The compound had been a diamond in the rough when the two dozen original founders of Sanctuary had come across it. The mountain woodlands were remote and secluded from heavy populations of infected and raiders alike, making it an ideal place to try and live. The abandoned compound and small town that had been built for all the workers and their families had made the perfect start.
With the equipment and building supplies that had been left behind, the wall had been built around the whole of Sanctuary, leaving only one way in through the southern gate, though rumors said escape tunnels had been dug, but none had ever been found.
The wall was impressive by rights. It stood thirty feet high and was two feet thick in most places, with an eight-foot walkway that encompassed nearly the whole thing. It was made mostly from thick lumber, steel plates, and a cement, stone mixed base. After nearly three decades, repairs happened almost monthly to ensure the impressive structure remained ever the beacon of safety to those who resided within.
Auska worked her way through the maze of housing containers to her own near the back of the compound. Just over a year ago, she had finally been permitted to move out of the unit she had shared with Vincent and Kelli since nearly the day they arrived. Housing was sparse but due to her job undertaking in the Eighth and the long hard hours she often had to work at all hours of the day and night, she had been granted her own unit. That and the older couple that had lived there had frozen to death last winter, due to the horrible cold snap they had gotten.
At the time she had been annoyed that she had gotten a bottom unit, the view from the top looked over the wall and was breathtaking during the sunrise or sunset. But as time wore on, she was glad to be on the bottom; it was easier for her to sneak in and out of without alerting the neighbors of her coming and goings.
Auska pulled off her boots, undressed and poured some water into her washbowl and quickly scrubbed the last several days’ worth of dirt and grime off her slender, firm body. Tossing on a nightshirt she fell onto her pallet bed, which was softer than most due to the several animal hides she had smuggled in to use as a mattress.
Her thoughts went back to what she had heard. Jennifer’s younger brother was one of the people who fell ill and was going to die. The whole reason for tomorrow night’s excursion was in hopes Jen could steal enough supplies to bribe the doctor to take better care of her brother. No amount of bribery would save him now.
Should she tell her about what she had heard? Auska quickly dismissed the thought. She would find out soon enough and it wasn’t her problem. Besides, if she told Jennifer then she might abandon the attack, seeing no point to it now. Auska was too interested in what might be there to lose out on this opportunity.
She closed her eyes and sleep quickly took her…
…her eyes shot open as an unnatural feeling of falling washed over her, yet she was standing perfectly still though no ground could be seen beneath her. All around her was an empty ancient fog. No breeze could be felt and yet it swirled and danced around her, caressing her skin in a disturbing yet familiar way.
“Where the hell am I?” she called out, her voice getting lost within the emptiness as she turned around to see if anything changed. “What is this place? What the fuck is going on? Where am I? Hello!”
Auska started walking, but no matter which direction she went nothing seemed to move or alter. She tried running, and though she could feel her muscle moving, her blood pumping, her breathing increasing, nothing around her moved.
“I must be dreaming, none of this is real,” she growled, finally giving up and stopping.
She closed her eyes tightly. “Wake up, wake up you idiot!” she pleaded with herself, which she found strange. She was in no danger as far as she knew, no discomfort, no anything and yet all she wanted was to not be here. Something about it made her uneasy.
“You will wake up when it’s time to wake up and not a moment before,” a familiar, long lost voice said behind her.
Her heart cramped in her chest at the sound and she spun around, eyes wide open, “Archer?” There he stood, but where there had once been fog was a wooded clearing, with tall waving grasses and wildflowers, a place she remembered far too vividly. “This can’t be real, you’re… you’re dead…”
Archer rolled his eyes. “Of course, I am dead, and this isn’t real, and yet here I am standing before you.”
“Am I dead, too?”
He stepped forward and his hand lashed out, slapping her across the face firmly. “Did you feel that?”
Auska had seen the attack coming but hadn’t the wit to move and the sting of the slap was somehow reassuring. “Yes.” She rubbed her face.
“Then you’re not dead. Not yet anyway.”
His tone was hard and patronizing just like it had always been. She smiled girlishly and finally stepped forward and threw her arms around him, surprised that it truly felt like he was there in her arms. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“You’ve gotten soft, kid, I’m not even real.” He grumbled, but his arms folded around her in return anyway.
Finally, she pushed herself away and looked at him, wiping the fresh tears from her eyes. “What is this place? Why am I here?”
“It’s a dream, and you and I are here because you wanted it.”
Auska’s face screwed up. “I have wanted to dream like this since the day you died. Never have I been able to. Why now?”
“How the hell should I know, kid,” he replied. “Maybe you need to now. Maybe this is your way of working through the things bothering you in your life now.”
“Why this place?” she whispered looking around. Everything was exactly as she remembered. “Why the place I lost you? The place that hurts the most?”
Archer shrugged and looked around, his eyes stopping at the place his body should have been. “Not sure. Maybe because this is the greatest emotional moment between us, and so it was the only place your mind could pull us together like this? It’s your dream, not mine.”
“But why now and never before, when I was a girl?” she pleaded for an answer. “I needed you far more then than I do now.”
