Then There Was You

by Heather Thurmeier

  Exhale. Aim. Release.

  The man arched his back when the arrow slid between his shoulder blades. As he fell to the ground, Sara ran through the trees to Dane’s side. She paused to make sure the man was dead. The last thing she needed was him springing up when her back was turned, like the crazy serial killers in the slasher movies her brother loved. She kicked his side hard enough to elicit a response should he be alive. Nothing.

  Stepping on his back, she pulled her arrow free. It might be needed later.

  “Dane. Wake up. Oh God, please, wake up.” Sara shook his shoulders. He was slumped on the ground in front of the tree, blood covering almost every inch of him. What if she was too late?

  Had she waited too long to take her shot? Had her hesitation cost Dane his life?

  “Please, don’t leave me. Wake up. Dane, I need you. Wake up.”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks, blurring her vision. He had to be alive. Had to.

  She pressed two fingers against his neck and held her breath, praying she’d feel the bump of his pulse. A tiny twitch thumped beneath her fingertips, followed by another, and another. It was weak, but it was there.

  Dane was still alive.

  She opened her first-aid kit and wet a large, gauze bandage with water. Brushing it against his forehead and cheeks, she hoped the cool water would help rouse him. At the very least, it wiped some of the blood away so she could assess how bad his injuries were.

  Aside from a couple of black eyes and a gash along his jaw, he didn’t look too bad. On the outside, at least. Inside might be a completely different story.

  A moan came from Dane as his lips parted, and he turned away from where she applied pressure to stop the bleeding on his jaw.

  “Ouch,” he said quietly, his voice raspy.

  “You’re okay,” she said, her voice breaking over her tears. “You’re going to be okay.”

  “Sara?” His head snapped forward and he looked around, panic in his eyes. “Watch out. They followed me. There’s still one left.”

  She motioned to her side where the last man, the one she’d found choking Dane, lay face down, unmoving. “It’s okay. They’re all gone. You’re safe.”

  He looked to the side as if to confirm her report then met her gaze again. “You saved me?”

  She nodded. “Looks that way.”

  “You shot him and missed me? How is that possible? You were a terrible shot with a gun.”

  “Thanks.” She laughed then held up her bow. “But I’m a pretty good shot with this.”

  She helped him to his feet. He put his arm around her shoulders while he steadied himself.

  “If you shot him with your bow, where’s the arrow?” he asked.

  She patted the quiver hanging on her back. “I didn’t think he’d need it, so I took it back. You never know when we might be short one arrow otherwise.”

  “I had no idea you could be so cutthroat and gruesome. Have I ever told you how much you amaze me?”

  “I think you may have mentioned it once or twice. Are you well enough to walk the rest of the way? It’s not far.”

  “I’ll manage. Let’s get there before we have to deal with anyone else.”

  Silently, he staggered through the woods beside her for a few minutes. After a while, his steps became more solid and he slipped his arm off her shoulders, grasping her hand instead.

  “Thank you, for coming for me. You shouldn’t have put yourself in danger, but I’m glad you did. I wouldn’t have made it.”

  “I think we’re even on the whole saving-each-other thing now, so how about we stay out of dangerous situations for a while. Deal?”

  “Absolutely. When we find this bunker of yours, can we sleep for a week, then worry about the world again after that?”

  “Totally.”

  When they reached the fire pit, she stopped. The men she’d fought there were gone.

  “What is it?” Dane asked.

  “I was followed by two men. I took them both down, but not permanently. Looks like they got up and wandered off somewhere. I don’t think I have the strength for another ambush.”

  Dane walked around the edge of the fire pit clearing, staying off the dirt. She followed closely behind, not wanting to be out of arm’s range of him again for a long time.

  “I think we’re okay. There’s a blood trail that leads off that way,” he said, pointing back toward the lake and away from the direction they needed to go. “It looks like you made a mess of them and they headed back toward the cabin.”

  “Hopefully they don’t have enough energy to attack us again, either. I’m totally done with fighting for a while. A long while, if possible.”

  Sara led the way up the hill to the area filled with large boulders. They were careful not to leave their own trail of blood for someone to follow. After a few minutes of searching for the right section of rocks, she found the nook she’d been looking for.

  “It’s in here.”

  In a small alcove at the edge of all the rocks sat a huge boulder protruding from the rock face in the side of the hill. She stopped in front of it and ran her hands along the surface. When she felt the tiny, almost imperceptible edge of the control box, she flipped open the cover. A numbered keypad waited.

  “Now that’s something you don’t see every day,” Dane said.

  “If you think this is impressive, wait until you see what it’s like inside.”

  On the outside, it was painted to look and feel exactly like all the other huge rocks in the area. But this one wasn’t what it seemed. She punched a series of digits into the keypad and smiled. A soft click sounded and a portion of the boulder popped inward.

  As she pressed on the section, it opened more, creating a dark passageway into the rock. “After you,” she said to Dane, who wore a stunned expression on his face.

  Sara closed the control panel, making sure it looked perfectly like the boulder again, then followed Dane into the passage. Once inside, she pushed the door closed, sealing them inside.

