Show me? What could she do that she would have to show me? I looked down at her hand as she held it out.
"What?" I stared down at it dumbly.
"Let me have your hand."
I blushed as I held my hand out to her, and her cool fingers gently grasped mine. I swallowed, looking from her hand to her eyes. Then I noticed her eyes had caught the light coming in from the window, and they glittered like gems. It was hard to look away. She said, "You don't have to be nervous around me. Hope and I really do appreciate having you for company."
The skin on my arms tingled, and all the tiny hairs on my body stood on end. A calming wash of emotion swept through me, and suddenly I felt at ease. I stared at Meg in astonishment as she stepped away from me.
"Wha..." The word didn't form entirely, dying away as I opened and closed my hand. It tingled slightly, like it had been asleep, and Meg's brow creased with concern. "What was that?"
"I don't really know." She seemed timid, nervously reaching up to tug on her earlobe. "It's just something I'm able to do."
"That was awesome!" I said, grinning widely. She relaxed as soon as I said it, the relief clearly written on her face.
"It goes both ways, I think." She said as she returned to the sizzling skillet to flip the meat. It was beginning to smell delicious. "I mean, I can get a faint sense of what you're feeling too. I didn't get a chance to tell Ali that part yet, but that's how I knew I could trust you guys.
"I could also tell Ali was holding something back, but that went away when she told me about your follower last night. She's really worried, though. You both are."
"I don't..." I started, not quite sure what I wanted to say. I suddenly wished Ali was here to guide the conversation. "I think we're scared that Reed will find us," I said in a rush.
The smile that was on Meg's face slowly faded. "I worry about that too, but we're a small group in an enormous city. Besides, there's four of us and only one of him. I think we'll be okay. Gordon and I talked about it, and he's going to keep a watch out for anything suspicious."
As if he knew he had been mentioned, the CB radio that Gordon had set up for communication sparked to life. At first, it was nothing but a hiss of static, and then Gordon's voice crackled through. "Ali just left here. You got her breakfast going?"
Meg and I shared a grin, and she turned from me to answer Gordon's call. I sat back down with Hope, who beamed at me as I rejoined the game. She was such a quiet child, but pleasant. I wasn't entirely sure what was going on in our game, but she seemed satisfied.
My mind drifted while Meg was distracted with updates from Gordon - I think we were using too much electricity - and I found myself wondering how Hope would fit in with the Boulder City kids. Those kids were loud and noisy, and mostly unfazed by the drastic changes in the world, even though it was the only world they knew.
I worried about them. Knowing that Reed was on our trail was a sign he had abandoned the hotel, but the doubt gnawed at me. What if he had turned around and gone back once we slipped out of his grasp? That thought was worse than thinking he was after us. All those kids had to be safe.
"Well, I think breakfast is ready now." Meg's voice cut into my thoughts, and it took me a moment to register what she said. She began to set the table.
Hope didn't need to be told. As soon as she saw her mom heading toward the table, she jumped up and ran to her chair, carrying her toy tiger with her. I watched with amusement as she settled her tiger into its chair before she took her own seat next to it.
"Do we want to dive in or wait?" Meg asked as I stood. She actually looked embarrassed. "I'm not used to this."
I laughed. "Me either. What do you want to do?"
"Maybe we should wait. Ali will be back soon."
"Okay." I grinned. "I'll go wake Stephanie."
CHAPTER 9 – ALI
As I raced up the steps, flight by flight, I wondered if Meg had ever bothered counting them. It was a passing thought, pushed away by my excitement. Gordon had shown me something incredible, and it was the breakthrough I'd needed. A solar-powered battery charger! How had I never known these things existed?
I tested it and knew that both the fresh batteries I had installed in the dually were working, and that was one major item scratched off my to-do list. Even my footsteps felt lighter. A smile tugged at my lips and broke over my face as the smells of breakfast hit me.
