by Tracy Sharp
“Do you have anything in Zed’s truck that could link you to him?” Toby asked her.
Robyn thought for a moment. Zed had the powder. Was there any more of it left? It didn’t matter. She wasn’t going around digging for it on a dead man. She wasn’t that hard up for a fix. She shook her head.
“Okay, let’s go.”
They left Zed’s truck where it was and followed the dirt road back to the highway.
It was full dark now, and the rain hadn’t let up.
“Where are we going?” May’s small voice asked from the back of the truck.
“To find a safe, warm place to stay, honey,” Robyn told her.
“There is no safe place, really. Is there?” she said.
Robyn turned in her seat and looked at May, whose face was far too serious for that of a young child. “We’re going to keep you safe, May. Okay? We won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
May gave a small nod, but doubt had crept into her face.
“May, you believe me, don’t you?” Robyn asked her.
May turned to Robyn, her large, dark eyes almost serene. “Sometimes bad things happen and nobody can be safe.”
Robyn was silent for a long moment, watching as the little girl turned back toward her window, watching the rain outside.
“You’ll be safe. Everything will be okay. You’ll see,” Robyn said. “Right Toby?”
Toby nodded. “You bet.”
May didn’t answer. Just kept watching the rain.
†
They found a place along the highway that advertised cabins for rent. Being off season, they received a deal. The place was abandoned except for the employees in the office and, Robyn assumed, a small cleaning staff that worked during the day. There were only two cars in the parking lot.
There were eight cabins on the river. Toby requested the one farthest from the parking lot. The cabin had a gas fireplace, two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a bathroom with a large tub. May sat shivering in one of the overstuffed easy chairs, so Robyn ran a warm bath for her, using a little of the dishwashing liquid from the kitchenette.
“Do you want me to stay in here with you?” Robyn asked her.
May shook her head, scooping some bubbles into her little hand and blowing them off her fingers. “I just want some privacy.”
Robyn smiled. “I understand. We’re just in the next room, so give a holler if you need anything, okay?”
May nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Robyn closed the door and headed into the living-room area to sit in a rocking chair by fireplace. She was tired, and sat with her eyes closed for a moment, rocking back and forth slowly and trying to soak up the heat.
“You doing okay?”
Toby’s voice was close. She opened her eyes to see him kneeling in front of her, holding a mug of coffee. “I didn’t know how you liked it, so I just put creamer in it. They don’t have real half-and-half here, just the powdered stuff. Sorry.”
Robyn took the mug. “Thank you.” She sipped the coffee. Nice and strong. “This is heaven to me right now, Toby. Thanks. Really.”
He nodded and stood up, went to an easy chair positioned near the fire. He stared into the flames, a finger moving over his chin, his eyes far away.
“Toby, I’m sorry I got you into all this. Second thoughts?”
He looked at her. “I’m not leaving you. I’m in this now, Robyn. Just trying to figure out what the next step is.”
She leaned her head back against the chair, stared into the flames. “We need more weapons. The fun balls won’t last forever. The flamethrowers are great, but we need more to choose from. We need an arsenal.”
“Yes, we do. There could never be enough weapons in the world we live in now, that’s for sure.”
Zed wasn’t around to help them anymore. They needed somebody who was just as smart and crazy as he had been.
Robyn sighed. “I know somebody.”
Toby lifted his eyebrows. “Really?”
“Yes. I took a biochemistry class in college. There was a girl in that class. IQ over the moon. Brilliant. One can short of a six-pack, though.”
“Sounds like exactly what we need.”
“We’ll go see her tomorrow. She has a lab in the basement of the college where she spends most of her time. She has some scary pet projects she works on for fun.”
“What’s her name?”
“Juno. Juno Bishop.”
Toby lifted his hands from the easy chair. “Okay.”
†
Robyn’s eyes snapped open and she sat up, trembling.
Something had brushed against the windowpane.
