Sundown Series (Book 4): Torment

by Konstantin, Courtney

  "Why don't you take the weapons and get them cleaned up? Store them in the shed with the rest," Alex said. Without a word, Easton nodded and started to jog up the front hill.

  Alex took her time, letting herself soak in the silence of the moment. She didn't get to enjoy the quiet very often. Being the mother to two young children, she was mostly used to that. But now it wasn't sibling rivalries she needed to handle, it was adult questions about chores and schedules. Alex knew as soon as Max realized she was back her sister would come to complain about garden duty again. And there were other issues. Rafe needed more supplies for the garden, to start the spring planting he wanted to do. Charlie had a long list of medical supplies she was hoping to get. Cliff was still closed off and Alex always took a special interest in getting him to converse and be part of the group.

  All of this was daily. Leadership was what Mitch Duncan had told her would be needed when the world fell apart. She didn't dispute his point. However, she never wanted the job solely on herself. There was no leadership from the government, local or federal. Part of Alex had hoped someone would come through with the strength to get things on track. But after Max had showed up, beaten from torture at the hands of the government, Alex began to have her doubts. Later, they added the information that Rafe and Charlie had from the beginning of the plague, and Alex knew they were on their own. She looked back toward the zombie burn pile, small wisps of smoke still rose. No one was coming to help them.

  So, she did what was needed. With that in mind, she trudged up the hill to the barn. She avoided running into Max, because she just knew that would be the biggest issue of the day. When she entered the cool interior of the barn, she paused, allowing her eyes to adjust and to determine if she was alone. Her ears immediately picked up on glass and metal clicking. She walked toward a stall that was now separated from the rest of the barn by thick plastic, sealing the room off from the outside. Alex stood outside watching the blonde woman inside, who seemed to be sorting through samples.

  "Morning, Charlie," Alex said.

  Charlie's blue eyes flew up, surprised by Alex's quiet approach. Alex had worked on being as accepting and welcoming as she could be to the woman it seemed Rafe had finally set his eyes on. Rafe had endured years of teasing from his sisters, never letting them in on his romantic life. Since the start of the plague, Rafe and Charlie had been bonded. Rafe confided in Alex that he hadn't been lying when he told his sisters he didn't have girlfriends. He didn't, until Charlie. Now he was in love with the pretty blonde doctor, who was on a crusade to cure the plague.

  "Morning, Alex. You scared me," she laughed.

  "Sorry. Was just trying to hide from Max for a while, figured I'd skin the rabbits in here," she said as she held up her haul.

  To her credit, Charlie's grimace only tightened her eyes. But Alex saw it and it only caused Alex to smile wider. Charlie had been exposed to survival in a thrown into the fire sort of way. When the lab she worked in mistakenly created the plague, that now turned the bitten into the infected dead, Charlie was forced into being on the run with Rafe. The government that was behind the experiments wanted Charlie for her knowledge. Though after being questioned by Alex, and then grilled mercilessly by Max, it was clear Charlie didn't know how the plague was created. That didn't stop her from being determined to cure it.

  "Max is in rare form today. I think she's getting stir crazy," Charlie replied, clearly ignoring the rabbit subject.

  "We all are. But going out often isn't safe. Not only because the number of infected that seem to grow every time we're out, but also, we don't know what 'The Suit' or Callahan are up to," Alex replied.

  Charlie's face was a mask of anger and fear when Alex mentioned the government members that were attacking the Duncan family. 'The Suit' was the nameless man that ran the facility that Charlie and Rafe both worked at; Charlie as a doctor and Rafe in security. After the outbreak, an attack on the compound forced Rafe and Charlie to flee into the mountains. They lived in a cave for close to a month, not wanting to bring the government down on the Duncan family. Little did Rafe realize, the Duncan family had already been added to the list of wanted. In another state, Max had been captured by Major Callahan, who seemed to work for 'The Suit'. When she arrived at the compound, she had been bruised and broken. All because she wouldn't give up the location of her siblings.

