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  He wrapped those arms that were now his around me tighter as we drifted asleep, even the silence and dark didn’t bother me in those arms.

  Breakfast the next morning was interrupted with unexpected bad news. The easy set up we had thought we were getting was no more. Phillips supplier for the store sent a letter and told him they can no longer make deliveries way out here for fear for the drivers safety. Too many Keepers running around.

  I shook my head at the contradiction.

  The news stations were throwing the word Keeper out at every turn. It was a curse word now to this new world, them beating it into the brains of anyone who would listen that Keepers were the trouble makers. Merrick was right, I could see their words and deceptions for the poison they were. Now we had to come up with a plan.

  We knew they are checking for marks, so no Keepers could go on supply and food runs. No Specials could go either. That only left me, Margo, Phillip and Calvin’s mom, but no one was comfortable sending her out. Not only because she was deaf, making it harder for to communicate with her partner if need be, but also because Calvin was so young, if anything happened to her, what would he do?

  And Margo, her nerves couldn’t handle it, nor her knees. If she needed to run she would slow us down. So Phillip and I were designated as the only logical choice.

  Great.

  And the smile that spread across Phillip’s face showed me and everyone else how thrilled he was about it. A quick glance at Merrick and I could see the tightened jaw and flat eyes. A jealous angel?

  Though Merrick kept insisting he was no angel, I could think of no better word for him. Of course, wasn’t that exactly what an angel would say? Alien seemed too freakish and he possessed so many angel like qualities. He had told me once, that the place where he was from was very bright and wholesome, even the air was alive.

  He said words couldn’t describe it but he wished I could set my eyes on it just once, just to see what he meant. It wasn’t a planet. It just was what it was. They weren’t angels. They just were what they were.

  He may be Danny’s Keeper, but to me, he was my angel.

  That night while we all sat in the commons room and talked about the next days events and what items needed to be gotten, I walked over to check on Ryan’s shoulder. He hadn’t complained any but I knew it couldn’t be better already.

  “Sherry, I’m fine, you shouldn’t worry about me,” Ryan said as I tried to lift his shirt sleeve.

  Ryan was young like me. Well, the body was, maybe 22 or so. That body was probably a surfer or something. Blonde hair, nice build, tan. Any girl would swoon but I already bagged myself a Keeper.

  “Ryan, don’t be silly. Of course I have to worry about you. Look, this isn’t gonna work. I’ve got to take your shirt off to look at it. Are you modest?” I sang with a teasing tone and a lifted eyebrow.

  “No...but maybe we better go in the kitchen,” he muttered as he slowly pulled himself out of the slump in the middle of the couch and I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

  Merrick and Jeff glanced up at us to see what we we’re doing. I placed us somewhat in the doorway so I could still hear the conversation, as it did pertain to me, setting him on a chair and carefully pulling his t-shirt over his head.

  “What have you been doing for it?” I asked as I began my inspection.

  “Nothing. Should I be?”

  “Ryan! You need to be taking an anti-inflammatory! Putting ice on it. I’m sorry, I should have told you before. Look at it. No wonder it’s still purple. I bet it still hurts too doesn’t it?”

  “Not really,” he lied looking over his shoulder at me, knowing I would know he was lying.

  “Oooh. Liar.” I smiled as I walked over to get the eucalyptus oil out of the medicine cabinet out of the hall.

  I warmed a little in my hands as Danny came in to grab a glass of juice then sat at the table.

  “She’s awesome at that, ya know,” Danny offered.

  “Awesome at what?” Ryan asked puzzled.

  “Massage.”

  “What’s massage?” Ryan asked, turning in his chair to look at me with a strange look.

  “It’s medicinal. It’s fine, Ryan,” I assured, trying not to laugh, remembering Merrick and his bungee cords.

  I forgot the simple things they don’t know. I placed my hands on him and he jumped a little.

