by Cerys du Lys
I stared at him, smirking. "I thought you didn't like romance movies?"
"I don't! That's not a romance movie, it's science fiction."
"What's your favorite movie?" I asked.
"Ghost," he said immediately.
"That's a romance movie!"
"What? You're crazy. It is not. Ghost is a paranormal thriller, through and through."
I rolled my eyes and giggled. "Whatever."
From high above, I heard a thick, heavy crunch, then a resounding thud. Panicked, I ran to the steps and looked up.
"That's just the roof panel," Jonny said. "It's always been loud."
Evan yelled down. "All set, Sadie. Come up when you can. Take your time."
I nodded and yelled back. "I'm coming!"
"I'll put the steps back after you're up, then I'm going to go let those others in. Just... you two be safe, alright? You don't have to come back or anything, just be safe."
"Thanks, Jonny," I said.
I climbed the steps until I reached the ceiling and the ladder rungs bolted into the wall. Wrapping my fingers around the first rod, I breathed in deep and started up. Below me, Jonny pushed the ceiling back into place, leaving me in darkness. Looking up, high above, I saw the faint silhouette of Evan's upper body gazing down at me through the open roof hatch. The moon gleamed bright behind him, making the sky look dark blue.
I climbed, slow and careful, keeping my attention on my hands and feet and the ladder rungs beneath them. If I fell, what then? The shaft to the roof wasn't too large, so I could lean back and rest if I needed, but that, too, was dangerous. If my knees buckled, if I dropped down, I'd fall into the projection room.
Evan wouldn't leave me. He'd come back. Which was fine for me, but bad for him, because what if the others found us? If they heard my fall, began searching for the source of the noise, if...
I kept climbing, making myself think nicer things. I thought of Evan and our date. I remembered him feeding me a piece of popcorn. He held it out for me and brought it to my lips, then placed it inside my mouth, letting the tips of his fingers linger, leaving a light warmth on my cool skin while the popcorn dissolved on my tongue. And he held me tight and we smiled and we watched the movie.
Or, we did that until we stopped and started doing other things. When he snuck to the floor after pretending to drop popcorn, then slinked between my legs and pulled off my pants. And then more things happened after that. My cheeks tingled with a blush. I scrambled up the ladder, hoping to escape these naughty, lewd thoughts. Now was definitely not the time for them.
Maybe Evan and I could make more lewd, naughty memories on the rooftop, though? Or... snap out of it, Sadie, I told myself. This was life or death now, and serious, but in the pit of my stomach, adrenaline and worry roiling inside of me, it reminded me somewhat of an impending orgasm. Obviously not exactly, but if Evan touched me, pushed his erect cock inside of me, I was fairly certain I'd be over the edge in a matter of seconds, pent up fear and excitement finding release in my climax.
I was probably a terrible person for thinking these things, but the ideas kept me distracted while I climbed.
At the end of the ladder, Evan held his hand out for mine and I took it. He helped lift me the last of the way, squeezing me tight and keeping me safe from falling. I climbed out and joined him on the roof, eying him with a mix of anxiety and lust.
"Do you need some time?" he asked. "We can wait a bit if you want."
Below us, sounding impossibly loud and close, someone pounded through the projection room. Noises of things being tossed over, flipped aside, searched through.
I shook my head, shedding my carnal fantasies with a toss of my hair. This wasn't appropriate! We didn't have time to wait. "I'm fine," I said.
Evan nodded. "I checked quickly before you came up and it looks like the way is clear. Let's climb down and get out before anyone notices."
Evan tossed his duffel bag over his shoulder and held my hand, leading me to the edge of the roof. I looked over the side, judging the distance to the ground; maybe about twice as far as I'd just climbed. Twice as easy to fall, also, with no wall to lean against if I grew tired.
Evan held my hand tight, not looking at me. I glanced towards him, smiling, hoping to reassure him, but he still didn't look my way. Instead, he just kept holding my hand until he didn't; too long but not long enough. The fading press of his heat blanketed my cool palm.