  With the family together now, they had compared their information and were able to create an understanding of what was happening to them. There was no way for them to believe that 'The Suit' and Callahan weren't working together. Their goal was the same. And the Duncan family immediately was on their radar once the plague arrived. Both seemed determined to cure the illness. They wanted Charlie for that. Neither realized, nor cared, that Charlie hadn't created anything that could even slow the pathogen down.

  Now, two months later and they hadn't become complacent. Daily checks were scheduled to make sure they weren't under surveillance. They rotated on nightly shifts to ensure someone was always awake in the chance of an attack. To anyone outside of the Duncan family, it may have seemed extreme. Yes, they had a security system that would alarm the moment someone broke over the wall. And yes, over the past month Rafe, Marcus, Griffin, and Cliff had added barbed wire to the top of the walls. But, the Duncans had been raised to never feel safe, to never believe it was over and to never trust the government.

  "I still believe we should go after them," Charlie said, breaking into Alex's inner musings.

  "Part of me agrees with you. The other part doesn't feel like we have enough information to go on the offensive yet," Alex replied.

  "I know you're right. Things feel different now. With Rafe and Aiden...." Charlie said, trailing off at the name of the little boy she and Rafe had rescued.

  "I understand where you're coming from, Charlie. I consider everyone on this compound family. We are here to protect each other. It makes it so much more difficult when you have something so precious to lose."

  "That's exactly it, Alex. I've never had anything precious like that in my life. Now that I do...."

  "You'll do anything to keep it," Alex finished.

  "Yes."

  "So will I. Don't worry, Charlie. We are in this together."

  Alex left Charlie to complete whatever she was working on. Alex had to admire the work Rafe had put into creating her little lab. Part of the stall was for her tests and specimens. The other half she had started working to create a triage center. Charlie most recently did lab work, but before that she was a doctor. That was invaluable to the compound members now. She had quickly stitched up Marcus when he’d slipped off the ladder during the barbed wire installation. It was an event he didn't like to speak about, but the healing gash on his forehead told it for him. Charlie had also helped with antibiotics when Aiden seemed to come down with an ear infection. She realized how her knowledge could be of use and Rafe went out a number of times to retrieve whatever he could from local clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals.

  A section of their large barn was used for slaughtering of animals with all the proper instruments hanging from the wall of the room. Before, Rafe hadn't worried about making a mess that he would need to clean up later, now he did all the dirty work inside, so the kids weren't completely scarred from seeing the animals they loved being killed. Alex knew Billie would be traumatized to see her mother gutting and skinning rabbits. No need to let her daughter know she had eaten Peter Cottontail more than once.

  Alex went about the work of cleaning the rabbit. The task allowed her to easily relax and leave her worries to their own accord for a while. Catching, cleaning, and preparing animals was just one of the lessons Mitch Duncan had taught Alex during her childhood. She thought of her father now, wondering if he would approve of how she was running the compound. She had a feeling her dad would have some comments and corrections. However, he raised Alex with the skills to handle leadership on her own. She needed to make her own choices. So far, she felt she was doing ok.

&nb
sp; Once she had the rabbits cleaned, she cut off the useable meat, so no one saw where it came from. Most of the adults were able to see beyond the source of the food, realizing eating was what was important. But they had four little kids that wouldn't understand. Equipped with a bowl of meat, Alex stepped back into the sun. She immediately saw Billie and Henry outside the fence, watching the cows. Henry saw Alex, and he came running for her. She held the bowl above his head to avoid spilling. Her young son threw his arms around her legs and looked up at her. His dark eyes smiled at her, though he tried to look very serious.

  "Mommy, tell Billie we aren't gonna eat the cows," Henry said. In his five-year-old mind the idea of eating the animals he watched every day was a nightmare.