"Bread?" I said in surprise. I stopped for a moment, taking in a deep breath. Suddenly, I was thrown back to my childhood memories of early Saturday mornings when my mom would bake those flaky Pillsbury biscuits. It was the sweet smell of yeast and home.
I rounded the corner of Meg's open door and got another surprise when I saw the table set and ready for us to be seated. There were chopped tomatoes and green peppers, a basket of rolls and some type of meat I assumed was venison.
"Well," Meg said as she grinned at me anxiously. "Are we ready to eat?"
I stared in disbelief and chuckled, struck by the normality of it all. We sat around the table to enjoy a meal, talking and laughing about trivial things. Somehow, the conversation stayed away from the horrors of the present day, and we enjoyed the moment. It was full of bittersweet nostalgia but wonderful at the same time.
I updated everyone on the truck's progress, and Meg offered to help me search for the rest of the supplies. I accepted gratefully, knowing it would have been a chore if I had to track it all down and haul it back myself. Jugs of oil and kerosene could get heavy.
After breakfast, I slipped back to our suite to change. Moments after I'd entered, Joss followed me in. I winced, wishing I had made it to my room before he caught me.
"Ali." He said, stopping me. I froze, not wanting to face him. Our last conversation stung because it was true. Excuses had flooded through my mind ever since he'd said those words to me, but nothing could justify why I left him in Sweetwater. I had thought it was the right thing to do for him, but the words sounded so weak in my head. I didn't bother saying them out loud.
"I don't want us separated again," I whispered, knowing he could hear me anyway. If I talked any louder, I was afraid my voice would break. Tears of shame sprang to my eyes.
"I know, and I'm sorry." He said. All his words seemed to come out in a rush. "I wasn't thinking right. What Stephanie does isn't even up to us. What if she wants to stay? What if Meg won't let her stay? I shouldn't have gotten angry in the first place."
I blinked in surprise. That was not what I expected to hear. I turned my head, seeing his shadow out of the corner of my eye, and he took a few steps toward me. I asked, "So we let Stephanie decide?"
"Maybe we should all talk about it." He said.
I finally turned to face him. "I just want us to stay together."
I won't leave you again.
"Yes." He smiled. "We stay together."
I felt a tear run down my cheek and closed my eyes. Suddenly, Joss threw his arms around me and squeezed, crushing me against his wiry frame. I groaned, trying to hug him back, but my arms were pinned. The kid was strong!
"Okay," I said or tried to. He was making it difficult to breathe, and the word came out as a wheeze. When I managed to push away his hug attack, or rather when he finally let me go, his cheeks were wet too.
"I don't like it when we fight." He sniffed, wiping at his eyes.
"Too much bad in this world for us to fight with each other." I smiled, feeling the weight of our previous conversation fade away. "Meg and I are about to make a run. You want to come with us to help haul stuff back?"
"And leave Stephanie here alone?"
"She has Hope."
Joss gave me a half grin before he nodded and soon after that, we were prepared to set out. Stephanie seemed okay with the situation, especially after Meg showed her how to use the CB radio to call Gordon if she needed to.
Stephanie watched Joss, the fondness in her eyes clearly visible, and I held back a groan. Joss didn't notice it as he bounced on the balls of his feet with exc
itement. Had he told her yet? How was that not the same thing as me holding back my secret for months? My mind had been so wrapped up in our fight that their situation had slipped my mind. I would have to corner him on it later when we were alone.
Meg led us through the streets, pointing out spots of interest as she talked about the old days. She didn't seem to be bothered by the freaks she attracted, but I cringed away if one got too close. It reminded me of Walt, and suddenly, I realized why. Neither one of them had been hunted or attacked by the freaks, so they didn't understand the fear of them Joss and I shared. They had co-existed with them since the turning, not realizing the monsters they were living with.
The thought made me shake my head with wonder.
"There's a grocery store up this way I don't think was looted." Meg was saying. "I know Riley and his crew hit a few of these on this side of the highway, but I always stayed to the east."
She glanced back at me and smiled, slowing down to walk beside me. "I've been thinking on this a lot..."
