Mason pulls an obviously shocked Jared to the ground next to him. I throw the sphere at the metallic ooze-like substance and crouch down for cover, finding myself wrapping my arms around the scared baby bear. I feel the aftershock of the explosion, but my body absorbs it. When the dust settles, I stand, in my arms a surprisingly soft fur ball, and check on Mason and the others.
Mason stands, coughing a bit and dusting himself off. “That’s very effective.”
Jared just stares at me, gaping with his mouth open. I hear Brie inside the tent, “What the hell is going on!”
“It was an infected bear!” Mason calls back. “But Kat zapped it. You can come out now.”
I hear both the tents unzip. My gaze drifts back to the poor mama bear, lying dead on the ground. I move to take a step closer to her, but Mason’s hand on my shoulder stops me. “Don’t, Kat.” He turns me to him. “There’s nothing you can do. If you didn’t stop her, she would’ve infected or killed all of us.”
I know he’s right. But knowing it doesn’t make it suck any less. I hear movement far off in the woods. “We need to move.” I don’t have time to dwell on the guilt now, so I bank it in the depths of my mind, to think about later.
Brie and Mason begin to pack up camp, as quickly as possible. Becky quietly follows suit as best she can with Nate, and me with an armful of bear that will not be put down. Jared finally seems to snap out of it. “Did you- did I see-,” He takes a deep breath and starts again. “What did you do to that bear?”
I sigh. In my fear and haste to protect everyone, it hadn’t even crossed my mind that my new talents would freak Jared out. Becky, too, for that matter. I’ll have to remember to be more careful in the future. “I’ll explain while we walk. Let’s go.”
We head off west. Baby bear isn’t all that heavy, mostly fur and I have to admit, awfully cute. How big do bears have to be to survive on their own? Bigger than this, I’ll bet. All well, guess I have a foster cub for a while. Even if I could put the poor thing down, it wouldn’t survive long. If it didn’t die of thirst or hunger, or get eaten by a predator, it would surely get infected. And maybe I owe it to his mom, killing her and all. Infected or not. I adjust my arms and snuggle the bear a bit closer. I feel it relax.
Mason begins explaining, quite eloquently by the way, to Jared and Becky about my accident with the guitar amp, and my new electric skills after. I don’t miss the fact that Jared stays as far away from me as possible, and a small part of me whispers satisfactorily that if he fears me, it may be safer for the rest of us.
Becky stays quiet, though her face betrays her; first shock, then fear, before I see her expression change to understanding and finally, sympathy.
This throws me a little. Mason thought it was cool, Brie thought it was weird, but the sympathy from Becky is making me feel weird. It rivals with the guilt I’m feeling and makes me feel worse. I definitely don’t feel worthy of sympathy right now.
Dawn progresses to morning, and morning to mid-morning, before we stop to rest. Baby bear finally allows me to put him down, my shoulders tight from not being moved all morning. We only have a little water between us, so we each have a small amount, nowhere near enough to quench our thirst. We need to refill at the next stream, and we’ll have to boil it somehow tonight, if we’re lucky enough to have a fire again.
I lay the map out and place the compass alongside it. We’re coming up on a major road that’s unavoidable. That’s going to mean people, and the possibility of infection. Brie, Mason and I hover over the map.
“Here, I think.” I point to a spot on the map, “From one side of the woods to the other, the less chance of bumping into people, the better.”
“I agree.” Brie says. “I’d prefer to not be latched onto by some insane person again.”
We all nod our agreement. Mason looks solemn. “Maybe it’s time to think about protecting ourselves, getting weapons of some kind. Only to be used if necessary, of course, but what if we get cornered by someone who’s infected? We need to be able to defend ourselves.”
“We always have your girlfriend.” Jared points out.
Oh, no. I hadn’t thought of that. Could I do that? Kill a person? Infected or not, still a human life. Doesn’t that cross some dark line that I don’t want to know about? I put the map away in my bag, the compass in my pocket, and pick up Baby bear again. He’s soft, cuddly, and comforting.
