Her of the Wood

by Veronica Watts

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  They don't sleep, but they talk. As soon as Vaness hears Euodia's voice, her eyes grow large, but Euodia points to the camera on the wall. There's no glowing ring around it like the others. "It's broken, and since it's covered up by boxes half of the time, they haven't bothered to fix it." The boxes around them are full of cosmetics.

  "I've never seen anything like this." Vaness goes back to staring out the window.

  "This used to be my favorite spot." Euodia says it flatly. It's obvious that it isn't anymore, and that there's a story, but Vaness doesn't push. "Some of the other workers know about the camera. If someone comes in, don't say anything. Just look at them. They'll probably turn to leave, and chances are that if they were coming to use the space, they won't tell."

  "I'm just ready to be out of here." Vaness's voice sounds heavy.

  "Yeah." Euodia sits on a box of powders, and Vaness sits on the floor next to the window. She can't seem to pull her eyes away. "Did you get what we needed?"

  "Yeah, but I was only able to take ten. That's what I would need if I were refilling the doctor's supply. Any more would draw attention." She pauses and bites her lips for a second. "To be honest, without an outbreak in the city, the ten might draw attention."

  "Well hopefully not before tomorrow morning." They pass the rest of the night in silence. Euodia thinks of Ailie, certain she's lying awake, afraid and trying not to show it, trying not to show anything. Occasionally she glances at Vaness, who seems lost in thought.

  When the sun starts to rise, the nerves come back. They sharpen from the dull throb of a bruise to the harsh sting of a fresh cut, and a big part of Euodia just wants to stay in this room, where it's safe. Vaness is enthralled by the colors from this view, so they stay for a bit, taking in the courage needed to do this one more time. When most of the sky is blue, and there are only small lines of purple and pink over the old lands, they turn to each other.

  Euodia stands. "Are you ready?"

  Vaness follows suit. "Yes."

  They decide not to risk going down together. They both know the way. They will go back to the tunnels separately and meet in the lowest part of the staircase where they can change out of their suits and back into dirty clothes field workers would wear. Euodia leaves first. She is the only one on the elevator at the top of the building, but it collects workers as it heads down. Some are on their way to collect breakfast trays; some are on their way to return them, and some are carrying laundry. This early in the morning, everyone is busy, which she is thankful for when two workers she recognizes step into the elevator.

  She knows that these two talk to one another in secret, and she hopes that if they see her they won't have a chance to talk about it until she's gone. Euodia looks down to the floor, but she glances up as one of the workers is getting off the elevator. The woman's head is still down, but she is looking straight at Euodia, questioning, as if to ask when she got back. The woman is still looking at her when the doors close, and she feels the air rush back into her lungs. Surely the worker won't say anything, not with her own secret to keep. Besides, she'll just think Euodia switched back from her private position, surely?

  She leaves the Tower to find the tunnels more crowded than yesterday. Many of the city center workers travel in from the edges. Only the Tower and some private residences house their workers. She makes her way to the transport and stands next to a rail that heads back to the edges. She notices the docility of the crowd. Any potential jostling is replaced by meticulous movement, a control that she has almost lost living in Solace. Things there are chaotic and boisterous, and she has to stop herself from smiling at the thought of it. A worker walking through the tunnels with a giant smile plastered on her face would certainly draw attention.

  The bag of clothes is still under the stairs, and Euodia relishes the sight of them. She pulls off the boots and peels off the suit. She doesn't put it back in the pack but shoves it under the stairs. She's almost fully dressed when Vaness comes around the corner quickly, startling her. They're so close to getting out of here. Vaness changes quickly and puts her suit back in the bag before handing it to Euodia.

  Euodia takes it and thinks. Vaness is right. No matter how horrible the suits are, they were an asset and may be again in the future. As she shoves her suit and boots into the bag, weighing it down and slinging it over her shoulder, she pushes the thought of future use out of her mind. They have enough medicine for the people who were sick when they left. Eventually the missing bottles will be found, and changes made. Euodia doubts that they could pull this off a second time. It may have been her suggestion in the beginning, but she has no desire to do this again.

