As we drew closer to wherever we were going, it became clearer the light was emanating from a cavern. This one was big, huge even. Jet stopped, placing his arm out in front of me so I couldn’t go any further. We stood on a pathway. If we had taken just one more step, we would have plunged over the edge and fallen at least a hundred feet.
The narrow path wound around the cavern like a string of beads. Down below, people walked around while others sat in front of the bonfire – the only source of light.
The vast expanse of space wasn’t the most shocking thing here. It paled into comparison as my eyes fixed on the people below. I had to blink several times to make sure I was actually seeing correctly.
It couldn’t be.
It had to be trick.
But they were real.
They were adults.
Chapter Eleven
I looked from the adults below to Jet, unable to believe what I was seeing. All the adults had died. The Event had wiped them out wholly and completely. Seeing them was… impossible.
Completely and unequivocally impossible.
“I know, right?” Jet said, laughing. “It blows your mind.”
“How…? How is this even possible?” I stammered out the question, trying to remember how to speak again. It had been a year since I had seen an adult that wasn’t a spirit.
Wait.
I knew what I was seeing.
They had to be spirits.
“You can see them?” I asked before he could start to reply to my original question.
Jet’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “Of course I can see them. I’m not blind.”
“They’re alive?”
“You betcha. Alive and kickin’.”
I couldn’t stop looking at them. Their ages ranged from twenties right up to the elderly. There had to be a dozen of them. Seeing anyone over the age of nineteen now was impossible. I couldn’t get that word out of my head.
Impossible.
“How are they alive?” I asked.
Jet started chewing on his bottom lip again as his gaze returned to the cavern below. His arm was still stretched out in front of me, preventing me from taking a tumble over the edge.
“Jet? How?” I prompted. There were so many questions floating around in my head that it was swimming with nothing else. All my aches had dulled and given way to my confusion.
His eyes remained fixed. “I don’t know. They’re here and that’s the end of it. Nobody knows for sure.”
“But you have a theory.” The words for sure at the end of his sentence screamed he had all kinds of ideas about how the adults were still alive.
Jet shook his head, returning to his casual self. “If the world could heal with theories, we’d all be in utopia.”
“You know something,” I stated. It wasn’t a question because I was certain he did know something. Something he didn’t want to share with me, obviously.
“I know nothing.”
I noted it for later, in case I got to have the chance of living later, and left it alone. Provoking my captor probably wasn’t the smartest way to get back above ground. I would never be able to find my own way out again.
Instead, I switched topics. “Why do they hide down here? They should be above ground, helping everyone.”
Jet snapped his gaze back to me like I had said something wrong. “Why would they do that?”
“Because it’s freaking chaos up there. They might be able to restore the city back to what it was.”
“You really think a few adults could do that?”
“They could try. Down here, they’re doing nothing.”
“That’s not true,” he replied stubbornly. “They’re surviving. Isn’t that what we’re all doing? Both below and above ground?”
“But there are kids dying.” An unwelcome image of the charred little boy from the previous day entered my mind. “Kids that need adults.”
Jet didn’t have anything to say about that. He just stood there, chewing on his lip like he didn’t have a care in the world. It was impossible having a real conversation with him, I shouldn’t have tried.
I shifted, ready to take my chances on the tunnels alone, when Jet stopped me. “They’re scared,” he said quietly, like the effort cost him something.
“Yeah, so are the kids.”
“They’re scared of being killed. If they set foot above ground, what’s to say they won’t die like the rest of the adults did?” Jet stared at me, waiting for an answer.
An answer I didn’t have.
“So they’re just going to hide down here forever?” I demanded.
“You’d rather they go up and die? How would that help anyone?” Jet’s voice was filled with anger too, matching mine now.
“It’s not like they’re helping down here.”
“How do you know?”
I didn’t. Jet knew it better than I did.
The idea of having some adults left in the world, even just a handful, was a miracle. It sparked some hope that maybe everything wasn’t lost with the Event.
What about if there were more?
I stared at the faces below, looking at the adults and remembering what it used to be like to have them everywhere. They used to run the world, raise their children, keep order in a disorganized society.
Seeing them now was like looking at some rare and exotic animals that you could only see in a zoo. They went about their business with no idea I was staring at them, no idea how in awe I was of their mere presence.
Adults.
Real adults.
Impossible.
“They’re alive,” I muttered under my breath to myself.
While watching them, a thought struck me. They were alive, just like everyone else I had seen in the tunnels. There wasn’t one spirit amongst them.
Why weren’t the dead down here?
Every inch of the world was covered in spirits, I had never gone so long without seeing one before. Normally I had to strain to see the living more than I did the dead.
I hadn’t seen one since I was surrounded by the mole people above ground. The more I thought about it, the more I knew it was true.
But I couldn’t believe it.