She trailed off, and I shared a glance with Joss. Neither one of us knew what she was talking about.
"Thinking about which stores to loot?" Joss blurted, and I tried not to roll my eyes. I failed.
"No." Meg laughed, sounding embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to think of how to say it. It's safe here." She paused, gathering her resolve and finishing softly. "You can stay with us. Stephanie can have her baby here."
My jaw dropped, and I stopped walking to stare at her. Meg had taken a few steps before she realized I was no longer walking beside her. She turned, her eyes questioning.
"But..." I fumbled, not even able to find the words. Joss was absolutely zero help. "What about Reed?"
Meg waved a hand in front of her dismissively. "He's just one guy, right?"
"One psychopath." Finally, Joss chimed in, still not helping.
Meg ignored him. "I know it's a lot to consider, but the offer's there."
Joss and I looked at each other for a moment. I knew he was waiting on me to say something, but I didn't have an answer for her. Yesterday morning, I might have accepted her offer without thinking, and who knows what problems that might have caused. I turned to Meg, "Let's ask Stephanie."
Meg beamed, happy with the response, and she motioned for us to start walking again. "It's been wonderful having someone else to talk to, and I know Hope enjoys the company."
Meg went on, but I was lost in thought. Joss and I would stay together, whatever Stephanie chose to do. If Joss wanted to stay here with her, then so would I. I wouldn't leave him again.
~ ~ ~ ~
"I don't want to stay," Stephanie whispered, her cheeks flushed. She took a breath before forcing the rest of the words out. "It's nice here, but I don't want to live my whole life in a hotel room."
Her eyes were glued to Joss. I should have listened to him. He knew her better than I did. She was scared, and I had assumed she would want to stay here, but being afraid didn't mean she wasn't brave, or incredibly stupid. Whatever the case may be.
"I'll have the truck running soon, and we can get out of here. No worries." I smiled at her, trying to be as reassuring as Joss, but the smile faltered. "I'll let Meg know."
"Maybe she'll come with us?" Stephanie turned to me, hopeful.
My smile came a bit easier as I thought about getting them out of here. Meg had already said a few times she had never planned to stay here forever. "I'll definitely ask."
But when I got the chance to ask Meg if she'd given any thought to leaving, worry flashed in her eyes, and I steered the conversation in another direction. She wasn't ready to talk about it, though I could see the thoughts whirling in her head when I told her Stephanie didn't want to stay. I would wait a few days and bring it up again later.
With Meg's guidance finding supplies and Gordon's help on the truck while he learned, I was able to test the engine by day three. Miraculously, Gordon had found the key to the ignition in a little magnetic box hidden along the frame. Out of all the cars I'd worked on, I never thought to look there for the keys, but that was the first thing Gordon went for. He gave me a bright grin when he handed it over.
I slid the key into the ignition and turned it. The engine sputtered and coughed, then rumbled to life. Meg bounced from one foot to the other as she clapped, and Gordon let out a loud whoop. I laughed, enjoying the moment.
The two of them rushed to climb in, and I drove the dually back to the Palace's parking garage. There were a few obstacles in our way that required us to move around, not to mention the freaks, but once we actually got into the garage, the amount of freaks dropped to only a handful.
"You gonna help me get another one ready?" Gordon asked, grinning at me.
"Absolutely." I smiled back. Knowing we only had a little bit of time left before we needed to get Stephanie out of here, I figured we were able to spare a few more days for that. "You got one in mind already?"
"Gonna go huntin' for one tonight." He chuckled, patting me on the shoulder as he climbed out of the cab. "I'll be dragging you out of bed bright and early to come help me get it running. No being lazy tomorrow!"
Meg and I laughed as he danced off. Meg said, "He's a bit different, but a wonderful kind of different."
I nodded in agreement, but my mind quickly shifted to something else. As we started our climb back to our rooms, I attempted to broach the subject of Meg and Hope leaving again. "So now that we have a truck, how do you feel about..."
