“Nothing,” I smiled, knowing he could see right through me.
A grin lifted on a corner of his mouth. He took a bite of his food, still staring at me. “Mm-hmm.”
“What? I’m still feeling a little out of it,” I added, taking a bite of herbed beans.
“Whatever you say.” He continued to call my bluff.
“You don’t believe me?” I asked, raising my brow.
“I do believe the pill has a lingering effect, but you weren’t zoning out. You were thinking. Deeply,” he noted, taking another bite. “I’d give a dollar for your thoughts.”
“How about a kiss instead?” I countered.
“That, I can do.”
His smile widened as he leaned over and kissed me.
“Ewww. It’s so awkward seeing you two kiss,” Charlie remarked, sitting across from us. His nose was scrunched up tight.
“Yeah, it is a little weird.” Lily swirled beans on her plate.
“Give it a few years,” Finn answered, pointing a finger between them.
“Us?” Lily pointed between her and Charlie, her brows nearly connecting. “No, no, no. Charlie’s like a brother to me.”
Charlie didn’t respond, and I could see his cheeks blush. I knew he had a secret crush on Lily.
“We’ll see,” I added. “Finn was like a brother to me too, but sometimes things change. Friendships change. You’ve still got a few years.”
Lily side-eyed Charlie and rolled her eyes. Charlie remained silent and took a bite of his food, while Finn and I laughed.
Finn scooted closer to me. “So, you gonna tell me what’s going on in that all-powerful mind of yours?”
“I was thinking about our future, and if we’ll survive long enough to see some of our dreams come true. There are so many variables, too many directions and twists and turns. It’s making me dizzy thinking about it. I wish there were an easy way to change it all.”
“Don’t worry about changing the world, Abi. That will never happen. Focus on the things right around you, and teach others to do the same. We have one life to live, and if we spend it worrying, we will miss the amazing moments around us.”
“You’re right, as usual,” I sighed. “I swear, you keep me balanced.” I fell into his arms.
His cheek pressed against the side of mine.
“You aren’t going to run anytime soon, are you?”
My pulse quickened. Could he read my mind? I leaned back and looked into his dark brown eyes. “I’m not sure what I’ll be doing in the future,” I replied. “But I’m going to take your brilliant advice, and enjoy my time with you. I don’t want to miss the amazing moments we’ll be making together.”
His eyes lingered on mine a few moments, and I tried not to flinch. He tapped the side of his head, and as I focused, I heard his voice in my head. “Remember, we’re a team. We always have been. Wherever you go, I go.”
My heart felt as if it were going to burst. I was glad he couldn’t read my mind because he would know everything.
“I love you so much,” I whispered.
“Longer than forever.” He leaned over and kissed the tip of my nose.
I TRIED TO PUSH THOUGHTS of leaving out of my mind and enjoy my last night with the family. Finn wouldn’t let me out of his sight, and I had a feeling it was because we’d overheard two of Billy’s men discussing the events of their watch shift. They’d seen two choppers fly overhead, and later that afternoon heard another in the distance. One even swore he heard gunfire. Despite the information, they celebrated another day of life with heavy drink.
There was a large keg set up in the corner, with one man distributing the drink. They must have had more kegs stored somewhere to have lasted this long.
While they celebrated, the enormity of the situation was nearly crushing me. I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to leave tonight. With the choppers nearby, I’d have to be extra careful. They had the advantage of seeing everything from the sky, like the eyes of God.
As the music died down, tables were cleared, and everyone disappeared into their rooms for the night, my growing anxiety made my senses come alive. I could feel the power inside, brewing in the depths of my mind. It was now such a part of me; I decided to give it a name. Something like her sister Hellfire since they were both kickass.
Venge would be her name, as I would be using the power to seek revenge on all who tried to enslave me, or hurt my family.
Naming it made it even more real, and also made me feel like I wouldn’t be making this journey alone. I not only had hope, but I had her sisters…Hellfire and Venge.
