by Shelly Crane
I decided to be truthful.
“Yes.”
“No.” He took my glass from me, setting it somewhere behind him and then turned me to look at him full on, his hands still on my shoulders. “For one thing, your kissing stands on it’s own without any help from my fantasies. Believe me.”
“Ok,” I answered, not sure if I believed him yet, or where he was going with it.
“Second thing, you are a gorgeous creature. I was lucky to be the one kissing you in here tonight.”
I wanted to roll my eyes at him but he was dead serious.
“Third.” I realized, he had a penchant for numbered list. “I have to get over Sherry. I know that. What better way to do that, than be here with you and only you.” He must have seen my brow crinkle because he held up his hand and continued. “I’m not saying we’re an item or anything, don’t run for the door, honey, ok. I’m just saying...you’re sweet and fun and beautiful. I want to get to know you more. That’s all.”
I relaxed at his words.
“That sounds perfect,” I said.
He smiled, then I smiled and I even welcomed the tentative hand on my waist he used to steady himself as he leaned back to get our drinks from the table.
Then we heard the PA system blare a sharp whistle and all went silent as the conversations halted. Cain whispered that the rally must be about to start.
I took a flyer from a cute young blonde teenage girl passing them out. Cain didn’t even glance up at her, which gave me a boost of confidence. I read the flyer and it stated the same thing as the flyer above the stage basically. That we would be nowhere without our leadership and need to bow down to the new Taker. Course they don’t call him that. They call him savior.
Sickening.
It said his name was Malachi and he would be residing in the former mayors house not far from here. I showed it to Cain and he read it over my shoulder.
“Dang,” he whispered. “That’s the same place the last once lived. Or headquartered anyway. That’s where we had to go to get Lily and Calvin.”
I remembered the story and gasp.
“Why is he here, so close? What’s here that would make him stay here out of all places?”
“I’m afraid to ask. Sherry probably.”
“Oh, no. I forgot about that. You think?”
“Don’t know any other reason. Maybe because they have such a big following here. It’s huge here compared to other areas.”
“Hmm.”
I thought about what he said. I looked around and watched the others. I could see a Lighter, no two Lighters in the back and it made my skin scrawl to think about them being so close. How hard was it for them to be here in a room full of humans and not want to kill us. Course, they probably did want to.
A man took the stage. He must be an enforcer or something. Never saw one before. I listened intently as did Cain.
“Welcome! Welcome! We are so pleased that you could come tonight. I know you are enjoying yourself and we’ll let you get back to it but first, we want to make sure you understand and know who to thank, not only for this party, but for your freedom as well. Malachi is not only a savior but he’s a leader. A leader who has suffered just like the rest of us but had now has the political power to end our suffering. The Keepers may hold our moon hostage, but they will not hold us!”
His crescendo was perfect for the full effect and let the crowd scream in acceptance. They gave people who had testimonies a chance to speak. And they did, by the piles. We stood there for almost forty five minutes just listening to their stories.
Finally the man was escorted away by the Lighters and the rally ended. They cranked the music back up and the dance floor filled quickly. I glanced at my watch, it was 12:45.
“We’re gonna have to leave soon,” she stated and bit her lip.
“Yep. I was just thinking that. But you owe me a last dance, remember?”
“Yes, I do. And I’m happy to do it. I’ve had a lot of fun. So much more than I thought possible in the circumstances. I know I won’t get to do this again so... thanks, Cain.”
“It was my pleasure, lovely,” he said and kissed the backs of my fingers before taking me to the dance floor.
Keane was playing. I couldn’t remember the name of the song but pretty soon it didn’t matter. Cain had been waiting for a slow song to come on so he could play the ‘last song’ card on me. I knew it. He knew I knew it. It still didn’t matter.
He once again wrapped my arms around his neck and placed his hands on my hips. He swayed me slowly, I let him lead me easily. The song was sweet and melodious. He was an incredible dancer and a great lead. He didn’t jostle me around, he pushed and pulled with the right amount of force to smoothly transition in the steps and sways.
“You really got the hang of this tonight,” he said, his breath on my ear and neck as he talked over the music.
“Thanks. You’re a good lead.”
“What?” he asked and I had to lean in more.
“I said you’re a good lead.”
“Oh. Thanks. My mom made me take lessons when I was in middle school.”
“Really? Awww. How cute,” I said and smiled to goad him jokingly.
“Ah no. Not cute. Torturous. But I guess it paid off in the end. I got you to dance with me,” he said and winked.
I felt myself blush and tried to breath it off.
“Yep. Definitely paid off. I think she’d be proud if she were here.”
I meant it as a joke but my voice dropped to almost a whisper when I said it. He looked at me for a moment then spoke. I didn’t know where his family was or what happened to them.
“I doubt that. She wanted me to be a lawyer. Fight crime from the inside not with guns. She wasn’t exactly happy with me for joining the military.”
“Really? Did you have a good relationship with her before that?”
“Yeah- well, no. But she uh...” he looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat. “she killed herself when my dad left her and I joined up. Then my dad kinda got a little... messed up after that. He died the next year.”
