Ethan pulled back to look into her eyes. Kate wrapped her arms around her middle.
“I have no idea what it was about,” she said. “You found me right afterward.”
Ethan nodded clearly remembering the moment. “I don’t doubt Ethan has prisoners but why on earth would he want to keep one of those things inside the town? Do you remember the building?”
Kate nodded. She wouldn’t forget even if she wanted to.
Ethan stood up and started pacing near the window. After several minutes he started shaking his head.
“There isn’t anything we can do about it, and once we’re gone, well, it doesn’t concern us,” Ethan said.
Kate nodded. He was right. Even if they didn’t leave, which she hoped to God they would, she couldn’t ever ask Simon about it. All she could do was put it out of her mind.
“I wonder if he has Joel somewhere,” Kate asked.
“Why do you care so much about Joel? I’m still pissed off he didn’t tell us what he was planning,” Ethan said.
“He couldn’t tell us,” Kate shook her head. “I think you forget how scary Simon is, especially to someone new to this place.”
“Fine,” Ethan conceded. “But, seriously, why do you care?”
“Those kids,” Kate murmured. “They don’t deserve—”
“No one deserves any of this.”
Kate frowned. “I know, I just want to help them.”
Ethan sat down in front of Kate and placed his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her eyes without blinking.
“Put it out of your head. If you even try, something bad will happen. They’ll figure it out sooner later.”
“They’ve figured it out already, but Laura should know what happened to her husband.”
Ethan shook her gently as if he was trying to wake her up. “Keep out of it. Just stay away. I’m sure Simon has a plan, after all, he knows that’s Joel’s family. He used them once before he’ll probably do it again. If Joel is even still alive.”
Kate sighed and looked down at her shoes. Ethan’s hands on her shoulders felt like they were weighing her down.
“Promise me, Kate. Promise me you’ll stay out of it.”
“I will. I’ll stay out of it,” she said, and Ethan moved back to the window. Of course, Kate would still bring them food as long as they were here, but Ethan didn’t need to know about that.
She couldn’t just let them starve to death in her room, and she was the only one that knew they were in there. It was just food.
Kate laid down on the bed and squeezed her eyes shut. A few more days and maybe all her worries would be gone. Just a few more days until The Way was out of sight and out of mind.
At least she hoped.
It hadn’t felt as though any time had passed when Kate’s eyes popped open. The church bells were frantically ringing, and someone was shouting.
Kate let out a breath. “Shit.”
21
Ethan was lying in the other bed, his body rising gently with a slow inhale. The bells weren’t waking him, but each time they sounded, they stung Kate’s ears.
Kate tip-toed across the floor over to the window. Simon was standing in the road in front of the church shouting for everyone to come out.
Simon’s head started to tilt upward, and Kate took a quick step back. She pressed her palm to her chest and leaned forward slightly attempting to convince herself that there was no way Simon had seen her in the darkness.
“What’s going on?” Ethan groaned.
“Simon’s upset about something,” Kate murmured.
“I meant with you. You look like you’re having a heart attack,” Ethan said with concerned eyes.
Kate shook her head and blew out several quick breaths failing to calm her racing heartbeat. “He looked up.”
“He’ll know if we aren’t there,” Ethan said pulling on his shoes. “If he questions it, I can make an excuse for you.”
“No… no, I’ll go,” Kate said.
“Are you sure? He probably wouldn’t ask,” Ethan said.
Kate straightened her spine and pulled her shoulders back. “Not tonight he wouldn’t, but I’d probably get interrogated next time I see him. It’s not worth it.”
“Ready?” Ethan asked as he stood up and slapped his thighs.
“No, but let’s go anyway,” Kate sucked in a breath and followed Ethan out to the street.
The second they stepped out of the hotel, Simon’s shouting filled the air. Everyone had gathered in the street making it hard for Kate to move, and to see what was going on. She stood on the balls of her feet and looked between the shoulders in front of her.
Simon was standing there shirtless weaving slightly side to side. Kate was sure if she were closer, she’d smell the booze seeping out of his pores. There was a dripping red cross on his chest applied sloppily in what Kate could only hope was some kind of paint.
“This man,” Simon shouted as he poked the man in the back with a long, serrated knife, “has stolen from our cafeteria. Not just once or twice, he had a whole stockpile of food in his room.”
The crowd gasped as if they’d been cued to react.
“Thief!” one man shouted.
“Exactly,” Simon said, nodding. “He isn’t stealing from just me, he’s stealing from all of us. Taking your food right out of your hands! Your hands,” Simon said pointing at a woman. He jerked his finger over, and then over again. “And yours, and yours too.”
Kate spotted the man they were calling a thief. He was kneeling on the ground with his hands tied behind his back. His head was down, and Kate could tell by his bobbing shoulders that he was sobbing. She could only imagine how helpless he must have felt.
“So, I ask you, my people, what are we to do about this?” Simon asked his eyes bubbling with frenzied excitement. “Do we let him go?”
“No!” several people shouted.
“Hell no,” shouted another and Simon chuckled.
The man on the ground’s shoulders started moving quicker. He raised his reddened eyes slightly, silently pleading with the crowd.
