Sixteen

“I know you’re out there,” a voice said softly.  “I heard you talking.”

Drav’s lips pulled back to show his teeth.

“Drav,” I whispered, reaching out to grab his hand.  “Please don’t kill him.  Please let me talk to him.  Then we can go.”

He looked down at me.

“Not safe.”

“It will be.  I promise.”

He grunted and then vanished.

“I’m over here,” I said, nervously.  I worried Drav would change his mind.

A rustle of movement came from further within the trees.  A moment later, a man dressed in dark clothes stepped out.  He carried some kind of rifle loosely in the crook of his arm and looked me over carefully before speaking.

“Where’d you come from?”

“Oklahoma City.  I’m looking for my family.  How long have you guys been watching the bridge?  They would have passed through this way the night the hellhounds attacked.”

He made an odd sound between a laugh and a snort.

“Hellhounds.  That about sums them up.  And they strike every night, sweetheart.  How’d you manage to get this far?”

“I avoid the roads,” I said, not knowing what other excuse he’d buy.  I certainly wasn’t going to admit Drav had helped me.  Based on what Charles had said and all the killing that Drav had done, this guy wouldn’t have believed me.

“Who were you talking to?”

“Myself.  I know noise attracts those things, but sometimes the quiet’s worse, you know?”

He didn’t say anything.  His eyes just slowly traveled the length of me once more, then he tilted his head, considering me.

“They would have been in a red car.  Two men and a woman.”  He still didn’t say anything.  His silence and Drav’s warning were making me nervous.

“Never mind.  I’ll just keep going.”

“Can you pay the price?” he asked, finally.

“What are you talking about?”

“Supplies for passage, little lady.  But, in your case, information.  Although, I might be willing to trade for something else.”

My heart leapt to my throat as I realized I’d misunderstood everything.

“You’re not with Tinker.”

A harsh smile twisted his lips.

“Fuck no.  Like we wanted to be herded into some over-crowded fence like a bunch of animals.  We’ll take our chances out here.  There are plenty of opportunities out in the woods.  I mean, look at you.”

His eyes slid over me in a skin-crawling way.

Drav had been right.  It wasn’t safe.  I should have believed him.

“I’m okay without the information,” I said, starting to back up.  “I’ll just—”

I stepped wrong, twisting my ankle, and crying out as I fell.

“Shut up,” the man said as I landed hard on my ass.

Wincing at the pain in my tailbone, I looked up at the man.  He stood over me, his rifle turned so the butt end was aimed at my head.

“How are you still alive?”  He drew the rifle back. My heart jumped to my throat.

Behind him, a familiar shadow moved.  Drav’s eyes glittered with anger as he stalked forward.  Relief calmed me enough to have a measure of concern for the asshole with the gun as Drav reached us.  My fellow human obviously wasn’t nice, but did that mean he should die for it?

“No head ripping,” I said.

Drav fisted one hand and raised it high.  Unaware, the man looked at me with angry confusion.

“What the hell are you—”

Drav brought his fist down, hitting the man squarely on the top of his head.  The man fell forward, almost landing on top of me.  I stared at the fallen body for a second.  The leaves by his mouth moved slightly. He was knocked out but still alive.  Good.

Drav squatted down beside me.  Tearing my gaze from the fallen man, I looked up at Drav.  He still looked angry enough to rip off someone’s head.

“I’m sorry I didn’t listen,” I said with sincerity.

The tension in his expression melted away, and he exhaled heavily before cupping the back of my head and touching his forehead against mine.

“You are safe with me.”

And I realized that I really was.  Safe.  Safer with him than my own kind, it seemed.  I gently touched his upper arm and leaned against him.  His fingers twitched slightly in my hair.

“We go,” he said.

Was it my imagination or did it sound like those two words were filled with regret?