I understood what he meant.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“I know, I guess. It just sucks not being there for her. She thought we abandoned her. I couldn’t leave Afghanistan and my dad... Well, I won’t poison those delicate ears of yours with foul language so let’s just call him an ass, as in a donkey.”
I laughed and he seemed like he was in a lighter mood and I was glad. I was sorry to bring up a sore subject.
“Well, thanks for the consideration.”
“So, anyway. And now I work at a diner.” He laughed. “My moms whole ambition was for me to be some rich lawyer and I serve coffee to truckers and townies.”
“Well, a diner is kinda like a courtroom,” I teased.
“Ha ha ha.” He tickled my ribs, as I am so ticklish, and grabbed me up when I squirmed laughing into his shoulder. “You’re a funny girl.”
“Well my mom wanted me to be a preacher so, you get no sympathy from me. She was very disappointed in my homemaker lifestyle.”
“Wow. Well, you got me beat on that one. Why did she want that?”
“My dad was a preacher.” He looked slightly shocked so I changed the subject. “So, how old are you anyway?”
“Twenty six.”
“That’s not too bad. Mitchell is thirty nine ya know.”
“What? That’s ancient! And you’re twenty one? He’s a grandpa!”
“No he’s-” I stopped. “We aren’t supposed to be talking about them.” I made a motion of zipping my lips. “You’ll have to keep reminding me.”
“I got no problem with that, lovely. Now how exactly should I keep you’re mind off of it?” he asked and ran a finger down my cheek. “Man, you’re skin is so soft,” he whispered against my other cheek.
I was frozen in his arms as he continued to sway us even though I stayed silent.
All too soon the song ended and he reluctantly released me and s
tepped back.
“Ready to get out of here?” he asked.
“Not really. But yeah,” I answered.
We grabbed two of everything that was free on our way out. We had t-shirts, mugs, stickers, posters, hand held fans, buttons, even car air fresheners. Everything with the Taker on them. Not like we’d use it but we needed to look enthusiastic and also, these things might come in handy for future scouting and spying.
We drove home and talked about nothing and everything. The best part was that he didn’t once mention Sherry and I didn’t once think about Michael. Not Mitchell either.
Maybe I should have thought about him though, as Cain played with my fingers on the middle seat between us, I wasn’t bold enough to scoot myself in the middle, and we chatted about past jobs and favorite bands. He told me all about his military stint.
Whatever happened, I refused to feel guilty. I was young and the world was ending. I should have a few inches of running room.
As we pulled into the store parking lot, seven minutes until 2:00 a.m., he parked us under the awning at the back shed. It was so dark out and I was a little freaked. I looked around warily.
He grabbed a big black flashlight from behind the seat and pulled me out the drivers side behind him and then shut the door. We didn’t walk yet. He was looking at me. An intense way that made me forget all about being scared of the dark.
“Lillian? Would you mind if, since we aren’t inside yet, technically we’re still party friends, right?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“And you had fun being old friends tonight, right?”
“Yeah. Absolutely.”
“And drunken party friends can still kiss, right?”
I heard my breath catch and I fought to steady my voice.
“We’re not drunk.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” he breathed.
I licked my lips again subconsciously and once again regretted it as I saw his eyes watching me intently. He probably thinks I’m doing it on purpose to taunt him.
“Um.”
He didn’t give me a chance to answer but I didn’t push him away. Oh goodness. He was sooo good at this.
This kiss was even more skillful, if possible, than the first. More intent was involved. He pushed me gently against the truck side and pressed me there, we were still under the cover of the shed. His hand was in my hair, massaging the back of my scalp and playing with and rubbing the curls that had turned flat from Celeste’s earlier makeover.
My hands had no where to go but his hips. Extremely lean compared to his muscular shoulders. He was gentle but I could tell he wanted more. He was probably used to getting more from girls back in his day, before all this.
I let him kiss me for as long as I could take it. When I felt my breaths coming so shallow it was unbearable I pulled back and gasped out my breaths. He laid his forehead on mine and sighed.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “My lovely, you are just too incredible to resist.”
“Well.” I chuckled breathlessly. “I think we better go inside. Before I don’t ever want to go back.”
He laughed and looked up at me ruefully.
“If only that were true.”
“It kind of is. I had fun. Thank you. Anytime you need another accomplice, you know where to find me.”
“You got it, babe,” he said softly and my heart flipped so big and loud, I was sure he could tell, but he just watched me with a look of...what?
Wonder? Amazement? Maybe he thought I had been too far gone with Mitchell already and now...
“Alright you. Ready?” he asked as he pushed off the truck and me.
“Ready.”
He held my hand as we walked back. Our fingers laced, his other hand holding the flashlight, guiding our path. As we got closer to the back door, I started to see some dark spots in the tan sand that we stepped on.
“Cain. What is that?”
We looked closely. The sand had footprints everywhere and those dark spots. I gasp.
“It’s blood,” he growled anxiously.
He pulled me faster to the door and locked it behind us. He knocked and when they let us in I knew something was really wrong.
Sherry, was still up. Everyone was up. What in the world? And they were crying, some were furious.