  Billie, her blonde hair shining in the sunlight, came running to continue her argument with her brother. Two years older, Billie believed she was the boss of her brother. Alex appreciated when she wanted to protect him and show him the right ways to behave. But more often than not, she was full of mischief. Watching her now, Alex was sure that it was one of those moments.

  "Of course, we're going to eat them, Henry. Why else would we keep them here?" Billie stated.

  "What did you drink with breakfast this morning, Billie?" Alex asked, deciding it was time for a lesson.

  "Milk."

  "Where does milk come from?"

  "Cows," Billie answered with a smile, happy she knew the fact.

  "Correct. That is why we have the cows. We are not going to eat the cows. Not anytime soon at least. We have other food. Don't worry, honey," Alex said, using her free hand to run her fingers through Henry's hair. She took the moment to note that it was getting a little long and wondered if she should just let it go, or trim it up.

  "See, told you," Henry said, shooting his sister a look.

  "Did you two finish your morning chores?" Alex asked.

  The kids were young at seven and five, but they were old enough to help with the smaller tasks around the compound.

  "I fed the chickens," Billie replied.

  "I helped Auntie Max in the garden," Henry said. Alex winced slightly.

  "How did that go, buddy?" Alex asked.

  "She's not happy with you today, Mommy," Henry replied, his face extremely serious.

  "That's all right. Auntie doesn't like having chores. But just like you two, everyone has to help, right?"

  Billie and Henry both nodded. Then Billie decided they were going to go find their cousin Jack and little Aiden to play hide and seek. The compound was large with a good number of buildings on it, including the main house, a bunkhouse, barn, greenhouse, root cellar, and several large storage containers. The kids found great joy in playing large games of hide and seek, as the places to hide seemed to be endless. Alex gave her normal warnings of being safe and keeping an eye on the younger Aiden, before Billie and Henry went running off, screaming for Jack.

  Inside the house, Alex found Margaret in the kitchen. She was cleaning the fresh vegetables that were picked that morning. She turned when Alex came into the mudroom, kicking off her boots to not track mud through the house. Though spring had officially started, Montana still had its moisture and would probably still have spring showers for a month or so. Alex brought the meat into the kitchen and Margaret smiled at her.

  "Successful outside today?" She asked.

  The woman had been a lifesaver for Alex. When they first met, and the feisty older woman had pointed a shotgun at Alex's face, Alex couldn't have predicted how much she would lean on the woman. Her gray hair was getting longer, not the same spiky wildness it was when she’d joined Alex in survival. But looking at her, you could never mistake her for a regular grandmother. She was maternal but also spunky and funny. When Alex first told her the whole story of Blake and the struggles they had faced in the beginning of the plague, Margaret was the first person to tell Alex it wasn't her fault. Until that moment, Alex hadn't known how much she needed to hear that.

  "It was. I reset the snares. I think spring is bringing the animals closer. I wonder too if the infected scare them? Either way, they tend to run into our snares. I was thinking stew for dinner."

  "Perfect. We just pulled potatoes today. That will go perfectly."

  Alex didn't say anything else, just covered the bowl with plastic wrap and popped it into the refrigerator until it could be cooked. She evaluated the rest of the fridge, taking in the half empty bottle of milk, the small bit of butter, the vegetables and fruits, the leftover pasta from dinner the night before. They were doing all right when it came to food. But Alex would always want to scavenge more. That thought created an itch in Alex's mind that she wanted to reach out and scratch.

  "Alex?" Margaret's voice came from behind her. "What's going on?"

  "Nothing. Why?"

  "Honey, I know it's only been a few months. But I feel like we've been through some stuff, which has given me some insight into you. I can tell you're troubled," Margaret said.

  She leaned her hip against the counter and laser focused her gaze on Alex. Her look caused Alex to sigh and roll her head to stretch some of the tension from her muscles. How did she tell her that she was tired of the responsibility? Alex wasn't like Max; she didn't want action. But she needed a break from the constant leadership of the compound.