She squinted through the heavy darkness, peering at the window. Moonlight afforded little light, but she could make out the thin, twisted silhouette of a branch moving outside the glass. It was windy. The branch shivered against the windowpane, being caught now and then, and then finding the glass again.
Somebody should trim that damned thing. She took a few deep breaths. Her back was damp with sweat, and her T-shirt clung to her skin, making her feel cold. She swung her legs over the bed and clicked on the bedside lamp. She rifled through the travel suitcase on the floor, the one Toby had loaned her that used to belong to his wife.
His dead wife.
Yeah, yeah. Get over it.
Robyn found a clean T-shirt and pulled it over her head. A slow, intermittent tapping against the glass told her that it was starting to rain again. Her throat was itchy as hell. All the damp was creating mold spores in the air. She was allergic to mold, and she coughed against her hand, her chest tightening against a slight wheeze.
A tiny squeak sounded against the window. Robyn moved her hands over her face, rubbing her skin to wake up a little. God, she was bone-tired.
Another squeak. And another.
Robyn frowned. The branch made scraping sounds, not squeaks.
She opened her eyes and peered at the window again.
Robyn moved to the window and parted the curtains, and almost jumped out of her skin. Her hand flew up and caught a scream.
A large, black silhouette loomed outside the window. The figure’s arm was moving slowly up and down.
Robyn’s gaze shot up to the face. The mouth was slowly opening and closing, like that of a fish out of water. The eyes were wide and blank. Just like the farmer.
But it wasn’t the farmer.
“Zed,” she heard herself say, her voice caught in her throat.
Robyn stumbled backward, her heart hammering.
Zed stood there, the front of his shirt dark with gore where his stomach had taken the shotgun blast.
“Ohmygod. Ohmygod.” She heard herself as if from far away. She turned and ran into the living room, where Toby was sleeping in the rocking chair next to the fireplace, now holding only dying embers.
She shook him, trying to contain her panic. Trying to keep herself from screaming out into the night. “Toby! Wake up!”
Toby’s eyes shot open and he stood up, lightning fast. “What? What’s wrong?” His head moved from left to right, his eyes scanning the room.
“Zed is outside the window,” Robyn said, a hysterical little giggle escaping her.
Toby stared at her, his eyes wide. “What?”
“I swear to Christ. He’s outside my bedroom window. Go look for yourself.”
He watched her for a second more. “Are you fucking with me?”
Robyn barked out a laugh. “Yeah. I’m fucking with you. Go check out the prank I pulled off outside my motherfucking window. It’s a laugh riot.”
Toby blinked. “Okay, okay.” He turned and slowly headed to the bedroom, moving toward the window in a slight crouch. He peered through a thin slit between the curtains.
“Oh yeah. I see what you mean. He is looking a little peaked.”
Robyn frowned.
Toby turned to her. “Think we should invite him in?”
“What in hell is wrong with you?” Robyn lift
ed her hands. “He’s dead, Toby.”
“Yeah. I know. And he’s probably pretty cold, too. Probably just wants to warm up by the fire.”
“Toby. Stop it.”
Toby chuckled and pulled the curtains apart. “Nobody. I don’t know what you saw, but it wasn’t Zed, Robyn.”
Robyn stood there, her mind spinning. “He was there.”
“I think you were dreaming. All this shit is getting to both of us. Making us jumpy.”
A higher-pitched voice sounded above the steady drumming of the rain. May’s voice. She was talking.
In her sleep? Robyn turned and headed into the short hall toward May’s room.
The little girl spoke again. “Are you cold?”
Robyn’s skin prickled. “May?”
The sound of a latch clicking back.
“May!” Robyn ran the last few steps into May’s room.
The little girl stood at the window, little hands trying to shove the window upward. Her face was turned to Robyn. “Zed is out in the rain. He’s going to catch a cold. And he’s hurt. He has blood on him.”
