by Benham, Tara
“Not really, but I can’t continue having a pity party up here. I need to find out what’s going on. I can’t leave all my duties for everyone else to handle.” I felt a lump building in the back of my throat but I stubbornly ignored it. My arm was still sore and stiff, but didn’t really hurt like it had been. Besides the physical pain was easier to deal with right now.
“You were shot, you saw your friend die, and you had to kill someone. No one expects you to get over all that quickly, if you need a few more days….” I was vigorously shaking my head at him. He stopped mid-sentence. “Fine, but promise me you’ll take it easy okay? Your body is still healing.”
He came across to sit beside me. He leaned over and put his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent. It was strong, and gave me feelings of safety. I took another deep breath and told him I needed to stand. He held out his hand to give me assistance, and though I didn’t really need it, I took it anyways. Downstairs in the kitchen, everyone stopped talking to watch me. I sat down at the table, and Darcy quickly jumped up to get me some food. I wasn’t really hungry but it would be more effort to tell them that than it would be to just eat the muffin and juice she brought.
“What’s the news?” I didn’t want anyone asking me how I was doing. I didn’t want small talk. I just wanted to know where we stood right now.
“From the initial reports Ruthie has been getting from her sources, most people are on day three and showing improvement. We have found Adam, he had been hiding in the guest house attic. We put him, Atlas and Denver downstairs in the apartment, and locked it from the outside. We took away everything that they could have used to contact someone. They have food and water and a bathroom which is more than they deserve. I have spoken to Atlas and he said that Denver and her Dad had offered them asylum from jail if they sided with them against us. Ralston had it in his head he would be ruling the country soon, and Denver wanting to believe him was converted shortly before Remi had joined us. She was able to convince them to believe him too.”
Finishing the last of my muffin, I glanced at Darcy. She looked afraid to speak to me, or even touch me. I motioned for her to come to me, and I gave her a hug. Her shoulders heaved, but she didn’t cry. I told her I was going to be fine and that I wasn’t mad at her about Denver. She nodded, but I think she still felt somewhat guilty. It would take some time to reassure her that I really wasn’t mad at her. I actually wasn’t really that mad at Denver anymore either. Our dad had died and she was looking for guidance from an adult. She loved her Dad, and I’m sure really believed he was in the right. I didn’t want her living here anymore, but I couldn’t hate her. I just felt sorry for her, especially since I didn’t know what was going to happen to her.
“Miss Dobbins.” The intercom going off was such a shock to everyone that several in the group screamed. I gave a confused look towards Johnnie who seemed just as befuddled as I.
“Yes? Who is this?”
“Calea Andersen, can you please let us in through the gate? We need to discuss some things with you please.”
“Um, yeah, sure. Give me a minute.” I slipped on shoes that were beside the door in the foyer and headed towards the gate. I noticed that Darcy, Micah, Ever, Henry and Johnnie had been following me. At the gate, Miss Andersen, who was in a dark suite was surrounded by men with guns, and were also wearing suites.
“Please, don’t let them startled you. They’re my protection.”
“Protection from what? Us?” Ever spoke up.
“No, Ever. I’m the President of the New United States.” We all stared at her dumbfounded. She had been assisting Dad, why would anyone make her the President? “Please let me come in. I have a lot to explain. It’ll all make sense when I do. I’ll even leave the guards out here if it’ll make you feel better.”
“No, bring them with you.” Said Johnnie. We input the password into the lock, letting Miss Andersen and three of her guards enter, before quickly locking the gate again. It was a silent walk back to the house. I led her into Dad’s study.
“Let’s sit.” She stated very authoritatively. “I was sent here in the beginning to work on trying to get your Dad to give us the formula for the inhibitor, which he obviously didn’t. I was here to make sure he didn’t sabotage what progress was being made from the CDC. I don’t wish to speak ill about your dad. I just want you to know the facts. Some of my guards had people that were friends with people in the underground groups that were passing the message along about your inhibitor. We tried to get help to you all the plant, but were a day late. We now know why, but we really had every intentions to help you get the formula in the system. I wanted you to know that it has worked on 75% of the population that had the virus. The ones that aren’t getting healthy either were too far advanced or already had underlying health problems. I came here today for several reasons. The first being that we wanted to thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for taking on such as brave task on your own. Secondly, we wanted to offer some of you positions in different areas of the government. Thirdly, I wanted to let you know McCaid, that we recovered Mr. Carter’s body, brought it to his parents to bury and told them how he died doing something heroic.” My heart ached at the mention of Baxlie’s body, and his parents. “Lastly, I heard through the underground that you have Mr. Ralston’s daughter and two others here that need to be arrested for trying to undermine your attempts as well as helping with injuring you McCaid. Is that correct?”
