both chuckle. We talk more about our childhood while we finish the incredible desert. I go back for seconds, not caring if I look like a glutton.

  After dinner, Tony tells me to sit on the couch. I watch him run up the stairs. He returns a minute later with a six-string guitar in his hand.

  “Oh, you're that guy?” I joke aloud.

  Tony arches his eyebrow. “What kind of guy are you referring to?”

  “You know, the guy who can do everything. Cook, draw, play instruments, kick butt and everything else under the sun. Not only are you unbelievably good looking but you have to have all of this talent too? I feel a little inadequate.”

  Tony smiles and seems to chew on it for a few seconds before he says, “Sometimes I snore, I absolutely loath doing the dishes, I can't sing a note, I have a double cowlick so if I don't keep my hair cut short my hair will stand pitch straight on the back of my head and I don't really like cats. I mean, I love kittens, but cats kind of creep me out.”

  I can't help but grin from ear to ear. “Oh, so there is a chink in all of that armor?” I laugh. “By the way, cats kind of creep me out too. I mean, one second they are loving on you and the next they try to scratch out your eyeballs.”

  Tony laughs. “Yep!” He grins and sits down on the hearth of the fireplace with his guitar on his lap. “So back to your original statement... you think I'm good looking?”

  Duh! He looks extremely hot with his guitar and his messy copper hair. “I think you know very well that the looks decent wagon didn't pass you by.”

  He smiles. “Well, since we are being honest, I have to admit that I think you are so beautiful and sometimes when I look at you, you take my breath away.” He gives me a sobered expression that melts my insides.

  I open my mouth but no words come out. I hold his gaze and then, feeling a little intimidated, I look down at my fingernails. Tony starts strumming the guitar and I sway to the sound of the strings.

  We talk a little more throughout the night and when I start to get sleepy, Tony begins playing his guitar again while I curl up on the couch. I fall asleep to the gentle, strumming lullaby.

  CHAPTER 6 (Changes)

  I can't breathe! The fact that I'm suffocating, pulls me from the dreamy state I was in. My eyes shoot open and my hands flail out. When I recognize Tony on top of me with his hands clenched hard around my neck, my heart starts hammering. The red in his eyes is swirling like torpedoes, going this way and that. His expression is that of someone not fully connected with reality, as he does his best to block off my airway.

  I throw my hands over his and try to pull them away from my neck but no luck; he's much stronger than I am. Stars dance across my eyes as the edge of my vision begins to blur. My lungs beg for air and I try fighting harder. I dig my nails into the skin of his hands. He doesn't flinch. Tears come to my eyes as I realize my time is dwindling down. I can't get him off me and I can't breathe! “Please stop Tony! Please!” I beg.

  His grip loosens a little and I think maybe some part of him deep inside, may have heard my plea. I breathe what little air I can through the small airway he's allowed with his lightened grip. It's barely enough to fill half of my lungs before he tightens down once more. He cocks his head to the side and sneers at me. “What? You don't like this, sugar?”

  The realization that Tony would never in his right mind call me sugar, sends me into full fledge panic mode. I try to kick and claw at him as he squeezes my throat tighter. I swear, I can feel my vocal cords crush from the force. Stars burst forth like fireworks in my vision and a black fog starts rolling in as I continue to struggle with no real momentum, until eventually the whole world turns dark and I drift away.

  ***

  I dart up, sucking in air as if it's going out of style. I look around the dark room, lit only by some dying embers in the f
ireplace. It takes me a few minutes to realize I'm alive and in Tony's living room. When he stirs, I turn and look down at him sleeping peacefully on the couch beside me.

  What was that? A dream? A premonition? I get up, careful not to wake Tony. I make my way over to my backpack in the dark, unzipping it quietly, and grab a flashlight. I take it to the downstairs powder bath and shine it just enough to see my eyes in the mirror. They are the color of a copper penny. My heart starts beating double time as I realize that what I just went through was no dream. It's about to become a reality. I push a shaky hand through my hair.

  I can't let that happen. I've never tried to change a future outcome, but I have to now! I take the flashlight and place it back inside my bag. I quietly grab my pistol from the front pocket and do my best to load a round in the chamber without waking him, and then I make my way back to the couch. I sit down on the floor facing Tony, placing the gun on the floor aimed away from me.

  Closing my eyes, I focus my healing abilities. I have to heal Tony. I can't let this happen to him or to me. I place my hands gently on his chest and concentrate. I can feel a small current running from me into him. I stay there for what seems to be at least a half an hour focused completely on healing Tony.

  Eventually he stirs some more and opens his eyes. He seems startled to see me sitting over him. He sits up on his elbow and my hands fall down to my knees. I feel too tired to do much of anything else with them.

  “Willow? Are you okay?” he asks.

  I blink a few times and then nod. “Couldn't sleep.” I search his eyes for any sign of the red torpedoes but all I see is the beautiful neon yellow. Maybe it worked, I think to myself as my eyelids become heavy.

  “You need to get some rest, Willow. The sun isn't even out.” He pats the couch next to him and I second-guess whether the healing worked. “I'm not going to bite,” Tony jokes, not knowing how scary his humor is after I just had that premonition.

  Not sure what else to do, I slide onto the couch in front of him. I pull the gun towards me so it's sitting just beneath the sofa, within my reach.