Wings of the Walker: The Complete Walker Series

by Coralee June

  Master Stonewell Sr. begrudgingly took me to the hospital, insisting that I would be useless if it didn’t set correctly. I remember feeling cold and the doctors all providing me with deep-set frowns of disdain. I wasn’t allowed pain medicine, and a large, balding doctor set my arm methodically while another held me down. Josiah watched with morbid curiosity, and that night he snuck into my room to read to me while I tried to sleep and cope with the trauma of the day.

  If I were a member of the elite, they would have put me into a healing pod. It cured most breaks but was expensive to use.

  Maverick’s clinic felt warm and inviting, despite the medical equipment. I explored the offices briefly, until I found Maverick in a back room, standing over a poor girl suffering in bed. She was drenched in sweat and moaning quietly. Maverick watched her with trepidation and almost didn’t notice me walk in.

  Once we made eye contact, he turned silently and guided us both out of the room, allowing her to sleep. He seemed to be overwhelmed with grief. Most knew that those whose bodies rejected the vaccine didn’t usually make it.

  “I brought you dinner and a change of clothes,” I whispered. I didn’t want to wake the suffering girl in the back room.

  “Thank you, Ashleigh. It’s been a long day.” Maverick gripped his hair and looked around the room while sucking in a deep breath.

  “I’m happy to be out of that room. I hate that I can’t help her,” he growled. The Vaccine Rejection was a common phenomenon and couldn't be cured by anything.

  “Here. Let's eat and rest a moment. I know this is hard for you, but you’ve got to take care of yourself, too.” I said.

  We both sat on the floor outside of her room. Maverick seemed uncomfortable, and it was evident that he wanted to remain near in case she woke up. We ate in silence. I felt unsure of how to help Maverick but seeing him eat eased my worries considerably.

  “Thank you for this, Ashleigh. You should be getting back soon. I don’t want you walking around late at night,” he said while rubbing his eyes.

  “May I stay? I-I've seen this before.” I said. I prayed the sadness from my past didn’t coat my tone.

  “What happened in your experience?” Maverick asked. “You don’t have to tell me,” he quickly added after seeing my sad expression.

  “The Stonewells once tried to take on a second Walker,” I started, trying to keep my voice low and steady. “They wanted someone to work in the gardens and perform more complex repairs. His name was Elliot. He was fifteen, and I was just thirteen.” I allowed myself to remember him. He was handsome with long, black hair that swept across his forehead. I remember gawking at him when the Stonewells introduced us. “The Stonewells claimed him. They vaccinated him on his first day. At first, he seemed fine.

  “I remember feeling excited to have someone like me in the house. Josiah–my master–was more like a friend, but there was something magical about knowing someone with the same . . . status as me.” Maverick looked at me with sad eyes.

  “When he got sick, Mistress Stonewell told me to take care of him. For four days I brought him water, washed him, fed him, and held his hand.” Tears began streaming down my face.

  “The night . . .,” I had to pause for a moment, then started again. “The night before he died, he told me that he had never, uh, never kissed a girl. He was smelly and dying, but I kissed him.” I still remembered his soft lips against mine, and how he smiled when I eagerly embraced him. “He requested to watch the sunset, so we stumbled up the stairs of the basement and made our way outside. I fed him soup broth. It was my first and only date.” I chuckled. “He died the next morning.”

  “That must have been hard for you,” Maverick said. I considered his words, but there was something so incredibly enlightening about his death.

  “I think I’m supposed to feel sad about that time in my life,” I said. “But instead, I look back on those days as a beautiful lesson. One shared with me by a kindred soul,” I answered.

  “And what did he teach you?” Maverick asked. He looked haunted, but accepting, of my story; the ghosts in his eyes seemed to seek me out and comfort our mutual losses.

  “That endings can be beautiful,” I whispered.

  That night we both watched over the weak woman. When she woke up, Maverick held her hand while I braided her hair. We talked about everything and about nothing. She mostly listened to our sleepy voices, her throat too constricted to contribute to the conversation.

