What did he mean by keep our heads down? I doubted causing groups of men to chase after you failed to meet the definition.
I blew out my air. Oh, man, it was turning into a long end of the world.
Chapter 21
My face burned, like hot, wet lava dripped onto my skin. I know I was dreaming, but I couldn’t escape. I jerked my shoulders but something held me down. I pushed and pulled. Sobs shook me. Or was that something else?
I snapped my eyes open, gulping for air.
“Kelly, you’re okay. Breathe.” John sat on the edge of my carpet-bed and peered at me with his penlight focused on the ceiling.
Tears streaming down my cheeks – must have been the lava – I met his gaze. “Breathing is all I’ve been trying to do since we left home. But I can’t. I can’t find...” I looked around, the tightness in my chest and throat constricting painfully. What was I missing? What couldn’t I find? “Me. I can’t find me. My mom’s gone. John, my whole family is gone. I have no one. Everything I do hurts someone. Hurts me.” A lump formed beneath the hollow in my throat and I chewed on my cheek.
“Is that what you were dreaming about?” John’s calm voice reminded me of my dad’s. He always redirected my emotions, soothing me.
“No.” I swiped my cheeks. Stupid tears could take a vacation any time. “We were in a group of people claiming to be our friends, but they all had guns on us. One of us was shot.” I shook my head, amazed my words were even coherent. “I’m sorry, I’m not making sense.”
Patting my shoulder, John spoke slowly. “You need to pay attention to your dreams. They usually tell you the route to take or teach you something you didn’t know you already knew.” He chuckled, the sound similar to Bodey’s. “Now I sound like a fortune cookie.”
I glanced at Bodey’s sleeping form. “He’s pretty special, you know?”
A soft smile touched John’s face when he too gazed at his son. “Yep, I do know.”
Trembling, I didn’t want to lay down in the dark – alone – quite yet. I fingered the hem of the blanket. “What did you do before this?”
John shifted, drawing his leg up and resting his elbow on his mid-thigh. “I was a police officer. Well, first I started in the Air Force but transferred to civilian police. Dealing with the politics for a couple years, I opted out and started my own handyman business.” He tapped the end of the mini-flashlight on his palm, making the beam of light dance around the room.
“Bodey told me your wife and daughter are missing.” I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to be alone and I also wanted to give my condolences. I had nothing else to give.
Pressing his lips together, John stared at the floor. “I’m not sure.”
My cheeks tight, I offered a teary smile. “I’m sorry. I would trade spots with them, if I could.”
“No. You’re more valuable than you know. Your life is just as important as theirs. If they’re meant to make it, they will. We’ll find each other and get this family back on track.” He patted my shoulder, scooting to the edge of the stack of carpets. “I’ll take care of you, Kelly. Between Bodey and me, you should be safe. We need to stick together. Get some sleep, we’ve had a long day.”
Would it be self-serving to hope John and Bodey needed me as much as I needed them?
~~~
The hammer was harder to wield than Bodey made it look. Swinging the tool toward the nail I pinched between my fingers, I flinched. The metal head wasn’t the best target and the hammer glanced off the small surface.
“Go ahead and hit that sucker hard. It’s never going to go in, if you get scared. You can do this.” Bodey winked at me, his face red and glistening as he struggled under the weight of the plywood board he pushed against the window hole. “Last one to get and then I can help you.” He grunted, pushing harder as the board slipped in his fingers.
I closed my eyes and slammed the nail with the hammer. Thunk. I opened my eyes and squealed. “I did it!” Grinning, I admired the crooked circle as it protruded from the plywood.
Bodey stood, slowly releasing the board to the support of the tack nails. He held out his hand and I passed him the hammer. In seconds he finished placing the last of the nails and grabbed my hand as we stepped back to consider our work.
“That was the last one, right?” He wiped his forehead, releasing my hand to put the hammer on the ground by the door. We had boarded up every window in the place – which thankfully because of the warehouse status of the flooring store, only included eight across the front and a small one in back.