  She squeezed past him to find a switch on the wall. A few small bulbs flickered to life, leading them down a short hallway.

  Sara’s chest tighten with worry. If her family was here, the lights should’ve been on. She walked into the main area of the bunker and flipped on another set, these ones illuminating the entire living quarters from the ceiling.

  Everything was exactly where it should be. Not a single thing was out of place. The chairs were still neatly tucked in to the edge of the table, the cushions on the small couch perfectly shaped without a crease to be seen. There were no dishes in the sink nor coats hanging on the hooks they’d stuck to the wall. Not a speck of dirt from the outside world on the floors except the stuff they’d brought in on their own shoes.

  “They’re not here,” she said quietly. She checked the rest of the bunker. The sleeping areas all looked undisturbed as well. “We’re the first ones here and it’s been days.”

  “I’m sorry, Sara. I’m sure they’ll be here soon.”

  Or maybe they weren’t coming anymore.

  “I hope you’re right.” Her voice weakened as exhaustion set in. She’d been trying to get there for what felt like forever, with the single thought of getting to see her family. And now they weren’t even here. What if they never came?

  “It’s a lot easier to make a plan than it is to carry it through. They probably had problems along the way just like you did. They’ll be here. Soon. And I know it’s not the same, but I’m here with you now, and I’m not planning on leaving you anytime soon.”

  He was right. She didn’t have any idea where her family was or when they would arrive, but she knew without a doubt they would do whatever they had to, to make it to the bunker. Just like she had.

  With Dane by her side, she could bear the wait for their arrival, no matter how long it took. Sara pressed her lips to his. Even a tiny kiss from him made her head spin.

  “You’ll stay with me after they get here, won’t you? You won’t l
eave me?”

  She was so much stronger than she used to be, and she could handle whatever the world decided to throw at her—but she didn’t want to do it without Dane.

  “I’ll stay here with you forever if you’ll let me.” She melted into his embrace. He kissed her hungrily, as if their very survival depended on it.

  Maybe it did.

  Book Two:

  SURVIVE FOR MY LOVE

  Heather Thurmeier

  Chapter Fourteen

  It had been two weeks since they’d gone underground.

  Sara pulled on a clean tank top and a pair of cargo pants then slid her knife into a hidden holster in her pocket. Despite being buried into the side of a mountain and having a sophisticated air filtration system, it was hot inside the bunker today. And stuffy. And felt smaller than it had the day before.

  Or perhaps restlessness had set in.

  Dane sat at the kitchen table, sipping what appeared to be a coffee.

  “Is there more?” she asked, motioning toward his mug. It was one of the few pleasures she knew she’d miss if the shit ever did hit the fan, so her family had planned ahead and made sure they had ample quantities in their stockpile staples. And thank God they had. She couldn’t imagine waking up in the bunker every day without any comforts of their former world. It was hard enough down here without caffeine withdrawal.

  “I poured you a cup. It’s on the counter. I didn’t want to mess it up again by putting in too much sugar.” He smirked, teasing her.

  So she was particular about her coffee. There were worse things a girl could be.

  A few times he’d been thoughtful enough to make her a cup and attempt to fix it the way she liked. More often than not, he succeeded in making it bitter, with too little sugar, or too sweet, to the point it tasted like syrup. With the scarcity they endured, they didn’t throw anything away. Instead, she’d drunk the concoction he made and tried to appreciate it. There were people on the outside who probably had nothing.

  Two weeks. Two weeks since the first cruise ships had sailed into their ports in New York, Fort Lauderdale, Galveston, and even LA, bringing home passengers and also a virus.

  What the virus was, Sara still didn’t know. The television went off-air within the first twenty-four hours, the radio chimed the same old emergency broadcast message, and they’d done their best to avoid contact with other people. They didn’t have any additional information about the situation topside, other than a mystery virus may or may not have spread to their remote location in the New York Catskills. To find out anything new, they’d have to venture outside and see what the world looked like.

  The thought of opening the door to the bunker terrified her. They’d barely made it inside to begin with, after a run-in with a group of men who were out to take whatever they could. If it hadn’t been for Dane teaching her how to shoot a bow and use a knife, neither of them would’ve made it out of the situation alive. He was still recovering from the beating he’d taken.

  “How’re you feeling today?” she asked, joining him at the table. “Is the stiffness gone?”

  “I feel great, despite what the bruise might indicate otherwise.” Dane rolled his shoulders and stretched his arms above his head then twisted his torso. After bending to each side, he smiled. “Good as new.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Sara picked up a cracker and dipped it into the jar of peanut butter before popping it into her mouth. Not the healthiest breakfast in the world, but she couldn’t complain. She could be eating much worse, or nothing at all. At least this gave her a hearty dose of protein and carbs to get her day started. Today could be a big day. She’d need all the energy she could muster.

  And all the courage, too.

  “If you’re feeling better, then I think we should go out. Get some fresh air.” She waited for his response, already guessing what it would be.

