“Do you all know how to swim?” Bolton asked. “I know this is a bad time to ask.”
“Bailey is just learning, and Faith doesn’t.” Quinn continued forward. “But Kayla and I know how.”
“As do I.” I had no memory of learning how, but I could. It was likely something Central had programed in.
“Whoever are the strongest swimmers should hold the girls,” Bolton declared.
“I can swim and hold Bailey,” I immediately offered. I knew Quinn was capable, but I didn’t want to make things harder on her if I didn’t have to.
“I can keep Faith.” Kayla pressed on.
“Are you sure, Kayla?” Bolton sounded mildly nervous. Maybe he was afraid she’d snap at him for questioning her.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Are you doubting me?”
Quinn snickered.
Bolton shook his head. “I’m merely offering to help. I can swim really well.”
Kayla looked straight ahead again. “Faith won’t go to anyone else. You know that.”
“When it comes to life or death, she’d come to me.” Bolton wouldn’t drop it.
“We aren’t at the life or death stage yet.” Kayla’s words were flat.
“Not yet,” Bolton mumbled.
I waited for Quinn to add something, but she didn’t. Maybe since Kayla was speaking up for herself against him, she didn’t feel as if she had to.
The water got deeper, but we still managed to keep our heads above it. I had all sorts of thoughts about whether there was anything in the water that could make us sick, but I kept those thoughts firmly to myself. There was no reason to upset everyone else when there was absolutely nothing we could do about it.
“Hello?” A voice called out in the near darkness.
Kayla stopped short, which meant the rest of us did too.
“Is there anyone out there?” The deep voice continued.
We had a decision to make. We had no idea who this man was but spending an eternity in the water wasn’t a viable option. I was about to make the decision for us and call out when a spotlight blinded me. I blinked repeatedly.
“Hello!” The voice boomed louder this time. “I see you and are coming to rescue you.”
“Rescue us?” Bolton yelled back. “We never said we needed rescue.”
There was the sound of a motor, and the water became choppy. I held Bailey tight as a boat drew closer and closer until it anchored and idled beside us.
A man leaned over the side. “Well, this was not what I was expecting. Here. Let’s get you out of the water.” He threw a ladder down from the side of the boat.
“Who are you?” Kayla asked.
“We can make proper introductions once you are dry and safe.” The man tapped the ladder. “Please, the sooner you climb on board, the sooner we can get you dry and safe.
“No. We aren’t going anywhere until we know who you are.” Quinn raised her chin.
“My name is Belk. Does that help?” He stood motionless by the ladder.
“Where are we?” I asked. “That seems like the more important question.”
“That’s an easy one to answer.” He grinned, and his white teeth glowed in the strange light created by his boat. “Welcome to the Glen.”
Twelve
Quinn
“The Glen?” I repeated the words the man had just used to answer Maverick. I tried not to stare longingly at the boat, but getting dry sounded wonderful. Still, that didn’t mean I was willing to put the girls at risk just for comfort. I could put up with anything if it would guarantee Bailey and Faith’s safety. It had been a long time since I’d stopped worrying about my own life, but I knew I’d never stop trying to protect the girls. It was the only thing that kept me going.
“It is easier to show you than tell you.” Belk tapped the ladder. “Come on aboard. Those children need to get dry.”
“You can tell us.” Kayla held Faith tight. “We’ve been in this water for a while now. A few more minutes won’t change anything.”
“It’s a safe place. The Glen. I promise you.”
“We’ve heard that before.” I was done trusting anyone. It was hard enough to trust Maverick.
“Where you were before couldn’t have been this safe, otherwise you wouldn’t be in this situation.” Belk leaned on the edge of the boat.
“If you could direct us to solid land, we will be on our way.” Bolton sloshed forward so he was standing between the rest of us and the boat.
I nodded. This may have been the first time I’d ever agreed with him.
“The only land here is part of the Glen. You are welcome to join us for as long or as short as you want. Please get on the boat. I hate to see you suffer.”
“We aren’t going anywhere with you.” Kayla stiffened. “But thank you. We will find another way.”
“There is no other way besides turning back around the way you came.” Belk’s voice shook somewhat. Either he was legitimately worried for us, or he was struggling to control his annoyance. It was impossible to know.
“We can do that.” I backed her up. I would never doubt one of Kayla’s feelings again. If she didn’t want to get on the boat, we weren’t doing it.
“Where you came from isn’t safe.” Belk lowered his voice. “Listen. It’s dark. It’s getting colder. Come out of the water. At first light you can leave if you want. We’re not going to hurt you.”
“You’d say that even if you were going to hurt us.” People told you what they wanted you wanted to hear. Everyone was after their own gain. Even we were. We’d say anything to protect the girls.
“Why would I save you just to hurt you?” Belk included his head to the side.
“We’re not idiots.” Bolton adjusted the sack on his back. I’d forgotten he was still dragging it. “We know exactly why you’d do that.”
Belk exhaled loudly. “We have women here. That’s not what this is about.”
