by Jade White
Ryker nodded. “More or less. She couldn’t do a lot of work. I’m used to it, though.”
“And your folks are fine with you running away?”
“I’m an orphan,” Ryker said. He knew this was going to come into conversation; why, with them being stuck in the house for two days, the possibilities were endless.
“No guardians?”
“Orphanage kid,” Ryker told John. “They found me abandoned when I was little.”
“You didn’t try tracing your birth parents?”
Ryker shook his head. “It might open up wounds or awkward situations. I’m fine with how it turned out-" he paused, remembering he was Juliet’s boyfriend. “She’s there,” he added.
“What about her? If she came from a life of privilege, how sure are you she’s comfortable with your present living situation?”
“I promised her I’d take her out of this. It’s only temporary.”
Was it going to be temporary, though? Life on the road and on the run, would never be cushy for them, especially for Alexia. She would get used to this, he was sure, and she wouldn’t complain, but he didn’t want it for her. He had spent a good portion of his life living on his own, and he lived comfortably enough, according to his standards.
These standards he had weren’t made for people like Alexia. She needed to be cared for, with all those frequent nosebleeds. Her pallor hadn’t improved since they’d left, even though he thought sunshine would be good for her. In a day, they would walk an average of 25 miles, something he hadn’t done since he was a kid, running away from those out to get him. Perhaps, he thought, Alexia would do well if they stayed until the snowstorm was over.
He had been observing the couple and had found nothing to indicate that they were a credible threat. They were just a kind and welcoming lot, something Ryker didn’t want to abuse, too. He figured free labor for free shelter and food would be a good exchange…
“While we’re here…” Ryker began, taking a deep breath.
“You’ll do chores,” John finished.
“You don’t mind?”
“Of course, I don’t. In fact, Lydia and I were talking about it while you two were in the shower. We’re getting old, kid, and we need all the help we can get. And hey, you’re offering free labor, aren’t you?”
Ryker smiled, the first genuine smile he’d given in a week. “As much free labor as we can give. We’ll be out of your hair as soon as the weather’s better.”
“I barely have any hair left,” John laughed.
*
The door closed behind them as Alexia climbed onto the bed with its old mattress and new sheets. It was the most comfortable bed she had in a month, and she wanted to sink in it for as long as possible. The moment she began to relax, however, her eyes quickly opened. Ryker stared at her, sensing a change in her mood.
“You okay?”
She frowned and slowly nodded. “I guess…”
Ryker shrugged and slid onto his mattress on the floor, a welcoming relief to his back. He had been so used to sleeping on cold floors that this felt like he had won the lottery.
There was a single nightlight on the desk, its shade casting funny shapes on the ceiling. It had stars; at least, that was what it looked like. It didn’t help calm Alexia down. She shifted on her bed, torn between comfort and paranoia. She wasn’t used to this; well, she was, but not in a long time. She tossed and turned, wondering if something was going to go wrong tonight.
“Stop it,” Ryker mumbled, unable to sleep properly. “What’s wrong?” he sighed, opening his eyes.
“What if-"
“No one’s going to attack us here. They don’t know. We can’t be traced; we haven’t been in a town or city in days.”
She bit her lower lip, feeling alone, despite Ryker just inches away from her. “I’m cold,” she finally said, unable to say anything else. At least that was true.
Ryker flung his thin blanket away. “Do you want me to sleep beside you?” he asked, trying to control his temper and growing awkwardness.
Her voice was tiny. “Yes.”
He climbed on the bed as Alexia made way for him. She instantly felt warmth radiate from his body, and she sighed inaudibly, feeling safer than earlier.
Ryker’s lips pursed. Alexia was as awkward as he was, but it didn’t stop her from wanting to snuggle close to him as if he was some large teddy bear. It was a stupid thing, and he was surprised it irritated him so. Perhaps, it was because they were on an actual bed, pretending to be an actual couple. It came with its pitfalls. She was too good at pretending she was in love with him, wasn’t she? Did she even know what love was like when she had never felt love inside that laboratory?
Still, he said nothing, and he waited for her to drift to sleep. She was starting to get used to his presence too much. What if he died? What would become of her? He couldn’t imagine her surviving alone…he could leave her here. This was almost in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. She would be safe here, at least for a few months, right?
It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, her body snuggled close to his as if trying to fill in those spaces, just to feel more of his warmth. Ryker knew he had to sleep, and this time, it would be a good sleep.
He found himself dozing off, and his dreams were filled with the faces of his adoptive parents and, strangely, of Alexia.
*
He had dreamt a handful last night, and the dreams were surprisingly light, surprisingly happy. He knew it was time to wake up, hearing the rooster crow. He hadn’t noticed a rooster in the farm…how could he have missed that? He was supposed to notice everything. He shifted, expecting that inevitable collision with Alexia’s arm or face. There wasn’t any. His eyes quickly bolted open, and he sat upright, causing a sudden blood rush.
Where was she? He began to panic, and he opened the door and was rearing to run down the stairs, ready to shift in the event that they’d gotten her. How could he have been so dead asleep?
