The First Twenty

by Jennifer Lavoie

  “Hey,” she said as she slid up to him and placed a hand on his back. He shuddered with each breath and Nixie worried he’d freak out right there. “We’ll find another place that has what you need. This can’t be the only RadioShack.”

  “The others were probably raided a long time ago, too,” he said miserably. He brought a hand up and rubbed at his face just as Cooper called from the back of the store.

  “Hey. This door back here is locked. Someone come help me.”

  Nixie looked up to see him standing at a door that she would have missed if she hadn’t been looking for it. Cooper had latched onto the handle and shook it violently, but it didn’t budge.

  “Let me try,” Jasper said. He dropped his pack to the ground and rummaged through the front pockets a minute before producing a small toolkit.

  “What’s that?” Nixie asked, curious as to what he would need it for.

  “A skill I picked up when I was younger. Back when I was still training to be a guard,” he said as he shuffled on his knees to get closer to the handle, “we sometimes went to places that were locked up tight. One of the other guards showed me how to pick a lock and get in.”

  “Why not just break the door down?”

  “Sometimes you can’t do that. Besides. It’s not always bad to leave a door locked. It deters most people because there are easier places to get into. Okay, I need quiet now.”

  Nixie couldn’t tell what he was doing. He stared at the lock for a bit, and then went back to his toolkit and produced two small tools. The four of them watched as he stuck them both in the lock and started wiggling things around. He had closed both of his eyes and had his head tilted so that he could listen to whatever he was doing.

  In the entire time it took him to pick the lock, Nixie could scarcely breathe. Static must have been holding his breath as well, because his face took on a dark shade of red, and his hands were clenched so tightly they turned white.

  “Got it!” Jasper exclaimed as he twisted one of the tools. He reached up and turned the handle and it swung open with a gentle squeal. “Makes you wonder about their security Before Collapse.”

  As Jasper returned his tools to their correct place, Static jumped to his feet. Cooper was the first through the door. “Damn.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Static pushed past him, nearly knocking him over, and cried out.

  Peyton peered into the room, looking beyond Cooper’s broad shoulders to find a large back room. It had apparently been part stockroom and part office. To one side a series of workstations and desks took up a wall, with a table jutting out and chairs placed around it. A refrigerator took up space against another wall. Some paperwork littered one of the desks as if waiting for the boss to get back.

  “It’s like time just stopped for this side of the room,” Nixie said in awe. Cooper let both of them through and Peyton could see that the other half was just as abandoned but empty.

  A metal cage of sorts took up another section, the gated door wide open. Static had hooked his fingers through the chain links, and he stared into the space with a forlorn look on his face.

  Cooper walked deeper into the stockroom and rummaged around on the desk, pushing papers out of the way. He pulled open the drawers and sorted through them.

  “Hey. Check this out.”

  Peyton glanced over. He held up a small box. “What is it?”

  “Hell if I know. Static might though.”

  Peyton placed a hand on his shoulder. “Static, you should go look. Maybe it’ll be helpful.”

  Static let out a sigh and shuffled over to Cooper. Together they sifted through the contents of the box. As they worked, Static’s energy returned and he started ripping through the other drawers.

  “What is it?” Peyton asked.

  “This stuff…I can make it work!” He turned to look at them, a feverish look in his eyes. “It’s not exactly what I need, but I can adapt the parts. I’ll need some different wiring, but I can cannibalize parts from…”

  “What’s he talking about?” Nixie whispered.

  “I have no idea. But I think he found what he needs.” Peyton watched as he sifted through the materials, stripping smaller components from larger pieces he discarded. The change in him was night and day. Static had never been one who seemed in control, but this was his element.

  “Hey,” Nixie called after a moment. Peyton turned to find her in a corner, rummaging through boxes. “We were supposed to grab plastic bags, right? Because I think I found everything we need.” Sure enough, she’d found a box filled with black plastic bags.

