The Last Legacy (Season 1): Episodes 1-10

by Lavati, Taylor

  “He wasn’t completely circled. I just don’t know where he went.”

  She was useless. “Dammit.” I stood up and paced in front of the store. He’d have to be fine. He was fucking Jim—he handled my neurotic ass, saved me from his brother. He could handle the eaters. “He’ll make it. He has to. He’ll be here,” I said aloud, nodding my head to myself. I must’ve looked crazy, but it helped.

  I told myself this a hundred times. Repeating the same phrases over and over again. If I told myself Jim would be okay, he would. He had to be. I had to believe that he was coming back or else I’d go insane. He wouldn’t just leave me after everything we’d been through. He told me he would protect me.

  He promised.

  What felt like hours had passed, but I knew it was probably only about forty minutes. I started to count the ticking clock but found myself falling into a daze. The quietness of the gas station grated against my skin. It could have been because I was searching for any sign of Jim. I craved the sound of his loud boots stomping against the pavement. I longed to hear his gruff voice, commanding me and ordering me around.

  I just wanted him to come back. The fact that long minutes had passed told me that something had gone wrong. My nerves pricked all over my body. The hardness of the tiled floor of the gas station made my lower back ache; my butt had gone numb long ago.

  Scarlet ate her way through the store, first the candy aisle and then the chips. I didn’t know where she put it since she had a skinny, little body. I had a feeling she didn’t do this in her normal life—probably more of a coping mechanism. She kept mumbling things to me as she walked by.

  “I didn’t mean to run,” she had said. “He told me to jump, and I did,” she said another time. I just said “It’s okay” back to everything. I knew guilt was consuming her, and honestly I didn’t have the energy to comfort her. I was too busy listening for Jim, praying for his safe return.

  “We have to go find him,” I finally announced to Scarlet. I couldn’t handle the waiting anymore. It was now the dead of the night. Maybe another fifteen minutes since the last time I checked. I knew the light wouldn’t come back for at least another six hours. Sitting here doing nothing ate me alive, my insides burning with unrest. My heart physically ached against my ribs.

  “It’s too dark,” she said matter of factly.

  “I have a flashlight.”

  “But it’ll attract the eaters.” Scarlet jumped up from amidst the two aisles and grabbed my forearm. The flashlight in her hand illuminated her face. She had orange crumbs on her upper lip that she licked off. She frowned at me.

  “Jim could be in trouble.” My voice seesawed on hysterical. Scarlet must’ve felt my desperation because she wrapped me in a one-armed hug, her knees pressing against my sides. I couldn’t be consoled. I didn’t even want to be. I just wanted to find Jim so we were safe again. “He’s out there, and we have to help him.”

  “We can when it’s light out, Lana. For now, just take a nap and wait. Girls stick together, remember? There’s nothing else we can do anyway.” She pulled away from me. Her face filled with pity, and I looked away. I hated that emotion, hated people feeling it for me.

  I didn’t respond to her right away. I knew that she was right, but Jim had saved me so many times. The thought that he was in danger, and I was just sitting in a gas station surrounded by food, irked me. I had to do something.

  “Fine,” I grumbled, acting the part. I had to convince her that I would take a nap so she’d let her guard down. She smiled wide and let go of me.

  “Wake me in the morning,” she said as she went back to the aisle she liked. She put her flashlight on her lap and turned it off. I leaned my head against the wall, the hardness biting into the back of my head.

  I needed to come up with a plan. No matter what, I was going to go find Jim. I didn’t want him stranded with eaters surrounding him. He might need my help. I prayed that was what was holding him up. If he had left me, I didn’t know what I would do.

  I didn’t think he’d be that cold, but one the same page, I didn’t know much about him. He said he’d get me to my location and move on. But I doubt he’d just leave out of the blue. I imagined more of a goodbye if he left. The optimistic part of me just hoped he’d change his mind and stay with me.