Mason notices the change in my demeanor. Wrapping an arm around me he says softly, “You know you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with doing, right?”
I nod, but I’m lying. I don’t know, and I don’t think I could sit by and do nothing if one of us was in danger. Could I let poor little Nate be harmed? Something tells me regardless of which decision I make, that I’ll be losing sleep over it.
Mason kisses my cheek, and then releases me to hunt for some sturdy branches with Jared. After they procure enough for everyone, well, everyone but me, I recheck the compass and we start off again.
When I think we’re getting close to the road, I stop everyone. “I think one or two of us should go ahead, see what we’re up against.”
“I’ll go,” Jared volunteers.
“Me, too,” Mason offers.
I shake my head, Brie and Becky looking at me questioningly. “They’re both the strongest, physically. One of them should stay behind in case something happens.” I explain.
Becky’s eyes get wide. “I don’t think we should split up. We could get permanently separated.”
“We won’t let that happen.” Brie tells her.
“Yeah, we’ll only run back to you, you guys run back to us.” Mason adds.
“Besides, if it’s not safe it will be easier for a couple of us to fall back so we can change directions.” Jared notes.
I look at Mason for a moment, trying to judge his reaction to what I’m about to say. “Jared and I will go.” I trust Brie, Becky and Nate with Mason more than Jared. “You guys rest here for a few.”
Mason doesn’t argue. He has probably figured out what I am thinking. He’s good like that. Besides, Jared is kind of scared of me. He won’t try anything, and if there’s anything by the road and it sees us before we can run away, at least I’ll be there to zap it. I try not to think about that part too much.
“Be careful.” Brie looks at me hard.
“I promise.” I squeeze her hand and move over to Mason. “I’ll be right back.” I give him a quick kiss and hand him Baby bear to hold for me.
He leans into me, giving me a rather effective one armed hug. “If he’s tries anything, you blast him.” He whispers into my ear. I nod my understanding as he releases me and Jared and I begin to move through the woods towards the road.
We really couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point. The woods that we are approaching the road from come out over an embankment, looking down over the road, about 20 feet below us. This gives us a great view of the surrounding roadway, and keeps us out of the line of sight as we creep forward on our bellies. We survey the area. The road is full of abandoned cars, some of them still running even, but I don’t see any people.
“I think we should look over there more, where it will be easier to cross.” I whisper to Jared. He nods in agreement and we creep backwards, standing when the road is no longer visible.
We follow the road at the edge of the woods for a minute, until we reach a spot that would be more level to cross.
I look at Jared before I creep out of the edge of the woods. “Stay here,” I tell him. “I’m going to see if anyone is hiding out there. If anything happens, go back to the others and keep them quiet. If I don’t show up after a while, take them north.”
His eyes widen, but I don’t give him a chance to respond. Cautiously, I make my way towards the road. I climb over a few cars, making it to the other side without incident. I look around and there’s still no one around. Shrugging, I begin the climb back over the cars.
Looking into the sunroof of one of
the cars, I spot a gallon of water inside. I glance around, just to be safe before I hop down to the pavement and open the car door, grabbing the water we desperately need.
When I climb onto the next car, I spot something a short way down the road that allows me a small glimmer of hope. But I’d better check in with Jared before I go look. I bring him back the water, and tell him everything’s clear but to just sit tight for a few more minutes.
I cross the road again and make my way to the most rugged Jeep I had seen. It’s badass. Like, drive through the woods, off-roading 4X4, I have a winch if I get stuck, four-door Jeep. And, it’s even on the right side of the road. As I approach it, I silently prey to find keys inside.
They’re there! Doing a happy dance that almost makes me fall off the side step, I catch myself in time and open the door, pocketing the keys, just in case someone else comes across it before we can get back and gets the same idea I had.
Making my way back to Jared, I wonder why such a fine vehicle was abandoned. Stopping, I can feel the blood drain from my face. Everyone ran so quickly. Surely there was a good reason. I start back to Jared again, this time almost running.
