anightwithoutstarsfinal

by Unknown

  A slight breeze ruffled my hair and I sighed, tilting my face up towards the clear blue sky. If I was going to face the dark I wanted to spend as much time in the light as I could, which was why I’d set up Operation Rescue Travis in the cookout area behind the elementary school.

  Five picnic tables arranged in a half circle framed a dormant fire pit. Without a maintenance crew to tend it grass was beginning to grow up past the legs of the tables and over the rough cut stones that formed the pit. Soon it would be completely overgrown.

  How many family cookouts had been held back here? How many children had devoured cheeseburgers and begged for more ketchup for their hotdogs? How many couples had sat side-by-side, sharing laughter and silly stories? It helped me to think of them as they’d been, not as they’d ended up: broken bodies with their necks gaping open and their limbs twisted.

  Would they be forgotten, as Maximus’ parents had been? Would I be forgotten? The thought was unsettling enough to form a fissure in my wall of calm. I swallowed the fear that threatened to overwhelm me, pushing it down to somewhere deep inside where I couldn’t reach.

  “Lola, you can’t do this.” Dad sat down on the other side of the picnic table and absently began to fill up an empty magazine with bullets. “It’s insane. Going out at night is crazy. You know what those things can do. I don’t know why this Angelina would take Travis—”

  “Angelique.”

  “—but she’s clearly very dangerous.”

  Talk about the understatement of the decade.

  “Dad, I’m going with or without your approval. I know you don’t understand, but it’s something I have to do.”

  “Then I’m going with you.”

  I bobbled the gun I’d been loading and slammed it down on the table. “Absolutely not. Dad, no. You’ll only distract me. Travis isn’t your best friend. He’s mine. And besides, the note didn’t say anything about you.”

  Dad rubbed his face with both hands. In the sunlight his skin had taken on a grayish pallor and there were bags under his eyes. He looked awful, but he hadn’t reached for a beer. Yet. “You’re a child, Lola. This isn’t your responsibility.”

  “What if it was me?” I stared hard at the table. My fault, a little voice kept repeating inside my head. This is all my fault. “What if it had happened the other way around? What if Angelique had taken me instead and Travis was the one who had to come to my rescue?” I looked up. Met Dad’s wide-eyed, watery gaze. “Would you stop him?”

  Dad looked away first. “I thought we were safe,” he muttered. “We were so careful every night. I don’t know how they found us. I don’t know why they’re doing this.”

  The guilt threatened to overwhelm me. Dad assumed – and I continued to let him do so – that Angelique had picked us at random. That she’d figured out my name by going through our apartment.

  I wasn’t ready to admit what I’d done. My sacrifice would be my admission, and I could only hope Travis and Dad would be able to forgive me someday. For lying to them. For leaving them. For risking their lives every day I didn’t tell them the truth and show them the scars on my hand.

  I wasn’t a martyr. I didn’t want to die. But I also didn’t want to live in a world without my best friend, knowing I was the reason he was dead.

  “It’s going to be dark soon.” I shaded my eyes against the sun. It sat heavily in the sky, preparing to make its final descent. “I should get going.”

  The high school was in the middle of town. It was one of the oldest buildings on record in Revere, but recent renovations had given the ugly brick building a facelift. I hadn’t planned on stepping foot through the front doors – painted maroon in honor of the school’s colors – again until September, when I would have started my senior year of high school.

  The irony of it didn’t escape me.

  Dad stood up when I did. “Do you even have a plan?” he asked.

  If showing up at school and offering myself to Angelique in exchange for Travis counted as a plan then yes, I had one. “Of course I do,” I scoffed. “I’m not stupid. Dad, it’s going to be fine. But if it’s not—”

  “Lola…”

  “If it’s not,” I said firmly, “you have to promise not to do anything crazy. Travis’ parents are dead. You’re all he has now. Promise you’ll take care of him. Promise,” I insisted when Dad looked away, his jaw clenched tight.

  “I’ll do the best I can,” he mumbled at last. “But if you’re not back in an hour I’m coming to get you.”

  “Dad—”

  “Lola, I’m your father. It’s my job to protect you. I know I haven’t been doing that for a while now, but it’s time I started.”

  “Probably would have been better to start when there weren’t bloodthirsty drinkers involved.”

  “Probably.”

  We smiled hesitantly at each other, neither of us certain what to do next. Did we hug? High five? Kiss each other on the cheek? What was the best way to say goodbye to someone you knew you were never going to see again?

  In the end we hugged. It was nearly as awkward as the last time we’d tried it, but I knew the next time would be better. Except there probably wasn’t going to be a next time.

  For the first time since I’d read Angelique’s note I felt the burn of tears at the back of my eyelids. I blinked them away, took a deep breath, and after a quick scan of the table picked the smallest, handiest gun.

  It slid easily into the canvas holster I had attached to my hip. The weight of it anchored me, filling me with a renewed sense of confidence. Angelique may have held all the cards, but I wasn’t helpless. Thanks to Maximus I could now defend myself with something far more deadly than a horseshoe.

  The bitch wouldn’t know what hit her.

