Vanished

by Eden Darry

  Loveday was nervous. She planned to tell Ellery tonight. She’d wanted to yesterday, but there was no privacy. Telling someone you loved them should be done in private. In case they don’t feel the same, so they can let you down gently. And Ellery would let her down gently. She pegged the guide ropes on the tent and tightened them so they stretched taut. There.

  Loveday had watched her carefully since her…resurrection she supposed it was. She was the same Ellery. Maybe a bit quieter. Maybe a little more serious. Loveday wanted to ask her if she’d felt anything, if she’d seen a white light. She wanted to know what happened when you died, but most of all she wanted to know if Ellery loved her back.

  “Hey, look at Rocky,” Dani called.

  Loveday forced a smile as she watched him dart from Dani to Ellery, wagging his tail and trying to lick them.

  “Good boy,” she called, and he came bounding over. He jumped up on his back legs and she scratched behind his ears.

  Claude sauntered past them all, completely uninterested in Rocky’s recovery, and disappeared into the tent for his pre-dinner nap.

  “How much longer, do you think, before we get there?” Dani asked around a mouthful of pasta.

  Ellery had her mess tin balanced on her lap, spoon in one hand, map in the other, brow furrowed. “Because we’re sticking to the B roads, probably another three or four days.”

  “Why?” Loveday asked Dani.

  Dani shrugged and stuffed another spoonful of food in her mouth. “This is it. Isn’t it? Our last few days before everything changes again.”

  No one answered her. The Keeper had told them the plan. It was up to them now. Them and their faith in each other. And Dani.

  * * *

  Ellery opened her sleeping bag and climbed inside. Loveday had been quiet all evening. She’d refused to meet Ellery’s eyes, and Ellery wondered if she was freaked out about the whole dying and coming back to life thing.

  Should she ask? Or leave it alone? Loveday hated to be put on the spot or talk about things before she was ready.

  “We need to talk,” Loveday said.

  “Okay.” Ellery braced herself. She faced Loveday who was sitting in her own sleeping bag, picking at a loose thread in the stitching.

  “I’m not sure how to start,” Loveday said.

  “Try starting from the beginning,” Ellery said softly. Whatever came next she would be okay with.

  Loveday looked up, then away. Took a deep breath. “I’m not good at this.”

  Ellery waited.

  “You know I like you. It’s just that…”

  Ellery’s heart sank. “Did the whole dying thing freak you out? Because I can sleep in Dani’s tent—”

  “No.” Loveday reached across and clutched Ellery’s hand. Then, softer, “No, that’s not it.”

  “You’re regretting the whole kissing thing? Because—”

  “Ellery, shut up.” Loveday squeezed her hand.

  “Sorry. Serious conversations make me nervous.”

  Loveday laughed. “Me too. Look, what I’m trying to say, and it’s probably not the right time—God, you probably aren’t even interested, or you aren’t any more. I mean, you’ve been through a lot and—”

  “Jesus Christ, Loveday, will you just spit it out.”

  “I’m pretty sure I love you. I’m in love with you, I mean. Which is mad because we’ve only known each other a short time. But it feels real.”

  Ellery sat in stunned silence. She willed her mouth to move, form words, anything. She did not expect this.

  “Oh, shit, I’ve ruined everything, haven’t I? Look, we can just forget it if you want.” Loveday tried to pull her hand away. It brought Ellery to her senses. She tugged Loveday closer.

  “Is this because I died? Like, some kind of reaction to it?”

  Loveday’s eyes narrowed and Ellery realized she’d said the wrong thing. “Ellery. I don’t go around telling people I love them as a reaction to them dying. Well…you know what I mean.”

  “Loveday, after we kissed, you told me you didn’t feel that way about me.”

  “I lied,” Loveday said and tugged her hand away. “I was scared and I lied. I tried not to love you, I really tried. I didn’t want to love you, and I tried so hard not to.”

  “What changed?” Ellery’s head was spinning.

  “When you died, I realized I was lost without you. When I thought I wouldn’t see you again, I understood. And I was so angry with myself.” Loveday looked up, met Ellery’s eyes. “Because I would never be able to tell you.”