“What’s wrong?” He looks panicked.
I shake my head. “Nothing, it’s just creepy down there, and it looks like everyone left in a hurry. But I have good news.” I hold up the keys. “It might be a tight fit, but it sure beats walking.”
Jared looks confused. “I thought we are staying off the roads?”
“We are.” I smile. “C’mon, let’s get the others, and then you can see what I mean.”
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to the group. Mason and Brie both look relieved to see me back in one piece. Everyone is excited about the water we found, which we all use to fill up our respective containers. I tell them I have a surprise, but I don’t tell anyone what, just yet.
I let Brie carry Baby Bear, just in case someone or something has popped up, and Mason takes Nate from Becky. We all walk silently through the trees, and I lead them to the spot where the road is more level with the woods.
We have group car hopping down to a science, and Jared quickly picks up on it. I wait on top of a middle car, until everyone is safely across, and I don’t miss Brie’s blush when Jared helps her down over the last car, or Jared’s approving glance at her. So far, Jared has shown himself capable and trustworthy, so I guess it’s cute. I climb over the last car and join everyone.
“So, what’s the surprise?” Brie asks. She hates surprises because of her lack of patience.
“Follow me.” I lead them to the Jeep. Mason grins as soon as it comes into sight.
“Oh,” Jared finally gets it.
I pull out the keys. “I figure it will be a tight fit, and I’m not sure how far we’ll get, what with the woods and gas and all, but it sure beats walking for a few miles.”
Chapter Six
The jeep is a tight squeeze, but not altogether uncomfortable and a definite improvement from walking, with its full tank of gas. Brie, Becky and I sit in the back, with Nate on Becky’s lap and Baby bear on mine. Mason is driving, and it seemed only fair to let Jared ride shotgun as his legs are much longer than any of us girls.
The ride is bumpy as we start, but eventually Mason manages to find what appears to be an overgrown dirt road. It doesn’t seem to have been used in some time, and it’s heading west, so we take advantage of it as long as possible.
As the sun begins to hang low in the sky, I can see a shadow looming ahead. Mason slows, seeing it too, and as we get closer an old barn comes into view. Mason slows the jeep, idling it maybe a football field away from the barn.
“Should we check it out?” Mason asks.
“It might be a good place to spend the night.” Jared murmurs.
I nod my agreement, and turn to Brie and Becky, passing Baby bear into Brie’s lap. “You guys wait here.”
Mason looks as though he wants to argue with me, but he doesn’t. We both know that if something dangerous is in there that I’m our best line of defense. We get out and approach the barn, and I don’t miss that both Mason and Jared insist on going first. I roll my eyes and follow them, shaking my head softly.
The barn is obviously abandoned, and we find it blessedly empty. As I look around I realize it’s kind of perfect for us. The large doors are big enough to drive the jeep into, and the dirt floor could hold a small fire. My eyes venture to the ladder in the corner. I make my way over to it, stepping on the bottom rung, testing my weight on it.
“Maybe I should do that?” Mason says, trying to hide his concern.
“I want to see if it’s safe up there. I weigh less than both of you, so if it’s unstable it will be safer for me then you. Plus, if I fall, you can catch me.” I give him my best smile before I start up the ladder.
My head finally clears the hole in the ceiling and I find a very large loft, complete with some leftover hay. I pull myself up and plant a tentative foot on the floor. Standing, I walk the length of the loft carefully and slowly. The floor creaks a bit, but it feels solid. The open end even has a half of a wall built, so Becky will only have to keep a close eye on Nate if he gets close to the ladder.
“C’mon up!” I yell to Mason and Jared. I suspect Mason was already halfway up the ladder, because he’s next to me seconds later.
After Mason and Jared deem the loft safe for habitation, we get the others. Mason pulls the Jeep in, shutting the engine quickly so we don’t fill the barn with exhaust fumes. We’re all excited about our find after sleeping outside last night.
