* * *
Meredith
I open my eyes.
Slowly.
My head hurts and the light overhead is blinding. I feel the cold ground underneath my body and head; dry leaves tickle my face and hands. I'm laying down…on my back in a prone position.
Okay.
Why?
I finally manage to open my eyes all the way. The sky above looks like it's been framed in a tree-themed frame. It's pretty. I'm glad I stopped for a minute to appreciate the sky from a different perspective. It's so hard to find time to appreciate life's beauty these days. I barely get out of the lab; especially now, since Nelson is so close to finishing his project. That’s why my head hurts; I’m overworked and exhausted. Nevertheless, I better get going before Nelson notices I'm gone.
He doesn't like it when I waste precious time.
No.
That can’t be right.
Think, Meredith. Think.
It isn't right. I don't take breaks. Not anymore. And Nelson is dead. Isn’t he? One blink. Two. Yes, that's right. Nelson is dead. The whole world is. It died in May after Nelson killed it.
After I helped him kill it.
I'm on my back for a different reason.
"You finally waking up?"
I look in the direction of the voice. A handsome man, with jet black hair and bright blue eyes is looking at me, concerned. He looks nice enough. Did I get hurt? Was he walking by at just the right moment, and…?
"Hey." He snaps his fingers in front of my eyes. "Anybody home in there?"
Suddenly, my eyes focus, and my memory snaps back into place like a rubber band. I know this man. He's handsome, but he's not nice. He hit me. That's how I ended up on my back, looking up at the cheerless winter sky.
I narrow my eyes at him. "Did that make you feel stronger?” I ask him from where I lay.
He looks around, making sure none of his followers are looking or listening. Satisfied that they aren’t, he turns his attention back to me. "Honestly, no,” he says quietly. “But I couldn't let you question my authority in front of them.” He shrugs. “You left me no choice."
I sit up and touch the back of my head, checking for blood. "There's always a choice. Especially when it comes to abusing people."
The blow left a nasty knot. I’ll have a headache, but I’ll survive.
He looks down at the ground. "One moment of weakness could put my safety in jeopardy. I can't let some strange woman with a smart mouth get me killed."
"Are you afraid they'll declare mutiny?"
He shrugs. "If they believe I'm ruthless, they'll be too afraid to try."
"So, you make sure they fear you, even if they never respect you. Nice."
Anger flashes in his eyes. "I don't care if they like me or not, Jane. I only care about finding the cure for this hell on earth we've been living in for the past seven months."
"Right, the cure. The one you had."
He casts a look of warning my way. "That's right," he says slowly.
I make a show of looking around us. "And where is that cure, again? Are we getting any closer?"
"Watch it, Jane." His eyes dull. "I will hit you again if you make me," he adds quietly.
"And here I thought we were becoming friends."
"I don't have friends. Not anymore." He stands. "Come on. We can't sit here all day. We've got business to attend to."
I stand on my own, refusing his outstretched hand. My head is throbbing, and my vision is blurry, but I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me struggle. I plaster a fake smile on my face and sling my pack over my shoulders. "Where to now, Captain?"
He doesn't answer. He just turns and begins walking. His men wait for him to pass, then they dutifully fall in behind him. Except for the one who comes up behind me and pokes me in the back with a long stick, prodding me along. I stumble once, then shoot him a nasty look over my shoulder. "Hit me with that stick again, and it'll be the last thing you do," I say with as much venom as I can muster.
He stares back at me with a pair of lifeless eyes set deep in an emaciated face. He barely acknowledges the threat. "Move," he says, lifting the stick.
I don't wait for him to nudge me with it again. I take one step, then another, until I'm just another faithful ant in a line of marching ants. Only, unlike the other ants in this line, I'm imagining all the different ways I'm going to make this group suffer.
Especially their leader.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Daniel
I open the door and step out into the hallway.
Chloe and Emily look up at me, expectantly. I sigh and run a shaky hand over my face. "We've patched him up as best as we can." I glance at Chloe. "We have to keep the wounds clean. Otherwise, infection might set in, and..."
"And he'll die anyway," Chloe finishes.
I nod slowly. "We don't have antibiotics to fight sepsis."
Chloe wipes the tears from her cheeks. "Can I go in now?"
"Yes, but it's not pretty," I warn her.
In an instant, she's on her feet, running into the room. The door slams shut behind her. Emily stands and rubs her hands up and down her bare arms, trying to warm them. She's wearing a black tank top; the memory of her pulling her sweater over her head so she could use it to apply pressure to Erek's wounds runs through my head. I pull her into a tight hug.
"We need to find you some warm clothes," I tell her.
"I think I'd be cold even if I was on fire."
I look down at her. "Why?"
She looks up at me and tears fill her eyes. "I'm the reason they're dead. Kate and Jax."
"No, Emily. That blame belongs to all of us...not just you."
"But they were my responsibility. I had one job...keep them safe." She takes a deep breath, then releases it slowly; sadness and guilt cast a mournful shadow across her face. "All I had to do was make sure they stayed in the house, but I couldn't even do that. Now, Erek is hurt, too."