John had asked us to secure the place better after he scoped out the rest of the small town. The warehouse was the strongest with cement walls and double-paned windows. The only garage door access in the back was easily locked. While we did as John asked, he went out and sought necessary resources for ourselves.
Finding the plywood and pallets in the back had been a no brainer. All we had to do was put them up.
I couldn’t wait for John to bring something we could eat. Even jerky would be welcomed again.
We returned to the room we dubbed the bedroom. John kept us all sleeping there because it was the safest room in the safest building in the smallest town around.
Like a kids’ book.
The door opened and John walked in backwards carrying a large bucket of something. I couldn’t tell what until he turned.
Firewood. We had firewood, but no fireplace. I couldn’t eat wood, either. I was tempted, but the fibrous material probably wouldn’t do what I needed it to.
“Where are we going to burn that, Dad?” Bodey took the bucket from John’s hands while his dad stepped back outside. When he returned again, his arms full with brown paper bags, my interest piqued again.
John pushed the door closed and dropped the wood block he’d placed that morning across the jamb. “Bodey, can you grab the metal filing cabinet up front, please?”
Bodey disappeared and John turned to the wall, removing the vent cover. Sticking his head in, he glanced up and to the sides. “This should be good ventilation, here. Kelly, if you’ll grab some of the paper over there, we’ll get our fire going and eat something.”
Eat? Did he say eat? I couldn’t move fast enough. He wanted paper? I grabbed an armful of paper and rushed back to John’s side. Anticipation warred with hunger. I could dig through the bags, but I had to trust John. I could do it. I could wait. I could.
I think.
Bodey returned, dragging the two-drawer metal cabinet to his dad.
John removed the drawers, emptying out the hanging folders and papers. He placed the first drawer in front of the vent which sat a few inches above the top of the drawer’s height. He lined the inside with thick logs and covered those with multiple layers of aluminum foil he pulled from the bags. Then, he placed some kindling into a tight teepee in the center. He crumpled some paper and tucked the wad into the middle of that.
From his bag still on his back, he pulled a lighter. After a few moments, the pages crinkled into black leaves.
Tendrils of smoke wafted toward the vent, like it knew where it was supposed to go and couldn’t wait to get out. If we could keep the fire small enough, there wouldn’t be enough smoke to draw attention as it exited the building through the vast ventilation system.
While the fire worked on becoming more stable, John turned to the grocery bags and organized bags of chips, two cartons of eggs, cans of soup, cereal, rice, and cans of vegetables against the wall. “This should last a couple days while I go look for more.”
“Wasn’t the store looted?” Bodey retrieved our bags and handed me the dishes and silverware from mine while he handled his. John did the same and we stacked them beside the food.
“Yeah, but the Monaghans at the end of the street are still in their home. I saw Tim and we got to talking. Seems the looters hit up two of the stores, but they aren’t around anymore. Two of the Monaghan kids didn’t get home, but the other four are there and they’re all hunkering down while they
wait for the rest of their family to return.” John watched the small flames, his face devoid of emotion. “We made a deal they would watch their end of town and we’d watch ours. As far as they know, no one else is around here. But...”
I waited. He had a habit of pausing while he sorted out his words. I hadn’t met a smarter man, and he was deliberate, took his time, did things right. The more time I spent with him and Bodey, the more respect and gratitude I had for my situation. And them.
John sighed and looked us in the eyes, one at a time. “The Monaghans have a radio. Some of the information they’ve garnered includes an attack on this surrounding area because of the town of Bayview and the Naval grounds up that way. Apparently, it’s a huge draw for attacks. Fairchild was obliterated during the last bombings.”
Panic seized me, clenching me in its fingers. I blinked multiple times in quick succession. “You think we’re going to get attacked again? When?”
Reaching out for my hands, Bodey squeezed my fingers. “It’s okay. Dad’s putting a plan in place. We got you.”
