I stood and began to pace, hoping that was enough to hide my irritation. "How 'bout you don't call us that."
"But you're something. You need a name too."
"We're different." I said flatly. "We're nothing special. We don't need a name."
That seemed to deflate her, and it stopped her laughter. Her lips plumped up and she frowned at the table, avoiding my gaze. My eyebrows rose in surprise.
Is she pouting?
The thought caught me so off guard I nearly stumbled walking across the flat floor. She laid her hands across her belly and pointedly refused to look at me. Not only was she sulking, but her whole body radiated it.
Jesus, she could die at any moment, and she's pouting!
I spun to the window, hoping Joss would show up to save me soon. This was not a situation I was prepared to deal with.
CHAPTER 6 – JOSS
The smell of charred flesh and rot hit me as I ran past the dumpsters. It brought back grisly memories and served as a reminder to how delicate our situation was. Stephanie was safe in the café, but Ali needed to find a vehicle. With so many dead-brains roaming the area, I could see no other way to get Stephanie safely out.
Ali said there was someone else here like Stephanie, and that gave me hope. For someone normal to have survived here for years in the middle of all these dead-brains was encouraging news. If Meg could manage it, so could we. It was just a matter of finding out how. I thought on it at I jogged toward the highway, but wasn't able to come up with any new ideas.
The gun felt heavy at my side, and I put a hand over it to brace it. It bounced along with me, and I wondered if Ali knew what she was doing when she sent me off with it. I was a decent shot but had never wanted to carry my own gun.
As one hand secured the gun, the other tightened on the handle of my hatchet. The dead-brains were growing thicker the further I got from the café. A few here, a cluster there. Nothing too threatening as they weren't plentiful in this area and were easily avoided, but they didn't fail to make me nervous with our last fight still fresh in my mind.
As I retraced the path we had taken to the cafe, I recalled seeing a sign for the gas station a little down the road. It was a good enough place to start, and better than taking turns wandering aimlessly through the city until we stumbled onto something. The station should have the maps that Ali wanted. She would use them to section off the streets and buildings to better organize our supply runs. That was something she'd taught me early on, when Seth was with us. The more detailed the map, the better.
Getting to the other side of the highway took a bit longer than I expected. It had seemed like such a short ride on the four-wheeler, but that had been deceiving. The sun wasn't helping either. Not quite directly overhead, it beat down warmly on my shoulders, and I could feel my shirt starting to stick to me. My new abilities didn't stop me from sweating.
Passing under the highway bridge, I came to a stop and wiped the sweat from my forehead. I turned in a circle, grumbling when I didn't see any sign of a gas station right away. I was already nervous and there were more dead-brains on this side of the highway. Briefly, they drew my attention and I spent several moments watching them as my heartbeat quickened.
But they ignored me. I had to force my eyes to look beyond them to the buildings, and concentrated on controlling my breathing. I was panting by this point, but it wasn't from the jog alone. This was the furthest I'd ever strayed away from Ali on my own, and in an odd way, it was as exciting as much as it was nerve-wracking.
Then I spotted what I wanted. Just on the other side of an overgrown cactus garden, past a couple straggly, brown-leafed palm trees, I glimpsed a familiar yellow and red gas station sign.
"Gotcha!" I said, much too loudly. Cringing away from the few dead-brains that turned my way, I quickly trotted off, once again tightening my grip on the hatchet. The dead-brains that had turned were not even close to striking distance, but I was already on edge. I needed to gather all the useful things I could find and get back to Ali as quickly as possible. Being out on my own suddenly felt overrated.
I ran past the dead-brains that cluttered the area. The fresh memories of seeing so many frenzied wouldn't leave me alone, but these were docile. Many ignored me and if any moved at all, it was just to look at me. I had stopped bracing the gun against my side - I would need to tighten those straps later - and used both hands to grip the hatchet.