  “Relax. Tell me if it hurts too much,” I instructed as I started to swirl my hands around the blade and shoulder.

  His skin was just as warm as Jeff and Merrick’s. After a few minutes, I felt him as he loosened up a little, the shoulder skin and muscles moving more fluidly. He groaned a little and I stopped.

  “Too much pressure?” I asked.

  “No. I’ve never felt anything like that before. It’s amazing,” he said smiling like he’d been given some kinda revelation.

  “Told ya,” Danny said laughing as he got up to rejoin Celeste as I resumed my hands working around the front collar bone.

  “Massage is really good for things like this. You ought to let me do this every day for a few days. Your body is young and uh...healthy,” I said and cleared my throat but he didn’t seem to notice that I was checking him out, so to speak. “Shouldn’t take too long to start feeling better. There’s no reason for you to just sit and be uncomfortable, Ryan.”

  “Hey, you’ll get no more complaints from me, like I said, that feels great,” he insisted, grabbing one of my hands, turning his head to look at me. “Thanks, Sherry. I mean it.”

  “No problem. Really. I like making people feel better, if I can.”

  I smile as I resumed the massage.

  I wonder if anyone had even really spoken to Ryan since he’d been here. Calvin hadn’t seemed to take to him much and Lana, Calvin’s mother, can’t talk to him so, I kind of feel bad for him. Has anyone even stopped to show him anything human?

  “Where did you learn how to do this?” he asked, stretching his neck to the side.

  “Mmmm, nowhere, everywhere. I just kinda taught myself, practicing. Looked up some things on the internet.”

  “The internet?”

  “Never mind,” I said laughing. “Some people make a career out of it but, I wasn’t interested.”

  “People get paid to do this? That can be their job? Huh.” Ryan seemed puzzled again.

  “Yep. Welcome to earth. The land of the weird.”

  It had been a couple of days since the bad news and we prepares for our first supply run and a scope out of the land. We want to see what the world had come to, and with no Specials or Keepers to worry about, and no cover to be blown as we’d have nothing to hide, I was hoping we could devise a plan or code or something, to lead Keepers to us, and people who weren’t interested in what the Lighters were selling.

  I hoped we could find a van load of people and bring them back but I feared this was going to get harder and harder by each day.

  Too much poison was being fed to them from the Lighters minions mouths and the news. Jeff was talking about building an army but we needed some recruits. I suddenly thought of the original members of our clan, wondering if they all found safe refuge somewhere.

  Jeff went over some things with us, not wasting time. He insisted we go as soon as possible, before things got worse. Merrick was not thrilled with this idea. His dilemma, he told me, was that he had promised to protect me and not leave my side and now here he was, sending me out into the lions den without him.

  I assured him this was the only way. I realized, we hadn’t been apart since he found us that day. I was a little scared too, to be away for him. I don’t even know Phillip that well and to have to put up with the staring all day...Ugh.

  Jeff checked my shoulder and determined that all was healed so every trace of the poison was gone. I was clear to go.

  I waited for Phillip to get dressed and get things situated in the store before we left. I asked Ryan how his shoulder was doing today and he concurred it was much better after two massages.
br />   But, something I hadn’t expected was Merrick, pouting. He walked me to the stairs, locking his arms behind me, pressing his forehead against mine.

  Wow! He was actually pouting for me! Amazing how incredibly cute that was.

  “If there was any way to keep you from going, I’d do it. I don’t like the idea of you going out alone. I know you wont be alone, but...” He sighed harshly, pulling me even closer to him.

  “I know. I don’t like it either, but it’s got to be done. There’s no other way.”

  “Be careful,” he demanded hard then his tone recanted to something softer. “Maybe...maybe I can ride with you and just stay it the van?” he suggested looking hopeful.

  “Merrick, what if we got stopped? I don’t want to have to worry about you the whole time.”

  “No. Instead, I’ll be here worrying about you,” he rebutted gruffly, running a hand through his hair.