"I'll go first," he said, hoisting himself over the edge. "Wait until I get to the bottom, then follow after me, alright?"
He sounded so serious. I nodded. "Alright."
Evan descended, strong and capable. I watched him go and leaned over the edge to keep an eye on him. Sure and steady, he moved along the ladder as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
I'd honestly never liked ladders too much. I wasn't scared of heights, per se, but I disliked them. And now, as I was, I disliked them even more. Climbing from the projection room to the roof wasn't so bad, since I couldn't see anywhere but up. Here, though, I could see everything.
To the left, right, and far in front of me. Behind me and at the opposite side of the roof I spotted a vague glimpse of the far outer edge of the parking lot and a shadowy hint of the city beyond the movie theatre hilltop.
And to the side, to the left again, I noticed one of the others.
The cool, shambling man hobbled around the corner, having strayed away from the rest. He didn't notice Evan yet, but if both of them kept going the way they were, they'd spot each other soon enough. And then what?
Evan was at the bottom and he turned to see what I was staring at. He saw the man, too.
"Sadie!" he hissed, quiet but too loud. "Hurry!"
"I..." I looked down, eyed the rungs. I couldn't hurry. This wouldn't work. I just... I just couldn't.
I needed to, though. Careful, stepping over the edge of the roof, latching onto the ladder, I climbed down as best I could. Evan had already lowered the entire thing to the ground, bringing the emergency escape along with him as he went, and all I needed to do was descend. That's it. That's all.
Easier said than done, though.
I did well, but not well enough. Halfway down and struggling, I peeked to the side. Just then, the other man hobbling towards us noticed Evan. Night darkness dimmed his vision, but Evan's heat must have attracted him either way. The man picked up his pace and dragged his feet faster, trying to catch Evan alone.
"Jump," Evan said. "I'll catch you."
The last time I jumped and Evan caught me, he almost died. He'd never admit it, but that's what happened. And if I jumped again? Well, I trusted Evan but had little faith in myself.
I kept climbing, ignoring him. The other man approached, closer and closer.
Evan dropped his duffel bag and held out his arms. I pretended I didn't hear him, but he kept saying my name, telling me it was alright, comforting me, and...
I clenched my teeth and jumped. The man like me was too close and I knew Evan wouldn't leave. He'd never leave me no matter what, because he just wouldn't. I didn't know why and I didn't understand it at all, but that was the kind of person Evan was. I kicked out with my feet and let my hands loose from the rungs, soaring towards Evan's outstretched arms.
I didn't have far to fall and Evan caught me easily. No tumbling this time, no injury. A perfect landing, and that was that. The man approaching us moved slow, unsure. Sometimes the night did that to us. It was dark and if I didn't still have some of Evan's heat keeping me warm, I knew I would've felt disoriented. Shadows and tricks and slivers of light from the moon turned everything into a carnival funhouse in our typical, befuddled state of mind.
I felt good, though. Evan snatched up his bag and took me by the arm, leading the way.
"Let's go," he said.
The other man plodded forward, snatching at the empty air where Evan and I had just been, but we were gone now. Hurrying through the back, we escaped into the woods. Alongside us, mere feet away, the othe
rs in the parking lot stumbled and shuffled around. The sounds of their steps scraped across the asphalt.
"I don't know if we have time to get gas for your generator," Evan said. "Is it alright if I get some tomorrow instead?"
I nodded. "I don't mind," I said. "Just, will you please stay with me tonight, Evan?"
"Of course," he said with a smile. "I promise."
...
Evan held Sadie's hand, keeping her close, while they walked back to her place. Overall, he felt like things were good. Not the best, but good. They'd escaped from the theatre after enjoying a few hours there, and he'd go back and get gas tomorrow morning. It'd be easier on his own probably, or maybe Desiree could come with him.