“And children?” Maverick asked.
“Some, but why would children change anything? We aren’t looking to be the next Central. We are only looking to get by and return to a semblance of normal life.”
“Normal life.” I yawned despite myself. Exhaustion was starting to catch up. “Right.”
“What can I say to get you to come out of the water? You have children. They need food. Water. Warm clothes. We can help you with all of that.”
“We don’t want any trouble.” Although I wasn’t sure if there was anything out there anymore that wasn’t trouble. “Please. Leave us be.”
“And you won’t find any trouble here. Only help.”
“No one gives help without expecting something in return.” Kayla moved Faith to her other hip.
Even at the camp we’d had to work to earn our keep. We’d also sacrificed some of our own—Mason and Addison.
“This place is different.” Belk straightened. “Get in the boat and I can show you.”
“You’d have better luck if you weren’t pushing so hard.” Father had a saying that you couldn’t trust a salesman who praised his own products too much.
“I don’t want those children to die of hypothermia.”
“The water isn’t that cold.” I tried to hide the shiver in my voice. The water was growing colder.
“Really, what other choice do you have?” Belk sighed. “Be honest with yourselves.”
He was right. And we all knew it. “Kayla…”
“I know.” Her words fell soft, but they were piercing. “We’ll come with you, but we are only staying tonight.”
We huddled together as the boat made its way toward the shore. Any arguments we were having before no longer mattered, and that included Bolton and me. We were in enemy territory, and we needed to protect one another.
“I’m not going to bite.” Belk watched us as the boat moved through the dark night. “You don’t have to sit all together.”
“We like to be together.” Maverick put his arm around Bailey and me.
�
�I see. It isn’t often you see family units.” Belk looked at us before returning his eyes to the water.
“I’m sure.” Kayla held Faith close. “But that is what we are.”
The man nodded. “It is an old way of life, but we will respect your choices.”
I knew what Kayla was doing. Protecting us. I hoped Bolton and Maverick played along. Maybe if this man, and whoever else he lived with, assumed Bolton and Maverick were the fathers of the girls they’d leave us be.
“It is late, most of the Glen is already asleep.” Belk shut off the motor after we reached the dock. “But someone will be up to help you find everything you need.”
“All we need is some water.” Kayla rose to her feet. “We can take care of the rest.”
“You need blankets. Clothes. Food.”
Bailey’s stomach grumbled.
The man laughed. “See, even the child knows she needs food.”
Bailey buried her face in my chest.
I said nothing. No one said anything as Belk tied the boat to the dock.
“Okay, follow me. I’ll take you to the living sector.”
“Living sector?” Bolton held out his hand to help me off. I accepted it. We silently agreed on a temporary truce.
“Yes. We have distinct areas of the Glen reserved for different things. The living sector is for what it sounds like. Living.”
We followed him up and away from the dock.
“Sounds a lot like the place we just left.” I made small talk even though I didn’t want to. I was cold and afraid. I wanted to be back at the camp. Maybe it was a false sense of security there, but it was security at least.
“Trust me, the Glen is different. It’s different from anything you have ever known.”
The night was silent aside from the incessant chirping of insects. The sky was dark—only the tiniest sliver of the moon led our way. I held onto Bailey tightly, hoping I wouldn’t trip and hurt us both. I was so tired I could barely keep my eyes open.
“I would turn on my lantern but that might attract company we don’t want,” Belk explained.
“What kind of company?” I knew I wouldn’t like the answer, but I asked anyway. More information was better than less.
“The animal kind.”
Slight relief hit me. We weren’t talking traders or Central. Not that being ripped apart by an animal would be pleasant, but it would be a different kind of trouble. Of course, this man might be a trader or Central. People went to great levels in order to deceive.
“We will be at the welcome building soon.”
“The welcome building?” Kayla and I exchanged looks.
“Yes.” Belk glanced at us over his shoulder. “The place where newcomers can spend their time before finding out where they will live.”
“We won’t be living here. And we don’t need beds or anything. Just water.” The whole situation felt wrong. Normally I was the one all about finding a safe place to land, but this place didn’t feel safe.
“A good night sleep has never hurt anyone.” He smiled before turning forward again. The smile unnerved me.
Sure it has. Falling asleep made you vulnerable. We couldn’t afford to let that happen.
“I assume you understand we all need to stay together.” Maverick’s voice left little room to argue.
“Of course. For this evening, we have a room large enough for all of you.”
Kayla fell back to walk beside me. “I don’t like this.”
“Me neither,” I spoke in only the barest hint of a whisper. “At all.” I especially didn’t like him adding that for evening part to what he told Maverick. What about after this? Was it going to be difficult to leave?
“Are you ready to tell me where it is you’re headed?” Belk started to climb a steep hill. For a moment I felt as if we were back at the camp.
“We are meeting up with some friends,” Bolton hurriedly replied.
“Where?” Belk slowed. “Where are you meeting them?”
“It’s hard to explain.” Bolton hung back a little, staying close to us.
“I am sure I can follow.” Belk stopped.