  "I'm just tired. It's been a long few months."

  "It has. Why don't you get some rest?"

  "I don't think it's a physical tired. My mind just feels foggy and overwhelmed. And it's every day."

  "Ok. What can I do to help?" Margaret asked immediately.

  "I think I need to go on a run, head back into town. See what else we could scavenge and bring back," Alex said quickly.

  "You've been keeping everyone inside unless absolutely necessary. Why now?"

  "Because I need a break. I need to get a break away from the constant management of everyone. I need a break away from Max fighting with me about daily assignments. I want to breathe, away from being some sort of leader here. I'm just not sure I am built for this...." Alex finally finished, trailing off as she looked at her feet.

  "Alex Duncan," Margaret's strict tone made Alex look up quickly. "There is no one else better suited for the leadership of this group. Your father ensured that you would be ready for this. And you are doing a fantastic job. I understand you are under a lot of stress. So, if you need to get outside of these walls and change things up, you do that. But I will not hear you doubt yourself again, understand?"

  "Uh, ok?" Alex replied timidly. She had never felt so put in her place as an adult ever.

  Margaret nodded her head once and turned back to the vegetables. Alex stood and stared at the back of her head for a moment. The words had deep meaning, and she worked to absorb the impact of what the older woman was saying. Despite the stress and uncertainty Alex was feeling, she wasn't seen as a total failure. The thought did help her breathe a little easier. She moved to stand next to Margaret for a second before giving her a quick side hug.

  "Thank you," Alex whispered.

  Chapter Two

  "I don't understand, why can't I go out and handle the scavenging? Why do I have to stay and finish a rotation in the garden?" Max demanded.

  Alex forced herself to not roll her eyes. They were sitting around the dinner table. All the adults sat together, with the kids at a small folding table on their own. Rabbit stew steamed in a large pot in the middle of the table. A salad of arugula, tomatoes, and green onions sat in a bowl nearby. Margaret did wonderful things in the kitchen and Alex appreciated her touch in making meals more filling. The topic of a scavenging run had come up after everyone had eaten their dinners and Max wasn't all too happy with the choices Alex was making.

  "Because you are on a garden rotation. And just like everyone else, you have to finish the rotation," Alex said, patience lacing her voice.

  "Well, our fearless leader shouldn't be barging out in the dead world while we all sit behind these walls," Max shot back.

  "I didn't ask for any titles
, Max. If you'd like to take over, be my guest," Alex said. Her patience was waning and from the looks around the table, people knew it.

  Max flopped back in her chair, saying nothing in response. No one was under the impression that Max wanted to be in charge. Alex knew her sister well enough to know she wanted the least responsibility possible but also not have any requirements. Max wasn't lazy or suffering from a lack of dedication. She just didn't like the finer details that came with survival after the end of civilization. Alex knew her sister wanted action to keep herself distracted from other things. Such as dealing with talking about her torture at the hands of Callahan.

  Thinking of that, Alex swung her gaze to Private Smith. As with most meetings and meals, he stared at the tabletop with no opinion in the matters discussed. The man who could barely grow peach fuzz on his face had participated in the beating of Max. If Max hadn't stepped in when they found Rafe, and Smith by extension, Alex or Max's boyfriend, Griffin, would have killed him outright. But Max saw him for what he was, a boy barely into bootcamp before Callahan yanked him out and put him into compromising situations under the guise of following orders. Though the man still slept in a cell that had been created in the barn for him, they had recently allowed him to join their meals. He had been a wealth of information about Callahan once he realized they weren't going to kill him. Now he was assigned chores just like the rest of their group.

  "Everyone needs to make a list of items they need. Practical items, please. I will take the lists with me and work on retrieving everything requested. While I'm gone, Rafe will be in charge of chores and managing the compound," Alex continued, moving on from Max's temper tantrum.

  "Who's going with you?" Margaret asked.