He pulled away and offered me his hand.  In a hurry to leave the man before he woke, I clasped it and stood.  My ankle ached, and I took a minute to brush the dirt and leaves from my pants to give it time to settle down.  But it didn’t.  With each step, my ankle hurt worse.

“Drav,” I said, stopping.  “I think I did something to my ankle.  It hurts to walk.”

He glanced down then made the familiar move to hoist me over his shoulder.

“Wait, wait, wait,” I said, holding out my hands.  “I appreciate the gesture, but it doesn’t feel so good when you carry me like that.”

He considered me a moment then removed my bag and put it over his shoulder.

“Thanks.  Losing the extra weight might help—”

Before I could finish that thought, Drav scooped me up into his arms.  He didn’t move right away, but stared down at me, as if waiting for my opinion on the new arrangement.

“Ah, this works, I guess.”  I tentatively wrapped my arm around his shoulder.

He breathed deeply, briefly set his forehead against mine again—I was beginning to think the gesture some kind of hug or something—and then took off running.  His speed amazed me.  The scenery blurred, and the wind made my eyes tear. I turned my head into his shoulder, which made it difficult to give directions.  Drav had to slow every so often so I could lift my head long enough to see where we were.  He didn’t seem inconvenienced by the interruptions or carrying me.  In fact, given the way his fingers occasionally brushed my side, I’d say he rather liked the arrangement.

Although being carried helped my ankle, the backs of my knees soon became sore from the press of his forearm.  I tried to ignore it until my calf started to cramp.

“Drav, we need to stop,” I said against his shirt.  “I’m getting a cramp.”

He slowed near a group of trees, not far from the next road we needed to cross, and eased me to my feet. A dull ache throbbed in my ankle, but there were no shooting pains once I put my weight on it. Taking care, I stretched one leg then the other, determined not to let my discomfort slow our progress more than necessary.

Drav watched me closely, his gaze tracking each move I made.  His scrutiny didn’t bother me as much as it probably should have, and I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen after I found my parents.

“I’m fine now.  Could I have the bag?” I asked, thirstily.

He shrugged it off his shoulders and handed it to me.  I sat with the bag in my lap and dug out the water bottle.  When I looked up, his attention was no longer on me but on the woods to our right.  I followed his gaze and saw the dark shape of a house through the trees.

“Stay,” he said softly before disappearing into the thicket without further explanation.

The night immediately became more menacing without his presence.  I listened for any whisper of noise, my need for a drink no longer important.  The breeze rattled some branches, and I jumped at the sound.  I wanted to call out to Drav, but not knowing why he’d left, I didn’t think it safe to make any noise.

Something rattled to my right where there were no trees.  A sick feeling settled in my stomach.  Swallowing hard, I slowly turned my head and scanned the shadowy grasses.  A shape moved, low to the ground, not far from me, and the rattle reached my ears again.  Metallic.  I squinted and watched the shape creep closer on four legs.  Eyes reflected at me in the weak moonlight.  Panic seized my lungs, robbing me of the air I needed to yell for Drav.  I opened my mouth anyway.  No sound emerged.  At least not from me.

A low whine preceded a loud rattle as the thing launched itself at me.  I barely had time to register what was happening.  One minute I was facing certain death and the next I lay on my back, getting my face bathed by the happiest yellow lab on the planet.

I turned my head and wrapped my arms around its neck in relieved gratitude.

“What a good dog,” I crooned, running my hands over its fur while it continued to attack me with affection.

Suddenly, it moved back and began growling.  I sat up and saw Drav stood over us, his expression fierce.  He growled in return and stepped toward the dog.

“It wasn’t hurting me,” I said quickly.  “It’s a dog.  A pet.  It’s friendly.”  However, the dog looked anything but friendly with its lips pulled back in a silent snarl.

I put my bottle aside and got to my knees.

“Hey,” I said softly.  “It’s okay.  Drav’s nice.”  I patted my leg and the dog moved closer, pressing against me.  I pet its head, trying to sooth it, but it continued to growl at Drav.