Then, his heart slowed down, relief flooding into him, as he heard her laughing in the kitchen. Was she really laughing? Was it her and not Lydia? He could smell something sweet and delicious. He crept for the kitchen as quietly as he could. He saw her laughing as she flipped pancakes over a large pan. Lydia was smiling by her side, patiently teaching her the ropes of being a homemaker. His blood pressure returned to normal, and his forming headache dissipated.
He took another step, and the floorboard creaked. Lydia looked up, seeing Ryker looking like a deer caught in the headlights. “Ah, Sam, you’re just in time for breakfast,” Lydia told him.
“Breakfast?” Ryker was surprised. How could he have not awoken so easily with Alexia moving out of the bed? He had promised John he would help around, but look at what had happened! He had overslept, and he hadn’t heard or felt a thing! He suddenly felt incompetent, and he tried his best not to show it. “I-where’s John?”
“Oh, I’m sure he’s on his way back here,” Lydia said. “He’s done feeding the animals in the barn.”
Ryker closed his eyes, feeling disappointment steal through him.
Lydia noticed this and smiled as Alexia flipped a pancake. She took out plates and glasses, placing these on the table. “Don’t worry, you needed the rest. Tomorrow, that won’t be an excuse, though. There isn’t much to do these days with the snow and all. It’s just more of those morning chores.”
“Sorry,” Ryker apologized. He could hear John’s boots crunching in the snow a few feet away as he walked for the house. Ah, there, he could hear from a distance again, and he could smell the people and the animals in the place.
John laughed, seeing Ryker stand in the middle of the hall in his pajamas with an apologetic look on his face. “Ah, there’s the man of the hour. Juliet here has been awake over an hour. You must’ve been really tired.”
“I guess I was,” Ryker said sheepishly. “It won’t happen again.”
“You’re here on a vacation; well, you should think of it that way,” Jo
hn said, washing his hands. Alexia proudly placed pancakes on the plate, flourishing it with butter which melted from the heat. There was also a pitcher of fresh milk, something that reminded Ryker of his childhood…
He forced a smile and sat down, ready to eat and then do whatever John required from him around the farm. He decided he would check the perimeters, as well, without the couple noticing anything. He could take a long walk with Alexia…no, Alexia needed to stay inside the house, just to be sure.
They said grace; well, the adults said grace. Alexia looked at him blankly before realizing it was some sort of prayer. She hadn’t realized religion was still allowed in the country. She knew it was persecuted, having read it in the government’s official manifesto.
Still, she bowed her head as quickly as she could before the prayer could end.
“Amen,” the couple said together.
“Amen,” Ryker and Alexia murmured.
John held the plate for his wife, and then Lydia passed it to Alexia who took a single pancake. Lydia eyed her.
“Just one pancake? Surely you can do better than that. You need to gain weight, young lady.”
She wasn’t used to this kind of food, highly flavorful, heavily aromatic. Gingerly, she took another, and then she added one sunny side up egg and two slices of bacon. Lydia poured her a glass of fresh milk.
Ryker had no qualms about eating a lot. He devoured two pancakes while Alexia was only halfway done with her first. Lydia smiled, happy he had an appetite. She didn’t want kids to starve under her roof. Lydia and John had discussed this among themselves, how they were going to give Alexia and Ryker a proper send-off for their long journey as a young and star-crossed couple.
They didn’t have much money, but they figured the kids needed it more than they did. Besides, it was almost Christmas, and maybe the kids had forgotten it was the season to be jolly. They seemed to be pensive youngsters, pensive and jumpy; something told Lydia and John that they weren’t getting the whole truth. They didn’t want to pry and would wait until they opened up some more.
“How are the pancakes?” Lydia asked.
“Pretty good,” Ryker said.
“Alexia made them. I think she did well on her first pancake mission,” Lydia smiled.
Alexia smiled sheepishly. She had done something significant, even if it was just breakfast. She didn’t know if she felt like a child being praised for her first brilliant act or if she was just a mediocre young adult, learning everything she could all at once. Still, she smiled. Lydia had taken the time to teach her when she could have finished making breakfast faster by herself. There were still some kind people left in the world, but most of them were way older.
“What will we be doing for today?” Ryker asked, clearing his plate of his second batch of pancakes. “I’m sure there’s lots to do on your farm.”
“Ever ridden a horse?” John asked. “There’s a fence that needs repairing out west. The snowstorm is expected four hours from now.”
Ryker nodded. “I’ve done repairs on stuff.”
“Great, we’ll be heading out in a few.”
He nodded. This was his chance to check the area. The night they’d gotten to the barn, there hadn’t been another home for miles on end. It was now or never for them, and he knew Alexia couldn’t go on for another mile longer. Those bales of hay were the best bed they’ve had in a while until last night. That mattress was a godsend, if there really was a God.
“Stay in the house; don’t ever go out,” Ryker whispered to her as she began to gather the dishes on the table.
He saw her questioning eyes, but she said nothing, because he knew better, as usual. Ryker followed the old man outside, and they headed for the barn once more.
“You forgot your jacket, kid,” John reminded him, zipping up his.