  For a moment, I entertained the idea of survival. What if I could save Travis without dying in the process? What if I could kill Angelique? What if… no. I gave myself a mental slap upside the head. With Travis’ life on the line I couldn’t afford ‘what ifs’. I knew what I had to do and if I didn’t like it, well, too bad for me. It was my fault I was in this predicament. My fault Travis was in danger. My fault Dad was on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

  My fault, my fault, my fault.

  I should have left them long ago. If I’d been stronger I would have. For Travis’ sake, I would be strong now.

  “Well,” I said with a feigned brightness I most definitely did not feel, “this is it, then.”

  To my surprise Dad hugged me again. This embrace was tighter than the last, and I felt the dampness of his tears against my cheek.

  “I love you,” he said hoarsely.

  My eyes slid shut. Was he trying to make this as difficult as possible? For the past twelve months all I’d wanted was to hear those three little words. Now he’d finally said them, and I wished with everything inside of me that he hadn’t. “Dad, you have to let me go.”

  He did so reluctantly and I stepped out of reach. “Stay in the hotel,” I ordered. “There are enough supplies to get you through another month without having to go into town. If Maximus comes back he’ll know what to do. If not… If not you and Travis should head for the mountains like we planned in the beginning. There has to be another way out that isn’t blocked off. And you have to stop drinking.” I hadn’t meant to say the last thing. It slipped out at the last second, but I didn’t regret it.

  Dad’s cheeks turned a dark, ruddy red. “Lola, I don’t—”

  “You have to stop. For me, Dad. Stop for me.” I swallowed hard. “I love you too.”

  All in all, I thought as I turned and walked away, it had been a pretty damn good farewell speech.

  Maximus was waiting for me when I emerged from the cornfield. At least, that’s what it seemed like. He fell in step beside me, matching me stride for stride while his piercing gray eyes studied me from head to toe, missing nothing.

  “Where are you going, Lola?”

  I pressed my lips tightly together and remained silent. When I’d firs
t read Angelique’s note my mind had jumped to Maximus, but the more I thought about it the more I realized he would never let me go after Travis. Part of me had been hoping I wouldn’t see him… but another part, a bigger part, was overjoyed that I had. Still, I wasn’t going to let him talk me out of doing what needed to be done.

  “Go away,” I said shortly.

  His response was to simply grab my arm. When I tried to twist away he spun me to face him, his hands shifting up to rest on my shoulders. My bare skin burned where he touched me, but the sensation wasn’t painful. It was exhilarating.

  “And why are you carrying a gun?” he said, his tone deceptively casual, as though he were asking why I’d decided to wear a black tank top.

  I jerked my chin up and glared, not trusting myself to speak.

  His fingers tightened, pressing down against bone. “Lola, either tell me what has happened or so help me I will put you over my shoulder and—”

  “Travis is gone. Angelique took him.”

  Of all the things he’d been expecting me to say, I could tell it wasn’t that. For the first time I saw genuine shock flicker across his face, followed by a seething anger so deep I actually felt a stirring of pity for Angelique. His hands fell away and he turned to the side, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

  “How do you know it was her?” he bit out.

  I plucked out the note I’d stuffed into the waistband of my leggings and gave it to him. He read it quickly, and I knew he’d finished when he hissed a curse. Crumpling the note into a tiny ball, he threw it on the ground and grinded it down into the dirt with his boot heel.

  “I was saving that,” I said mildly.

  “Stupid girl,” he snarled. Spittle flew from his mouth as his eyes flashed. He was as furious as I’d ever seen him, and I couldn’t help but stumble back a step. Cornstalks closed in around me, rustling quietly as silky green leaves brushed against my neck and shoulders.

  “I’m not stupid.”

  “And I say you are. Does your life really mean so little to you?”

  I didn’t think, I just reacted. My hand jerked and before I had time to fully comprehend what I was doing the gun I’d had strapped to my waist was between us, leveled straight at Maximus’ chest. Our eyes met and held. I clicked off the safety.

  He slowly lifted his arms, palms facing towards me. “Good reflexes.”

  “I was taught by the best.” I started to lower the gun.

  Rookie mistake.

  Maximus was behind me and had my arm twisted up behind my back and the gun out of my hand before I had time to yell. “Never,” he whispered in my ear, “drop your defenses. You think you can stop Angelique with a gun? She’ll be on you in a second.”

  “Maybe,” I gritted out, “maybe not.”

  He dropped my arm and handed me my gun. I slipped it carefully back in its holster and, rubbing my shoulder, turned to face him. His eyes seemed to glow silver, but I knew it was only a trick of the fading light. “Have I ever told you you’re a jerk?”

  His mouth curved. “Only every day since you met me.”

  “Well you are.”

  “Turn around and go back to the hotel, Lola.” His thumb brushed against my arm, and this time his touch was inexplicably gentle. “I’ll get Travis.”

  “No.” I hadn’t let myself be swayed by his hardness, and I wasn’t about to let him change my mind with softness. “I already had this conversation with my dad, so all you’re doing is wasting time. You know I’m the only reason she took him in the first place. All of this is my fault.”

  “Lola—”

  “All of it,” I repeated. “If you want to help then come with me, but you can’t stop me. Nothing can.”