Simon gestured at two of his guards, they nodded like robots and walked over to the side where Kate couldn’t see them. Seconds later, they reappeared carrying a round, wooden table. They placed it down in front of Simon and stood behind him gripping their guns tightly.
“Well, ladies and gentleman, I’ll tell you what we do with thieves.” Simon reached down, cutting the rope around the man’s wrists. He grabbed the man’s hand and pulled it up toward the table. The man tried to pull it back toward his body, but Simon was stronger.
He pressed the man’s hand down on the table and before anyone could react, he slammed the serrated blade down into the man’s fingers. The man cried out in pain as Simon worked the blade back and forth, sawing at the man’s skin. When he got to the bone, the man’s eyes rolled back into his head, and Kate looked away.
Ethan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her in place so she didn’t run off. Kate kept herself hidden behind the man in front of her and pressed her teeth together as if it would help block out the scene.
“There,” Simon said. Kate heard the soft thwang of the knife being stabbed into the wooden table. “He won’t be doing that again!”
The crowd was mostly silent. Kate could only assume that everyone was just as horrified as she was. She glanced up apprehensively and saw the man passed out on the ground. Simon was wagging one of the man’s fingers at the crowd.
“This is a lesson to anyone who’s thinking about stealing from me or from my people. I’m a kind, generous man, and everyone here owes me gratitude. What I’ve built for all of you was not easy,” Simon’s eyes were crazed. The man had killed his own sister, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do, Kate was sure of that.
Simon grunted as he threw the finger over the crowd. A woman off to my right muffled a whimper, but it had managed to make it to Simon’s ears. I was worried about what he’d do to her, but instead,
he grinned. He knew he’d succeeded in instilling the entire audience with fear which was exactly what he wanted out of his brutal demonstration.
“Get him to the doctor and clean up this mess,” Simon ordered barely looking at his guards as he pulled out the knife from the table. “I think we’ll need two masses tomorrow.”
When no one moved, Simon stopped walking. He ran his hand through his hair back to front causing it to look wild.
“Well? What the fuck are you all waiting for? Get off my road!” Simon bellowed, waving his hand in the air.
Kate was the first to turn away. She broke through Ethan’s arm and walked as quickly as she could into the hotel. The townspeople started to wander off, their mumbles fading into the air as she left them behind.
Kate burst into Ethan’s room and started pacing. She could hear Ethan coming down the hall. He locked the door and walked over to her.
“We have to get out of here,” Kate whispered in a high-pitched voice. “He’s losing his mind!”
“Kate,” Ethan said holding out his hands as if he was afraid she might run off. “Calm down.”
“I don’t want to calm down! Did you see what he did out there?” Kate pressed her hands against the side of her head. “Oh my God, did you see that? What the hell are we going to do?”
Ethan stared at Kate. He was trying to take in the new version of her he’d never seen before.
“Shit,” Kate said when she saw the look in his eyes. She sat down on the bed and rubbed her palms rapidly up and down her thighs. “Sorry, it’s just that I swear I can feel the minutes of my life that remain ticking away faster.”
Ethan sat down on the bed next to Kate and clasped his hands between his legs.
“I know what you mean,” Ethan said nudging her softly with his elbow. “I’ve just never seen you like this.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Kate said straightening her spine.
“What? Don’t be sorry. It’s nice to know you’re not an Unholy killing machine,” Ethan said winking at her.
Kate chuckled. “I hate this.”
Ethan placed his hand over Kate’s and looked into her eyes. Heat surged through her veins at the intensity she felt radiating from him.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” he said, and Kate swallowed. She blinked hard at the feeling that her breath was caught in her throat. The way he was looking at her made her body tingle.
“Right,” Kate said sucking in a breath and standing abruptly. She needed to breathe air that Ethan wasn’t also breathing. “And same for you, Tommy and Wayne. I’ll do whatever I can to keep you guys safe.”
Ethan’s face hardened as he looked down to his boots. “That’s the spirit. He’ll have us back out there in no time. Just think about the crowd of The Unholy that had gathered at the fence. If we aren’t out there thinning the crowd, it almost seems as though they multiply.”
“Yeah, I know. I just don’t want to wait any longer.”
“Neither do I.” Ethan stood up and walked over to the window. “Maybe I should have a talk with him. I could probably persuade him to let us out.”
Kate shook her head. “He’d find that suspicious. We have to wait it out.”
“You’re probably right.” Ethan sighed as he closed the curtains tighter around the edges of the window.
Even with the curtains closed, to Kate, it still felt like there were eyes on her. It was almost as if she could feel Simon’s wide-crazed eyes peering into the room. That was exactly how Simon wanted everyone inside his town to feel… as though they were constantly being watched.
Simon’s little demonstration was to show everyone that he was aware of everything that went on in his town. And that if you screwed up, there would be consequences. The show he’d put on had a purpose, and as far as Kate was concerned, it had been successful.
The bed creaked as Ethan laid down. He placed a hand behind his head and stared up at the ceiling.
“We might as well try to get some rest.” Ethan closed his eyes. “We’ll need our energy when we’re out there, might as well store up what we can now.”