  They climb the stairs at the same time, but not quite close enough to look like they're together. They avoid that until they're in the tunnels that lead outside, to the parking garage where the field workers meet up. They don't speak yet, and they hide the rush of joy they feel when they see their group waiting by the truck. Euodia does a head count, finishing with Ailie. She forces back the tears that well up in her eyes. Ailie looks weary from more than just lost sleep, and all Euodia wants to do is hug her and make it all okay, but she has to keep calm. They pile in, and the truck starts to move.

  As they get to the gate, Faben sticks out his hand for the scan. There's the nod of recognition that Faben shared with the other guard last night, and the scanner beeps twice. They all breathe a sigh of relief. Then there's a shrill sound from the scanner, and the guard looks up to Faben. "Did you pick up a different truck today?"

  "No, sir, same truck we always use."

  "They've got this one earmarked for service today. Someone should have told you at the truck yard. You'll have to take it back." Each person inside the truck wants to fight heading back in. They want to ask if the work can be done tomorrow. They want to make a run for it. They want to just say no, but Faben and Rayne know that arguing will not help them. Their status is not being questioned. It's just a delay. So without another word, Faben pulls the truck to the side, maneuvers it around, and heads back to the truck yard. The change won't take long, but every minute is more time that someone could find medicine missing from storage, leading to a stop of traffic in or out.

  Euodia watches the gate recede as the darkness of the business buildings close around them. She clenches her jaw, the only release she can find. They all pile out of the truck when they get back to the yard and wait for directions. Faben makes his way over to the guard who has the keys. He speaks for just a moment. They watch intently as the guard checks his monitor, takes the keys, and passes over a new set. Faben turns to a similar truck, and they all follow. Euodia has to keep herself from running towards it.

  They pull up to the gate again, and as Faben rolls down his window, the guard waves them through. He's positive the man's handprint hasn't changed in the last ten minutes. They drive at a normal speed, and though there are silent tears etching their way down several cheeks, there are no words spoken until they get to the forest edge and stop the truck. They look at each other in silence for a moment and smiles creep onto their faces. As they make their way from the van, hugging one another, the others step out from the trees. They're all there and no one is tied up. Vaness runs to Norten, and Ilford is so happy to see Hana that every hint of the anger he'd shown yesterday is gone. Euodia kisses Ailie. They may have both been in the city and been a foot away from each other for the last half hour, but this is their reunion, too.

  While they're all enjoying this freedom, the truck takes off. They look around stunned. Ailie is the first to speak up. "Where's Broderick?"

  Euodia's eyes meet Vaness's and move to her empty hands. "I left it on the truck."

  Ailie gets it. "He's trying to be the hero."

  "And failing," Euodia says. They watch the truck until it's out of sight.

  "Do we still get to go with you?" It's one of the women in the group. She has a mixed look of excitement and apprehension, as if she will somehow have to suffer for anothe
r's actions. It's the way of the world she's used to.

  Rayne reassures her. "Of course you will. We were planning to travel on foot anyway." He turns to Faben, Euodia, Ailie, and Auston. "The truck has trackers. They'll send somebody out to follow it as soon as they see it's off course."

  Euodia turns to Ilford. "Do you still have that rope?" He tosses it to her. "Okay, we do this in two parts."

  TWENTY-NINE

  Rayne and some of the larger men stay at the roadside. They use their combined strength to fell some of the medium sized trees. They take down several and lean them into the road from their bases. They're enough of an obstacle that a truck would take serious damage trying to pile through them, if it didn't get stuck. The guard driving would think it was a barrier set up to slow him down.