There I was, seeing those that should have been dead alive. And those that were actually dead were nowhere in sight. There was something strange going on down here. Not only with the adults but with the spirits, too. I just didn’t know what exactly it was.
“Come on, I’ll take you back,” Jet said, turning away from the cavern. The fire below illuminated his features, creating shadows in the curve of his nose and forehead. He looked dangerous, even though his gaze was soft.
“Back where?” I asked.
“Where do you think?” He dodged my question before heading into the tunnel again. It only took a few feet to lose sight of him altogether, making me run to catch up.
After I fell over and hit the wall, Jet gripped my arm and guided me along. It should have been impossible for anyone to see in such darkness but he managed all the twists and turns without the benefit of any light.
I had hoped he was taking me above ground. After all, what good was I to him? He knew I had only caused his group headaches last time I was his captive. I would only do the same again.
I would make sure of it.
Unfortunately, we returned to the same small room we had left earlier. I sat in the same seat as I had before, the painful memory of what he did to my arm still strongly felt.
Jet spun the seat around and straddled it so he could lean against the back and stare at me. He didn’t say a word, his eyes grazing over my skin like razorblades.
I squirmed under his scrutiny even though I tried to hide my discomfort. I didn’t want to show any weakness in front of Jet. I got the distinct feeling he respected strength above any other attribute.
My thoughts shifted to Oliver, forcibly thinking of anything but where I was and what might happen. I hoped he was safe and wasn’t getting into trouble while lookin
g for me. He had already risked his life once for me, I didn’t want him to risk it again.
“What are you?” Jet asked, suddenly breaking the silence. The sound made me jump, pulling me from my internal reverie.
“What do you mean?”
“You asked me if I could see the adults.”
“So?”
He rested his chin on his folded arms, waiting for me to continue. I kept my mouth closed. At least sometimes I knew when it was best I just shut up.
Jet lost our standoff. “You thought they were ghosts. Can you see ghosts, princess?”
There was nobody else on the planet I had confessed my ability to besides Oliver. I didn’t trust that secret with anyone else. And I certainly didn’t trust it with Jet.
I leaned forward, resting my better arm on the table and placing my chin on top, mirroring him. I tried to match his aloof gaze but I doubt I pulled it off. “Ghosts aren’t real.”
“Who said?”
“Do you always speak only in questions?” I asked, dodging the question myself.
He sat back up again, still leaving his hands resting on the chair. “I find asking a number of questions is beneficial to my survival. I haven’t lasted this long for nothing.”
I pretended to be surprised. “Was that a real answer you just gave me? We must be making progress.”
Jet laughed a breathy chuckle. “I could give you a lot of answers, princess. But that’s not why you’re here. Tell me how you can see ghosts.”
“I can’t-”
“Yes, you can,” he stated, cutting me off and leaving no room for arguments. There was something about the way he was looking at me that made all my defenses crumble. It was like he could see every thought in my head before I even thought them, knew every word I would say before I spoke them. I had never met anyone like him before.
And he terrified me.
“Come on, princess, you may as well tell me. It’s not like either of us are going anywhere anytime soon.”
“There’s no food or water in here. I can probably wait it out,” I said insolently.
Jet shifted in his seat. “Maybe I should rephrase. You won’t be going anywhere. I will be.”
So that was his master plan? Leave me deep underground to starve to death in the small room? Or would he just turn me over to the mole people when he was finished playing with me? I wouldn’t put either option past Jet. Life meant nothing to him. There was no reason to think mine would be any different.
He continued. “But… if you tell me all about these ghosts, I might feel pleasantly amused enough to change your fate. So, what will it be, princess?”
“I want you to stop calling me princess.”
The comment earned another laugh from Jet. The amusement flickered in his eyes, making the flecks burn gold. “That’s never going to happen. So? Do you see dead people?” He whispered the last few words.
I crumbled under his gaze. Jet scared me, compelling me to reveal my secrets. The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Yes.”
“How? What do they look like?”
“I don’t know how, I just do. They look like ordinary people.”
Jet nodded slowly, taking it all in. “So you often mix up the living and the dead?”
“When all the adults are supposed to be dead, yes. I don’t expect to see them walking around alive.”
He chewed on his bottom lip, lost deep in thought. I didn’t know whether he believed me or not. I didn’t really care either way. It wasn’t anyone’s business who I saw, living or dead. Only one of the few perks of being without adults was being completely independent.
The silence was starting to make me even more uncomfortable. I didn’t think that was possible. I had to say something. “You don’t believe me.”
Always chuckling, Jet laughed again. “You’d be surprised about what I believe these days.”
I probably would be surprised.
I didn’t want to know anymore about that statement.
“That makes two of us,” I replied, leaning back in my seat again. My arm was throbbing with pain. I wasn’t sure how long I had been down here, but I was starting to feel every single ache in my body anew.
“Have you always seen these spirits, or was it only since the Event?” Jet asked casually, making sure he didn’t seem eager to hear my answers. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out his game.