Just beyond May—outside the window—Zed stood, his pale-gray face tilted at an awkward angle as he stared into the room with wide, black eyes. His mouth was still opening and closing. Opening and closing. He lifted a clawed hand and scratched at the window. Baring his teeth, he let out a guttural growl.
“Oh God.” Robyn grabbed May from the window with one arm and shoved it down with the other, latching the lock.
Toby stood gaping at the window. “Holy shit.”
Robyn searched her memory. “We brought the weapons inside.”
Toby nodded. He moved forward, drew the curtains closed with a snap, and took Robyn by the arm, his grip hard. “Right. Come on. Out of here. Get in the living room and stay away from the windows.”
Shouting arose from outside May’s window. “Hey! What are you doing there? No Peeping Toms around here, asshole.”
Toby approached the window slowly. Robyn backed May away with a gentle hand. Toby lifted the shade, and they peered through the rain-streaked glass. The front-desk clerk was standing a bit away from Zed, shouting at him, waving his arms around. Zed stood, slack-jawed, watching him with glazed eyes. He swayed a little, then lifted an arm to the man and began a slow lurch toward him.
“Oh, shit,” Toby said. He shoved the window up and shouted at the man. “Hey! Get away from him. He’s dangerous!”
The front desk clerk gave Toby an “as if” look. “I’m not afraid of him. Look at him; he’s drunk off his ass. He can barely walk.”
Zed continued his slow lurch. Five feet from the man. Four.
“Get away from him!” Toby yelled.
Robyn pulled May close to her, hugging her.
“I’ll kick your ass, pal,” the clerk said, shaking his head.
Three feet. Two.
Zed reached both arms out to the clerk. The clerk hauled back and threw a punch at Zed, landing it on his cheek. Zed was unfazed. Continued toward him. Grunting sounds came from his throat, then a deep growl rumbled up from his chest. His hands opened and closed as he reached for the clerk’s head.
“What the fuck?” The clerk moved back a little, then stepped forward and hit Zed again, slamming his nose, which broke with a crunch. Zed caught hold of the clerk’s hand and locked on. Blood seeped around his fingers where they dug deep into the clerk’s flesh.
The clerk watched Zed with wide, shocked eyes as Zed pulled him closer and opened his mouth, clamping down on his arm and sinking his teeth deep into his flesh. He screamed long and high as Zed tore a chunk of his arm away and watched him with no more animation than someone biting down on a piece of chicken at Sunday dinner.
The clerk shrieked, watching with horror as Zed lurched closer, grabbing him by the head and sinking his teeth into his cheek.
Toby backed away from the window. “Jesus Christ,” he said. “Jesus Christ.”
Robyn picked May up and ran to the living room, looking around for the weapons. She couldn’t remember where they’d put them.
“Under the sink,” May said against her hair, her voice small. “They’re all under the sink.”
Toby raced into the kitchen, grabbing as many fun balls as he could carry, then ran outside and around the back of the motel.
Robyn ran outside, still carrying May, who held her in a death grip. Her little legs and arms trapped her as she ran to Toby’s truck. Robyn tried not to throw May onto the seat before she locked the door, slamming it shut. She ran to the driver’s side and jumped onto the seat, slamming the door. She jammed the key into the ignition and hit the lock button, locking the rest of the doors against whatever might try to come in.
“It’s okay, baby,” she said over and over, her eyes scanning the darkness. She turned and watched for Toby to come around the hotel.
“Toby’s not coming, is he?” May whimpered, her voice full of tears.
“Yes, he is,” Robyn said.
But she didn’t really believe it.
They sat like that there for what seemed to be forever. The truck was silent, except for the sounds of their rapid, shallow breathing fogging up the windows. Robyn listened, but heard nothing. Only her own heart beating in her ears.
“Come on, Toby,” she breathed. “Come on.”
A black shape came running from around the building toward the truck. Robyn’s heart leapt into her throat. Toby. A staggering form of fire followed behind him.
†
“Well, that didn’t work out so good,” Toby said, breathless.