  The next morning, Patrick brought breakfast and a change of clothes. He smiled sweetly at me, but other than a pleasant ‘good morning’, no words were exchanged. I briefly wondered if they were mad that I didn’t make them breakfast, but I knew that, regardless, I was needed here.

  Maverick and I didn’t speak much to one another except when the Walker woman was awake. Otherwise, he kept a stoic expression and gripped her hand. He seemed to be someone well acquainted with death; he anticipated her needs while her body deteriorated. It was amazing and humbling to watch someone so young (he couldn’t be much older than me) be so familiar with death. He knew what she needed and gave himself willingly to her.

  The next night, we took turns sleeping in the hall on a makeshift pallet and just before sunrise, he quietly called me into the room. I knew it was time.

  Heat rolled off her skin in waves, making me sweat. I imagined Elliot with us, whispering to her while she let go. The monitors eventually beeped, forcing us to acknowledge her passing. We let it ring through the clinic, neither one of us able to turn it off. The finality of it seemed too real. Too painful.

  The Black family buried her in their family cemetery. It was a quick and quiet ceremony. Neither Maverick nor I knew enough about her to give a thorough, memorial service. Instead, we only stared silently at her body wrapped in cloth while Patrick, Jacob, and Kemp lowered her gracefully into the ground.

  Maverick and I never spoke of the woman again, but something between us changed that night. A bond formed between us that only an experience like that could forge. The night she was buried we both watched the sunset, paying an unspoken homage to Elliot. Just as it got dark, he gripped my hand, and we both said goodbye to the ghosts that haunted us.

  Chapter Fourteen

  After her death, Maverick asked me if I would like to be a nurse at his clinic, but I politely declined. I didn’t think it would be possible for me to be there and not think of the sad woman that died trying to better her life.

  The guys mostly let me keep to myself. Almost hourly, my tablet rang. I hadn’t spoken to Josiah in a little over a week, and he was getting more and more desperate. It was a side of Josiah I didn't previously know. Usually, I was left pining for him, but this change in dynamic was jarring.

  I made myself busy by cleaning the house and preparing their meals. I found new things to do daily, but I rarely left the home except to collect groceries. On the fourth day of my saddened state, I made fried chicken and set the table silently; the guys observed me, and even Huxley looked at me with slightly less disdain.

  When we all sat down, Kemp piped up. “Ash, have you given any thought to what job you’d like in the town?” He spoke with uncertainty and looked down at his plate, seemingly afraid to meet my eyes.

  I observed them all openly and noticed how unsettled they all seemed, especially Jacob. I felt ashamed that my somber mood was affecting them so intensely.

  “I was considering talking to the General Store. I noticed that they had a vacant bakery section. I wouldn’t mind selling baked goods there.”

  Cyler perked up at this, excited by my ambitions. “Really? Ah, babe, you’d be great at that!” he boomed while the rest agreed.

  “Do you need anything?” Kemp asked thoughtfully.

  “I might need to purchase baking supplies from the Galla province,” I said.

  “Well, make a list of what it is you need, and I’ll make sure you are given it,” Cyler said happily. I smiled at his enthusiasm. They each started talking over one another and m
aking suggestions about what I should do.

  After dinner, Patrick invited me upstairs to play games with them. I was curious to see what they were like in a laid-back atmosphere. Most of the times that I passed them in the hall or the town, they were absorbed in their work and wore severe expressions.

  I also felt desperate to avoid the constant ringing of my tablet from Josiah, so I happily agreed to visit with them.

  Once I cleaned the kitchen, I made my way upstairs to find each guy sitting on the floor around the short coffee table and cheering on one another. They were playing a dice game I was somewhat familiar with. Josiah and I sometimes played it together late at night when Mistress Stonewell was at events.

  I casually stood off in the corner and watched with polite interest. “Get your pretty butt over here,” Jacob hollered. His smooth voice made goosebumps cover my arms and shoulders. I made my way to him, and once I was close enough, he hauled me into his lap. He put his arms around me and snaked his head over my shoulder so that he could watch the game.