Not for the first time did it occur to me both men were so busy reassuring me while no one worked on making them feel better. I needed more confidence in them. Start drowning my fears better.
So what if we got attacked again? Maybe surviving wasn’t the best thing.
“They said tomorrow night was the best guess with all the information out there.” He rubbed his eyes.
“We’ll keep watch in shifts. People won’t break in. At least not at first. Even if there is an attack, the chances of it being on foot are slim. The only thing that would draw people to our hideout is knowledge we’re here. That’s the appeal – they would want what we have. So we work on keeping ourselves inconspicuous. Make ourselves invisible.” John chose a soup with a removable lid. “Is this okay? I figure once we eat this we can use the can to cook other things in.”
Bodey and I nodded, our eyes focused on the label’s picture. Yeah, we would eat that. He hadn’t released my hand yet and I didn’t want him to. What if John noticed? Would he regret bringing me along with him?
More importantly was Bodey being platonic? Or could that be a spark he harbored for me too? I wished I could ask my girlfriends to ask his friends to ask him.
Too much had changed. I didn’t even have my phone to text him and ask if he liked me.
We waited patiently for John to put the can in the slow burning fire. Yeah, I lied. I wasn’t patient at all.
Things were a lot easier with my hand in Bodey’s. Even the fact we most likely were going to be attacked again was easier to deal with.
Chapter 22
The Monaghans were wrong. We weren’t attacked the next night.
Shots started down the street soon after our soup. On my watch.
I jumped to my feet beside the AC and heating unit on the roof – the thing large enough to hide beside as we watched our perimeter.
The stars hadn’t quite reached their full potential yet. Time was relative.
Flashes accompanied the shots.
Who were they shooting at?
I shimmied across the roof and slid over the edge of the access port John had found. Feeling with my foot, I found the first rung in the ladder he made out of pallets so getting up and down would be easier – even in the dark.
Another shot rang through the night.
Hand over hand I climbed down the makeshift ladder. From the bottom rung, I dropped into the room below. Forcing my fear into a compact place in my chest, I whispered loud as I darted to the bedroom. “John, someone is shooting on the north side of town.” I shook his shoulder and he sat up, hand going to his waist. I never noticed a firearm there. The memory of a day when he had to protect himself constantly with a weapon had turned into his present.
Sitting up, he patted my shoulder. “Okay, get Bodey up. We need to get out of here. Inside we’re sitting ducks. Outside we can go, if we need to. Grab the bags and some food and get out. I’ll be lookout until you’re clear.” He stood, bending and shoving his blankets into his bag. He kept everything ready, like Mom had. The quality endeared me further to him.
John left the room and I turned to Bodey.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “I heard. Let’s get our stuff.”
We packed in silence. An odd tingling of déjà vu rushed over me and I swallowed back a whimper. Bodey and John weren’t the only capable ones. I’d gotten my mom away from Charlie and into an empty shop safely. I could go into some woods to wait. Men weren’t the only capable ones.
I could do this.
We swung our bags onto our backs. Bodey slipped his boots on and we scampered to the backdoor. John stood watch, his back to us as we closed the panel.
Bodey grabbed the straps of his bag. “Okay, Dad, we’re ready. Want me to take your pack, too?”
John nodded, handing over the bag and peeking around the side of the building. He turned, pointing into the woods past the other side of the street. “Once you hit the trees, pace out fifty steps and wait for me. I’ll come to you.” He dug his fingers into Bodey’s jacket sleeve. “Don’t come back for anything, you understand?”
Bodey’s eyes pierced through the dark, his jaw tight. “Yes, sir.”
He reached for my hand and pulled me along beside him. More flashes lit up the street a few blocks down. John disappeared around the building. If the town was burned, like John’s house, where would we go?
We reached the forest line and Bodey stopped rushing to deliberately place step after step. I followed, his hand my anchor while my stomach twisted. Each time I glanced back, I stumbled. So I focused on staying upright and looking forward.