“Yes, they are in the basement.” Ever was leaning against the wall behind where I was sitting.
“I will send my guards down for them as we are leaving. They will be placed in a holding cell until we can have a hearing for them. They will be arrested and tried for treason and terroristic attempts. Master Sergeant Long, and Sergeant Grayson, I would like to offer you both positions in the new military as leaders.”
“Thank you ma’am, but no thanks. I appreciate the offer, but my duty is here with these girls.” Johnnie replied.
“I feel the same way.” Micah simply stated.
“I understand. Milo I was hoping you would come to work with us at the CDC to work on the new medications and legislature laws for dealing with the distribution of medications and vaccinations.” Milo puffed up from the honor, and quickly agreed to take the job after a thirty day vacation. His request for the vacation made all of us chuckle.
“Ever, McCaid, and Darcy. I would really like for you all to members in a new committee. You could work from here but you would be a part of making new decisions on various tasks that the new government deemed appropriate for implementing. The new government will be led by the President, the House and Senate still, but there will be new committees created and used that are not affiliated with the government to help with checking the motivation behind new laws and regulations.”
“I agree with Milo, can we have a month or two to decide?”
“Yes of course.” She smiled sweetly. “For now the borders will remain closed, and Martial Law will be reinstated as we take the time to rebuild. I have high hopes that we, as a country, can rebuild from this and become even better than before. Your role will be known throughout the country. You saved the sick, and helped put us on the path to restoration. If ever there’s anything we can do for you, just let me know.”
“Thank you President Andersen.” Crossing the room, I stuck out my hand to shake hers, and winced forgetting that quick movements still hurt.
“Please, call me Calea.”
“Yes ma… Calea.”
“Guards, please follow Master Sergeant Long to the basement to detain the criminals.”
CHAPTER 34
Six months had passed from the night that Calea visited us. We have been working on replanting our gardens, and just resting. Milo left thirty days after Calea, as he said, to start working at the CDC. Ruthie and Remi moved back to their home in the city, but visited frequently. Annabelle left shortly after Adam was taken, and we haven’t heard from her since. Calea had
called to let us know that all three had been found guilty and sentenced to various jail times. Denver’s was the shortest, but one of the condition was that she had to do mandatory work with the government under strict guardianship until the age of twenty-five. West and Johnnie were living in the guest house, and Sasha moved in with them. They have really bonded lately, especially West and Sasha. Henry agreed that it is a good thing for her.
Henry and I decided to hold off getting married anytime soon, though we both have plans to do so in the future. It just doesn’t seem to be the right time just yet. Ever and Micah went on their first “official” date a few weeks ago, and have been inseparable since. Sometimes, when she doesn’t think I’m looking, I’ll watch Darcy. I can see she’s still sad from losing Dad, Denver and Milo in such a short time, but she does her best to stay happy. I let her take a break from school for the rest of this year. We’re focusing on growing as a family and healing from everything that happened over the past year. Sometimes I still get nightmares about Baxlie dying or from shooting Mr. Ralston, but they’re becoming less and less frequent. Stores in town are starting to open up, and things really seem to be settling down. There’s still a long road ahead of us as a family and as a country to get to where we need to be, but we see the progress.
“Caidee, come on.” I look up from the spot I had been sitting, to see Darcy waving to me from the back porch. We had decided to have a bon fire tonight in celebrations of the one we had exactly a year ago today before everything changed. I ran out to meet her. “It’s such a beautiful night isn’t it?”
“Yes, I love the sunset. The colors are beautiful, but my favorite time is at dawn, right at night’s end when the sun is just coming up. It’s the beginning of a new day, and there’s always more hope right at the beginning.”
“Caidee, I love you” She shook her head at me being sappy, but then grinned.
“I love you too, Darce.”
THE END
About the Author
Tara Benham is a full time Occupational Therapist, and writer who has a flare for being different. She’s lived in Kentucky her entire life, but has visited many states, and has plans to see as much of the world as possible. For as long as she can remember she has always written stories, and had a big imagination that allowed her to live in her only little world, which lead to this current endeavor of writing books.
Tara is an avid reader, who has a love of all things YA, science fiction and fantasy. On any given day she can usually be found reading, or doing photography, another passion of hers. She hopes to continue to create books that bring out the imagination of those of all ages with the worlds she creates. When not reading, writing or doing photography, she is normally snuggled up to her fur-baby Lincoln watching her favorite shows or jamming to music from her favorite bands. Many of whom provided the inspirations for the story you just read.
