Waterfall

by Amber Garr

  “Shut it,” I mumbled. “What do you want?”

  “Everyone’s closing down for the night. I wanted to see how much longer you’d be.” She leaned past me and counted the holes. “Three?” Shaking her head, she turned to walk away. “I could do better.”

  Without hesitation, I jumped forward and tackled her to the ground. She screamed but giggled at the same time. When I flipped her on her back and straddled my legs across her stomach, she rolled her eyes. “You can’t compete with me,” I said.

  Her dark hair splayed out around her head like a crown. Blue eyes looked up at me with a challenge. “No?” She tried to move her hands, but I pinned her wrists to the ground. Her struggles felt half-hearted.

  “I’m the best hunter and latrine digger in this camp.” I leaned forward, my body weight pressing down on her hips and arms. The limited light reflected an area of bare skin just below her neck. I swallowed hard.

  Vee noticed my reaction, too. With tense muscles and a tight jaw, she continued to stare at me. “What’s wrong, Zach?”

  The way she said it clued me in. She knew this closeness had affected me, and she wanted to see who would hold out longest. Challenge on.

  Sliding my feet down toward hers and pushing through one of my dirt piles, I lowered my body. The heat from her stomach singed my own, and I swear she would hear my pounding heart. If she wanted to play this game, she would surely lose. I slowly moved her hands over her head, allowing my chest to brush lightly against hers. Vee let out a quick breath, and I knew I had her.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” I whispered into her ear. “I’m just glad I have you here to protect me.” I brushed my lips just above the exposed skin on her neck, doing my best to control my own breathing. “You are our best fighter after all.”

  She shivered and I smiled. Hiding my face from hers, I continued to run my lips close enough for her to feel the heat from my breath, but not close enough to touch.

  “What are you doing, Zach?” She pretended to struggle, but I knew better. And although I would usually quit by this point, I didn’t want to stop.

  Lifting my head so that I could look at her perfect face, my own breath caught in my throat with what I saw. Where our games usually meant nothing, I noticed a different emotion teetering at the surface of her blue eyes. They were full of something I feared my own held too.

  I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. It wasn’t a typical reaction, but I couldn’t control myself. Waiting to feel her warm up to me or punch me in the head, I sighed when she parted her lips and deepened the kiss. In just a few seconds, our childhood friendship turned into our first adult make out session.

  It had been so long since I kissed anyone like this. And even then, it hadn’t been this intense. Vee struggled against my grip, so reluctantly I let go. In an instant, her strong arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer. I brushed my hands through her silky hair and felt a new wave of desire when she let out a small moan.

  What were we doing? Surely this would change everything. I shushed that part of me and continued to press kisses on her lips, neck, and ear. With each one, her breathing intensified and she pushed her body up toward mine. We’d passed the point of no return and I wondered if this would really be it for us. I slid my hand underneath her shirt, fingers grazing her porcelain skin and tight stomach muscles. Letting out a noise of my own, I forced my arm underneath the small of her back and pulled her hips tight against me. She let out a gasp and I thought my heart would burst with that sound.

  A branch snapped in the distance. We both looked up in a panic, and although the kissing stopped, I didn’t move my body away from hers. It felt like the world would end if we broke this connection.

  “Get off,” Vee whispered and gently nudged me to the side. She didn’t really want me to move, but we both knew what was coming. Or rather, who.

  “Zach?” Hunter’s pre-pubescent voice killed the mood and any chance Vee and I had to move things further along. Perhaps I’d think that was a good thing tomorrow, but right now I wanted to kill the boy for interrupting.

  With a groan I moved to the side and pushed up to my knees. Vee had already jumped ten feet away from me, looking as guilty as a puppy that just tore up a favorite pair of shoes. Her flushed cheeks and disheveled shirt made me smile at the memory. She caught my eyes and shook her head. We couldn’t let Hunter know what had just happened.

  “Zach?” Hunter called again, this time stepping into the halo of light emitting from the torch I’d been using. “There you are. Oh, hey Vivienne.” Hunter looked back and forth at the two of us several times. The smirk on his face grew as the seconds ticked by. He knew.

  As if coming to the same conclusion, Vee started to walk away. “I’ll be at our site.”

  Hunter’s gaze followed her retreating frame, mouth wide open and ruining any attempt he’d made at disguising his surprise. “What were you guys doing?”

  I stood, lifted the shovel over my shoulder and grabbed Hunter’s. “Digging holes,” I said.

  “Was that all?”

  I shook my head and looked down at the kid who’d grown wise beyond his years. “Yes, that was all.”

  “Um-hmm,” he mumbled so I gave him a playful shove. Hunter had become my little brother, and just like a younger sibling, I couldn’t let him get the upper hand.

  He laughed and dodged my next mock punch, running back toward the bonfire and jumping over bodies nestled in their sleeping bags for the night. We had tents, but if the weather looked nice, we didn’t bother. It had become a comfort to have the cool night air welcome the end of another day surviving in this world.