  “Isn’t that what Keepers are supposed to do? I’ll be fine. I’ll be extra careful. Don’t. Worry,” I said rubbing my knuckles over his scruffy chin.

  “It feels wrong. It goes completely against the grain. I’ve been protecting you for years. You can’t know what it feels like to let you go like this, where I can’t see you. You haven’t been out of my sight for eighteen years. Do you understand how hard this is for me?”

  He caught my fingers in his hand, kissing them and pulling them down to his chest.

  “I understand, it sucks,” I said softly. “I don’t want to go. If there was some other way, I’d do it, but there’s not. Phillip said something about a gun by the back door. I guess he’s planning on bringing it, just in case we run into trouble.”

  “Honey, you can’t stop them with guns.”

  “Mmmm. I really like it when you call me honey,” I crooned and bit my lip for good measure.

  “Really?” he asked surprised and then my favorite smile showed up then faded into acceptance. “Well, I’ll remember that for when you get back.”

  He pulled my face up to his and kissed my surprised parted lips. I strained on the tip of my toes, both of us completely oblivious of the audience watching us as I wrapped my arms around his waist and let him pull me closer.

  When the kiss turned serious, I heard Danny’s cleared throat making us aware and I pulled away gently, recoiling into Merrick’s chest for a warm hug and shelter from my blush. We were whispering but somehow, I thought they still heard us, given away by all the turn heads and profiles of chuckling faces but Merrick was oblivious and continued his plight for my safety, pulling my face up with a finger under my chin.

  “I’m serious, Sherry. Don’t try anything with them. If you see a Lighter. Run. If you can’t run, don’t listen and remember, you can’t think about us, here. The Specials or this place,” Merrick reiterated his last warning to me and waited for me to nod.

  His thumb rubbed a couple times over my chin and then he kissed my forehead before releasing me, reluctantly.

  I was pleased to see Phillip seemed to be present for the kiss. The disgusted look on his face was indication of that. Merrick turned to Phillip as we make our way to the stairs.

  “Watch out for her. She’s...important.”

  “Gotcha, slick. I’m all over it.”

  I took that as metaphorical, not literal from Phillip and leaned in for more one more quick peck from Merrick before heading up the steps, our fingers pulling and trailing to the ends before finally letting go.

  It was entirely painful and heartbreaking to leave him. My chest felt like it was pulling me in two but I made my way up those stairs and out the door somehow.

  My annoyance level was quickly climbing as we got outside in the van and Phillip’s flamboyant happiness of us being together, alone all day, was bouncing everywhere. I decided it was best to clinch my teeth and make the best of our mission.

  I put my feet up in the seat under me and began a platonic and relevant line of questioning.

  “Ok. So. Generic response. Like, if we get asked why we’re buying all this stuff, we say...?”

  “You and I are married counselors and we’ve got a camping trip with our church youth group. That’ll explain all the food- feeding teenagers,” Phillip quipped.

  “Huh. That’s actually really good, Phillip,” I admitted cheerfully and wrapped my hair around one side of my neck wishing I had a ponytail holder with me.

  “Thank ya, sweetness,” he said, flashing me a crooked smile.

  “Phillip. Please, can we just be friends and not do this? I understand it’s possibly the end of the world and it sucks being alone, but I am totally and completely, no going back, no changing my mind, in love with Merrick. So please-”

  Holy Cow! I just said I was in love with Merrick and it sounded so true!

  “Alright. Alright. I think it’s crazy...but if that’s what you want...”

  “It is. And thank you.”

  Break the ice with small talk.

  “So, have you always owned the store?”

  He told me his story, how he bought the store a few years back, moving back here from where he was living in California, so he could better take care of his mom. More flexibility.

  Trudy has Leukemia, adult acute lymphoblast Leukemia, and he needed to be here often for her procedures and doctor’s visits. This shocked me, she looks so great. So healthy, so happy. He explained, she was in remission and that’s why she’s so fascinated with her Keeper.