Bodey hit fifty, suddenly stopping and pulling me to a tree where we sat down. The sound of the shots didn’t reach us through the thick foliage and multiple tree trunks.
Wrapping his arm around my shoulders, Bodey pulled me close. His low voice rumbled as he worked on talking quietly but normally. Probably to keep me calm. “I remember the first time I saw you.”
I pulled away from him to search his face in the moonlight. “You do?”
His eyes met mine and then he traced my face with his gaze. “Yeah. You were in your track suit and stretching. I’d never seen a girl with so much focus before. When you stood up, you brushed your hair out of your face. I wanted to help, so bad.” He raised his finger and moved a stray strand from my cheek. My skin tingled.
“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” I blushed. He saw me my freshman year. That was so long ago. Three years. Time we could’ve spent together. “I’m so embarrassed. I always had a crush on you. I thought you knew and were always just being nice.” I scratched behind my ear, nervous but unwilling to take the confession back.
“What would I say? I didn’t think you were interested. I didn’t even go to your school.” He smiled, his hand dropping to reclaim mine.
I watched him for a moment, the angles of his face softer in the shadows. “Why have you been so... friendly... since I got to your place? Like we’re siblings or something?”
He huffed a slight laugh. “Can you imagine if we didn’t work out? Talk about the most epic awkwardness I can think of. I’m not interested in living with the fallout, if we didn’t work, you know? Or what if I revealed my feelings and you didn’t feel the same? Too many variables.” Bodey threaded his fingers with mine. “But... Am I wrong thinking you might feel the same? If not similar, right? This isn’t a crush for me, Kelly. It never has been.”
How could I be sitting here with Bodey Christianson with him asking if I feel the same way as him? He hadn’t defined his feelings completely, but... if my excitement were any indication we had similar feelings for each other.
The best news I’d gotten since leaving school was finding him alive and now this? He felt the same about me all that time? My chest heaved. I was so glad I wasn’t a happy crier. Finally no tears in reaction to something since leaving home.
Footsteps falling in the woods nearby drew a gasp from me. I
hunkered into place beside Bodey.
I had almost leaned in and kissed him. If I died, I would regret not doing it. I turned to face him, uninterested for the briefest moment about who or what was in the woods with us.
Carefully, I placed my palm on the side of his cheek and turned him to look at me. Emboldened by the dark, the intensity of the moment, and the chance we were being hunted, I leaned toward him, closing my eyes.
Our lips met with soft uncertainty. The kiss grew with heat, as we pushed closer and more confident the other wouldn’t push us away.
Another foot fall and John’s voice broke us apart. “I’m off getting shot at while you two are kissing?”
Bodey and I jerked apart. I didn’t know what to say. Embarrassed seemed too mild and yet, I reached euphoria with the contact with Bodey. I had liked him for so long. And he liked me, too!
I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry, John. You were shot at? I thought you were just checking things out.” Stumbling over my ability to speak without sounding like a complete idiot, I couldn’t make myself pull away from his son. I wasn’t the type to hide my actions. John saw us kiss, my bet was holding hands wouldn’t be too hard on him.
He squatted in front of us, unfazed by the lack of distance between Bodey and me. He folded his hands together, wringing them as he spoke with metered gravity. “I tried pulling the attention from the Monaghans. They’d already killed Tim and his oldest son. But they just shot at me and continued rounding up the family. We need to hide out, until they leave.” He shook his head, ducking but not until after I spied a lone tear trickling down his cheek.
“Do you think we’re okay here?” Bodey squeezed my fingers again. The guy had a deep desire to console me. Dang, he was so sweet.
John lifted his head, shaking off the sadness. “No. We need to find a place with more shelter. I’m not sure how long they’ll be in town and we don’t want to get stuck out here without any protection. I was thinking the junkyard. The old cars grouped together in the back would be good to sleep in. Any smoke from fires we could spread by fanning. I think old man Shorty even had a manual well in the back we could get some water from.”
Cost of Survival Page 16