As I approached the glass, I scanned for movement, but it was still. The front door had been busted long ago, and the fallen glass was swept into a neat pile off to the side, covered in sand and dirt. I hesitantly stepped through the broken door.
My mouth dropped in shock. The store had the same musty, abandoned look as every other deserted building I'd been in, but here, the shelves were stripped bare, and empty boxes were tossed about everywhere. The place had already been looted. It dawned on me that Meg had probably been through here before, and all the other general stores and gas stations close to where she lived. I grumbled at myself, and I began searching for anything useful.
Everything that could have been considered edible was gone. Not that it mattered now, most items would have spoiled long ago, but thick layers of dust covered the shelves where it used to sit. This store had probably been looted shortly after the world had changed, back when the food was good. I kicked a withered, partially collapsed Snickers box out of my way and felt a sudden hunger for chocolate.
Sighing, I continued on. Even if there had been any chocolate bars left in here, they'd be nothing but gross lumps that had melted and reformed, day after day, for the past five years. That thought helped squish my craving, but it made me sad knowing I'd never have another Kit Kat or Twix again.
The shelves that had housed medicine and personal items were empty, along with the small tools section and a clothing rack. Even the long glass doors that used to hold cold beverages had been cleaned out. A few cans and bottles of soda with the diet label were scattered around next to old milk containers. My nose scrunched up as I looked at them. The jugs had turned a gross yellowish-brown color, and I didn't bother opening the case. It probably smelled horrible.
Moving past the refrigerators, I circled back toward the register and passed a glass case that had pictures of donuts on the side. The case was filled with grayish-green lumps that I guessed could have been donuts long ago. My stomach was squeamish and any thoughts of eating had flown entirely. This trip was not turning out exactly as I had planned.
Kicking some more empty boxes out of my way, I noticed the rack that held various cell phone car chargers, ear buds, and clever post cards was full, along with the shelf behind it that housed fancy Las Vegas shot glasses, and other novelty items. I glanced behind the counter. The cash register was open, but the cash remained. Some bills littered the floor, with coins and scratch off lottery tickets. Notebooks, ledgers and catalogues were stacked behind the counter, dusty but untouched, and all of it completely useless.
In front, below the counter, was a small selection of magazines. I grabbed a bag and stuffed a few of the magazines inside, the ones that looked to be in the best condition, and turned to my right. Another display, small and thin, had toppled over there, but was packed with maps and brochures. Some were local maps of the strip, some city maps ranging in various sizes, and then there were the state maps. I grabbed them all.
I left the store, knowing there was no reason to come back, and jogged to the café. Holding the bag with one hand, I let the gun bounce loosely at my side while my other hand hoisted the hatchet awkwardly over my shoulder. For some reason, the jog back didn't seem to take as long.
I was happy to get back, and Ali eyed me closely when I entered, one eyebrow raised as she came to greet me. I immediately dropped the sack on a table and pulled the gun from its harness, shoving it into her hands.
"Anything interesting happen?" She asked as she took the revolver.
"Not much. The road is clear back the way we came." I replied as I grabbed the
sack to dump all the maps onto the table. "But the gas station I found was completely looted."
She seemed to brush it off, already started to sort the maps. "Meg, most likely."
I nodded, then glanced at Stephanie, who was huddled in her corner booth. She leaned against the wall with her feet stretched out along the bench in front of her, and her arms folded across her chest. She didn't look at me, and I realized she hadn't offered a greeting when I walked in. That was strange. I frowned, suddenly distracted by her odd behavior.
I gathered the magazines and took them to Stephanie, hoping she would appreciate the gesture. She glanced at them as I sat them on the table, and unfolded her arms to reach for one, moving it slightly so she could get a better view.
"Thanks." She said flatly.
My eyebrows drew together, but she never bothered to look at me. I softly, carefully said, "You're welcome."
She sniffed, and began to leaf through some of the pages.