"Emily, you can't blame yourself. You thought the kids were asleep. And Erek is trained to help others…he acted on instinct. You didn’t do anything wrong," I say, trying to reassure her.
"No, I made a mistake," she says. "The worst kind."
I kiss the top of her head. "We all made a mistake. All of us. Not just you, okay?"
"I think I need to lie down for a while. You look like you could use a good rest, too," she says sadly, changing the subject.
She's not wrong. It's been a long, painful day, and I've been on my feet for the past three hours, helping Wayne and Allyson put Erek back together again. I'm exhausted. We all are. On cue, the door opens, and Wayne and Allyson exit Erek's room.
"I've never needed a shower as badly as I do right now," Allyson says, massaging her neck.
"I think we could all use one." I look at Wayne. "You okay, man?" I ask my friend.
"Sure."
"You saved Erek's life today," I say. “Thank you.”
He shrugs. "He would've done the same for me."
“He would have,” I agree.
"We need to wash up and get some rest while we can," Allyson says.
"Gonna be a long night," Wayne agrees.
"Why?" I ask, confused? "Erek?"
He shakes his head. "Got a couple of graves to dig before mornin'."
That's right. Kate and Jax. The reminder brings with it a sick feeling and a warning not to bother making any plans beyond the moment we’re living in. It's the only time of the day you're guaranteed to be alive. I watch the two of them head downstairs and out of sight. Not sure what to do next, I turn back to Emily. "Let's go see if there are any clothes in these closets that will fit you."
"Okay. We'll look for some for you, too. You're filthy."
Again, she's not wrong, but the blood staining my clothes and hands is pristine compared to the hate stirring in my heart.
* * *
Chloe
"Erek?"
He doesn't move or give any indication that he hears me speakin
g to him. I take in the sight of his broken body, checking him up and down for any obvious signs of lingering danger. Primitive stitches made from sewing thread hold the pieces of his shredded skin together; blood stains his body and the sheets covering him.
I tuck the sheets around him, responding to the overwhelming need to do something other than sit and worry. His chest rises and falls with each breath. I can see his heartbeat through the thin fabric of the bed linens. I lay a hand over it and thank God it's still beating.
"I'll bring you some clean sheets as soon as we can move you," I tell him.
My voice sounds loud and raw in my ears, but again, there's no response from Erek. Not even a single muscle twitch. I look at the sheets and sigh. It seems so silly...especially considering he nearly died earlier...but I can't stand seeing him covered by these filthy sheets. He deserves better. He's a hero, and he deserves clean sheets...and a lot more. He saw a little girl in danger, and he jumped over the fence with no regard for his own safety; he didn't think twice. He knew that side of the fence was dangerous...we all did...but he went anyway, because that's who he is.
I rest my chin on my hands. He seems peaceful now. There's no evidence of the screaming and pain I heard earlier. No lines of agony marring his handsome face. He looks like he's sleeping. I almost relax until I remember that it doesn't matter how peaceful he looks right now, he's not safe yet. What if infection sets in? What if he still dies after all they did to try and save his life?
"Erek, please get better. I need you to be okay."
I start crying. I don't know why; then again, maybe I do. I'm scared. I'm sad. I don't know what the future holds. But mostly, I'm grieving because there's a chance I might soon find out how empty a world without Erek in it can feel.
I close my eyes. I feel like I should pray, but is it too little too late? Will God allow Erek to die to punish me for being so fickle? So fair-weather? It might be safer not to pray at all right now. If I'm perfectly still and quiet maybe God will forget about me and spare Erek by accident. Somewhere in the back of my mind I hear my grandmother's voice reading a verse from her old Bible passed down to her from her grandmother…but I'm too tired, and the memory is too old, so I can't make out her words or the verse. Not for the first time I find myself wishing I had Meredith's ability to recite scripture. Thinking of her reminds me of everyone we've lost along the way, which makes me even more fearful of losing Erek.
"I love you, Erek." I whisper to no one.
"Going soft on me, Princess?"
I lift my head, startled.
Erek's left eyelid is partially open. The small bit of his eye I can see is bloodshot. He tries to smile, but it turns into a grimace. "Man, I feel like I've been hit by a truck."
"I thought you were asleep," I say, blushing.
He grunts. "Pretty lady professes her love for me...kind of hard to sleep through something like that."
I feel the blush spreading across my face. "I didn't think you could hear me," say quietly.
"Did you mean it?" he asks.
I lean in and press my lips softly against his. "Of course I meant it," I say as I lean back into the chair.
"Then why are you still way over there?"
I smile and crawl into the bed, curling up beside him as close as his myriad of wounds will allow. I don't want to hurt him, but I need to be near him. I need to know he's still here. I feel his breath against my hair. I close my eyes and sigh, content.
The last thing I remember before sleep claims me is the sound of Erek’s deep voice.
"I love you more, Chloe."
* * *
Meredith
We stopped to eat a few minutes ago.
If you can call it eating.
I look around at the men. It’s dark, but I can make out the features of the ones sitting closest to the fire. The leader of the group is eating what looks to be venison and rice, while the rest of us feast on watery soup.