“Are you sure about that?” he said, but it was more of a statement than a question.
“I don’t understand.”
Blood formed around the corners of Archer’s mouth; a thin line slowly dripped down his chin. “I have to go now, kid,” the line of blood thickened.
“No!” Auska protested stepping closer, but for every step she took closer, he seemed to move further away. “No, this is my dream and I’m not ready for it to end yet!”
“Some things are in your power,” he said as his form started to fade away, “and some things aren’t.”
Morning came far too early for Auska’s liking. Her body protested the hard exertion she had put it through the night before. Staring up at the roof of her apartment she wondered if she should just roll over and go back to sleep. The rumble in her stomach forced her hand. If she was doing anything tonight, she needed to eat and have her strength and wits about her.
As she stood in line to be served breakfast, she went over every detail she could remember of last night’s vivid dream. It had felt so real, like nothing she had ever experienced before, yet it had only been a dream, a bittersweet dream that she had awoken from in tears or both joy and sadness. She had prayed, wished and begged for dreams such as those for years after he had died, and never more than regular glimpses or playbacks had she ever received.
The next two days were the Eighth’s off days, where another Division took their place on patrol in search of much-needed supplies and keeping the infected population thinned close to home. She had noted on the schedule that none of the patrols would be going anywhere near where Jennifer saw the men and supplies, which was good news for them; no one would happen upon it before they had a chance to get there.
The line seemed to move slowly as Vincent and Kelli dished helpings of scrambled eggs and hash browns to each person. Auska kept her eyes down
cast, not wishing to make eye contact or conversation with either of them. Last night’s fight still had her blood simmering and she was not ready or willing to forgive them yet. But her wish was short-lived.
“Morning, Auska,” Vincent said cheerfully, his tone hinting at nothing from the previous night, yet his eyes searched desperately for amnesty.
She tried to pretend she didn’t hear him and held out her plate, not making eye contact, knowing full well how stupid this must look to anyone paying any attention.
“I’m not going to give you anything until you look at me,” Vincent told her, matter of factly.
Auska rolled her eyes and did her best to suppress a sneer. “Are you happy now, I’ve made eye contact. Now can I have my food?”
Vincent leaned closer to her and kept his voice low. “Come and see me later. We should talk after last night, and hopefully more calmly and without flying fists.”
“I have nothing to say to either of you right now.” Auska pushed her plate forward more aggressively, hoping that would be the end of this.
“Well, we have things to say to you,” Vincent said remorsefully, looking over to Kelli who merely shrugged with indifference.
Auska’s eye flashed with fresh anger. “Oh, she’s said enough already and if she says more, she’ll have more than just a sore jaw next time!”
Vincent was about to say something else when Jennifer butted her way behind Auska, completely ignoring the mutters of complaints behind her.
“There you are,” Jennifer beamed energetically, her ice-blue eyes dancing with life, “I’ve been looking for you all morning.” She pushed her plate out to Vincent. “Got something to talk to you about.”
Vincent sighed, knowing the moment was lost and filled both their plates. “We will catch up later okay, Auska.”
Without a word, Auska turned away and went for the furthest table away from anyone else, with Jennifer right behind her.
“Still fighting with the folks…erm… the kitchen staff?”
Auska dropped her tray down at on the stained table and sat. “What do you want?”
Jennifer sat across from her. “Well, good morning to you, too, sunshine.”
“I’m not much of a morning person,” Auska replied digging into her eggs, “nor a people person, anytime.”
“Oh, as if the whole compound didn’t already know that little bit of information.” Jennifer grinned starting in on her own food. “But I have something important I need to talk to you about,” she leaned in closer, “about tonight.”
“What else would it have been about? Getting together and doing each other’s hair and nails?” Auska grumbled back more venomous then even she had intended, but her mood had soured further.
Jennifer nearly choked on her food trying to suppress her laugh. “Someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” She wiped her mouth. “You seem to have more bite than normal. Must be something really bad between you and your folks.”
“They’re not my folks.”
“Right, right, we covered that last night, didn’t we? Though that’s not a bad idea,” Jennifer said staring at Auska.
“What’s not a bad idea?” Auska asked confused.
“Getting together to do each other’s hair and nails. You clearly need to do something with that mop of yours and judging by the look of your hands I am sure you’ve never had a manicure in your life. I bet I could make them look so pretty, maybe even as pretty as mine.” The taller girl grinned nearly ear to ear.
Auska just shook her head and kept eating, wondering if she just ignored her, if she would go away.
“Oh fine, I’ll get to the point, but you know you really need to lighten up a bit, I’m just trying to be your friend.”
“I don’t need any friends,” Auska replied sharply, “now out with it.”
Now Jennifer’s face grew serious. “I was hoping you’d lend us the use of a few of your guns or other weapons for tonight. It’d make things a little safer if we were all packing a bit of firepower.”
Auska’s face screwed up. “What makes you think I have anything like that?”