Uncle Frank had given all of us a backpack with supplies. He’d managed to gather some MREs and survival bars. My pack had enough food to last a week, if rationed wisely. It also had a compass, map, gas mask, bottle of iodine, pocket knife, small dagger, and some bandages. I also had a few extra magazines for Hellfire, fully loaded, with a handful of boxes of 40 S&W ammo. It wasn’t much, but I couldn’t weigh down my pack unnecessarily. I needed to travel as light as possible, and hopefully finding more food and water along the way.
Uncle Frank had given me a multi-tool in our old hive which came with a can opener, pliers, wire stripper, screwdriver, file, wire cutters, and more. He’d trained me well, gifting me almost every skill I needed to survive. I was alive right now, and so were many others, because of what he’d taught us. All those countless hours of survival training these past thirteen years were coming in handy after all.
There were many times he’d pushed me so hard that I’d hated him. I thought back to those days, where I could barely walk and had bruises all over my body. I’d figured it was because he was punishing me. But in reality, he knew I had what it took to survive, and to help others survive.
It was only now, being topside, that I cherished the gifts he’d given me; thankful he trained me until I got it right. I had become a soldier, fully capable of engaging in battle. I would never allow the government to use me.
As Finn escorted me to my room, Lily was already on her bed, reading a book by candlelight.
Staying at the door, I turned and paused, staring into Finn’s eyes.
“Good night,” I breathed, trying to keep myself from falling apart. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” I raised my brow.
“Of course you will,” he replied. He stepped closer, pulling me into his arms.
I pressed my lips to him, taking in the entire moment.
“I can’t wait,” I said, hugging him.
“I love you, Abi,” he whispered, his fingers gently brushing the sides of my face.
“Longer than forever,” I replied. My voice was shaky, and I was trying my best to hold myself together.
He bent forward and kissed my forehead one last time before ducking out.
“You love him, don’t you?” Lily asked.
I sat on the edge of my bed and sighed. “Yes. So much it hurts.”
She smiled, glancing over her pages, then disappeared behind her book again.
“What are you reading?” I asked, hoping she would turn in early.
She turned with a grin. “It’s a book I found in Billy’s library, Hidden Wings. It was one of the few young adult reads they had. It’s about a girl who finds out she’s a Nephilim and is thrown into this crazy world of angels and fallen. She’s protected by six strong, gorgeous guardians and has a strong connection to one of them. You should totally read it when I’m done.”
“Sounds good. Maybe I will.”
Right now, I was too stuck in my own world, in my own story. It had more than enough suspense and horror in it. And my story also had a strong and handsome leading man. I could only hope we’d have a happily ever after.
But in a post-apocalyptic world, happily ever after's were almost non-existent.
I’d witnessed it firsthand with Dr. Banks’ wife. If I could, I’d wipe out the entire Arvy race, but that was impossible. Sure, I could take out a few, but there were hundreds of thousands of them roaming the earth. I
was a minnow in a vast sea of sharks. I had to be careful, or I’d get swallowed up.
I pretended to be asleep while Lily read her book. After a few hours, she blew out her candle and turned over. I could tell she was in a deep sleep because her breathing became long and drawn out.
Waiting a few more minutes, I sat up and gathered my backpack, then quickly strapped on Hellfire. A pain filled my chest as I stood next to Lily and whispered goodbye.
The note I’d written to my parents, I placed under my pillow. Hopefully, they’d understand why I left, and not send others to come after me.
As I exited the room, I quickly made my way down the hall toward the exit. A noise made me freeze. It sounded like someone behind me dropped something, but as I turned back, the entire area was empty.
The night watchmen were already outside, and I knew where they were posted. I also knew the two men sent out on tonight’s watch had had a bit too much to drink. I was banking on them not being acutely aware of their surroundings.