I hate him.
I don't know anything about him, but I hate him like I know his entire history of sins. Maybe I hate him because he reminds me of Nelson; wielding power over those weaker than him. Enjoying it.
He uses his sleeve to wipe the corner of his mouth. "You never told me how an intern got mixed up in such a clandestine assignment," he says.
I take a bite of soup. "I never told you because you never asked," I say to buy myself a few extra minutes. I didn't anticipate him circling back around to pre-laboratory event details, which was foolish on my part.
"Consider yourself asked."
I shrug. "I majored in biology, with a minor in microbiology. I applied for an internship my senior year. One of my professors vouched for my ability to be discreet. I proved myself. The rest is history."
"And how would a professor know you could be discreet?” he asks. “That doesn't seem like something they would figure out during routine class assignments."
"I was sleeping with him," I answer bluntly, sticking as close to the truth as possible without telling the truth.
It seems to work. He mumbles something in response to my confession, but otherwise says nothing. I take the opportunity to change the subject.
"So, tell me more about this cure you found."
He stares at me. "Why would I tell you anything about her?" he asks.
I take another bite of soup. "Maybe I could help you figure it out."
"Figure what out?" he asks.
"Well, since you haven't mentioned a vaccine, you either don't fully understand how she's the cure, or you do, but you don't know what to do with it."
He stares at me, saying nothing. After a minute, he turns to address his men. "Thirty-minute patrols, all access points. Now!"
The men set their bowls aside and dutifully disband; clusters of five men each fan out in different directions. Once we're alone, the leader turns to me and says, "You're right. I don't understand how it works. I didn't major in biology, or anything remotely related to science," he says with a sneer.
"What did you do before?" I ask, curious.
"Not important."
I roll my eyes. "Maybe we can reach an agreement, yeah?" I offer.
"What kind of agreement?" he asks skeptically.
A feeling of deja vu circles around in my mind, making me think of Daniel. Only this time I'm negotiating with someone much more dangerous. "These half-starved men are getting you nowhere. Stop treating me like a prisoner, and I'll help you find your cure."
"And?"
"And once we find her, I'll help you figure out how to use her to save the world."
I start to fear he's not going to accept my proposition, until he takes his knife and slices the zip ties binding my wrists together. He reaches out his hand. "Deal."
We shake on it and he pulls off a piece of his venison, sharing it with me; small acts of benevolence in our newly formed treaty. I force a smile on my lips as I take the piece of meat.
The first piece of my plan falls neatly in place.
Chapter Thirty
Allyson
When I finally exit the downstairs bathroom, I'm clean but the house feels deserted. Daniel and Emily are locked away upstairs; Chloe is with Erek; and, Wayne is nowhere to be found. I let him shower first; he needed it worse than any of us. I was so tired, I barely noticed when he came out of the bathroom and said, "You're up." Still, I thought he would wait on me so we could walk to the barn together after I finished bathing.
I release a long sigh into the empty hallway.
I feel utterly alone.
I look to my left, then right. From where I'm standing, I can just make out the edge of the kitchen counter in the room at the end of the hallway. An unexpected feeling of nostalgia washes over me. I think back to the first time Aiden and I walked through the front door of this house. It seemed like the best thing that had happened for us in a very long time. We had finally caught a break, we thought; a huge success in a long line of failures. It felt nice to have a bedroom again. Something to call my ow
n. I considered myself one of the lucky ones.
Aiden and I used to lay in the hammock in the front yard, talking for hours; discussing people we used to know and dreams we left behind. When he kissed me, I was so happy…I believed that together, he and I could carve a little piece of happiness out of this cruel and forgotten world.
A shiver works its way up my spine.
I can't spend another minute in this house. I walk down the hall as quickly as I can without alerting anyone and push my way through the kitchen door and out onto the porch. A panicked breath escapes my lungs and mixes with the cold evening air. The large wraparound porch is also empty; I realize a small part of me had hoped Wayne would be sitting in one of the chairs, or perched on the railing, waiting for me. I quickly stamp out the disappointment and run the rest of the way to the old barn.
My quiet place. My safe place.
I open the door and step inside, slowly...always on guard, always listening, just in case something unexpected made its way inside while I was gone...but the barn feels just as empty as the house did. Where is Wayne? Was he still in the house after all? Had he gone up to check on Erek?
Was I the one who didn't wait?
The loneliness I felt earlier clings to me as I climb the ladder and step into the loft.
The dark shape at the loft window startles a “oh!” out of me. Wayne is staring out across the farm's property. He turns and lifts his chin in a silent hello, then turns back to the window.
I walk over and sit beside him.
"I tried to wait on you," he says without looking at me. "but I needed to get away."
I nod. "I know how that feels." I reach up and run a hand through my damp hair. "I didn't mean to take as long as I did, but the warm water felt nice. It's the one thing I missed about this godforsaken place," I say.
He snorts. "Yeah. Been a while since I've had a proper shower myself."
"Clean looks good on you, though," I say, smiling.
Revenants Series (Book 2): Remnants Page 15
