Earth: Book One (Elemental Series)

by Adams, Taeya

  “You are such a stubborn brat. You don’t realize that you had a good life.”

  Forres turned, fist clenched. “At least you have a family that you remember…,” Forres turned and walked away, leaving Zander staring after her.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 6:10 pm

  They all met the park next to Saint Hopes Hospital.

  By time, Forres and Zander arrived, it was nearly dark. The stars were out and they surround the shiny moon. Its light reflected from every piece of broken glass in New York City. The sun still shone on the other side of New York.

  Felix smiled at them as they came and nudged Zander and said, “Get a kiss?” Felix leaned on his rifle for support.

  Zander looked at him and glared. He kicked the rifle from under Felix. Felix struggled to keep his balance.

  “Forres, are you okay?” Bex asked, ignoring the two guys.

  All the color in Forres’s face had drained away and left her body. Yet she still kept a stern face and stood tall. “I’m fine,” She doesn’t look at anyone.

  “Where will we sleep?” Chyler asked.

  Forres looked at Chyler. And all she saw was pity… probably for sick little her… Forres hated that look more than anything. If she could she would wipe that look from existence… Forres started up the stairs of the hospital, jogging up them to show the others she was fine. At the top of the stairs, she felt nauseous and dizzy but she forced herself to push the feelings and pain aside.

  The others followed her. Zander remained close behind her just in case she passes out.

  Forres pushed open the door and goes in. “Hot water, food, first aid supplies, flashlights, generators and more.”

  “How do you know this?” Max asked.

  “Black out of 2015 and it’s mandatory in all hospitals, just in case…,” Bex answered.

  Forres’ back was to them as she glanced slightly over her shoulder. She took a deep breath, noticing her heart rate was increasing. Sweaty, she goes to the nearest storage and pulled out emergency supplies. Forres grabbed a couple flash lights and threw some to certain people in her group.

  “How do we know it’s safe?” Rayne complained when she doesn’t get a flashlight.

  “We don’t. Not yet,” Forres replied. She started to exit room and they followed. “Felix, Austin, Bex and I will barricade off wing C so no one can get in or out. Then we will search this wing; wing B. Eleanor will go clean Sargent’s tongue. Max and Chyler, build another map,” Forres coughed briefly, but swallowed the blood and resisted urge to cough more. “Rayne and Dean, round up food and water in the cafe then remove the bodies from the kitchen to the nearest room. Also, Dean… soaks a clean cloth in vinegar and then put it on your eye for a while. That should get the black and blue to go away.”

  “What do I do, Boss?” Zander asked.

  Forres goes into a room; her room. The room was designed with a bunch zombie junk. Forres guessed she was a zombie fan. The only thing that wasn’t design with zombie fan was the flat screen TV. Everything else, including movies, books, notebooks, and posters, seemed to have something to do with zombies. “Uh, make yourself useful, Mr. Perfect.”

  “Who put you in charge?” Austin spoke up.

  “Because she has these,” Bex states. She goes a zombie poster that read: “Break for emergency” with a glass case with supplies in it. Bex carefully pulled of the poster to reveal a huge hole. She pulled out a small mat and handed it to Felix before reaching into grab another for Austin.

  They mated look similar to sushi rolls as they began to unroll them.

  “I’m going…,” Forres started, but she felt likes she’s about to fall to the ground.

  “Do you need help?” Zander asked.

  “No,” Yes.

  As if Zander read her mind, he grabbed her head. “Let’s find you medicine.”

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 6:34 pm

  Forres felt halfway between drunk and stoned

  She felt dizzy. Her head was fuzzy and weird. “It’s worst…,” She managed to get out.

  Zander handed her the flashlight and then picked her up in her arms. “Where’s your medicine, Forres?”

  “It worst then the last time… I feel drunk,” She slurred.

  “You sound it… Keep talking Forres. I need you to stay alive,” Zander explained. He goes into a medicine closet. Luckily, it was clear from what Zander can see.