I trailed off when Meg stopped walking. I looked down at her a few steps below me, unable to remember the speech I had practiced earlier. The considering look she gave me was almost tangible, and it made me uncomfortable. I was relieved when she took a deep breath and moved up to my level.
She held her hand out.
My stomach did a somersault, and I swallowed hard, staring down at her innocent looking fingers. Meg waited patiently as I slowly steeled myself to take her hand. I raised mine to hers, and she laced our fingers together, giving me a sad smile. As she began to speak, a tingle spread across my skin.
"I trust you, Ali, and I've loved having you here these past few days. You're right. I don't want to stay here forever, but I'm scared to leave. If anything happened to Hope, I wouldn't be able to live with myself anymore. I need you to tell me what you believe, what you think will happen if we leave here. What's it really like out there?"
I heard her words, but for a moment it was difficult to listen to her. The one experience I had with this was not enough to prepare me for the barrage of emotions that suddenly sparked to life in my mind. It was like being tossed into a pool and struggling to find which way was up. Then, just as quickly, the haze cleared, and everything snapped into place.
Her love. Her devotion. Her fear.
I gripped her hand tightly, bolstered by the certainty I now felt, and I answered her question honestly. "It's horrible."
Meg blinked at me in surprise.
"Most of it's horrible, anyway," I continued. "But I don't think it's as bad as being here with all the freaks. I hate them in a way that you can't. You were never hunted by them, or saw what they do to ordinary people. I couldn't imagine how lonely it will be for Hope to live her whole life above them, probably in a state of constant fear.
"Now that we have the truck running, I think we have a good shot of getting Stephanie out of here and finding a nice community where she'll be safe. If there's nothing in Area 51, then I'll turn around and go back to Sundown. At least I know there are good people there."
That had been what I was planning on saying earlier, but it seemed a lot shorter than when I'd rehearsed it. I watched Meg with apprehension, not able to decipher what she was feeling at the moment. After a few seconds, Meg slowly withdrew her hand. "Thank you, Ali. I'll think on it."
I scratched my arm almost subconsciously as the tingling faded. It was an odd feeling. It reminded me of when I was a kid and had jumped out of the shower to push play on my CD player without drying off first. A
jolt of electricity had shot through me and left my hand numb for a while. I had only made that mistake once.
Meg turned to walk up the stairs, taking the steps slowly. Her brow was creased, and she was lost in thought, so we walked together in silence. At least she was considering my proposal. That was a step in the right direction.
The next few days, Joss and I stockpiled our collection of trade goods, food, and clothing in the lobby. The bed of the dually didn't have that much space, so I put Joss in charge of organizing it. That thrilled him, but I was glad I didn't have to do it for once.
Gordon put us on a shower schedule to monitor the electricity usage. It was my night, and I was taking full advantage of it, standing under the hot water until it ran cold. Unfortunately, it didn't last as long as I'd hoped, but it made me late for dinner. I entered Meg's suite, seeing her and Stephanie playing a game of marbles with Hope while Joss did the dishes. I grabbed a plate of food, not caring that it was cold, and sat down to scour some of the maps I had collected.
"Is it movie night?" Hope's small voice asked. I glanced at her and smiled. Although it had been rare at first, Hope was talking more often. This was the same question she asked every night as soon as full dark fell.
"Not tonight," Meg answered. "Tomorrow is movie night. It will be bed time soon."
That was another thing that had gotten scheduled after we began to use more electricity. Hope had been able to watch DVD's almost any time she wanted before we moved in, but our arrival had marked the end of that privilege. Although she always asked, she didn't seem to mind the loss, preferring Stephanie's company over watching the same cartoons again and again.
I smiled and went back to my maps.
The CB radio crackled and came to life, causing all of us to jump. Nothing but static came through the small speaker, and then died away a few moments later. Meg stood, leaving Hope to whine that it was her turn, and I glanced at Joss to find him staring at me. Suddenly, my stomach twisted in nervousness.
The Phoenix Curse (Book 3): After Page 21