  I blushed furiously at our close contact and forced myself to regard this as friendly behavior. Jacob's hand rested casually on my thigh. Cyler gave us a curious stare until he started losing, and he quickly remembered that he was, in fact, playing a game.

  “I’m happy that you're acting like yourself, again,” Jacob whispered with a blush.

  “I’m happy you’re happy,” I replied with a shrug which caused him to turn his head to observe me curiously.

  “Ay! Guys!” Jacob bellowed, causing me to cover my ears. “I think we should teach Ash here how to play the game.”

  I looked around the room and saw that almost all of them ignored his request. They were too absorbed in what was currently happening on the table in front of them. Jacob snaked his arm around me to grab the remote that sat on the armrest. With a click of the button, the room went black, and the room suddenly erupted in swears and groans.

  “I think we should let Ashleigh play,” Jacob yelled over their harsh cuss words and displeasure. Jacob then turned back on the lights, illuminating each of their faces, and I giggled at their different looks of disapproval.

  Maverick looked at me with a tight grin; it seemed that he, too, still struggled. “Why not?” He shrugged. “Come here; I’ll show you how to play.”

  I wiggled my way off of Jacob’s lap. He groaned and bit his fist playfully while I struggled to stand up. I made my way over to Maverick, unsure how to interact with him after we’d shared such an intimate four days together. In fact, he was a significant reason for why I was avoiding everyone.

  He pulled me into his lap and began explaining the different rules and objective of the game. Each player received ten dice, and then the first person the get all ten dice to roll the same number, wins. It was pure and silly, but each brother placed bets on who could get all ten first, which made for a ridiculously tense room. With Jacob, I felt a playful connection, but with Maverick, my arms, legs, and chest felt heavy.

  After the brief refresher course, Jacob counted down from ten, and the table erupted with the sounds of flying dice. They continued to roll them as quickly as possible. I spent more time watching them scramble for their dice than I did rolling my own, but eventually, Maverick won.

  After losing a few games, I handed my ten dice to Jacob and made my way to the center of the floor. I watched casually for a few more rounds until a loud and obnoxious yawn escaped my lips. Again, Jacob switched off the lights, and a chorus of swears filled the room.

  “Ash is bored, guys. We need something else to do.” He had a mischievous look on his face that suggested that what he had in mind would be embarrassing.

  “I say we practice for the Solstice Festival,” he added.

  “Wha-what’s that?” I asked quietly.

  “Ah, babe. Every year we have a bonfire and dance for the summer solstice. Huxley smokes a few hogs, and we all eat, drink, and dance until we pass out.” Cyler laughed. “Last year Kemp got so drunk he went streaking through the town’s center.”

  Their group mercilessly chuckled while Kemper turned a bright shade of red. At first, I didn’t believe that my mild tempered Kemp would do such a thing, but when he didn’t deny the others’ teasing, it became apparent that what they said was, in fact, true. The roaring laughter from the others made me feel sorry for him, so I scooted over to his chair. I sat at his feet and looked up at him.

  “Would you teach me how to dance, Kemper?” I asked sweetly, praying that my question would distract him from their teasing. His embarrassed frown lifted into a sweet and shy smile. He then coughed. “It would be my pleasure, Ash,” he replied with a deep voice and a grin. The others still chuckled occasionally, but it mostly died down. My diversion had worked! They then hurried their recliners towards the outskirts of the room, creating a makeshift dance floor.

  Jacob typed on his tablet until a folk song began blaring on their impressive sound system. The wooden walls shook with the beat, causing my heart to thud.

  Kemp pulled me to my feet while the others watched. He pulled me close while placing a hand on my lower back. We looked at one another while Kemp began describing the dance steps. After he seemed convinced that I understood, he started guiding me around the room.

  I was clumsy, as usual. But instead of teasing me, Kemper seemed more determined to teach me. I tried to fight the grin, but it took up a permanent residence upon my face while he spun me around the room. He seemed in perfect control.