  “Perfect,” Static said. “We can use the bags to wrap each part individually. It will protect them from being jostled around and breaking, and from the rain. Two birds with one stone.” His entire face lit up when he spoke, and he instructed Cooper to get the bags. Cooper glanced at Peyton, who just shrugged. He’s in charge now. Just roll with it. I’m so far out of my league.

  Half an hour passed with Static barking out his orders, packing the electronic components—he wouldn’t let anyone else do it—and setting them carefully in his pack. When he finished, he struggled to shoulder the bag. His face had turned pale again and he looked exhausted. It seemed like getting sick earlier was catching up to him after his rapid changes in emotion.

  “If you get tired, I’ll carry it,” Cooper offered. Static opened his mouth and looked like he would outright reject the offer, but Peyton stopped him.

  “That’s a great idea. We’ll all take turns. We’re in this together as a team, right?” They all murmured their agreement. “Good. Let’s head out.”

  When they left RadioShack, the storm had slowed. The rain came down in a steady drizzle. It was enough to keep them wet and Static worried aloud about his electronics, but as a whole they were able to move between buildings and trees.

  Cooper had mapped out a new route back to the riverbank now that they knew where they were. It would take a lot less time, and with any luck, they’d be back well before nightfall. Peyton was eager to get back to the Mill, and if it had been just her and one other person, she wouldn’t have minded traveling at night. It wasn’t safe, especially without the moon shining and lighting their path. They’d spend one more night on the river and then make the trek back to the Mill.

  Jasper took the lead with Cooper this time, with Static trailing behind them, shifting the pack from shoulder to shoulder. Peyton watched over him to make sure he didn’t trip, but for once he seemed completely attentive and aware of his footfalls. Nixie walked next to her, keeping pace. Aside from the boys’ chattering, it was quiet, but Peyton knew that wouldn’t last. She could see Nixie turning to look at her from the corner of her eye, and every time Peyton turned to address her, she’d whipped her head back around to face front.

  They needed to talk about the kiss before they got back. She didn’t want any misunderstandings between them. She’d just done it to shut Nixie up. Of course. Any logical person would have done it if the person in question was freaking out.

  Dad would have done it for Graham.

  But she needed to be honest, at least with herself: Shutting Nixie up might have been the reason she’d done it initially, but it had transformed into so much more the moment their lips had touched. She could deny that all she wanted to everyone else, but not to herself. The kiss was magic, and it left her reeling.

  “Umm…” the soft voice came from her side. Peyton braced herself as she turned to look at Nixie and finally caught her gaze. “About yesterday and what happened. In the alley.”

  Peyton hesitated, but her heartbeat galloped. “What about it?”

  “Why did you kiss me?”

  Tell her the truth. “I did it to shut you up.”

  Tell her the whole truth. “You were hysterical and there was nothing else I could think of that would work. I did try talking to you, but you just kept going.”

  Coward! Tell her it was more than that.

  “So you kissed me.”


  “Yup.”

  “No one’s ever kissed me before.” Nixie’s voice was soft, and Peyton looked over at her, startled. Her lips had turned up in a soft smile, her eyes unfocused on the ground. Looking, but not seeing.

  “I didn’t mean anything by it,” Peyton said quickly. The words came out harsh, much harsher than she’d intended, and she winced at her own tone.

  No! That’s not what she meant. That was all wrong.

  When she looked at Nixie to take it back, though, she realized she didn’t have to. Either Nixie hadn’t heard or she didn’t believe her, because the serene look on her face made her practically glow.

  The heat rose in Peyton’s cheeks and spread down her neck. She raised an arm and scratched at the back of her head, trying to cover up. She was completely out of her depth with this situation, and she was sinking.

  Fast.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Peyton tried so hard to be tough, but Nixie finally had figured her out. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as Peyton floundered, trying to come up with something to cover her tracks. Even the harsh declaration hadn’t bothered Nixie. Silence fell between them again and the boys picked up their pace. The sun fell closer to the horizon, but they would make it back to their site in time.