“Lillian,” Sherry started then, stopped to take a breath and stifle what looked like tears about to come. “Lillian. Mitchell...”
Cain still had my hand and was standing next to me. I felt his fingers tighten on mine.
“What is it, Sherry,” he asked her but stayed where he was.
I thought for sure with the way she was so distraught he would have went to her immediately. But he stayed by me and held my hand tight.
“Aaron and Mitchell. They...” she tried again but stopped again.
Merrick came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Lillian,” Merrick said to me. “We had a run in tonight. Mitchell... Mitchell’s dead. I’m very sorry.”
Sherry pulled herself away from Merrick and hugged me tightly.
“I’m so sorry, Lillian,” she said and pulled back quickly to retreat to Merrick’s arms.
“Honey, Lily’s up,” he said glancing over his shoulder and patting her back. “Lillian, I’m sorry,” he said softly and glanced quickly at Cain before leading Sherry away.
Cain immediately turned to hug me to him, pressing my face into his neck and whispering in my ear while his arms encircled me, but I could only make out half of what he said.
“Lillian, I’m so sorry...let me take you to...some rest...we’ll talk...get you some water?...sweetheart, talk to...be alright?”
Then I couldn’t hear him anymore. I was numb and frozen.
Mitchell, my best friend, was dead.
I was out partying and kissing another guy, knowing how he felt about me, and he was here, dying.
Mitchell was dead.
Only In Dreams
Chapter 17 - Sherry
I picked Lily up and hugged her to me as she ran from her room in her long t-shirt with pink and purple hearts. Everyone was upset and she woke up in all the commotion.
“Shawwy. What’s wong? Why you cwying?”
I didn’t realize I was.
“It’s ok, baby. Let’s get you back to bed.”
As I slipped her through the crowd, holding her head to my shoulder so she didn’t see the bloodied and bruised people all around, I turned just once to look at Lillian.
Cain was just then sweeping her up, off her feet into his arms and taking her towards her hall. She laid limp in his arms and his grim gaze met mine for a few seconds before I passed into Lily’s room.
“Lily. We have a lot of work to do tonight. You might here some noises but everything is ok. I want you to stay in bed, ok? Promise me.”
“I pwomise,” she said as she swiped her hair back from her face.
I pulled the hair band I had on my wrist off. I had forgotten to put her hair up before bed. I twisted up a quick ponytail for her and she laid down, searching sleepily for her doll. I put it in her grasp and slid out quietly.
Then I practically ran to Lillian’s hall, I knew her room was on it somewhere, though I still didn’t know exactly which one.
I found Cain in the hall, creeping out of a room, closing the door.
“Cain,” I whisper.
He straightened and immediately pulled me in for a tight hug and spoke into my hair.
“Are you alright? What the- What happened, Sherry?”
I explained everything to him, just as Merrick had told me what happened when they finally came back down that hatch.
“The Lighters were here. They tricked Margo into ringing the bell and sending some of us out. The Keepers. They were outnumbered.” I started to cry again and we slumped to the floor in the hall.
My heart ached for my gruff rescuer Aaron, who thought he saved me from Merrick that day in the yard, and poor Mitchell.
�
��Go on, Sherry. What happened?” Cain said as he rubbed my arm.
“It was just like that day, when we went to the cave. Markers everywhere. They called the other Keepers to come help and left one to stay with us and told us to hide in the storage room. That’s when we knew it was bad,” I choked on a sob. “So we ran out to help, all of us, well- all of them. Of course I wasn’t allowed to go. I never am,” I said and could practically taste the bitterness, but I knew it was just the anger talking. “So, Danny and the rest of them ran out to help but the Lighters took Aaron out first thing and a Marker got Mitchell not long after. They eventually cut all the Lighters down and either killed or ran off the Markers. They were out there for an eternity it felt like. Everyone else is ok just a little...banged up. Margo is still locked in the bathroom in the store. She refuses to come out. Celeste has been up there with her since they got back in, trying to coax her out.”
“Oh man. If I’d been here, I could have helped,” Cain said and leaned his head back on the wall.
“No. You would’ve just gotten hurt too. How’s Lillian?”
“She’s in shock. She won’t talk.”
“It’s gotta be hard on her. To loose two people she cared about back to back like that.”
“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “I’ll stay with her.”
“Ok. I gotta go check on people. A few need stitches and stuff like that, including Merrick.”
“Ok. I’m glad Merrick made it. And Danny. I’m glad they’re ok.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you weren’t here though. And I’m glad Lillian wasn’t here either. This will probably sound stupid after all that but...how did it go tonight? Find anything useful?”
“It was fine. We got some things to give the Keepers to look at. Everything went fine,” he said softly and sat staring at the wall in front of us.
“Are you ok?” I ask, knowing none of us are.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. I feel guilty.”
“Cain, you couldn’t have-”
“I was having fun, Sherry.” He cut me off briskly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We danced, we were laughing, we talked, we kis-” he tried to cut it off but it was too late.
“You kissed?” I asked softly, thinking back to what Lillian had said about liking Mitchell and feeling some confusion.