"Which gas station?" Ali called out, breaking into my confused thoughts. I looked to her, seeing that she had already unfolded several of the maps and had her chosen one spread out on top. A pen rested in her hand, ready to mark off our exploration sections. Somewhat reluctantly, I turned from Stephanie, allowing Ali to pull me away.
I looked at the map she was inspecting and blinked. It was a novelty map; complete with flashy showgirls pointing the way to various casinos, hotels, and other attractions. The roads looked detailed, but I could barely read a real map, and this brightly colored printout made no sense to me.
"We're here." Ali said, circling a building toward the far left side. That didn't clear anything up for me. She turned to me expectantly, and gave me an irritated look.
I shrugged, and pointed out the window. "I went that way."
Ali actually groaned as she glared at me, bracing her hands on the table and leaning forward over the maps. Her look turned to pure exasperation. I pointed out the window again and mouthed, "That way."
Her eyes rolled.
"Fine." She said dryly, picking up the pen and circling a building next to a huge fountain. "I'll be there."
She slammed the pen down on the table and stormed out the door, leaving me staring after her with both eyebrows raised and mouth agape.
The hell?
Then I noticed she had left her gun lying on the table. I reached for the harness I wore and began to hastily unbuckle it as I rushed to the window, but Ali was already halfway across the plaza. I couldn't shout at her, and as I glanced back at Stephanie, I knew I couldn't leave her alone. I scrubbed a hand through my hair, confused. Did Stephanie know why Ali had left in such a rush? But it seemed like Stephanie had been ignoring both of us. Maybe she didn't feel well.
Holding back a sigh, I began to straighten the maps that Ali had tossed about. I looked through each one, trying to find one that I could make sense of, when Stephanie huffed loudly. She threw the magazine she had been leafing through onto the table, and it slid across the tops of the others to fall to the booth on the other side.
Stephanie's voice was harsh and angry. "I don't like those. They make me sad." She folded her arms over her chest and frowned down at the table. Her lips puckered into a pout, and she refused to look at me.
Well fuck. Both of them?
It was going to be a long day.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sometimes I missed video games. More often, I missed the bonding and friendship I had shared with Seth while we played, but as I sat there at a table shuffling a deck of cards and staring out the window, I missed the actual games. Cards felt like a poor substitute.
Since Ali had disappeared, I had been playing solitaire for what seemed like hours. Shuffle, and reshuffle. Deal, play and repeat. The sun had shifted overhead, sinking into the western sky, and Stephanie remained silent. At one point, her breathing had become so soft and even, I thought she had fallen asleep, but if I had thought the nap would end her silence when she woke, I was wrong.
Had something happened between her and Ali? They both seemed to be in a bitter mood, and I had no idea how to react to that. Stephanie had certainly closed herself off, so I thought it best to give her the space she so obviously wanted. At least when Ali got back, I could talk to her, no matter how mad she was.
Stephanie continued to huddle in the corner even after she woke up, and I didn't want to press her. I figured she would have been stiff by now, but she didn't move. When the sun started to fade even further, turning everything to gold in the late afternoon, I got up to fix dinner.
On the other days, Stephanie had started washing the rice by now, so I figured she must not be feeling well at all. As soon as I started to fill the pot with water, Stephanie popped up beside me, almost forcefully taking the pot from me.
My eyes widened in shock before I managed to stutter out. "I've got this if you need to rest some more."
She shot me a quick, hard look, and went back to pouring water through the rice. "I feel fine."
I stepped back a pace, confused. The tone of her voice didn't have the anger her look had implied, but she definitely wasn't happy. After watching her for a few, unsure moments, I started to ask if she wanted my help with anything else, then thought better of it. Instead, I began to wonder if I'd done something to upset her.
I thumped a fist against my leg and wandered back to pace in front of the window. Stephanie moved into the bathroom that was serving as our kitchen, and I exhaled slowly. That relieved some of the tension, but I felt like a rock was sitting in the pit of my stomach. Something was definitely off.