  As the boys turned a corner and disappeared from view, Nixie shuffled a step closer to her and slid her small hand into Peyton’s. Peyton’s fingers closed around hers reflexively as Peyton let out a small noise—not quite a gasp, but not a grunt either—and then the grip loosened. Nixie twisted her fingers so they slid between Peyton’s and the noise turned into a soft sigh.

  Peyton’s skin was calloused as if she were a farmer or a forager and not a guard. But despite the roughness, or maybe because of it, it felt good to hold on to her. The heat from her palm soaked into Nixie’s and she allowed herself to close her eyes for a brief moment. It felt so good to be close to another person. That kiss Peyton had given her made Nixie realize how much she missed the contact. It had been pleasurable but also incredibly painful. She hadn’t realized how alone she was, and now it brought her face-to-face with the harsh reality. When the guard didn’t pull her hand away, Nixie breathed a sigh of relief. It was faint, but Peyton must have heard because she chuckled. A small wave of embarrassment flooded through her body, but she forced it back. There was no reason to be embarrassed.

  They turned the corner, still hand in hand. The boys had gotten farther ahead, and they continued to follow at an almost leisurely pace, as though they had all the time in the world. And Nixie wished they did. It would be nice to spend time getting to know Peyton without having to worry about anything else.

  Nixie hadn’t realized how much taller Peyton was. Even when they’d kissed—or rather, when Peyton had kissed her and she’d stood there too stupid to respond—she hadn’t registered their difference in height. Now as she held her hand, the difference was hard to ignore. The top of Nixie’s head barely made it to Peyton’s shoulder as they walked. In fact, if she were to turn her head right now, she’d smack her nose right against Peyton’s upper arm.

  Funny how they didn’t have to say anything. Nixie didn’t feel the need to. She was content to walk next to her, holding her hand. Around them, the cityscape decayed with buildings slowly collapsing and roadways crumbling. Through the cracks in the concrete plants sprang, and even though their creations fell, humans continued to grow stronger.

  By the time they arrived at the river, the sun had kissed the horizon. Peyton gradually pulled her hand away from Nixie’s, and while she mourned the loss, she was glad she hadn’t snatched her hand back quickly. Static had already placed his pack down on a dry patch of land under a tree and worked at stretching his back.

  “Well, at least the damage isn’t that bad,” Peyton said as she surveyed their campsite.

  A few branches had fallen from the storm, knocking over the gear they had set up around the fire pit. Their dry wood was soaked and scattered around. Both tents had been ripped out of the ground but lay only a few dozen feet away, caught against a copse of trees. Cooper and Jasper worked at untangling them and managed to get them out.

  “How are the tents?” Peyton asked as she righted the rest of their gear. Nixie set to work removing branches from the fire pit. After storing his things, Static ran over to help her.

  Jasper spread out one of the tents and staked it into the ground. “This one looks fine,” he said, running his hands down the sides, taking care at the seams. “Yup, nothing.”

  “This one has a tear at the seam,” Cooper said, indicating the tent Nixie shared with Peyton. She frowned and glanced over to see where the side had ripped open near one of the poles. “It’ll be fine for tonight, though. When we get back to the Mill it can be patched up.”

  “Just hope it doesn’t rain,” Peyton said, shooting Nixie a glance.

  “We’ll put you under the trees and hope they don’t fall on you,” Jasper teased. He glanced up at the branches, selected a spot, and then helped Cooper stake the tent down.

  By the time the sun had dipped below the horizon, Cooper had managed to get a weak fire going. He kept his attention on it while the rest of them scrounged for wood that would be dry enough. Nixie managed to find a few branches under the bridge that had escaped their notice the first time around and brought those back.

  Their food supply had dwindled, and Nixie was glad they were heading back in the morning. Even though Cooper could find food, and she had gone without or with little for days at a time before, now that she’d had steady meals she didn’t want to give it up. She was getting too comfortable. If she went back, it would be hard to adjust.