  Ellery didn’t speak. She didn’t know what to say.

  “I understand if you don’t feel the same way. Or if I pushed you away. I know I’m hard work. I’m guarded. I’m closed off. I just wanted you to know. I wanted—”

  Ellery had heard enough. She leaned forward, took Loveday’s face between her hands, and kissed her. Loveday’s arms came around her shoulders, held on.

  Ellery broke the kiss. “For the avoidance of doubt, I love you too. It probably is way too soon, but it’s how I feel, all the same. One thing I’ve learned recently is that life is short. Why waste time?”

  Loveday stroked Ellery’s neck, smiled, and rested her forehead against Ellery’s. “Agreed.”

  “Also—”

  Loveday put her fingers against Ellery’s lips. “No more talking. Time to be shush.”

  Ellery laughed. She kissed Loveday again. She pushed against her until Loveday was on her back and Ellery hovered over her. She leaned back slightly to take in the sight of her. She was beautiful.

  Ellery stroked Loveday’s cheek, brushed her thumb over Loveday’s bottom lip. This was everything she needed.

  She lowered herself onto Loveday, kissed her again. Felt Loveday’s thighs come around her and squeeze her hips. Ellery started to rock into her, and Loveday sighed and reached for her shoulders to pull her closer. She gripped hard as Ellery ran her lips over Loveday’s collarbone, over the soft skin behind her ear.

  Ellery slipped her hand under Loveday’s jumper and cupped her breast. She stroked her nipple over the fabric of her bra. Loveday groaned and arched into the touch. “Please,” she whispered, and something came loose inside Ellery. Roughly, she pulled Loveday’s jumper over her head and threw it aside. She was desperate to feel skin on skin.

  Loveday took off her bra while Ellery struggled out of her jumper, T-shirt, jeans, and underwear. When they came together again it was in a crush of lips, hands squeezing, stroking, rubbing, and gripping. Finally Ellery couldn’t stand it any more. She slid down Loveday’s body, taking Loveday’s jeans and underwear with her. In a moment, her mouth was on Loveday. She buried her face in her, breathed in the delicate scent, and groaned. Her head spun and her hands shook. She was really here. Loveday was really here. And they were doing this.

  Ellery started to lick her. She explored every fold and dip. She ran her tongue over Loveday’s opening, and Loveday bucked, gripped Ellery’s head, and pushed against her. Hard. Ellery took Loveday’s clit into her mouth and began to suck gently. It wasn’t enough. She needed to be closer. Ellery slid two fingers inside Loveday, and Loveday began to move. With hard thrusts and deep moans she pushed herself onto Ellery’s fingers, took her deep, and then expelled her again. Over and over and over again until she stopped, stiffened, and cried out. Ellery bore down on her clit and sucked it hard. Loveday cried out again, then went still.

  “Fucking hell,” Loveday said.

  Ellery gave her one last kiss, which made Loveday flinch, then crawled up to lie beside her.

  Loveday turned towards Ellery so she was pressed against her side. She trailed her hand from her chest down to her belly button, then ran her fingers over the soft hair at the juncture of her thighs. Ellery groaned and Loveday smiled.

  Loveday traced Ellery’s outer lips with one finger. Ellery parted her legs, and Loveday took the hint. She used two fingers to massage Ellery’s clit. Ellery was so wet, and Loveday groaned when Ellery grabbed her h
and and pressed Loveday’s fingers harder against her. Ellery began to move her hips and her breathing became heavy. Loveday could tell she was on the edge, but she didn’t want Ellery to come before she could taste her. Who knew if they’d get this chance again?

  Loveday slid down on the sleeping bag and took Ellery into her mouth. Ellery clutched Loveday’s head and ground herself against Loveday. Loveday could tell she was losing control. She remembered thinking about how it might feel to make the vet snap—it seemed like an age ago now—and she was about to find out.

  Ellery came hard and without warning. She gripped Loveday’s head and held it against her as she thrust against Loveday’s mouth. Then she was still. The only sound was Ellery’s laboured breathing.