He hated the idea of leaving Sadie alone, but he knew he couldn't baby her, either. They... they were moving so fast and sudden and he liked it—loved it, even—but was it because of their circumstances, this messed up world, or because he really liked her? He knew the answer to that without asking it, but something kept digging into his mind and telling him some part of this was wrong.
What, though? Nothing, really. Everything was great. He squeezed Sadie's hand and looked over at her, smiling. In the dim glow of the moonlight both of them were a blur of shadows, but it didn't matter. He knew the way to her home in the woods by now and they both walked along the back roads, happy to spend time together. Nothing more or less than that. Evan liked it.
Soon, very soon, he'd open the door to her home for her like a gentleman and escort her inside. After turning off the generator out back, they'd flee to her bedroom. He'd say good night to Desiree if she was still awake, or maybe find a blanket for her otherwise, but then...
He remembered the other night when he'd stayed here. Cuddling close to Sadie all night, feeling the coolness of her body become something a little less cold as he held her tight. What would happen, he wondered, if he kept her close for days? Warm, embracing her, and... was that it? Was that enough? Could he cure her sickness that way, with love and tenderness?
He didn't think so, but he was up for trying it if Sadie wanted. Playing under the covers together, kissing, reading books, sneaking out for a snack here and there; for him, at least, if not for her.
They reached her driveway. One of the lights in the living room where they'd left Desiree glimmered softly through the window, giving the house a warm, inviting glow. She shouldn't have turned the light on, but he couldn't begrudge her it, either. After months with little to no common amenities, he'd want to splurge if he were in her situation, too.
If everything went as Evan hoped, they'd all be able to splurge as much as they liked.
If...
"Take her," someone said.
Evan blinked, confused. "Alex?"
"Be careful. She's dangerous."
A few of the men from camp rushed out of the shadows and pulled Sadie away from Evan before he could even comprehend the situation.
Why were they here? What was going on?
"What are you doing?" Evan asked.
"Good job," Alex said, saluting Evan. "Everything's under control now. Don't worry about a thing."
...
Two men came and pulled me away from Evan. I held tight to his hand, but they loosened my fingers and dragged me away. They pinned my arms behind my back and pushed me forward. I nearly fell on the sidewalk but they hefted me up and shoved me along.
"What are you doing?" I heard Evan asking behind me.
"Good job," the other man said. The rest sounded muffled and far off as the men behind me continued pushing me away. I stumbled through my borrowed home's driveway, tripping on the pavement, but they picked me up and carried me along, not letting me fall or escape.
Their hands dug into my skin like thick, hot pokers. It hurt; too hot and too hard and nothing like Evan's soft warmth and touch.
We went through a gate in the fence leading into the backyard, then scrambled towards the middle of the lawn. There, right in the center, was some kind of cage.
A modified dog pen, I realized. An outdoor one with eight sides. They'd attached three on top of each other, using heavy-duty cable ties to keep the construction secured in place. A chain with a lock sealed each of the pet cage doors shut. The entire thing stood taller than me but with barely enough room in the middle to sit and stretch my legs. Plenty of space for a decent sized dog, but...
One of the men took both my wrists in his hand and restrained them behind my back. It felt like I had handcuffs made of fire circling my wrists. The other man knelt low and unlocked one of the chains, then opened the door closest to the ground. The man clutching my wrists shoved me forwards and they shouted at me to get in the cage.
I didn't know what else to do. What else could I do? I crawled on hands and knees, trying to fit myself into the cage. The door was made for a dog, not a person, so I struggled to squeeze inside it. My arms went through easily enough. My breasts and my shirt caught on the bottom of the cage, though, and I tried to move, to shimmy my way in, but apparently I wasn't fast enough.
The men behind me pushed me in, cramming my body through the small door and tiny cage. I squirmed, confused, and I wanted to scream and ask them what they were doing and why, but I didn't know how anymore. It hit me so fast, so sudden, my mind addled and disoriented. With Evan away and these forceful, aggressive men at my side instead, I'd lost all semblance of normalness I'd had only minutes before. I wanted to cry; lost, confused.