  “Fresh air? As in the possibly-germ-infected fresh air the outside world has to offer?”

  Okay, so his response came out a little angrier than she’d expected. She could deal with it, though. “We’d go in full suits. We have them stashed in a cabinet near the entrance. We wouldn’t exactly be getting the fresh air, or the germs,” she added. “But we would be getting some sunshine. If it’s sunny today.”

  “What’s with the sudden interest for the outside world? Bored of me already?”

  She tapped him playfully on the arm. “No. I’m not bored of you yet.”

  Her mind flickered to the night before, and most nights since they’d been in the bunker, huddled together on the largest cot, keeping each other warm with kisses, touches, and tastes. The memories sent a shot of heat to her belly. Maybe she’d rather stay inside and relive those memories today instead of taking their chances outside.

  Except her family wasn’t here yet and she couldn’t stop herself from wondering why. The thought put the brakes on any desires she might have wanted to pursue. Those could wait until tonight. Taking a first look around at the world outside of their bunker couldn’t.

  Sara sighed. “They should be here already. Forty-eight to seventy-two hours had always been our initial target time for meeting here. It’s been two weeks, and still, not one of them has shown up. They had to go with Plan B.”

  Dane looked up. “There’s a Plan B? Damn, you guys didn’t mess around, did you?”

  She smirked. Her family took being prepared seriously. This hidden bunker, stocked to the hilt with food, supplies, necessities, and comforts was their biggest achievement. But they had others as well. The bunker was Plan A, the place to go if they could get to it. There was also a location closer to where they all lived, but it was less stocked, less protected, and easier for strangers to happen upon. Still better than the average citizen’s plan of nothing. Plans C, D and E also existed, but she hadn’t mentioned those to Dane. Just because she’d fallen in love with him and let him into the bunker didn’t mean she could confess all of her family’s secrets. Maybe soon. But not yet.

  “You have no idea. Anyway, the point is, they should be here, and they aren’t. I can’t live here for the rest of my life and not know what’s going on in the outside world or what’s happened to my family. So, I think we should take a little peek outside and see what’s up.”

  “You think we’ll be safe?” he asked.

  “If we take proper precautions, then yes. I have HAZMAT-style suits we can wear to protect our bodies. And I have full masks to protect us from most airborne pathogens. I think we could walk for miles and be okay with this combination.”

  He nodded, obviously listening but staying silent while he soaked it all in. She continued, knowing he wouldn’t make a decision until he had all the information.

  “We can take a few of our weapons to protect ourselves, and packs with supplies in case something happens and we can’t get into the bunker for a while.” She figured if anything could sway his decision, it would be this next reason. “Maybe we’ll even hunt while we’re up there. The thought of your fresh venison stew makes my mouth water.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “Going right for the path of least resistance, huh?”

  She tilted her head, feigning innocence. “No, I just love your venison.”

  Dane sat back and took a long sip of his coffee. “All right. You’ve convinced me. But if we run into any more thugs like the last ones, then I’m bringing us here right away, even if I have to throw you over my shoulder. Deal?”

  “Deal.” She raised her mug to him as if in a toast. “To finding out what’s on the other side of our door.”

  “And to living long enough to figure out what to do next.”

  ***

  Dane didn’t like their choice at all, but what could he do about it? He knew Sara, somewhat well at least, and if she made up her mind to do something, even something as stupid as going outside, she would damn well do it whether he liked the idea or not. And he most certainly did not.

  Going outside seemed downright suicidal. How good were these HAZMAT suit
s? Would they be protected if they went out there? Hell, they didn’t even know what they were protecting themselves from.

  Sure, it had started out as a virus, but what had it become? How many people had been sickened? How many had been killed? Damn it, they didn’t even know if it spread through water, air, touch, or contaminated food. How on earth were they supposed to defend themselves against something they didn’t understand?

  But Sara would leave, with or without him, so he had no choice but to join her. He’d rather brave the outside with her than let her go alone. He didn’t plan on letting her out of his sight again, ever, if he could help it.

  Dane took one last inventory of his items: suit, mask, gun, knife, bow with quiver of arrows, backpack of supplies, radio, and map. Check.

  “You ready?” he asked, hoping she’d have second thoughts. He wasn’t scared. It just seemed like such a bad idea to give up the safety and security of what they had in the bunker.

  “Absolutely. Are you?” she asked, through her mask. “It’s not too late to stay and hold down the fort.”

  He could tell by the look in her eyes it was a false offer and one she hoped he wouldn’t take her up on.

  “I’m good. Just remember, first sign of trouble and we hightail it back here. No questions. No hesitations. Right?”

  This was the point of no return. If whatever waited for them outside was airborne, they risked the safety of the bunker by opening the door, since an airlock system at the entrance had never been installed. Even with the knowledge, Sara continued. He hoped they wouldn’t be making a huge mistake.

  She nodded then put her hand on the door and twisted the handle, pulling it in toward them.

  Sunlight blinded him as his eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden brightness. He prayed no one had camped out on the other side of the door because if they had, it could take him ten minutes to find them.