  “Fucking hell,” Ellery said, echoing Loveday’s earlier statement.

  Loveday laughed. “I know.”

  Ellery pulled Loveday up and into her arms, and Loveday snuggled in. She tucked her head beneath Ellery’s chin and smiled into her neck. Whatever happened next, at least they’d had this. And if they were lucky, they’d have it again. Forever.

  * * *

  Ellery whistled a made-up tune as she balanced a pan of water over the fire. The rain had finally let up, and the sun was shining. She could almost imagine she was on a camping trip. Almost. If she ignored the eyes that watched her from the trees, cold and calculating. They’d been on her when she woke up this morning with Loveday in her arms. They’d been on her when she got the fire going, tidied the camp, and washed.

  They weren’t far now. Maybe only a few more days until they reached the base of Ben Nevis. Where they would have to face Rosemary Decker and the Children of the Ark. Ellery rubbed the back of her neck and shook off the feeling of dread. She would enjoy these last few days. None of them knew what would happen next. They had to have faith, and that was easier for her than for Loveday, she knew.

  “Gross. You had sex, didn’t you?”

  Ellery jumped at the sound of Dani’s voice and nearly kicked over the pan of water. “Bloody hell, Dani. It’s rude to sneak up on people.” She held her hand to her heart.

  “Sorry.”

  Except she didn’t look sorry, she looked smug in the way only teenagers could.

  “You did, though, didn’t you?”

  “Did what?” Ellery busied herself making coffee.

  Dani huffed and sat on a tarp she’d laid out. “Why are you being so difficult? You and Loveday had sex last night. Didn’t you?”

  Shit, had Dani heard them? That would be mortifying.

  “Don’t worry, I didn’t hear anything. You’ve been whistling for ages, and you look really pleased with yourself.”

  Dani grinned and Ellery struggled not to match it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But you can make yourself useful and fill up that pan again for porridge.”

  With a theatrical sigh, Dani dragged herself up and did as she was asked. “You can tell me, you know. I’m the saviour of mankind, after all.”

  “Then I shouldn’t have to. You should already know, O omnipotent one.” Ellery nudged Dani’s hip with hers as she carried a mug of coffee back to the tent. Dani’s giggle followed her inside.

  She put the coffee down near the entrance and held the flap as Claude sauntered out. She stretched out alongside Loveday and watched her for a moment.

  “What?” Loveday cracked an eye open.

  “Nothing. I just wanted to look at you.” Ellery placed a kiss on Loveday’s forehead.

  “Soppy git.” Loveday reached up and pulled Ellery’s face towards her. “My breath is horrible, but I want to kiss you.”

  “I don’t care,” Ellery replied and gave Loveday a long slow kiss. She loved exploring Loveday’s mouth. It was warm and soft and pretty much the best thing. “I also brought you coffee.” Ellery pulled back slightly.

  “You’re an angel.”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Give it.” Loveday pushed Ellery away and she laughed.

  Outside, a loud rumble started, shaking the ground beneath them. “Dani,” they both said at the same time.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Rosemary watched as crates of food, water, medicine, and weapons were loaded onto the Ark 2. This was the last of it. The hangar roof had been opened that morning and the scaffolding was being dismantled. Not long now.

  The idea was that as the water level rose, so would the Ark 2, until all land was completely submerged. They would sail to where the land sat higher than in the UK and make their new home there. It might take a while to find the perfect place, but the Ark 2 would more than meet their needs for a long time to come.

  Things had settled down. Everyone who wanted to leave had left, and only the core faithful remained. Let the rest drown. She didn’t want them in her new world anyway. The girl would be here any day. She was walking with her friends—a slow march to death. Rosemary would kill them all. They would either be captured by the scouting party or walk straight to her. Either way the outcome would be the same.

  She would leave shortly to meet them. Not too far, she wanted to be able to get back in case the storm came early. But far enough that she would be the first to greet them. To see the looks on their faces when they realized everything was lost, and they’d chosen the wrong side. Them and everyone who had left or been neutralized. She’d shown time and again that she was stronger than all of them, smarter than all of them. She was a servant of God, His chosen one, and the new world was just around the corner.