  Hunter beat me to the area Vee had set up for us. Although we all stayed close enough together as a group, at night, we liked to pretend we had our own little piece of privacy. Vee and I usually slept side by side, sometimes with Hunter, sometimes without.

  “Can I sleep with you guys tonight?” Hunter asked. Before I could say no, Vee answered.

  “Yes, of course.”

  I looked down at her prepping an additional spot for Hunter and tried to give her the signal. We needed more time together and a twelve-year-old sleeping two inches away would not accomplish that task.

  Vee didn’t make eye contact with me at all. She knew what I was thinking, and she purposely avoided me. I felt sure of it.

  Sighing extra loudly, I plopped down next to her and began untying my boots. Vee stayed extra focused on Hunter, who would apparently sleep on the other side of her. I laughed to myself at the thought of me competing with a tween over Vee’s attention.

  Then I relived our actions just moments ago. This could change the course of our relationship, and I worried it would ruin what we already had. As much as I liked what happened, I’d give it all up if meant we would act normal around each other again. I decided to wait and see how Vee behaved in the morning.

  I pushed my body into the sleeping bag, lying on my back and doing my best not to notice the electricity shooting between our bodies. Perhaps it was all in my head, perhaps not. Either way, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to sleep well tonight. With another deep breath, I covered my face with my arms and tried to focus on sleep.

  A moment later, Vee moved beside me. I felt her arm rest gently against my chest, her legs snuggling up to mine. Without saying a word, I grabbed her hand and held it close. Although we often nestled up against each other, tonight felt different. We weren’t two friends simply trying to keep warm, we were a pair of twins, unwilling to separate. A pair of twins, who until tonight, hadn’t admitted how much they needed each other. The comfort of that thought overwhelmed me. In no time at all, I felt peaceful enough to drift into a deep sleep.

  At first I thought the scream came from my subconscious. Dreams didn’t usually haunt me at night, but every once and a while a deep memory would surface and slash its way through my psyche. Another scream forced me to open my eyes.

  “Zach!” Vee’s panicked voi
ce jolted me to alertness.

  I turned my head to the side in time to see her being yanked away by a tall stranger. At the same time, shouting from the rest of the group flooded my senses. We were being attacked.

  “Not so fast, Romeo.” The cold, sharp point of a blade against my throat stopped my attempt to stand. “We have plans for you once we’re finished with your girlfriend.”

  Vee screamed from somewhere behind me and dread burst through my heart. Vee never screamed. Something must be terribly wrong.

  “If you hurt him, it will be the last thing you do,” she yelled. At first I thought she was protecting me but then I heard Hunter’s voice.

  “Zach, help us!”

  I knew I couldn’t let them die. The man holding the large hunting knife to my throat looked down at me with arrogance and hate. These must be the group of deserters I’d stolen from. As if confirming my assumption, the man leaned over me and raised his eyebrows.

  “You kill us, we kill you.” His breath smelled like rot and spittle dripped from his mouth, getting caught on his wiry beard. He seemed malnourished and sickly, but from the look in his eyes, I knew he intended to follow through with the threat.

  I slid my arms down to the side, still pinned to the ground by an angry deserter and his lethal knife. The scuffling and shouting behind me grew almost too distracting for me to accomplish my goal.

  “Looking for these?” The man held up two knives; my knives that had been resting by my head like a security blanket. He smiled again, which showed me that most of his teeth were missing along with any personal hygiene routine. Face filled with satisfaction, I didn’t dare tell him that it wasn’t the knives I’d been looking for.

  With one quick move, I reached to the side and grabbed Vee’s sword. She always slept on top of it, protecting it like a precious commodity. Before the man could register his defeat, I swiped the blade over the top of me and cut partway into his neck. Blood sprayed, he dropped the knife from my throat, and I marveled at Vee’s ability to decapitate. Apparently it took a lot of force.

  I pushed the man off of me and jumped to my feet in a matter of seconds. The first thing I noticed was the rest of my group fighting ferociously with our attackers. They hadn’t just come for me, yet this was all my fault. Thoughts to be dealt with at another time.

  Hunter lay sprawled at an awkward angle a few feet behind me, his attacker now helping the man who had Vee pinned to the ground. Ignoring my need to protect her, I ran to Hunter and dropped down beside him. I pressed my fingers to his neck, looking for a wound and also checking for a pulse. It was there, strong and steady. They must have knocked him out to focus on the real threat.

  Vee screamed again, and terror filled the air. Or maybe it was just my head. Either way, I knew she needed me. I ran toward her only to be body slammed back into the ground before taking two complete steps. The man that crushed me had hurt himself in the process, and I used that to my advantage. With a swift kick to the face, he went still.

  I headed after Vee’s two captors. The largest man held her against the ground, straddled on top of her in a position I’d been in just a few hours ago. But where my intentions were playful, this man meant to harm her. Actually, I think he meant to do more than harm her.