  Sure enough, when the recovery truck comes, the driver and passenger hop down to remove the trees. They're captured from behind and tied to a tree. Norten then proceeds to sabotage the truck. They only keep the one truck in the city during the day, so they'll have to wait for one of the others to get back or fix this one before they can follow. Rayne guesses that bought them a few hours, and since the others left an hour ago, that gives them a head start of three.

  They move as quickly as they can back to camp. Norten can't keep up, but Vaness says she remembers the way. For the rest of the trip, there are no breaks. Ailie leads them through the night by the light of the moon. They've been traveling for twenty-four hours straight by the time they get back. The truck is sitting inside the village circle, right by the torch line. It will lead the guards straight to Solace.

  When they finally reach the center of the community most of the group falls onto benches or porches. Several community members come out to help the newcomers and to bring water and food. Euodia and Ailie don't stop to rest. They have to find Broderick. They are exhausted, but they have to get the truck out of here. The only reason they can think of that the guards aren't already here is that the terrain is harder to travel by vehicle than by foot, especially with the river in the way.

  They head straight for the quarantine, and see Henley sitting up talking to Thackery. She still looks rough, but it's obvious she is improving. The medicine works, but they can't drop their stress long enough to smile. Callie comes over and hugs them both. "We'll have a whole new community when everyone heals. We had a group find us through the woods from upstream while you were gone, and now with those you've brought..." Her voice tapers off, but they don't have time to ask questions. They need to find Broderick. They turn together and run to Lorna's. They burst in to see Broderick enjoying a meal at the table. Ailie yells as soon as she sees him. "There are trackers in the truck, you idiot!"

  They watch as the smug look drops from his face and the realization of his colossal mistake sets in. Euodia speaks at a normal volume, but there is anger in her words. "Give us the keys."

  It takes him a minute, but he pulls the keys out of a pocket and throws them to her. She and Ailie turn back to the square. He doesn't follow to help which suits them fine.

  They grab Randall from the resting newcomers. He knows the trucks. "We know you're tired, but we need your help." He gets up slowly and follows them to the truck. He gets into the driver's seat while Euodia climbs into the passenger's and Ailie climbs into the back where she can lean up between them. They follow the trail that Broderick made bringing the truck into the woods, but as soon as they're back in the field they take a sharp left. This leads away from the river, from Solace, and the path Norten and Vaness will be taking to come home. They drive for an hour, keeping the forest to their left. They leave the keys in the truck when they park, and head back towards the tree line.

  They let Randall sleep, but Ailie and Euodia keep each other awake. "Surely they'll go to the reading for where the truck is, not where it was."

  Euodia's been thinking the same thing. "I think so, and I don't think they'll come back to Solace, but I can't be sure. I mean, they'll have the truck back, and that's what they care about, but it was parked at the community for a whole day. Someone could get curious about that."

  They sit in quiet for a while, until they start to nod off. "Did you hear what Callie said about newcomers while we were gone?"

  "I wonder if they have another settlement. Maybe we could go there in case the guards come back?" This is just a passing thought to Euodia, but it wakes Ailie up. Solace is the only home she's ever known, and now that she's seen Dracon, it's the only home she ever wants to know. She imagines living somewhere else until they hear a rumble in the distance.

  They watch as the truck pulls up. Four armed men get out and survey the area, but they've left the truck in an open spot, so there's not much to look over. They edge towards the stolen truck, probably making sure nothing has been tampered with or planted on it. Finally, two men get in each truck, and they head back the way they came. Euodia and Ailie are too tired to do anything more than smile. They wake up Randall, and head further into the woods. They know that Lorna and Callie and the others must be worried, but they can't make it back to camp, so when they come to a well-protected clearing by the river, they lie down and sleep.

  THIRTY

  They sleep through the night, and when they wake up, they're all joking and laughing inside a few minutes. Randall finally has the freedom that Euodia has been so thankful for, and she and Ailie are just happy to be together. They don't even complain about how hungry they are. They walk back towards the community, talking and laughing the whole way.