“Oh, right,” Ryker quickly went back inside the house and grabbed his borrowed jacket. That was one little mistake he couldn’t afford to make again. “I guess the breakfast did its job of keeping me warm.”
“Wait till you get to lunch,” John remarked.
The snowstorm hadn’t been too bad last night with just a little over 6 inches of snow. The horses would need some tending after, though, John told him. Lydia had made blankets for the horses as a summer project, which Ryker found amusing.
The snow wasn’t as deep as they rode further and further away, finally reaching the edge of the farm. Ryker saw the collapsed fence. He could do this easily, before the snow storm rolled in. John’s tools were rudimentary, but they would suffice.
“There used to be wolves in these here places, but they died out, or maybe they’re in hiding,” John told him with a chuckle.
Ryker knew he was referring to the werewolves.
“I meant real wolves, not the poor werebeings who are forced to comply with Caledon’s wishes.”
“You’re a sympathizer? Be careful who you speak of,” Ryker whispered.
John sighed. “It’s the fear for his dictatorship that’s taking the very essence of freedom away. We didn’t mind if some kids were different. See, Lydia used to teach in elementary school, and there were a few werebeings in her class. They were as normal as any other normal human was until those stressors forced them out.
Some of their parents were killed, and some kids were forcibly taken away. The town a couple of miles away used to be a bigger one, but then there was some mass evacuation due to certain werebeings who were a supposed threat. Fifty years later, we’ve got half an empty town with many of the youngsters wanting to leave for the bigger cities. Now, you two are a different story. You left a big city and all its comforts, and now you’ve ended up in a farm.”
“I’m not exactly a fan of the guy sitting in the White House either,” Ryker admitted. “But there are worse things than him, I guess.”
“I wish the best for you and Juliet, Sam,” John said wistfully as he watched Ryker, for the young boy was filled with promise and secrets.
CHAPTER SIX
“He wished the best for us,” Ryker said in a low voice. They were both in their shared bedroom, listening to the wind howl outside their window. The Jamesons had decided to put the wooden shutters up, for fear that the glass windows could break from hail and whatnot.
“The best for us?”
“As a couple.”
“I feel bad.”
“Because we lied to them?”
She nodded, saying nothing. Alexia drew the covers close to her body while Ryker checked the windows. It made him feel uncomfortable that a possible exit was blocked, all for the sake of a storm. The storm last night wasn’t too bad, anyway.
“I don’t want them hurt. They’re too nice,” Ryker finally said, echoing her sentiments.
Alexia looked away. “By lying to them, we’re already hurting-"
“Don’t let your morality come into play. We’re here to survive, and they’re helping us survive. Sometimes, people do that to live.”
“But these are genuine people-"
“Your doctors were genuine people, yet they had to hurt you, because it was part of their job. Who knows what they’ll do if they see our faces on the screens.”
“It’s only my face that’s on the screen-"
“It will be my face soon. They just can’t let the public know their last champion betrayed them yet,” Ryker growled.
Alexia swallowed some saliva. She didn’t know which was worse, having their faces displayed all over the country or relegating themselves to a slow and painful death via starvation or the cold. For now, there was this house; for now, there were the Jamesons. She felt awful for lying to them, but Ryker was dead-on by what he said. They had to survive.
“The moment you start questioning why you’re here and why you’re suffering, think of all the times those people hurt you and what those people did to your friends. Think of what they did to your mind.”
“My mind?”
“You don’t remember anything before sector 12, right?”
“I don’t.”
“Then they must have done something to you.”
She frowned. “I was born there; that’s all I know.”
“And they told you this?” Ryker scoffed, shaking his head. “And you just go and believe them?”
“I had no one else to believe. Those people raised me-"
“Dr. Delaney raised you. She’s dead now, most probably. But she died because she wanted you out. So, don’t go talking to me about morality, because I killed people to get out of that hellhole; I killed people to get to you.”
“You could have left me there. You could have left me to die.”
“Are we having this conversation again?” Ryker snapped at her. Then, he lowered his tone, realizing it would most probably sound like they were arguing. “If we had to go back in time, I still wouldn’t leave you. I made a damned promise, and I keep my promises.”
Alexia took a deep breath. “Well, thank you,” she said stiffly. “Good night.”
Ryker shook his head, unable to believe she had just said that. It was anticlimactic. He had expected her to talk back and not be so passive-aggressive. . Was that even considered such? No, she was avoidant, and she was doing this on purpose to annoy him, to make herself feel better about the situation. She needed to blame someone.
His jaw hardened, and he shook his head, making his way to his mattress. Lydia had made sure they had thick duvets tonight, but he didn’t need an extra bit of cloth over him. He gave his own blanket to Alexia earlier, content with the mattress and pillow he had.
He felt like he still wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, he fluffed up his pillow and closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep. He couldn’t, in the end. The minutes ticked by into an hour. Was Alexia asleep? He sat up and looked at her figure, the night lamp casting an eerie glow on her bed.
“I’m sorry,” he finally blurted out, not caring whether she was asleep or not.
“Why? I should be sorry.”
“I didn’t control my temper.”
“It’s in your nature,” she replied, not turning around to face him. Her voice was a bit muffled, but he heard it still.