  I decided to lay down in the aisle beside her. I made noise on the way there so she knew where I was. I didn’t want to tip her off of my ulterior motive. I shut off my own flashlight and laid down with a bag of chips under my head as a pillow. The dark ceiling and I stared at one another. I began counting the dots so I wouldn’t think of Jim.

  Judging by the loud exhales of her breath, I assumed that Scarlet fell asleep. It had only been a few minutes. I didn’t want to waste more time sitting around. I flicked on my flashlight and paused, pointing it at the ground. I waited for a noise, a hint that she was awake, but silence greeted me.

  I haloed her face with the beam. She didn’t budge, her eyes shut, her mouth wide open. Her head slumped to the side. Her red hair fanned around her face, strands dipping into her mouth. This was my one shot to sneak out, and I had to take it.

  I couldn’t let my footsteps wake her so I crawled on my hands and knees until I was at front of the door. I stood up and fixed my jeans so they weren’t sagging, pulling my shirt down to cover my goose-bumped waist. I turned the knob as slowly as I did when I came in, the soft clicks sounding like explosions. Every centimeter something popped or creaked or echoed. I glanced over my shoulder, making sure she didn’t wake.

  With a final twist, the door slid open, and I snuck out. It wouldn’t have been hard for an eater to squeeze in the door. Against the wall of the gas station was a metal bench. I put the flashlight in my mouth and grabbed the end of it, dragging it in front of the door. I found two more metal folding chairs and piled them on top for reassurance.

  I let out a heavy breath. I needed to have a plan. I couldn’t just run down the streets in the darkness on a scavenger hunt to find Jim. Eaters were stronger at night and I wasn’t sure if I could take one on alone. I had to be smart. I stood in front of the bench and listened, taking in my surroundings.

  A few crickets chirped. A crow sung far away. The wind blew low lying branches. An eerie chill crept up my spine, and I hugged myself, my arms around my stomach. I searched for distant screams or footsteps, but heard nothing. I walked towards the edge of the gas station and stopped when I felt the turn of the brick wall.

  Two warm arms wrapped around me from behind. I screamed, but my cry for help cut off as a hand covered my mouth. I kicked and punched at my captor. The flashlight fell from my hands, clanking against the ground.

  “Lana.” His voice. How was he here? I didn’t think, just spun around and wrapped myself around him. My stomach clenched as unwanted tears sprang in my eyes. I was so fucking relieved he was here. He didn’t leave me. He wasn’t dead.

  I had never felt more pathetic than I did right then. No one could get more dependent than me. But I didn’t care. I needed Jim—for protection. I had turned soft since this whole war began. In my real life, I spent weeks alone, barely communicating with anyone. And yet there came Jim, my one lifeline. The only person to look out for me in this new world.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He pried my arms off of him and held me at an arm’s length. I bit my cheek to keep myself from pouting.

  “You’ve saved me so much. I couldn’t not try to find you.”

  “I told you never to go out at night.”

  “But you were missing,” I whined, sounding more like Scarlet than myself. I hated who I was becoming. But I couldn’t help it. I needed Jim. He had to have known that.

  “But nothing. You could’ve been hurt, or worse, killed. Do you ever think of yourself?” His words hit home. I had gone through therapists like a whore goes through men, all of them trying to tell me the exact same thing. I didn’t think it was such a bad thing to be caring and help people. Apparently, I was the only person who thou
ght this.

  Coming from Jim, it felt like a slap in the face. I turned my back to him and flicked on my light, pointing it at the pavement.

  “Sorry. I won’t care from now on.” I stomped towards the gas station, not caring about how loud I was anymore. It was just a few feet, but Jim instantly caught up to me, grabbing the inside of my elbow and spinning me to face him.

  “Stop. I said I won’t care. You got what you wanted. Just keep pushing me away, Jim. Good job.” I clapped my hands and rolled my eyes at him, his fingers digging into my skin.

  “Lana, just shut up for once.”

  I had to fight the urge to slap him across the face. I was going to risk my life for him and instead of staying ‘thank you for caring,’ he berated me. I didn’t deserve it.

  “This isn’t the old world anymore. You can’t just fix people.”