“Mya.  We go.  Infected.”

My heart dropped.  I quickly grabbed the dog’s collar, removed it, and tossed it aside.  With one last pat for the dog, I stood.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly.  The infected wouldn’t hear the dog now when it ran, but if it stayed…I swallowed and went to Drav.

The dog whined when Drav scooped me up in his arms.  Branches broke to our left, and Drav took off running.  I looked back at the dog.  It growled once at the person emerging from the trees then took off after us.  More figures appeared behind the first.

The dog tried to keep up but eventually fell behind, though it still remained well ahead of the infected.  I laid my head against Drav’s shoulder and tried not to think of that poor dog’s desperation.  What was happening in the world?  Where were all the animals?  What would tomorrow bring?

A few times, I felt Drav switch directions only to correct his course a few minutes later.  I didn’t raise my head to find out why.

His pace remained consistent through the remainder of the night. The sky gradually brightened with rosy hues and streaks of orange so I could see. The area looked familiar, and the ache in my chest tightened with the fear and anticipation that grew the closer we drew to the cabin.

The sun crested the horizon when we emerged from the trees into the back yard of our family retreat. Sunlight streamed between the naked branches and illuminated the rear of the small cabin.  Despite the bright rays, the still air had a bitter chill to it.

“You can put me down.”

Drav squinted against the light as he glowered at the back of the quaint little building.  I wiggled but his hold on me tightened.

“Seriously, Drav.  Put me down.  I’m sore from being carried like this, too.”  He relented and set me on my feet.

“Stay here.”  I took one step toward the back door, eager to get into the house.

Drav moved in front of me, halting my progress. His lips were a thin line in his displeasure.

“Mya, no.  Infected,” he said.

“It’s okay.  My family is in there.”

I stepped around him, and he set his hand on my shoulder to stop me.  Batting his hand away, I spun to face him with a scowl.  After being separated from my family and worrying about their safety for so long, I didn’t want to play nice anymore.

“I get that you’re worried about infected, but I’m not letting you go first.  Think about it, Drav.  You and your hounds show up—”

“Not my hounds.”

“—and the whole world goes to shit.  They’re afraid.  I’m afraid.  Infected people are everywhere, your kind goes around ripping off heads, and nothing feels safe anymore. I won’t let you scare my family more by walking into the house first.”

Drav grunted, which I took as his agreement. He stayed only a couple of steps behind me when I started forward, but it was better than him taking the lead.

Tension coiled in my stomach as I clasped the doorknob. I took a steadying breath and opened the back door. It led into the laundry room, which led to the kitchen. Inside, everything was dark and quiet.  Too quiet.

I stepped into the room and turned on the first light before moving forward. Fear and anticipation had me opening my mouth.

“Mom! Dad! Ryan!” My hopeful calls echoed through the house.

Drav stepped in front of me, a growl deep in his chest.  I held still behind him, listening. Nothing moved, and no one answered.  A lead weight settled in my stomach.

No. They had to be here. They were.

I stepped around him and moved into the kitchen. Even with the sun streaking through the windows, I flipped the switch on. The kitchen looked neat. Unused.  My knees went weak.  They hadn’t made it. Stumbling forward, I called down the hall.

In the answering silence, my sweeping glance caught on the white piece of paper stuck to the fridge. A small sound escaped me. Drav, who stood off to the side by the pantry, watched me stumble toward the note.

Carefully, I unclipped the letter from the refrigerator. My hands shook and the paper crinkled as I leaned against the counter for support.

 

Mya,

If you’re reading this, we made it here safely, but the military started evacuating the area just after we arrived. We wanted to stay and wait for you, but they’re telling us it’s not safe here.  The infected from Fairview are moving south and those hounds are still in the area.  I hope we find you at the Tinker Base before they fly us out. Please stay safe, sweetie.

All our love

Mom, Dad, and Ryan.