  “I’m sorry for your family,” she said and swung the flashlight around.

  “It’s okay. I need you point the flashlight in the cabinet. Right there, okay?” He guided her hand. “I need you to keep it there…,” Zander scanned the cabinet for Forres Tanner. He whispered each name, “Cassandra Taylor… You should be before her, right?”

  “Hmm!” Forres hummed.

  “Keep talk to me, Forres. Tell me about your past, the stuff you remember of it.” Zander said. He found vials of pills with Forres Tanner on it. He read the description, figuring out how many to give her. “Hang on, Forres,” Zander said. He unscrewed the vial’s lid. He grabbed to pills and hands them to Forres. “Swallow them.”

  Forres took the pills from his hands and put them into her mouth. At first, she didn’t swallow them. Then she accidently swallowed them without meaning to. She closed her eyes, resting her chin on her chest.

  “Forres?” Zander picked up her head and checked her pulse.

  She was alive… Just not conscious…

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 6:47 pm

  Bex rolled out the last sushi like mats after Zander left with Forres

  Eleanor left with Sargent, too.

  Rows and rows of guns and ammo and knives were attached to the mats. “Forres started collect them from a young age. She’s in love with Resident Evil. They used to not work,” Bex explained. She grabbed two shot guns. “Pick what you want except for these,” Bex grabbed two machine guns, both customs made. They’re TDI Kriss Super V Submachine gun and they look identical like the ones Alice used in Resident Evil: Retribution. They were Forres’ favorite guns out of all six movies.

  “Used to not work?” Felix repeated.

  “Forres can fix or make anything.”

  “Shouldn’t you be with her?” Max asked, grabbing a tomahawk. “I mean, you are her best friend. She needs you…”

  Bex twirled a knife in her hand, avoiding any of their eyes. “She’ll be fine. Forres is always fine…,” Bex got up and goes into Forres’ bathroom. She knelt in front of a vent near the toilet as she removed the front. Reaching into the dark hole, Bex found what she is looking for and pulled out a bag before returning to the bedroom. “Forres liked to cosplay a lot of Alice. These are some of the outfits.”

  “Cosplay?” Austin asked.

  “Dress up as someone,” Chyler explained.

  Bex loaded the shot guns and grabbed the shot gun hostler that goes on her back. “You guys heard Forres. Go do what you need to do!”

  The people filed out of the room, leaving Bex alone.

  Alone, Bex closed her eyes, took deep breaths, and stood just as Zander came in with Forres in his arms.

  Zander put wet, unconscious Forres on the crooked bed. “She’s not waking up.”

  Never in Bex’s life had she seen this coming. Her heart dropped to the floor as Zander said those four words. It was worse than saying, “She’s not breathing,” Of course, and then you know she’s dead, and Bex could have closure. However, she had no closure right now. Forres could die or live and it was her own choice.

  Bex stood tall and forced herself to stay positive, refusing to be anything but. “She’ll be fine. Forres is always fine…”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 6:56 pm

  I am dreaming.

  Or am I? I can’t tell the difference.

  “You’re not dreaming… You’re dying,” A familiar voice said. Forres turned on her heels i
n the dark room and saw one light and figure under it; Ben. Forres smiled, walking to him so she can wrap her arms around him. He wasn’t expecting that and yet he was. He hugged her back, taking a deep breath. “Why do you keep coming here?”

  Ben pulled back. To Forres, he looked as handsome as ever: Pale with freckles that scattered around his face, his dirty brown hair a wild mess, and his light brown eyes. Tall and Lean.

  Forres smiled. “I missed you.”

  “You don’t love me,” Ben blurted out. Forres stepped back, a bit bewildered by his statement. He sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I was your first like. The first guy – besides Sargent – that didn’t see you as a sick, little girl. I’ll admit, I do – I did – like you and the flirting was fun but you do not like me. I realized that…”

  Forres opened her mouth to protest. Did she like him?