  “I’m not trying to fix you! You just make this easier. Living and all that.” I waved my hands through the air.

  “Well, you certainly make it a lot harder for me.” We stared at each other, the air charged with tension. His nostrils flared, his lips in a straight line.

  “Thanks.” I narrowed my eyes at him even though I doubted he could see my subtle expression through the darkness. “Well, just leave then. You said you were going to ditch me, so here’s your out. You were probably debating it anyway. Right?” He was close enough I could see his eyes. They widened like I hit the nail on the head. Figured.

  I threw the metal chairs off the bench and slid the bench over so I could get through the door. I knew my anger was misplaced, but he frustrated me. Jim was an asshole ninety percent of the time, but it was that ten percent where flickers of a good guy sparked that had me trusting him.

  “Wait,” he whispered. I stopped in my tracks with my hand on the door. I panted, full of anger. I didn’t dare turn around and face him. His hot breath brushed along my neck. “I’m staying with you, Lana.”

  “Why?” My shoulders relaxed.

  “I don’t know…”

  I pulled open the door to the gas station and immediately something whacked me in the face. My head whipped back, and I touched the warm, tingly spot on my cheek in amazement. I stared at Scarlet in question. Her eyes lit up with anger, her hand raised.

  Jim lunged around me towards Scarlet with his arm cocked back in a fist. His shoulder hit mine, making me stumble. He took two fast steps, but I grabbed his elbow, tugging him backwards.

  “Touch her again, and I’ll kill you,” he seethed through his clenched teeth.

  Tears brimmed at the corners of my eyes.

  “She left me here to find you. She’s a fucking idiot, leaving me here with no protection. I told you he’d be back. So much for having each others backs, huh?” She pointedly looked around Jim and at me. Her eyes lit with fury as her nostrils flared. Her lips set in a straight line as her hands curled and uncurled. The disappointment she had in me ate at me.

  “I’m sorry,” I told her sincerely.

  “Good.” She nodded and walked to the bed she had made in the aisles. I watched her in silence as she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn’t say a thing, just laid there.

  “Are you okay?” Jim faced me.

  “Fine,” I said before he could touch me. Our gazes clashed for the briefest moment—his full of regret. I turned my back to him, not wanting a single bit of it. I knew he wanted to leave. I knew it was his plan.

  I didn’t want to drag him down. He said he’d stay with me, but how could I believe him? He was gone for at least an hour tonight, had no marks on him, and wasn’t sweaty at all. He planned to leave me. And truthfully, I understood his motives.

  It didn’t mean I was okay with him. Hell. It fucking tore me apart. Without Jim I’d be dead, or worse. No matter how much self-preservation I had, I couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt that sat like a rock in my stomach. I’d probably die if he left me, but at least I wouldn’t be killing him, too.

  “Lana, I’m sorry, okay?” His hand grazed the back of my shoulder, and I flinched. I still couldn’t see him.

  “It’s fine. I don’t care.” I shook my head, fighting my emotions from surfacing. Something was wrong with me. Why was I letting these stupid feelings get the best of me? It was all too much. I stepped away from him, but he pulled me back.

  “I know that you do care,” he said as he spun me around. I refused to look up at him, so I fiddled with my jacket zipper, staring at it like it was the most interesting thing ever.

  “Let’s just pretend I don’t.” I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed, now staring at Jim’s untied boots.

  “Give me a chance to explain myself, at least.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. His touch was soft and gentle, and I let it stay this time.

  “There’s nothing to explain, Jim.” I looked up at him, trying to keep my emotions from showing. I bit my tongue to stop the tears from dropping. I was exhausted; that must have been why I was so emotional. “You don’t want to be here, and I don’t want to force you. So go. Live alone like you want.”

  “I’m not leaving.”

  My stomach fluttered. It’s not like I wanted him to go, but at the same time, I didn’t want to force him to stay. I was confused. Nothing would make this right. None of this was right.

  I couldn’t figure out what exactly he wanted. One minute he sat there kissing me, protecting me, promising me that he’d keep me safe. The next he ran, trying to get free, or telling me to shut up since I made living hard on him. I constantly experienced mental whiplash.