PS Hurry up slowpoke.

 

The last bit appeared to be written in Ryan’s messy scrawl. A laugh-snort escaped me.  More burst out until I was gasping for air, trying to breathe through my hysteria. I kept missing them. But the cause of my hysteria stemmed from more than that. My entire world no longer existed.

Dreams of finishing college, dating, stupid parties, or watching Ryan graduate high school vanished. I slid down the cabinets. The handle poked me in the shoulder, but I could barely feel it.  Infected were everywhere.  How could the world possibly come back from this?  It couldn’t.  Humanity was done, and I doubted anyone had any idea how it had happened.

Quaking laughter turned into wracking sobs as I spiraled out of control. I’d only made it this far because of pure, dumb luck.  Because of my boobs. The thought sparked another bout of hysterical laughter.

Warm, strong hands lifted me.  Arms cradled me.  Drav’s forehead pressed against mine before I turned my head and wrapped my arms around his neck.  He held me while my tears soaked his shirt.

The gentle strokes of his fingers over my head slowly soothed me.  Sobs turned to hitched breaths between quieter sniffles.  It took a while to realize I sat in his lap, draped against him like a rung-out rag.  I was still too shattered to care, though.

We stayed like that as the living room lightened.  His stomach growled.  Guilt had me lifting my head.

“I’ll get us some food,” I said without looking at him.

His arms around me didn’t loosen.

“No, Mya.”

His fingers brushed under my chin, nudging me until I looked up and met his green gaze.

“Mya, shower.”

I groaned.

“Drav, I really don’t want to do this right now—”

“No. Mya shower. I find food.”

Guilt hit me harder.  He’d remained quiet the entire time he’d held me, putting aside his need for food to comfort me.  I could feel tears threatening again so I quickly hugged him and whispered my thanks before getting off his lap and escaping to the bathroom.

Robotically, I kicked off the shoes I’d forgotten to remove at the door.  My reflection distracted me from thoughts of what my mom would have said about shoes in the house.

The tears had made my eyes puffy and red, and a riotous halo of kinked hair sprang from my head, a side effect of Drav removing my braids while he’d held me.  I sniffled loudly and cringed at the ache in my head but didn’t move to blow my nose.  Mud smeared my face.  Probably from the dog.  No wonder Drav had suggested a shower.  I exhaled heavily and opened the bathroom door.

In the room I shared with Ryan, I dug through the drawers until I found a pair of Ryan’s old gym shorts and an old t-shirt of mine.  I grabbed clean underwear from the dresser and took it all to the bathroom.

While the shower water warmed, I brushed my teeth with the spare toothbrushes Mom had always kept on hand.  Thoughts ricocheted around in my mind too quickly to sink in.  Nothing seemed real outside the bathroom.  I let the world shrink to the current moment and the current goal.  Shower.  Bathed in the heat of the steam-filled room, I stripped and stepped into the spray.  The water soothed my headache as I worked in shampoo then conditioner.  The floral scent wrapped around me, a small sliver of normality.  It didn’t fool me.

I took my time toweling off and lingered after I finished dressing and brushing my hair.  The door to the bathroom had stayed shut the entire time, thank goodness.  I would need to deal with what had happened and what I would need to do next.  But not yet.  First, I’d eat.  Then, I’d sleep.  I couldn’t deal with anything more than that.  Anything else would have to be put on hold until after.

Drav waited for me in the kitchen.  Several cans were open on the table.  I didn’t have an appetite but sat and picked up my fork.  I only managed a few bites before I pushed the rest of the can toward Drav.  He didn’t try to make me eat more.

As soon as he finished, I stood and went to my bedroom.

Even though heavy clouds filled the sky and muted the light of the sun, I closed the open blinds before laying on my bed. Ryan’s bed rested only feet from mine, but Drav didn’t even glance at it.  He joined me and carefully tucked me close to his side.

I didn’t fight the closeness. I needed it too much.