The steel door to the cave was heavy but well-greased. With a flip of the latch and a push on the door, I found myself stepping outside. The air had an unpleasant scent to it. It wasn’t fresh or crisp; carrying with it an odor of death and turmoil.
I turned and closed the door behind me, and pressed the palms of my hands and forehead to it. “I love you all and promise to do whatever it takes to bring us back together.”
My pledge was carried away on the cold night breeze. With the pack on my back and Hellfire hugging my thigh, I sucked in a deep breath, trying to find my strength. Venge was there, waiting in the wings, ready to answer my call.
Wiping a stray tear from my cheek, I entered into the cold, dark world, wondering what awaited me.
I quickly slipped past the two guards perched on top of the cave. Their backs were facing me, and they looked like they were asleep, which wasn’t good, since they were supposed to be guarding the cave. I picked up a rock, and as I slipped into the path that would take me away, I threw it at the giant boulder between them.
The rock snapped loudly against the stone, waking them up.
“What the hell was that?” One stood and stumbled, nearly falling off his perch.
The other shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know, but I don’t see anything.”
“I don’t either. I thought someone was shooting at us.” They looked at each other and broke out in a nervous laughter.
“Serves us right for falling asleep. Billy would have our hides if he found out.”
“Yeah, looks like we’ve got a long night ahead.” A loud yawn followed.
I quickly slipped away, glad they were awake.
Following the narrow pathway we came in on, I finally exited near Billy’s old truck. Oh, how I wished I had a vehicle to carry me through the upcoming thousands of miles. Just thinking about it made my feet sore.
On the move, I quickly realized I had a problem. Footprints. They’d be a dead giveaway in the direction I was going. Hopefully, the wind would take care of most of them. And if not, there were quite a few rocky areas for me to lose them in.
I had to travel smart. There was no room for error. Errors would equal death. Part of this plan was carefully judging my distances, making sure I could make it to a safe zone before daylight. I couldn’t be wandering in the middle of the desert in the hot sun. That would make me an easy target.
Taking the compass out of my pocket, I held it out to get my bearings and then tucked it back once I had them. Gazing up into the night sky, I was mesmerized by the glimmering stars. It seemed as if they were on my side tonight, allowing enough light to see my surroundings dimly.
Sucking in a deep breath, I took off, my body offering a burst of adrenaline. I stayed on the rocks, trying not to leave footprints. Sheer determination kept me pushing forward for the next few hours, stopping only to catch my breath and take a few sips of water.
A few times I thought I’d heard something behind me. It could have been my mind playing tricks, or the constant fear of knowing things were after me. As I remained quiet and peered back into the darkness, nothing was there.
Just in case, Hellfire was at the ready.
Hours later, I stood at the beginning of the massive desert. I swallowed hard as I looked at the never-ending journey ahead. Clicking on my flashlight, I pulled out my map, which showed me a town approximately twelve miles away. The only problem was there were roughly two hours, give or take, until daylight. At a brisk pace, I knew I could make it—if I didn’t have any trouble along the way. I would be cutting it close, and had to be completely sure I didn’t go off track and miss it altogether.
I had entered the wide, evil world, and was afraid of navigating it alone. I’d just take one step at a time. And my next goal was to get to the small town. But the further I got from Billy’s cave, the more isolated I felt. I hated being alone. All my life I’d had others surrounding me. We were taught to work as a group, to have each other’s backs. Watching my own back sucked. I needed to find my Grammy as soon as possible.
My feet were aching, and the sandy ground was testing my grit. I was thankful for the cool breeze; it helped me to keep a steady pace, that and the fact I had miles to close before the sun rose.
The sky grew lighter and lighter as I hustled across the dry, barren landscape. In the distance, about a mile away, I could finally see silhouettes of buildings. My feet were throbbing, but seeing the town made me push through the pain. It was so close, and soon I’d be able to rest.