“Come on, don’t give me that shit. A badass like you has got some heat stashed. Besides, I heard the gunshot the other day. The others were too far away but I wasn’t and that wasn’t the sound of that handgun they let you use when out. That was a rifle shot.”
“Could have been anyone that might have been out there.”
“Except it wasn’t, it was you,” Jennifer pressed. “Look, I’m not stupid, nor am I a snitch, and if we are gonna pull this off we should use all the advantages we can. Plus, if you help with this, you can have the first pick of any weapons there.”
The offer was a good one, not that Auska didn’t already intend to do just that. But not having to argue and have ill feelings from others who might betray her at some point was a comforting thought. “I don’t have enough firepower for all four of us, at least not in the way of guns and ammo. Is there anything you can bring to this table?”
“Old Harris has a revolver stashed between his container and the one above him. But it’s only got three bullets in it, and they are looking worse for wear, so I don’t know if they’d even fire.”
“Better to have it, even if only one of the shots fires it might mean the difference between life or death.”
Jennifer’s face turned grave. “You don’t actually think things will work against us, do you?”
Auska finished her food and pushed the plate aside. “Yes, I do. But I always assume the worst and hope for the best. It’s how you stay alive out there.”
Pushing her half-eaten food away Jennifer asked, “So, what do we do if things do turn sour?”
Auska grabbed the taller girl’s plate and finished it off before she could protest. “We run and fast, or at least those of us that are still alive do so.”
Jennifer leaned back in the chair. “I was afraid of that.”
The day wore on slowly, and Auska found herself back in her quarters, resting at her crudely built cinder block and plywood desk. Most of her weapons stash was out beyond the walls, for several things she possessed she wasn’t authorized to have and they would have been confiscated.
She honed her two knives and her throwing hatchet. Grinning, she put the final edge on the axe. By design it had been just a regular hatchet when she had been given it, to help cut through the undergrowth when scouting. But over the course of several months, she had altered its handle and head and found a way to create a balance. Now she could hit a foot round target from twenty feet away almost regularly, after countless hours of practice. She often drew a few spectators from the different Division squads and, while she hated the attention, she had to admit the praise and clapping when she began to score hit after hit felt good.
Flipping it between her hands she took a few practice swings and blocks, getting her arms used to the weight and feel. She had never actually used the weapon in the field yet and she hoped tonight she wouldn’t either. Not that she was afraid of a fight, but still hoped to manage without one.
“If we don’t have to fire a single shot tonight that wouldn’t hurt my feelings at all.” She muttered, putting the axe down on her desk. But she knew the reality of that hope wasn’t very likely. These would be hard men, killers, murderers, and raiders. People that wouldn’t hesitate to kill or worse. Auska’s biggest hope was that Jennifer’s numbers were correct. If there were only three to four guards, then it should be a simple enough task to take them out quickly and quietly if their guard was down.
But there was another issue with the plan: Jennifer she could trust, knowing the taller girl was well trained, and even had tasted some action against infected and a few raiders before; Matt and Ross she knew little about but knew neither of them had any real experience. Matt had basic training like all scouts in a Division, but that didn’t mean he would use it or could use it when the time came. Killing infected was easy; killing people… that took something else. Matt had spent hi
s whole life in Sanctuary; he was soft to the real world outside. And Ross? She knew next to nothing, which made him even more of a dangerous variable.
A loud knocking on her door pulled her from her thoughts. She cursed inwardly, knowing whose knock it was. If I just stay silent maybe they’ll go away... that thought was quickly dashed.
“Auska, I know you are in there,” Vincent called out. “Please open the door, we need to talk.”
Cursing, she pulled the latch and slid the door open. “I really don’t have it in me to do this shit right now.”
Vincent stepped in and closed the door; his eyes surveyed the weapons on the desk. “Preparing for something?”
“Every moment that I can,” she countered. “Preparation is the key to survival.”
“I know, I know.” Vincent rubbed at his face and leaned against the cool, metal wall. “Barry told me a while back that you were quite good with that axe. Told me he won a few good pieces on wagers while you were practicing.”
“Well, I guess I should tell him to give me a cut. Either that or I’ll start missing on purpose.”
“He also told me you’re one of the best forward scouts he’s ever seen.”
Auska rolled her eyes, though the compliment wasn’t lost on her. “He’s only a handful of years older than me, so it’s not like he’s seen much to compare.”
Vincent ignored the retort. “But he also told me some other things. Things that worry me and Kelli about your behavior out there, and the risks you take.”
Again, her eyes flashed with annoyance. “Well, I’m twenty-one now and not even your kid, so you needn’t worry about me and what I do any longer. That burden can be lifted from your weighed-down shoulders and forgotten.”
“Goddamn it, Auska, don’t do this again,” Vincent pleaded. “You know damn well we care about you. No, you’re not our kid, but out there we went through hell and back to get here.” He threw up his arms. “And shit even here hasn’t been all we had hoped it would be! But we did it together, as a family, even a fucked up different pieces to different puzzles kind of family like we are. I mean I know it hasn’t been great, but has it really been that bad? Are we really that bad?”
What Remains (Book 2): What's Left Page 4