  He was gentle yet authoritative, directing me while cushioning my waist with his padded fingertips. The others watched us with kind eyes, except Huxley, who seemed to dislike me more and more as the dance continued. Occasionally, the others would throw out suggestions regarding my posture or our foot placements until Cyler walked up and asked for a turn.

  “Kemp was kind enough to teach you a formal step, but just in case, I think you should learn how some of the others in Dormas like to dance.” He winked suggestively at me, and my hands trembled.

  “Are you sure your leg can handle that?” I asked playfully, knowing full well that it was healing nicely.

  “Why don’t you let me show you how much I can handle?” he replied.

  Jacob turned on another song that emphasized the drum beat; it was a sensual song that made my cheeks flame. Where Kemp held me like I was fine china, Cyler crushed my body towards his. I felt like jelly, molding myself to him suggestively. He placed both hands on my hips, and the room seemed to catch fire. Patrick and Jacob whistled loudly.

  He moved me against him achingly. I felt every move his body made pressed upon mine. My chest surrendered to his, and my forehead rested on his shoulder. The earlier playfulness everyone felt seemed to dissolve as I danced against Cyler. Too soon, Jacob cut the music, shocking me out of the trance that dancing with Cyler caused. I looked into his deep eyes while he brushed his shoulder-length hair off his neck.

  For a brief moment, I wished the song hadn’t ended, but I remembered Jules, and the distance she put between each of them, and it was like a bucket of iced water on my senses. I quickly scrambled to brush off the awkwardness left behind by our suggestive dance.

  “Thanks for the lesson, Cyler. If a suitor asks me to dance, I believe he will be most pleased,” I joked with a wink. However, instead of the playful chuckles, I intended to cause, Cyler threw a predatory gaze my way.

  “The only men that will be dancing with you are in this room, babe,” he said in a tone that made me shiver.

  I looked around the room, but the other boys refused to make eye contact with me. I felt like I’d ruined the mood of the evening, so I excused myself and said goodnight. The sudden turn of events made me nervous. I didn’t want to anger them, and I certainly didn’t want to disappoint Jacob after everything he had experienced.

  Everyone mumbled their good wishes, and I made plans to head over to the General Store in the morning. I headed back to my room, feeling entirely defeated and was surprised to find Huxley standing outs
ide my door. I wasn’t sure how he managed to pass me, but his brooding figure made me more nervous.

  He walked closer to me, breathing hot air on my face. His proximity made my chest heave, and Huxley was so near that I brushed against him with every inhale.

  “I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” he began. “I don’t want to scare you, but I need to make something abundantly clear.” My eyes widened at him as he leaned in even closer to whisper in my ear. “I will protect our group at all costs. Remember your place here.”

  As soon as he said it, Huxley retreated into the hallway and out of sight. I felt cemented to the floor and unsure of what exactly he meant. I knew things got slightly heated with Cyler, but it was harmless, right?

  Regardless, I heard him loud and clear, and suddenly, I felt like I was back in my basement at the Stonewell Home. Back where I was a nobody. Back where I wasn’t good enough for Josiah. Despite the freedoms of the Dormas province, I was still the little Walker girl from Galla.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The next day I made arrangements with the owners of the General Store, Mr. and Mrs. Caverly. They even gave me my first order, which was to complete a giant cake for the community solstice festival scheduled a week and a half from now. I was nervous to start off with such a significant event, but they seemed excited to have a baker on hand.

  Once I ordered supplies, I made my way to the gold mine where Patrick and Huxley worked. Although I was anxious around Huxley, I wanted to bring lunch as a sort of peace offering.

  The mines were at the far side of town, but it wasn’t a terribly long walk. A ten-foot fence with barbed wire stood proudly around the entrance of the mine. I was worried that I wouldn’t be allowed entry, but the four posted guards seemed to recognize me and immediately granted me access. Although the fence looked intimidating, I felt concerned that they only had four guards stationed out front. What would happen if the scavengers came back?