Robyn looked at him, feeling her eyes open wide as quarters. She looked back at the road, unfolding before them. “What part of it? ‘Cause so far I see nothing that has worked out smashingly.”
“Bringing Zed back. Didn’t work out quite like we planned.”
“Bringing Zed back?” May asked from the backseat, her small voice shaky. “Was he lost?”
“Yes, he was, honey,” Robyn said,
“I know it’s not nice for me to say, but I think he should’ve stayed lost,” May said.
Robyn nodded. “Yes, he should’ve.”
“He’s not nice anymore,” May said, her voice trembling.
Toby turned to look at her. He reached a large hand out and patted her small one. “He’s gone now, sweetie. We won’t be seeing him again.”
“’Cause he’s on fire?” May asked.
“He’s headed somewhere else, and he won’t be back. So don’t you worry about him anymore. Okay?”
“Okay. Are we going far away now?”
“We’re going to see an old friend of mine that I hope can help us,” Robyn said.
“Is she nice?” May asked.
Robyn thought for a moment. Smiled. “She doesn’t always seem to be all that nice on the outside, May, but on the inside she’s pretty nice. She’s just a little different than most people. Sometimes that’s a good thing.”
“Because sometimes people who seem nice aren’t. And sometimes people who don’t seem nice are,” May stated, like she’d been around the block a few times in her young life, which she had.
“That’s right,” Robyn said.
“I hope she can help us,” May said.
“So do I, sweetie.” Robyn watched the road ahead, which seemed to go on forever and lead to nowhere.
Chapter 15
Someone’s coming.
Juno Bishop’s green eyes snapped open, and she swung her long legs off the arm of the chair. She’d fallen asleep that way again. Her netbook was on her lap; her legs were hanging off the arm of the easy chair she’d dragged around with her from place to place for years.
The remnants of a dream feathered the edges of her subconscious. Something about fire, and a cold emptiness. Nothingness.
Someone was coming to see her. She knew. Just like she’d known a thousand other things since she could remember. There was no explaining it. She just knew. It didn’t happen a lot, the knowing. But with the weird shit tha
t had been going on in the news, and with people acting so strangely, her senses were on high alert. That included her intuition.
She’d have to stand up. Move. Her shoulders and neck ached again from spending too much time in a semi-contorted position.
She sat straight up and bent her neck to the side, trying to work the stiffness out of her muscles. She rotated her blonde head from side to side as she stood and walked to the window. The blinds were closed tight, and it was very early morning. Still dark. But the headlights of her visitors would be clear in the velvet, indigo pre-dawn sky.
Juno figured she had about five minutes before they arrived. She busied herself making extra-strong coffee, and checked the date on the orange juice in the fridge. The juice was for the child. She could sense the fear from the small girl even from the distance of a couple of miles away.
There was a sense of familiarity. Someone she knew. But the name and face wouldn’t come to her. The fact that she could sense so much told her that they were in trouble. Fear and dread were thick in the air, and she could also sense the hopelessness of their situation. She felt their strong determination, but just beneath that she found the feeling that they were in far over their heads.
“Awesome,” she said in the empty kitchen.
Just as the coffeemaker gurgled its signal that the coffee was ready, the sound of the engine and tires spitting gravel sounded outside.
They were here.
Juno grinned. “Robyn.”
†
Robyn unstrapped May from her car seat and hoisted her into her arms. The little girl could barely keep her eyes open. The emotional strain of the past couple of days had finally hit her, and she was exhausted. She rested her head on Robyn’s shoulder and fell back to sleep.
Juno’s door opened before Toby and Robin finished climbing the few stairs to her porch. She stood with her back against the screen door, holding it open for Robyn and May. “Hey, Robyn. How have the last couple of years been treating you?”
Robyn leaned in and planted a small kiss on Juno’s cheek. “Not good. This is May and October.”
May opened her eyes a crack and lifted her fingers from Robyn’s back in a little wave. “Pleased to meet you,” she said, her voice sleepy.