  The thought stopped her short.

  Since when was it if she went back?

  The group hardly spoke during their meal, too exhausted to do much more than chew and swallow. Nixie watched them all, and though they looked weary, the atmosphere was not tense. When Peyton announced she would take first watch, Jasper merely nodded agreement and crawled to his tent. Cooper followed moments later. Static lasted a little longer, going through his pack methodically and murmuring softly to himself as he looked at each component. Nixie had no idea how he would make the mess of parts and wires work, but it wasn’t her place to judge. Eventually he, too, followed his friends into their tent and sealed it shut.

  With him gone, Nixie moved closer to Peyton so they could talk in quiet tones and not risk the others hearing. Her side pressed against Peyton’s side and that was an added bonus.

  “When I found you this morning,” Peyton started, “you were in a trance. You were dancing and completely unaware of anything.”

  “It’s hard for me to remember what happened. Bits and pieces are coming to me. I remember waking up, and then I remember you shaking me, and the thunder.”

  “You didn’t know you could do that?” Peyton asked, her eyes boring into Nixie as if she could see into her soul.

  “No,” she insisted, with a shake of her head. “I’ve never done anything like that before. I almost don’t want to believe it.”

  “Why not? It’s an incredible gift.”

  Nixie sighed. “That’s the problem. It is a gift, and if I’ve had it all this time, and people have suffered because I didn’t use it…” She let her words trail off in frustration. If all of this was true, and she had the ability to call the rain, she could have helped her people a long time ago. She could have helped all people. She could have kept the Settlers’ crops from failing. Kept Mrs. Burgoine’s from burning. She could have kept the water levels high. So many could-haves.

  Peyton reached out and brushed her palm against Nixie’s cheek. She gently turned her face so they were looking at each other.

  “You didn’t know.”

  “How could I not know?”

  “How could you?” Peyton asked in response, and she was right. How could Nixie have known?

  She closed her eyes, trying to block out all other sensations to tune into her body and see if it felt differen
t, but she couldn’t concentrate with the warmth from Peyton’s hand distracting her. When she opened her eyes again, Peyton had drawn closer, the warmth in her hand reflected in her eyes. They hadn’t known each other long, but Nixie hadn’t seen a look like that from her before. It was warm. Comforting. And only a little bit wistful.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Peyton couldn’t pinpoint when she’d decided to allow herself to get closer to Nixie, and maybe she hadn’t exactly made the decision herself. Maybe it had just happened. That was okay, because the water witch had gotten under her skin in a good way and if that didn’t tell her something, she didn’t know what did. Without hesitating, she leaned forward, closing the distance between them and pressed her lips against Nixie’s. This time she responded instantly instead of remaining frozen.

  Her lips were cool, refreshing, like a summer rain on a blistering day. They were softer and fuller this time around. It was as if her body had absorbed the water from the rainstorm. Hell, maybe it did. At this point she wouldn’t be surprised if Nixie could jump into a lake and drink without ever opening her mouth.

  Nixie worked her slender arms around her shoulders. She knew she should be keeping watch, and she tried to keep her senses open to more than just Nixie. But the girl in her arms was intoxicating, heady stuff. It was hard to focus when their mouths opened, tongues tangling, and breaths coming together in soft, shared puffs.

  In the end, she broke the kiss just as she had been the one to initiate it. Nixie looked at her through half-lidded eyes, dazed. “You should get some sleep,” Peyton said, and her voice came out hoarse.

  Nixie didn’t say anything, just nodded as she stood and staggered off to their tent as if drunk. Peyton bit back a chuckle at the sight.

  Without Nixie at her side, the night passed slowly. She kept stirring the flames of the fire, adding a log when needed. All around her the crickets sang louder than she had ever heard, and Peyton thought that perhaps the rain had refreshed them as well. Had it rained back at the Mill? She hoped so, because they needed it. She wished she had been there to see the look on their faces as lightning split the sky in two and rain beat down on them. She hoped no one had been injured.