  * * *

  The animals were far enough away from them that it was safe to watch, though Loveday was still a little nervous. They were used to the occasional stampedes now, as animals of all shapes and sizes made their way north. This, though, this was something else. More like the first time outside the supermarket. There had to be over a thousand of them. They moved too quickly to count and with one purpose. Survival.

  Time was running out. She felt it just as the animals did. They were running from certain destruction but was it to something much worse? She didn’t know. None of them did. It was almost laughable. They were outnumbered, and this Rosemary Decker was prepared and ready for them.

  Loveday sighed. The stampede was thinning out. Some of the slower, smaller animals ambled past. Loveday stood with Ellery and Dani, and they watched until the last animal was out of sight.

  “We’d better make a move, then,” Ellery said and turned to start packing their stuff away.

  “Tell me why we have to walk straight to her. Why can’t we sneak past and get to the top of the mountain?” Loveday asked.

  “You know why, Loveday,” Ellery replied as she clicked the clasps on her rucksack into place. “This is how it has to be. Have a little faith.” And then Ellery winked at her.

  Loveday shook her head, smiled. “A little faith? You’ll forgive me for not being as on board as you with this stupid plan.”

  “It’s not stupid,” Dani piped up. “There’s no real way past her, and we have to get to the top of the mountain to avoid the floods.”

  “I know, but relying on—” Loveday’s mouth snapped shut. She cocked her head and listened. Were those voices or just her imagination? She looked at Ellery who seemed to be listening too. Loveday strained her ears.

  Ellery held her fingers to her lips and gestured for Loveday and Dani to follow her deeper into the trees behind them. Loveday went to pick up her pack and Ellery shook her head.

  She heard voices again, carried on the wind. The scuffle of boots on loose ground. Lots of them. The rucksacks would only slow them down. Loveday followed Ellery and Dani into the woods. The pets followed silently, but Loveday grabbed up Rocky anyway to pre-empt any heroics on his part.

  After five minutes or so Ellery stopped. They had travelled quite far into what was quite a thick woods.

  “I think we should keep going. I brought the map, and the trees should open out onto what looks like a track that joins up with a road heading north. Straight to the base of Ben Nevis,” Ell
ery said.

  “What about our stuff? That’s a long walk, and with no food or water it’s going to be hard,” Loveday said.

  “If we go back that way, we risk running into an ambush. They’ll expect us to go back for our stuff. They might be waiting,” Ellery said.

  “Loveday, are they waiting? Can you tell?” Dani asked her.

  She shook her head. “That other thing is blocking everything. I can feel it. It’s been watching us, and that’s all I can sense.”

  Dani nodded. “It’s been doing it on purpose.”

  “I think so,” Loveday said.

  “So we keep walking. Going back is too risky,” Ellery said. “We have our coats and that’s the main thing. We might be lucky and find another camping shop along the way.”

  Loveday peered over her shoulder at the map. A great expanse of nothingness awaited them for the next fifty miles at least. The chances of finding a camping shop were remote. And they were still likely to run into Rosemary Decker before they even got the full fifty miles anyway.

  But Ellery was right. They couldn’t chance going back. “Can we maybe pick up a B road or something into a town?” she asked.

  “No, they’ll be tracking us once they find our stuff. They know where we’re going. I don’t think we should risk a main road,” Ellery said.

  Loveday blew out a breath and struggled to keep her cool. “Ellery, we are not going to be able to walk fifty miles without food or water or shelter. Nor will the pets. We’ll all die.”

  “We won’t make it that far anyway. I think Rosemary Decker will be waiting for us before we make it too much further,” Dani said.

  Loveday looked at her. She didn’t seem scared or worried. She looked calm. Like Ellery, she trusted the Keeper—she had faith. Loveday wasn’t sure she felt so confident. Still, what could she do? Not much. Her fate was very much out of her own hands, so fuck it.

  They began to walk.