  “We meet on the same day I died. You can’t possible love someone in little time. I barely knew you… I’m sorry…”

  “Stop saying sorry,” Forres muttered. “I don’t get it. I feel like I love you…”

  “You feel it because you want to. You don’t. You rushed to love me because I was being nice and flirting with you. You don’t love me.”

  “I like you...”

  “And you can but you got to move on. I don’t think I was the only nice guy alive. There has to be more.”

  Forres nodded. “What you said in the store, what did that mean?”

  He raised a brow. “What?”

  “You said ‘if I had listened to my father…’ What does that mean?”

  Ben sighed before starting. “My dad worked for the government and he came across a file he shouldn’t have. The file said something about the domes so he secretly took it home and read it. In the files, it said that there was a Spanish flu in 1918 that brought the dead to life. There was a war we didn’t know about between the dead and the living but the dead won. Meanwhile, we build domes. Scientists tried to find the cure but there was none. Also, it said that one scientist took the infection and did something with it. When he was found, he was dead in the nursery of a hospital and one baby was missing. An empty vial was found next to the scientist’s body. The government waited for an up rise but nothing happened. None of dead was back to life or anything, so they forgot about it and threw the file in a drawer never to be seen.

  My dad fought for the truth,” Ben continued. “He got rebels and fought to know more of the history of the domes. My dad was an inspiring man and got so many people on his side. One day, I came home from work and found him dead. It was ruled as a suicide, but I don’t think it was. The files were gone and so were most of his notes... You believe me?”

  Forres nodded. She wants to know the truth now and questions swarmed in her head like a busy bee hive. She blurted out the question that has been on her mind since the moment Ben died: “Who killed you?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  Silence set in. Forres knew he’s right but she also knew who killed him. She felt it in her gut but deep down she didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to see the ugly truth.

  He added, “Don’t dwell on my death. It’s just a death. I wasn’t that important.”

  A lump formed in Forres’s throat as she looked at his shoes. He was in the same clothes that he wore the day he died: camouflaged pants, sleeveless shirt and combat boots, military wear. “C-could you have seen us together?” Warm tears threatened to fall onto her rosy cheeks.

  Ben smirked. “I’m no photographer, but I can picture us together.”

  Forres laughed, weakly, tears now falling fast down her face.

  “Promise me something,” Forres just made a noise but didn’t look at Ben. He reached down. Finger under her chin, he lightly pushed her head up until their eyes met and locked. “Don’t come back here,” Using his thumb, he brushed the tears on her right cheek. He stopped when Forres reached up and put her hand over his. His palm was on her cheek while his thick, long fingers touched her neck and touched some of her pixie cut, curly hair.

  His touch felt so real. He was warm like always and his hands were soft and smooth, making Forres close her brown eyes. Her fingers goes in-between his fingers, touching her own skin too.

  Without warming, he twisted his hand around and locked fingers with her. With his other hand, he put it on her lower back and pulled her close to him, closing the space in-between them. “Keep your eyes closed,” he quickly added as she started to open them. She quickly closed them, only catching a glance of him.

  She felt all of him: his warmth that tingled through her clothing and into her body, his slow pacing heart against her chest as if he was calm, his warm breath – that makes her shuddered – near her face that smelt like mints, and the smell of vanilla and cigarettes. Still the vanilla over powered the cigarette smell. The smell of him made Forres’ knees go weak only making her lean more into him. He unlocked his hand from her, making Forres whimper and become cold inside, and he reached up and touched Forres’ face.

  “You are so beautiful,” He leaned in and whispered.

  Forres thought he’s about kiss her, but her insecurity kicked in hard drive. “Ben, I’m… not… it’s just…”

  He shushed her. “I happen to think you are very beautiful. Take my compliment because you are. You always will be, no matter your sickness or your size. You are so beautiful to me… Live for me. Win this stupid game and beat the doctor. Use your memories against him. I have faith you can.”