  She thinks that whatever she has to do, her task, will have something to do with cancer, helping someone or pushing them to find a cure. She was excited about it and couldn’t wait for it to come her turn to act. Wow. What an impressive lady. I was almost more shocked to hear that Phillip was twenty nine years old. He didn’t look near that. His family aged gracefully apparently.

  I told him I was only nineteen, figuring that might detour his affections even more but, he just smiled sideways at me and shrugged.

  “Age is just a number to me.”

  We neared town and I began to get anxious, wrenching my necklace charm back and forth down the silver chain furiously, but Phillip seemed perfectly fine and calm.

  “Relax, sweetness, we’ll be fine. Don’t worry your pretty little face about it. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  The grocery store wasn’t anything special or large, some local dive. It was going to be harder to buy in large quantities.

  I turned to him before we got out and explained that we needed to feel this out, test people, see if anyone might be interested in joining us, but be careful not to give us away. He looked amused and I could tell he was just letting me act like I knew what I was talking about but I let it go.

  He nodded and we stepped out. No sirens, no flashing lights, no screeching half bird half human beings. No black haired, black eyed men. Must be safe.

  The parking lot wasn’t crowded and not too many people in the store. As expected the plump orange vested security guard checked behind my ear. I turned to wait for Phillip to be checked.

  “Oh, it’s fine. We only need to check one of you. I don’t need to check your husband,” she said and waved us through.

  That got my brain thinking about future possibilities, about maybe a Keeper coming with me. A particular Keeper.

  We both grabbed a cart and made our way. I was glad that Phillip didn’t feel the need to split up because I didn’t want to be alone, even with him, it was better than alone. Sweeping fear gripped me as I even thought about it.

  My cart was full in not time so we began with Phillip’s. I saw a sweet looking woman, alone watching down our aisle.

  “Whatya think?” I asked Phillip whispering and hooking my thumb her way.

  “She’s semi-cute,” he said, eying her speculatively.

  “I mean what do you think about testing her, goon.” I slapped his arm playfully as he laughed at me. “I’m gonna try. I need the practice anyway.”

  He smiled and waved his hand for me to proceed. I walked over her direction and she s
miled a hello at me before I spoke.

  “Hey, um, do you happen to know where the pasta is?”

  She laughed and points behind me.

  “Ah. Thanks,” I said as I try to put on a embarrassed face. “Hey, you been watching the news lately? Pretty crazy stuff the past few days, huh?” I started my line of questioning I had assembled in my mind.

  “Yeah, I guess. Seems a little farfetched to me. I’m still wanting to think this is all some big hoax, like crop circles or something.”

  “That’s been my theory too,” I said inching closer to be more intimate. “A hoax or just paranoia.”

  “So, business as usual for you then? Some people are going pretty nuts,” she said, cocking a brow and glancing at our cart.

  “Yeah. Just staying busy. Me and my husband run a youth group at our church. Teenagers, ya know.”

  “Oh yes. Sounds like fun and an awful lot of stuff.” She looked over to our carts again.

  “Camping for a week. Eleven teenage boys,” I stage whispered and raised my eyebrows.

  “Well in that case I don’t think you have enough.”

  We laughed and she told us to be safe on our trip before turning to leave. I stopped her and tried one last time for some indication that she wasn’t too far gone yet.

  “Can I ask you one more thing? So, besides a hoax, what do you think this is? The end of the world, maybe?”

  “I don’t know but I tell you one thing. If it is all true, I hope those filthy Keepers get what’s coming to them for doing this to us.”

  That answered that. We waved good bye and I returned to Phillip who looked to be holding in a laugh.

  “Shut up,” I muttered and he finally let his chuckle slip.

  We grabbed everything on the list plus what we thought we might need and some liquid foundation and powder, in multiple shades, with a plan in mind. We finished up our cart and headed to the register to pay.