“Always. It’s only since the Event that they are more prevalent.”
He thought for a moment before realization crossed his features. “Because there are so many dead now.” I nodded. “That must suck.”
“It’s not exactly fun.”
“Did you see the spirits of your parents?” He really didn’t mind getting personal, clearly. He managed to bring up the one topic I didn’t allow to enter my mind, let alone talk openly about.
Jet wasn’t getting that secret.
“No, I didn’t,” I replied. “I never saw them.”
He opened his mouth to say something, then censored himself before the words were out. “Probably better that way,” he mumbled.
For just a moment, I saw Jet’s own vulnerability. It haunted his black eyes for just a flash of a second before he started chewing his bottom lip and sending his thoughts elsewhere.
In that moment, I could almost believe he was a regular human being.
But he wasn’t.
He was dangerous.
I moved on before he forced me to reveal anything else. “So are you pleasantly amused enough to let me go now? I answered your questions. I have earned my freedom.”
And just like that, the real Jet was back. He gestured toward the door. “Be my guest, princess.”
My eyes flicked between him and the door. It had to be a trick. Nothing was that easy.
“I know how to open it now, how to turn the lock,” I pointed out. Nobody fooled me twice.
“You’re a smart girl.”
I tentatively rose to my feet and slowly crossed the room. At any moment I expected Jet to spring up and tackle me to the floor. Or perhaps he wasn’t that creative and would just pull a gun out of the small of his back and shoot me.
Something was bound to happen.
I made it to the door and twisted the lock. It clicked loudly in the quiet room. Surely if Jet was going to stop me, that would be the moment. I had one functioning arm and another almost-functioning one. I could open the door and leave.
Glancing back at Jet, he wasn’t even watching me. His gaze was fixed on the far wall, staring into nothing like it was the most fascinating thing on the planet.
He wasn’t going to stop me.
I was actually going to leave.
I pulled on the door and it shifted open. Another few tugs and it was wide enough for me to get through. Just a few steps and I would be free-
“Good luck with all the people out there who want to kill you, princess.” Jet’s words stopped me dead cold. “Make sure you give them my regards.”
And that was the punch line.
I would never get up above ground with the amount of mole people in the tunnels. They might watch me fumble along until I reached the exit, choosing to play with me for a while to work up a sweat.
But they wouldn’t let me go.
The bloodlust in their eyes still haunted me. If I encountered Perry again, she wouldn’t stop at dislocating my shoulder once more. She would tear me to pieces without a second thought. Especially after Jet had come to my rescue.
Jet’s laughter filtered through all my thoughts. Of course he was amused with my fear. People like him lived off it, fed off it. He was nothing more than a lion playing with his prey.
I let the door thud closed again. Perhaps it was better to risk it with the devil I knew rather than hinge it all on a lot more that I didn’t know.
When I turned around, Jet was standing right behind me. “Don’t worry, princess. I’ll walk you out.”
He reached past me to grasp the door handle and pull
it open widely. He gestured for me to go ahead and I took a few steps. Much to my relief, Jet followed.
We were down the tunnel in complete darkness when the sound of the door closing echoed around us.
Jet didn’t grasp my wrist this time, instead choosing to rest a hand on the small of my back. It was warm and humid underground, his hand burned with every step we took. I was never more conscious of a single touch than I was walking along the pitch black tunnel.
When the light finally grew brighter at the end, I was exhausted – both mentally and physically. I longed for some rest but knew it would be quite some time before I would be able to.
We stepped out into the fading light. I had been underground for most of the day. Much longer and I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two places.
“Where are you staying?” Jet asked as we continued walking down the street away from the tunnel entrance. A shiver ran down my spine when I remembered the encounter that had occurred there earlier with my ‘welcoming party’.
“You really think I’d tell you that?” I shot back. He wasn’t the only one who could avoid giving answers. There was no way Jet could know where I lived, even if it did change every night.
“Why wouldn’t you?”
I stopped, turning to Jet because I wasn’t certain if he was joking or not. “Because you tried to kill me.”
His brow wrinkled between his eyes. “When did I do that?”
Was he serious? He couldn’t possibly have forgotten about the time he kidnapped me and then had me tied up for days with his gang. Nobody could forget that. I doubted I would even if I lived until an old age.
“When you had your ‘friends’ do whatever they wanted to me,” I reminded him. Because, clearly, he needed it spelled out for him.
Jet’s eyed blackened, I didn’t think they could get any darker but they managed it. In the next instant, it was gone. His face relaxed into the arrogant grin we wore so well. “But they didn’t kill you. And you know what they say about what doesn’t kill you.”
I rolled my eyes, there was nothing more I could do. “So I should thank you for making me stronger then? Right.”
“Don’t worry, princess. I can just live with your perpetual gratitude.” He started walking again, giving me no chance to argue any further.
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