“I don’t see how it is any of your business.” Kayla didn’t mince words.
Belk turned to look at us. “It isn’t strictly my business, but as you are guests here, I see no reason why we cannot participate in polite conversation.”
“We only need to refill supplies, then we will be on our way. We will send repayment back to you as soon as possible.” Kayla moved Faith to her other hip again.
There was something about the set of her jaw at that moment, the tone of her voice that made me once again think about what she’d gone through to save me. She’d told me very little about her time at the club and her journey there, but I knew it hadn’t been easy. She’d risked everything for Bailey and me, and I knew that I wouldn’t hesitate to do the same for her and Faith. I’d always loved my sister, but something had changed in me. I was no longer afraid. I was willing to fight.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” Belk still stood frozen most of the way up the hill. It left the rest of us at the midpoint of the incline, a very uncomfortable place to be waiting. “These friends of yours won’t wait?”
“We like to stay together. Splitting up was hard. No reason to make it last longer.” I found myself answering before anyone else.
“Right.” Belk nodded. “I apologize if I am being pushy. It is not often that we get surprise newcomers. Especially not ones by the likes of you.”
Newcomers. The likes of us. Women and children. He could say all he wanted, but our gender would play a role in what was to come. I was wary. We had no clue who this man was or where we were, but I think all of us knew we didn’t have other options. Getting on that boat had been the only choice we had, and now we would have to follow through. We would leave as soon as we could.
“This isn’t going to be like the camp…” I whispered to Kayla once Belk resumed his walk.
“Not at all.” Kayla’s shoulder brushed against mine.
“That was so different. Denver brought us… and it wasn’t so… weird.” Weird wasn’t the right word, but I didn’t know what the right one was. Creepy didn’t say enough either.
“I know. We stay together. Understand? We do not separate from each other no matter what. Even if they make us leave the men.”
“We stay together. Of course.” She didn’t need to tell me that. There was no chance I was separating from my sister again. Nothing about our situation was easy, but it was made manageable because I had my sister.
“Do you think we’ll be allowed to leave in the morning?” I was afraid to ask the question, yet I needed to.
“I hope so.” There was no confidence in Kayla’s voice.
Off in the distance I noticed a faint light.
“Is that where we’re headed?” Bolton called up to Belk.
“Uh huh.” Belk turned and watched us climb the rest of the way up the hill. “The welcome building. Someone will be on call.”
“You rarely have surprise newcomers, yet someone is always on call?” Bolton reached the crest.
“Think of it as part of the night watch.”
“And you are part of it too?” I asked. I took a moment to catch my breath. Bailey was getting heavy.
“Yes. Every so often someone shows up the way you did.”
“Is there anyone in the newcomer building now?” Kayla watched the light in the distance.
“No. It is empty. We have plenty of space for you.”
“When was the last time someone showed up?” I shook my head when Maverick offered to take Bailey again. I wasn’t letting her get an inch away from me.
“Ah, at least a year ago now I’d say.”
“That long?” I wasn’t sure what to make of that info.
“There aren’t all that many of us left now.”
“No.” The population was thinning out more and more. First, it was the decline in reproduction, but as time went on it
was also the dwindling food supplies and medicine.
We walked the rest of the way in silence. I took in the large white brick building as we moved closer. It was far bigger than I had been expecting—and more permanent. I was expecting more of the cabins, like from the camp.
Belk walked up the porch and knocked on one of the double doors. It was pulled open.
A woman with her dark hair pulled into a tight bun stepped out onto the porch.
“We have newcomers, Darla.”
She nodded, her eyes barely moving over us. “I will see to their needs.”
“Thank you.” Belk moved to the side and gestured for us to go through the doorway.
Kayla and I exchanged looks. Walking through the doorway was the last thing either of us wanted to do.
Thirteen
Mason
The climb up the wall was easy enough. We were all watching—waiting for the force field to turn back on, or for something to shoot us out of the sky. The higher we climbed, the warier I was. Someone had to be watching. Someone was always watching. Central had eyes and ears everywhere. Even when they couldn’t infiltrate themselves, they paid someone else to do it.
Yet we made it to the top unscathed. I steadied myself as I stopped on the top of the wall and looked down. I blinked. Over and over again.
“But that’s impossible,” Isin spoke out loud what we were all thinking as we looked out over the wasteland below. All we saw for as far as the eye could see was dirt, dirt littered with bodies and trash.
“Maybe it’s just near the wall.” Addison stood right beside me. “Maybe the population has moved somewhere else. Or maybe they never lived in this area to begin with”
“Maybe.” I didn’t want to take away her hope. Not after we’d come this far. Another thought struck me. “Or maybe the same switch that was triggered on our side of the wall happened here.”
“Now that’s an interesting possibility.” Benji stood on my other side.
“I’m not sure interesting is the word you are looking for.” Nothing about our situation was interesting. Awful, stressful, confusing. Those were all possible choices. Not interesting.
Conflicted (The Corded Saga Book 3) Page 6