“I don’t think it works that way,” Kate said, but laid down on her side, staring at the faint light that came in between the wall and the curtain.
Kate blinked several times, certain she wouldn’t fall asleep, but the events of the day had depleted all of her energy. Before she knew it, she was out.
22
The next few days had gone by rather slowly, but they’d been uneventful. Kate and the others finished working on the fence. Everything had been fixed, replaced, and reinforced to Simon’s approval.
At the beginning of the day, he’d stopped by to check their work and inform them that he wasn’t ready to send them out to eradicate. Kate’s heart had dropped into her stomach.
“I’m going to have you patrol the city,” Simon said.
“We’re better out there,” Ethan said, and Kate stiffened.
“I know,” Simon said with a fake frown. “But I really need your help in here. Just another day or two, then you can get back to stabbing those evil monsters in the skull.”
Ethan crossed his arms and Kate forced her body to remain still. Every inch of her skin itched. She wanted to move around, but if she did, it would only put Simon’s attention on her.
“What do you need us to do exactly?” Ethan asked.
“Partner off, walk the streets and listen. Then you’ll report back to me at the end of the day everything you’ve heard, or if you witness any wrong-doing. I’ll deal with it accordingly.” Simon cracked his knuckles.
“So, we’re police officers now?” Tommy asked grinning.
Simon raised his eyebrow. “Temporarily. My usual team is out to the east on an important task. They’ll be back soon. Think you’re all up for the job?”
“Of course,” Ethan said smirking. Kate glanced at him admiring how convincing he looked. If only she’d be able to replicate his cocky attitude.
“Kate?” Simon asked. “You’re all pale again. Can you do this for me?”
Simon walked over and stopped less than a foot away from her. She could feel his breath on her face… smell his over-cologned body. Her insides twisted.
“Yeah,” she said as she shrugged nonchalantly, “of course I can.”
He leaned closer, his eyes on her lips. “Of course you can.” Simon jerked his head back and looked Kate up and down. “What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing,” Kate answered quickly.
Simon crossed his arms and waved his hand at Ethan, Tommy, and Wayne dismissively. “Leave us.”
“But she’s my patrolling partner,” Ethan chuckled. Kate hadn’t missed the tinge of nervousness in his voice, and she desperately hoped Simon hadn’t noticed.
“You’re a big, strong man,” Simon said glaring at Ethan. “She’ll catch up with you.”
“Of course,” Ethan said bowing his head.
The back of Kate’s throat filled with a sour taste as Ethan turned and walked away.
“Let’s walk, shall we?” Simon said bending his elbow slightly and offering it to Kate. He gestured toward his guards indicating they wait for him to return. At least that’s what she assumed the hand motion had meant.
Kate wanted to decline the offer but instead forced herself to smile demurely. She looped her hand through his arm and let him lead her toward the fence.
They walked together for several minutes and all Kate could think about was how easy it would be for her to knock him to the ground with one swipe of her leg to his ankles. Once he was down, she had no doubt she could slit his throat before the guards made their way over to them.
“Kate,” Simon said interrupting her thoughts.
“Yes?”
“You like it here, don’t you?”
Kate forced herself to look into his eyes. “Of course!”
“Are you sure?” he stopped and cocked his head to the side. “You always stand at the back of mass, and even last nig
ht you kept yourself hidden to the back of the crowd. You’re someone I’d like front and center. If the people saw you at my side, I think it would help ease their minds.”
“Oh, I, well, I just stay back so that others can hear and see you better. I don’t mind.”
Simon grinned. “Do you not like hearing and seeing me?”
“It’s not that,” Kate smiled. “I have no trouble seeing you from the back, but some of our townspeople are older and need to be closer to better hear and see you.”
“I see,” Simon said. “But maybe next time, you come up to the front, stand next to my guards. So that everyone can see your support for me.”
Kate giggled and tried to ignore her clenching stomach. “I don’t think my face will be of any help. The townspeople only just tolerate me. They don’t like me. I might do more harm than good.”
“They respect you!” Simon said lowering himself slightly, so he was eye to eye with Kate. “I’m certain they like you far better than they will ever like me.”
“That’s ridiculous. Everyone loves you.” Kate had to swallow hard to keep what was swirling around inside of her down. “It’s you they respect. They know you are looking out for their best interest.”
Simon shook his head. “They are losing faith in me. I can see it in their eyes. I can feel it in the air. It’s in the whispers. My beautiful Kate. I need your help with this. With you standing at my side I think they’ll remember what The Way is all about.”
“I’m not sure,” Kate said as Simon placed his hand on top of hers. He pressed down, holding it in place.
“Please. I need you at mass. And at all of our gatherings to stand at my side. My guards will keep you safe. Kate,” he said with a smile that slithered across his face, “can I count on you?”
Kate blinked, and the world around her started to spin. She wasn’t even sure she could make her mouth form the word, but it wasn’t like she could decline. If she did what would he do to her? Would he put her in one of his prison rooms, or would something worse happen to her? Maybe he’d cut something off of her body to teach her a lesson.
Falling Darkness Series - A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller - Books 1-3 Page 14