  “Ben,” She said his name, one last time. She didn’t know what else to say. She didn’t remember much of her pitiful past and doesn’t want. She wants all this to be unreal and to wake up in bed with Ben next to her. Then he could hold her and play with her hair until she falls asleep again. But she wouldn’t wake up next to Ben. It was real. He was dead.

  “Forres,” Ben said, leaning closer. His lips were now close to hers. She wanted to feel the softness and warmth of his lips. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to be alive. She didn’t want to go on without him. She wanted to love him.

  But sometimes people don’t get what they want.

  “Wake up, Forres and live.”

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 6:56 pm

  Eleanor was almost done resining Sargent’s tongue when Bex came in.

  “Where are Zander and Forres?” Eleanor heard Chyler ask.

  “They’re fine,” Bex quickly answered.

  “Done,” Eleanor announced. “Does it hurt?” Sargent shrugged. “You don’t know?”

  “I can’t feel anything,” Sargent babbled.

  “What?!” She picked up the flashlight and shined it into his mouth.

  He chuckled. “I can’t feel pain. I was born with a rare disorder called congenital insensitivity.”

  Eleanor ran her hand through her thick, red hair. “Oh my god. You could be in so much pain and you or we don’t even know it.”

  *****

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 7:04 pm

  “How do you know so much about Saint James?” Chyler asked as she watched Max draw up another map. She propped her head up with her hands. She sat across the table from Max.

  Max found chalk in a toy center room and was now drawing on the nearest wall.

  Austin sat with Chyler. He and Felix had barricaded the wing off.

  Max stiffened as he drew, “I, uh, had a crazy mom in there. I went to see her a lot.”

  Austin narrowed his green eyes on Max. “What’s ya‘ll last name?”

  “Why?” Max asked. His jaw tightened in fear and frustration.

  Austin shrugged. “Just trying to get to know you. That’s all.”

  “Why don’t you leave him alone?” Rayne barked at Austin as she brought out can food and drinks. She set them on the table.

  “Why don’t you mind your own business?” Austin spat back.

  Rayne recoiled. She tucked her upper and lower lip in her mouth and goes back into the kitchen. Te
ar threaten to form in her eyes but she resisted the urge.

  “Why don’t you?” Max muttered, loud enough for Austin to hear.

  “Why? Got some demons in your closet ready to break free.”

  Max turned and slammed his hands on the table. Chyler jumped but Austin stayed perfectly still. “Even if I did have demons, you don’t need to know them,” he leaned forward. “Listen, you could die, I could die. Therefore, life is short and you don’t need to know my life story. I’m here to help.”

  “No needs your help.”

  Max chuckled and backed up. “Now how about you tell Chyler that she won’t get her mom,” Austin looked down and bit his lip from talking as Chyler looked at him. “Exactly…,” he turned back to the wall, feeling the great proud of triumph.

  *****

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 7:11 pm

  Forres shot up out of bed.

  Zander stood up from the chair he was in. “Forres, what’s-,”

  She grabbed the blanket and put it over their heads. She cupped her hand over his lips. “Shh…,” she shushed him. “The mad man is watching.”

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Day Two: March 29th, 2020; 7:16

  After gathering the food, Dean and Rayne could find, they worked on the bodies.

  When the last body was gone and in a pile in the corner, Dean took off his gloves and threw them on the pile of dead bodies. “Do you think Forres did this?”

  “I don’t know,” Rayne answered truthfully.

  Dean dug in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette, sticking it in between his lips. He brought the lighter up and finally Rayne noticed.

  “Whoa! Are you trying to kill us?” She swatted the lighter down.

  “What?”

  “You don’t smell the gas?”

  Dean sniffed the air. “Nope. My nose is bad. I got it chewed off by a dog when I was little. Got this scar!” He pointed to the scar on the side of his nose and where goes down under it. It’s faint and blended in, which explains why no one noticed it before.