  I didn’t know how to make this fair, and it frustrated me beyond belief. I could always get myself out of trouble, coming up with some way to fix everything, even if that meant starting fresh. But this—this I didn’t know how to control.

  “Well, then.” I paused, licking my lower, cracked lip. “I’m going to take a nap.” I broke our connection, his hand falling off my shoulder. I didn’t mean to, but I looked back and saw his face fall. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his forehead wrinkling.

  I walked towards the chip section and pulled the moveable rack so that it blocked the end of the aisle near the broken window. I grabbed my bag of goodies and shoved it under my head, using it as a makeshift pillow.

  I shut my eyes, but tension radiated through my system. Thoughts of Jim kept me awake, forcing my mind to spin. I still didn’t want him to leave Scarlet and me. And not just because he could protect us. I felt safer with him, but also like I had a meaning. I trusted him. There was a future with him by my side. It didn’t make sense, but I wasn’t going to deny my feelings.

  My thoughts consumed me until I felt his body behind me. I peeked open one of my eyes and just barely saw him crouch. I froze. He laid beside me and wrapped one arm over my midsection, his fingers dangling dangerously close to the hem of my tee.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  I didn’t respond at first. “Where did you go?” I asked him. His body tensed behind mine.

  “I was outside. I did get stuck in the library but I snuck out down the side street. I just stood outside this station, debating what to do. I walked down the road. I only made it a few minutes before I started to second-guess myself.”

  “You were leaving.” I shook my head as tears fell.

  He nodded. “But I came back. I couldn’t do it. If something happened to you because of me, I don’t think I could live with it. So I ran back here and stood outside the doors for a little while.”

  “Is it because I’m not as strong as you?” I whispered.

  “No, Lana,” he said. His arms twisted me around so our foreheads nearly touched. I bent my knees and tucked my hands under my head. “I just don’t do well with people. Even before. I like being alone, relying only on myself. It’s just me.”

  “I’ll try really hard to keep up better. I promise.”

  “Lana,” Jim cut me off. “It’s not you, at all. Trust me. It’s me. If it really was you, I’d have been gon
e by now.” His hand ran across my forehead, brushing the fallen, sweaty hair back.

  “Are you really staying now? You won’t leave?”

  “I’m not leaving,” he said, his eyes connecting with mine. I nodded, believing what he said. I turned back around, my back to his front. His hands stilled around my waist.

  I grabbed his hands and laced my fingers with his, reveling in his warmth. For the first time since the bombings, I slept deeply. Jim’s body guarded my mind, keeping my nightmares at bay. No red eyes haunted me. No eaters invaded my dreams.

  “I totally knew you two were hooking up.”

  I groaned as Scarlet’s whiney voice echoed in the otherwise quiet room. I squinted my eyes against the soft yellow light of the morning, and there she was, standing over me, her shadow hiding me.

  “Shut it, will you?” I hushed my voice so Jim wouldn’t wake. I carefully unwounded myself from his constricting arms and rolled over on my side. He groaned and reached for me, but I army-crawled away, maneuvering around the moving rack.

  “So, what’s the deal?” Scarlet whispered as I stood up at the end of the aisle. My entire body spasmed with even the most subtle movements. It was pure misery.

  “First, you hit me in the fucking face last night,” I growled as I pressed my hand against my sore cheek. It probably had a nice red mark over my cheek bone. I wouldn’t just let it go, no matter if she had reason or not. Plus, everything hurt and I had so much anger pent up inside me, I had to unleash it.

  “You deserved it. I know you don’t know me, but you left me to die in here. You promised you’d have my back.” She put her hands on her hips and glared.

  “Well, I expect an apology.” I mimicked her stance.

  “Fine,” she grunted, rolling her eyes at me. “Sorry for hitting you, even though you totally deserved it and didn’t listen to what I said. But I shouldn’t have hit you. So, sorry.”

  I let it go. “Thanks.”

  “We good?” she asked with a cock of her head.