I found myself kneeling on a dog cushion in the middle of the pen, trapped. The man who had unlocked the chain looped it through the door and then locked it again. The other man stood nearby, openly staring at me.
"I'll take first watch," he said. "Should be fine. I'll holler if I need help."
"What..." I said, worried, forgetting how to speak and ask questions. "What's going on?"
"Quiet," the man guarding me said. The other man turned around to look at me briefly, but said nothing and started walking away again.
"We're not going to kill you and that should be enough," my guard said. "Evan's managed to convince our leader it's a good idea to examine the zombie sickness, so we'll start experimenting and doing some tests tomorrow. You've gone along with it well so far, but don't start thinking you're special or anything. For all we know, you very well might die during the trial and error part of this."
"It's good, though," he added with a smile. "We'll make sure no one else becomes some monster like you. Even as some fucked up zombie, I'm sure you can see how good that is, right?"
"What?" I asked. "Evan?"
"Yeah, why do you think he lured you away for a few hours? We came after you left. I don't know the specifics, but Desiree told Alex when you were gone, then Alex told us and we rushed here and set everything up before you and Evan got back. I wasn't in on the initial plans, but apparently this has been in the works for awhile."
It... it was planned? The date? Evan asking me out? I...
No, no, it couldn't be. Evan wouldn't do that. Why would he do that? And... Alex... I didn't understand any of this. But Desiree told someone we'd left? Did she hate me?
Was I delusional? Why did I think anyone could love me in the first place? Why did I think Evan cared about me? I didn't know, but I desperately wanted it, even now. I wanted to feel him close to me, feel him hugging me. He'd promised me that he'd stay the night with me, but here I was, trapped in some dog cage, and there he was, in some other world entirely.
I looked towards my house, towards the living room with a view of the backyard. The lamp that I'd never once turned on shone bright, giving the yard a faint, shimmering luminescence. Evan stood near the glass porch door, face pressed against it, staring out at me, while some man, Alex, said things to him from inside.
The generator in the backyard droned, adding sound to their moving mouths. I couldn't hear anything they said anyways, but now I heard even less. Slumping onto the ground, curling my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them, I sat there, still and silent.
I had a little of Evan's warmth to keep me feeling pleasant, but I barely recognized it. It would fade. Everything would go away.
...
"What the hell is going on?" Evan asked. This shouldn't have happened! He and Sadie should be cuddling in her bed right about now, turning down for the night, and talking softly about nothing important. He wanted this, desired it so much, and yet...
"Whoa there, lover boy," Alex said, feigning indignance. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, alright? Your little girlfriend's perfectly fine. We set her up somewhere nice."
"What? Alex, why are you even here? What happened? I don't understand."
"Come on, take a look. I think it's a good idea myself, but I'm interested in your opinion."
After urging Evan inside, bringing him into Sadie's living room, Alex led him to the glass door that opened onto the back porch. Evan squinted and looked outside, but saw nothing but blackness; the light inside and the dark outside obscuring his view. Pressing his face against the glass, staring, he saw two men. One of them started walking towards the house while the other stood guard around something in the yard. What was that?
"It's as much to keep her safe as it is to keep us safe, so pardon my quick job of it," Alex said.
Once Evan grew accustomed to staring into the dark, he recognized the shape. A dog pen? And then he saw her; Sadie. In the middle of the pens, trapped by locks and chains binding the cage openings, she sat there, looking towards the house and him.
He looked back at her, trying to find the courage to say something to her. What could he say, though? He swallowed hard, his throat convulsing. He'd gotten her into this mess and now what? Even if he had the nerve to try and say anything, the buzz of the generator in the backyard would've muffled his voice into an unrecognizable static.
Evan turned towards Alex, rage in his eyes. "Why are you doing this?" he asked. "She's not dangerous, Alex. You can let her out. You can let her in here. I swear. I swear to God or on my grandmother's grave or whatever you want. I swear Sadie won't hurt anyone. I promise you that."