  If Maximus’ dark scowl was any indication he didn’t like it, but one stubborn person recognized another. Short of knocking me unconscious – which I wouldn’t put past him – there was no way he was getting me to turn around. His eyebrows darted together. “You are the most irrational, pigheaded, foolish—”

  “Please stop,” I sighed, holding up my hand. “All these compliments are making me dizzy.”

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “I was drawn to you in the beginning because I thought you were like Daniela, but I was wrong. There’s no one like you, Lola.” His smile faded. “Are you certain you want to do this? There’s no going back. No way to guarantee your safety. Angelique is as dangerous as they come and far deadlier than most.”

  Something in his expression had my eyes narrowing. “She’s the one you’ve been hunting,” I guessed. “That’s where you’ve been every night. That’s why you haven’t been around very much during the day. You’ve been hunting her. For me.”

  Maximus gave a short, clipped nod. “Yes.”

  “You’ve been risking your life for me.”

  “Yes.”

  I took a deep breath. “Then you have to understand why I would risk my life for Travis.”

  He didn’t say anything, but his eyes, dark and brooding, spoke volumes.

  “Come on.” I held out my hand. “It’s almost sunset.”

  He hesitated before he locked his fingers with mine. Our palms touched. Our thumbs entwined. He squeezed, and I squeezed back.

  Side by side we struck off towards the high school, navigating the sidewalks with military precision. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was how people on death row felt. I imagined some were resigned to their fate, while others fought and struggled for every last breath.

  I was in middle. More determined than resigned. Ready to fight, but not at the expense of Travis’ life.

  When we reached the high school I stumbled up over the yellow curb and stopped short, my breath quickening and my pulse beginning to race. Maximus stayed beside me, somber and stoic as ever. Still I drew strength from his very presence, and knew I was better off because of it. Our shoulders brushed and I managed a tiny smile.

  “I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered.

  “You don’t have to do this.” He let go of my hand and skimmed his fingers through my ponytail. “You came this far. Stay here and I’ll get Travis. You can survive this, Lola. I know you think you can’t. I know you think you don’t deserve to. But you’re wrong.”

  My voice surprisingly steady, I said, “What’s the point of surviving if you don’t fight for it?”

  Maximus turned his head. I met his gaze evenly, not looking away even when it felt as though he was reaching down into the very depths of my soul. Apparently satisfied with what I kept hidden in the deepest, darkest parts of me, he pulled out his gun and clicked off the safety. I did the same with mine. “Well then,” he said with the faintest of smiles, “let’s go kick some drinker ass.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  A is for Angelique

  The very second the sun dipped down below the horizon, the electricity in the high school turned on. Caught unaware Maximus and I shielded our eyes as the world around us erupted with light. The hallways, the cafeteria, the classrooms, even the bathrooms lit up with a fluorescent intensity I wasn’t accustomed to after two weeks of living in the dark.

  “Let your eyes adjust,” Maximus murmured beside me.

  We stopped in the middle of the hallway. My eyes darted up and down the rows of lockers. The gym was on our right. The main office on our left. It was eerie to see the school so empty. Unnatural, even. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and my palms grew slick with sweat, making it hard to hold the gun. I peeked sideways at Maximus to see how he was holding up. Not surprisingly he looked calm, cool, and collected. Maybe even a little cocky, if the tilt of his head was any indication.

  “Breathe in and out,” he said quietly, “and stay beside me.”

  Air I hadn’t even realized I’d been holding trapped in my cheeks escaped in a loud whoosh. I looked down to the end of the hall, half expecting Angelique to pop out like some macabre jack-in-the-box, but nothing stirred. If she was here she wasn’t showing herself.

  Ye
t.

  Maximus started walking again and I followed his lead. When we passed by my old locker – good old number fifty-eight – I couldn’t help but trace my fingers across the cool metal. My nails skidded along the vents as I looked down the row of lockers. There were so many of them. Waiting for a new school year that would never happen. Waiting for students that would never return.

  I thought of the quiet girl with glasses whose locker had been next to mine. She used to have the most beautiful pencil drawings taped to the inside of her locker. I’d always meant to tell her how much I liked them. Now I would never get the chance.

  I thought of the jock that’d had the locker across the hall. He’d been loud and obnoxious, the quintessential football player. Yet even though our social circles ran on different planets he always used to smile at me whenever our eyes happened to meet. I never admitted it to anyone, but sometimes those smiles were the high point of my entire day.

  And I even thought of Preppy Bitch and her army of Barbie clones. Her locker had been seven down from me, the one decorated with silver heart stickers. We were never destined to be friends, but that didn’t mean I wanted her die. At least not outside my very vivid imagination.

  Yet chances were she was dead. Chances were they all were. Every last one of them. The teachers too. Murdered for no reason other than the sick pleasure of creatures that shouldn’t have existed outside the pages of a horror story.

  “Lola, you need to keep up.”

  I shook my head, snapping myself awake. Looking ahead I saw I’d fallen a good ten feet behind Maximus. Another rookie mistake. He waited impatiently for me to catch up, annoyance visible in the line creasing his forehead.