The wind around me blew, and as I looked to my left, I saw what looked like a tidal wave of dust heading toward me, miles long, rising thousands of feet into the sky. It was a dust storm. I’d heard them mentioned in one of my classes, but to see it firsthand was something almost unimaginable.
I ran, trying to get to the town as quickly as possible. I prayed the town was clear of Arvies because I was in no physical condition to fight. My entire body was aching, and my feet were burning, probably covered in blisters.
As I kept on, I knew I wasn’t going to make it. The town was still too far, and the storm was getting closer; a wall of impending doom.
Quickly unpacking my gas mask, I put it on and secured it, making sure it was sealed tight. All I needed was to die on the first night of my trek. I took off my jacket and dropped to the ground, covering my head and praying I’d survive.
In a matter of minutes, the wall hit me. I felt the weight of dust and debris trying to bury me alive. I dared not take the jacket from my head for fear the seals would fail. Any bits of exposed skin felt like they were being exfoliated away. When the wind died down, the dust finally settled. I lifted the jacket a bit and peeked outside. It was over.
I plopped my head back down into the sand. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, God,” I breathed, glad to have survived.
Dragging myself from the ground, my body was heavy under all of the dust and sand it’d collected. I stood and jumped up and down, shaking most of it free. I was a filthy mess, but as I looked behind me, I noticed the first positive of the day. The massive wall of dust had covered my tracks.
Feeling good about my travels so far, I took off my gas mask and put it back in my pack. That was when I heard the sound of chopper blades cutting through the air. My eyes snapped to the sky, searching for its location. Squinting, I glimpsed a tiny black speck heading straight toward me. There was no way I could outrun it, and there was nowhere to hide. The dust storm had helped with camouflage, but I knew as they got closer, it wouldn’t be enough.
With my heart hammering, I dropped to the ground and buried myself in the sand, praying I’d survive this next trial. I pulled the sand over my legs, then my chest, covering as much of my body as possible. Then I lay back, quickly pulling the sand over my neck, hair, and mask, leaving a tiny hole to see out of. Lastly, I shimmied my arms into the sand at my sides.
God, please don’t let them see me.
The chopper was getting louder and louder. I lay still, my
heart and pulse hammering so hard against my chest, I was afraid it would knock the sand right off. It felt like forever as I waited, but then I saw the swirl of dust pick up around me.
The chopper was almost hovering directly over me. The blades peeled a layer of sand off me, and I went into panic mode. Running scenario after scenario through my mind, I searched for the easiest way to defend myself when they found me.
Deep inside, I could feel Venge’s power brewing, but I kept her at bay. I didn’t want to kill anyone if I didn’t have to, especially innocent soldiers.
Seconds ticked by, and then to my surprise, the chopper moved away from me. I listened carefully to the blades, hearing them get slower and slower until they stopped and it was silent.
Dammit. They’d landed in the nearby town.
The sun had awakened, breaking the horizon and illuminating the entire world around me. I needed to get out of the desert. If not, I would cook under the heat of the sand, not to mention I’d be easy prey.
I stayed low, my eyes focused on the town. I thought the sight of it would make me happy, but from what I could see, the town looked like something out of a horror film—completely desolate. Visions of what had happened at Sanctum attempted to fill my mind, but I had to be stronger than that. I couldn’t let it sink in. The soldiers, and most likely Arvies, were in the town, and I needed every single part of me to be sharp and alert.
AS I ENTERED THE TOWN and neared the first building, loud growls and gunfire erupted. Soldiers were yelling, having found Arvies hiding in one of the buildings. If they’d found them this quickly, there were definitely more.
My head ached. Screams of death filled the dry, hot air. The monsters were chanting. Kill. Kill. Kill. This time, I wouldn’t allow them to overpower me. My mind was much stronger.
“They’ve got Johnston!” A soldier’s cry made my heart hurt.
I’d seen what Arvies did to their victims. They showed no mercy, and if he wasn't already dead, he would be. They’d have to kill him if he sustained even the smallest bite.