Was she mad that I had left to go find the maps? It wasn't the first time I'd gone off on my own, and Ali had been here to protect her. I hadn't even been gone that long. Why would she be mad about that?
My contemplation turned to brooding by the time Ali returned. She came out of the hotel side door and was carrying two large cloth bags, one slung over each shoulder. I opened the door for her as she approached, and she grinned at me. Thankfully, that grin managed to push back some of the confusion and worry.
"Found some more things we can use." She said as she passed me. "Maybe Meg looted the gas stations around here, but she didn't spend a lot of time in the hotel rooms. I had to break through every door, though."
She let the bags fall to the floor, and I immediately grabbed at one to open it up. It seemed more bulky than heavy, and I reached in to pull out some carefully rolled up clothing, probably a shirt judging by the pattern. Ali grabbed my hand, stopping me. "Careful. I found some nice trade goods too."
She gingerly took the shirt from me, and rolled out three small liquor bottles, still sealed, and sat them on a table. I stared at them blankly for a moment until Ali tossed the shirt at me and reached into the bag for another. She uncovered more tiny bottles and set them to the side with the others.
"Settlements will normally trade very well for these." She said. "I didn't have much luck finding us another car yet, but we have a few days. Found plenty of candles, so we can get some more light in here tonight."
The news about the vehicle was disappointing. I had hoped we could get out of here soon and find a place without so many dead-brains. A place where Stephanie could go outside and walk around some, instead of being cooped up in a small space. Maybe that was what was causing her bad mood.
I helped Ali slowly unpack the vials from the clothing, and folded the clothes in the process. I was surprised to see she had managed to stuff a couple fluffy blankets into those bags as well. They would make a nice, thick cushion to sleep on. There were other odds and ends in the bags, but nothing as exciting as the blankets. I tossed one across Stephanie's pallet and began to lay the other out on mine.
Ali crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at me. "I drag that all the way back here and you steal it?"
I finally grinned. She was teasing, and I was glad that she was in a better mood than when she had left. "We can take turns. It's not like we'll both be sleeping at the same time."
She sighed
heavily and made an exaggerated show of rolling her eyes. "Fine. Your logic can be annoying sometimes. Did I ever tell you that?"
"No?" I questioned, honestly not able to remember if she had, but she never failed to let me know when I annoyed her. At least half of the time, it was on purpose.
"Well, it is." She smirked as she went back to sorting our newly acquired items.
Stephanie slipped silently into the room, carrying the pan of rice. I rushed to help her with it, and she kept her eyes lowered. As soon as I took the heavy pot from her, she went straight to the kitchen and began scrounging for bowls without a word.
I sighed as I watched her go. Hoping Ali might offer some answers, I looked to her, but she had turned her back to me and was going through the stack of clothes. I rolled my eyes, annoyed, and followed Stephanie into the kitchen with the rice pot.
I scooped a heaping spoonful into the bowls Stephanie had washed, and then stared down at my serving in disappointment. Rice was boring. At least it tasted better than that god-awful soup Ali had tried to feed us, but having the same thing meal after meal was getting old. There was nothing else to eat at the moment, so I shrugged and dumped a cup of sugar into my bowl. That should help.
I stirred as I walked to my table, and jumped suddenly as a loud clatter shattered the silence. Turning sharply, I brought my spoon to bear like it was a weapon, and rice flew from it in twenty different directions. I saw Ali from the corner of my eye react in much the same way, dropping low and spinning, ready to attack.
Stephanie stood over her table where she had dropped her bowl... No, she hadn't dropped it. She had slammed it down. Her eyes flashed to mine, and in that second, I saw an emotion that wasn't anger. Apprehension? Maybe she thought she had gone too far, but a second later, she casually sat down and began to eat. She chewed slowly and stared at a spot out the window, avoiding looking at either of us.
The Phoenix Curse (Book 3): After Page 14