  Randall walks over to his friends around the fire when they get to the main buildings. Ailie starts towards the quarantine, but Euodia stops her with a kiss. "So where do we get one of these tents I keep hearing about?"

  "I'm sure we can figure something out."

  "Girls!" Callie comes running out of the building, scooping them into her arms. "Oh, I'm so glad you're safe. I was up all night. It was more stressful to have everyone back and you gone than it was to have everyone gone."

  Euodia hugs the old woman carefully but strongly. "Have Vaness and Norten gotten back yet?"

  Callie doesn't let go as she answers. "They're sleeping now."

  Family, Euodia thinks, is something a little different here. "Callie, I love you."

  That smile and those eyes say it back. Callie takes Euodia's face in her hands and kisses her cheek. Then she does the same to Ailie.

  "Callie, we were wondering if you could rustle up a few tarps or tent cloths for us."

  Somehow the smile brightens. "Well, Auston and Rayne picked up a few this morning, but I'll see what I can find." Callie doesn't seem surprised, but Ailie and Euodia look to each other and laugh.

  Hana comes running out of the kitchens and nearly knocks Ailie over with the force of her hug. Ilford isn't far behind her. He's carrying two plates, and the women dig into them immediately, but Ailie can't resist talking with her mouth full. The information is just too good. "So your brother and Rayne?"

  "Yeah, they've been interested in each other for a while now, even met up a few times on their own, but it seems like this adventure gave them the kick they needed to go public."

  Callie speaks up as Euodia and Ailie continue to eat. "You should go see Lorna. She'll want to know you're home safely."

  They clean their plates, pass them back to Ilford, and head towards Lorna's. It seems like every community member is out, about, and helping someone. Euodia sees several new faces on the way to Lorna's. One of the women from the truck steps forward from a porch with two cups of water. They thank her and continue on their way, amazed by the activity buzzing around them. Euodia isn't sure how Solace can take this many people on.

  Ailie pulls Euodia into their cabin, pausing the trip to Lorna's. She pulls a satchel from the closet and puts in her few pieces of clothing, the book Euodia left on the windowsill, and a few pieces of material she sometimes uses to pull her hair back. Euodia just stands, watching, until Ailie turns, "You going to help me pack?"

  She thinks she understands n
ow, but plays along with a smile on her lips, "It looks like you've got it handled. Besides, we just got home. Where exactly are you wanting to run off to so quickly?"

  Ailie puts the bag on the bed and wraps her arms around Euodia's neck. "I figure, they're going to need the beds, but if you don't want to share a tent with me, I'm sure I can find someone el—" Euodia cuts her off with a kiss, and when it ends, they stand, their foreheads resting on one another, their bodies relaxing as they breathe in the calm that is their love. "So, that's a yes then?"

  Euodia pulls away to pick up the bag and takes Ailie's hand as she heads back towards the door, "I bet Lorna can hook us up with a fabulous spot." They own so little here that it all fits in one bag. Euodia takes her mat from under the hammock as they pass by.

  Lorna's door is open, and there's a group of people seated around the table. They must be the leaders of the new group. Ailie and Euodia have barely stepped in the door when Lorna jumps up from her seat. "You're safe." She starts to cry as she wraps Ailie into her arms. She can't seem to let go. She takes Ailie's hands and kisses her on the forehead. Then she reaches for Euodia's hand, pulling her towards her and Ailie and kissing her on the cheek. "We were just about to break for lunch. Can you wait for me for just a minute?"

  Ailie and Euodia sit on a bench at the side of the room, leaning into each other and waiting for Lorna's guests to leave. As they're talking, a woman walks in the back door with a bowl of fruit. She drops it to the floor and everyone looks her way. She has two tone hair, dark at the roots, the last few inches a faded pink. There are scratches on her arms from traveling through the forest, and she's wearing clothes that Euodia could never have imagined her in.