Brie puts Baby bear down, and heads straight for the ladder. She lets out a small whoop when she reaches the top. “I’m going to make us some beds with this hay!” She calls down.
Becky puts Nate down and stretches. “This is great.” She says.
Mason and Jared unload some of our supplies from the Jeep. I find a flashlight and decide to explore the dark room we found in the back of the barn. To my delight, I find a lantern and some old blankets. I drag them out, and find the guys bringing in wood to start a fire. Jared stacks it in a pile while Mason uses an old shovel he found hanging on the wall to dig out a pit.
A short while later and with the use of some large stones, we have a decent fire going in the makeshift pit. Brie and I lug the blankets up the ladder. She has separated the hay into four different piles, two of them a little larger than the others. We lay the blankets over them and test them out. A little itchy, but much better than anything we could have hoped for.
After we eat, Becky excuses herself and Nate. Mason helps get them up the ladder safely, and the rest of us quiet down a bit so Nate can go to sleep.
Baby bear is curled up in my lap. He drank almost half of my water, and ate the scraps of our dinner. He seems content.
The four of us wait until the fire is almost out. I use the last few embers to light the lantern and hand it to Jared. It’s an interesting climb up the ladder, with me and Mason passing Baby bear back and forth, but finally we all reach the top, and I feel safer than I have in the past 48 hours.
Jared finds a piece of plywood, and quietly drags it over the hole with the ladder, cutting us off from the world below. Mason drags me to one of the larger hay beds, and I curl up between him and Baby bear, finding myself much more tired than I realized and quickly drifting off to sleep.
It’s the rattling of the large barn doors that wakes me. We had secured them from the inside before going to sleep. As I sit up, Mason awakens, too. His eyes grow wide. I wiggle around a still sleeping Baby bear and go over to Brie, shaking her awake quietly. Mason wakes Jared up similarly and Brie follows suit with Becky, leaving Nate blissfully sleeping and silent.
Jared and Brie begin moving towards the ladder. I shake my head violently at them. I point from Brie, to Baby bear and Becky, and then do the same to Jared. I look at Mason for confirmation and find it. We’ll do this together, no need to risk the safety of the others.
Jared and Mason quietly remove the plywood
from the ladder opening. I silently indicate for Jared to put it back when we go. Mason gives Jared the keys to the Jeep. Jared’s eyes widen, his head shaking minutely. They do one of those weird guy handshakes before Mason follows me down the ladder.
Though it’s morning, and the sun is shining, the barn remains shrouded in darkness. Cracks of light seep in through loose boards on the walls, but not enough for anyone outside to distinguish anything inside.
I make my way to one of those cracks, and peer out, expecting the worst. I don’t see anything, so I move to the wall on the opposite side of the massive barn doors. Mason is by my side, though I would prefer he stay behind me, I’m sure he’d fight me on that, even though I’m technically armed.
I see a shadow move and I lean against the rough barn wall, trying to angle my head into a better position to see the shadow’s owner. I have no idea if the infection has made it this far yet, or the hysteria, for that matter. Frankly, they both scare the crap out of me.
Finally, I see an old man. He doesn’t appear to be infected, or hysterical, maybe just a little pissed. I turn to Mason, put my hands up in the universal ‘I don’t know’ gesture and shrug. Then I move, so he can see for himself. His reaction is the same as mine. Maybe we can talk our way out of this one. The thought gives me hope. I really don’t feel like zapping anyone this morning.
Mason un-barricades the door and opens it. The old man steps in with something we hadn’t noticed through the crack in the wall, a shotgun. He starts by pointing it at Mason, then trailing it over to me. He finally settles it on a spot in between us. Both of our hands shoot out in front of us.
“Hey, we don’t mean any harm.” Mason says, talking calmly. “We just needed a place to spend the night.”
“You all infected?” The old man asks, suspiciously.
“No, sir.” I answer. “We made it out just before…” I let my voice trail off. No need to go into detail. If he knows about the infection, he doesn’t need the gory details.
Charged (Electric) Page 8