  A raging fury swept through me, and I charged at full speed. The second man, whose only job appeared to be holding her feet to the side, saw me a second before I attacked. Although spritely, he’d been well trained. With a fast roll to the side, the man avoided my kick and grabbed my leg mid-roll. His momentum brought me down, nearly twisting my knee in a dangerous way.

  I caught a glimpse of Vee and froze with shock. The man forced kisses all over her face and kept trying to rip her clothes away. But each time he’d let up on her arm, she’d swing a punch. He spit in her face and laughed when she cringed. Continuing his abuse, he punched her in the stomach, forcing her still.

  That man had to die, but first I needed to deal with the one in front of me.

  A steel toed boot slammed into my jaw, knocking me sideways and causing me to see stars. Blood filled my mouth but it only fueled my rage. I screamed my own war cry, aware that I made fun of a man earlier for doing the same thing. But I couldn’t hold it in.

  A glint of silver sparkled against the light of the fire when the man stepped closer to me. I smiled, knowing he’d be out of my way very soon.

  “Does this amuse you?” He gestured toward Vee and her intended rapist before his eyes glanced their way.

  I leapt up and grabbed the silver knife from his waist sheath, plunging it into his chest before he even knew what happened. His gurgling words and calls for help went unnoticed as I only had eyes for one man now.

  As soon as I reached Vee and her attacker, the man flew backward and nearly hit me. Stunned, I looked at Vee who pulled herself to standing. Her ripped shirt hung open from her chest down, and I thought I saw her belt dangling by her side. Blood dripped from her nose and down her chin. Without hesitation, she jumped on top of the man, stunning him into submission. With his back flat against the ground and the amount of rage pulsing from Vee, I knew he didn’t stand a chance.

  His large arms flayed in the air, trying to land a hit. Vee slammed her forehead into his nose and he yelped like a little girl.

  “You bitch!”

  I saw his feet move a second before I pounced. Diving behind Vee, I landed on his legs, pinning him to the ground. She spared a quick glance at me and what I saw told me she was pissed. But I didn’t care. I’d let her kill this man, but if I could help immobilize him, I would.

  I heard the smack of fist against skin as Vee punched his already broken nose. She might be deadly with a sword, but Vee didn’t need one in her hand to be effective. The man groaned again and stopped fighting back. At least for the moment.

  Vee leaned over the man’s face and came back with a large rock in her hand. I couldn’t see her expression, but knew it would be frightening. She lifted both hands above her head, and yelled out as the rock came down and smashed against her would-be-rapist’s face. Over and over she hit him. I thought the first blow had done its job, but after what just happened to her, I let her be.

  A full minute passed before she dropped the rock to her side and slumped back against me. Her sobs consumed her, and she shook with each one. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, holding her head against my chest and rocking slowly back and forth.

  I don’t know how long we stayed like that, hours or mere minutes, but when a dark shadow appeared in front of us, I knew the time for comfort was over.

  “Are they gone?” The shadow asked. It sounded like Max’s voice, but my ears still hummed with the sound of Vee’s cries.

  “I believe so,” I said.

  Max nodded. “We need you over there,” he said, jerking his head toward the fire.

  “Can you grab Hunter? He’s been knocked out.” I stood, pulling Vee with me. Max didn’t say a word as I stepped over three dead bodies, and carried one broken girl away from the scene.

  Find out more about Zach and Vee’s world at

  www.thewatercrisischronicles.com

  The World is at WAR.

  Join us and SURVIVE.

  The National Disaster Response Authority (NDRA) is managing the global crisis with our citizen's best interest at heart. With the authority to enforce, create, and override policies, NDRA is the acting regulatory agency for the United States Water Crisis.

  ATTENTION: MANDATORY DRAFT IN EFFECT

  All persons aged 18 and over must serve a minimum of two years. Report to the nearest supply checkpoint with proof of age and proper identification. Deserters will be captured and prosecuted to the fullest extent.

  Why struggle to survive when you can have it all. Join NDRA today.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Amber Garr spends her days as a scientist and nights writing about other worlds. Her childhood imaginary friend was a witch, Halloween is sacred, and she is certain she ha
s a supernatural sense of smell. Amber is a multiple Royal Palm Literary Award winner and author of the bestselling novels The Syrenka Series, the award-winning Water Crisis Chronicles, The Leila Marx Novels, and the Death Warden Series. When not obsessing over the unknown, she can be found dancing, reading, or enjoying a good movie.

  TITLES AVAILABLE NOW

  The Syrenka Series:

  Promises

  Betrayal

  Arise

  The Leila Marx Novels and Novellas:

  Touching Evil

  Scorched

  The Water Crisis Chronicles

  Waterfall

  Waterproof

  The Death Warden Series

  Hidden Souls

  Furthermore: An Anthology

  Twisted: A Collection

  Somewhere South of Normal: An Anthology

  Somewhere South of Sane: An Anthology

  Candy Cane Kisses: A Short Story Anthology

  Connect with Amber Online:

  www.ambergarr.com

  www.facebook.com/AuthorAmberGarr

  @AmberGarr1