The Time of the Stripes

by Amanda Bridgeman

  “What’s she doing here?” Austin asked, giving her the once-over.

  “She wants to be part of this,” Josh answered.

  “Yeah?” Austin asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. “She still got that Clean Skin at her house?”

  Josh glanced at Abbie, unsure what to say.

  “You mean the mother of that striped kid?” Abbie responded. “Yeah, she’s still there. Along with her striped son.”

  Austin grunted, then motioned for Josh to follow him, and the two disappeared out to the front of the hardware store.

  Abbie stood there on her own and surveyed the scene. She could see Magnus in the office to her right; the blinds were up, affording her a view through its window. He was deep in discussion with Roy Kenny, who looked armed to the teeth. Abbie recalled Josh’s story of Roy shooting that soldier, and tried hard to wipe the disgust from her face.

  She glanced around at the others, saw a mixture of ages. The youngest looked about fourteen, the oldest in his seventies. There was only a scattering of women. She saw maybe four or five with weapons, although there were a few more posted at a temporary cooking station, serving up meals like it was some kind of honorable war effort they were engaged in.

  She saw Langdon emerge from the doorway of a small room to the left. As the door swung open and closed, she could’ve sworn she saw Deputy Cann inside. It was only brief, a flash, but she thought she saw him sitting on a chair in there. What was Deputy Cann doing here? Something about it seemed odd. The way he sat, his head hunched over. Was he here voluntarily? Or was he here against his will?

  “You’re new?” she heard a woman’s voice say behind her. Abbie turned to see Wendy standing there, her dark hair pulled back in a long plait, the dark eye makeup taking the smoky look to the extreme.

  “Yeah,” Abbie said, then held out her hand. “Abbie Randell.”

  “I know who you are,” Wendy nodded. “You’re the one that took in that Clean Skin.”

  Abbie dropped her hand. “Yeah, I did.”

  “So what are you doing here, then, if you’re a sympathizer?”

  “Excuse me?”

  The girl just stared back at her.

  “I’m here because I care about what happens to Victoryville,” Abbie told her, then glanced around the room again. “It’s my home.”

  “Your home is striped territory now.”

  “Yeah. And in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a Striped One too.”

  “I see that,” Wendy motioned to Abbie’s stripe. “Only one though.”

  Abbie stared at the three welts rolling down the girl’s chin and neck. “So?”

  “So, out of all of us, you should be the most careful. If those aliens come back and take the Clean Skins, and they decide they want more, who do you think they’ll come back for next?”

  Abbie stared at her, confused.

  “You single stripes will be at the top of their list,” Wendy told her. “And being a single stripe, you’re at the bottom of ours.”

  “And . . .” Abbie said firmly, wanting her to get to the point.

  The girl shrugged. “You should be real careful about who you side with. Side with the Clean Skins now and when they’re gone, who’s going to have your back? No one. Side with us, then we’ll do what we can to protect you.”

  “Yeah? And what’s that?” Abbie turned to face her. “Whatever did this marked us and stole our healthy while the might of our military sat helpless. What is it, exactly, that you think you can do to protect me?”

  “Who said I’m talking about when the aliens come back?” Wendy’s dark eyes were hard. “We might have a long wait before they show up again. I’m talking about watching your back now. Not too many people ’round here are happy that you’re harboring that Clean Skin, you know.” The girl waved her arm around the room. “You’d be wise to show our group a little more respect.”

  “Is that a threat?” Abbie glared at her.

  Wendy stepped closer, putting her face up in Abbie’s. She was slightly taller and somewhat imposing with the rifle over her shoulder. “No, that’s just a piece of advice.” The girl stared at her to make a point. Then she gave Abbie a smirk, turning to head over to where Josh and Austin now stood huddled and talking by the food table. Abbie watched as the girl threw her arm around Josh’s neck, glancing over her shoulder at Abbie once more.

  Abbie shook her head, blowing out a short sharp laugh. So that was what that was about. The girl had her eye on Josh and wanted Abbie to stay away.

  “Don’t mind Wendy,” Roy Kenny said beside her. Abbie spun to face him. “She’s a passionate girl, that one.” He smiled, showing his yellowed, crooked teeth. “But her heart’s in the right place. She’s got her loyalties in line.”

  “Let me guess, and I don’t?” Abbie’s frustration was starting to boil over.

  “I don’t know, do you?” Roy stared at her, the left side of his face giving a twitch every now and then. She wondered if it was related to one of the four stripes marking him.

  “Look, I’m here because I care about my community. Why is everyone second-guessing my intentions?”

  “This has been going on for over a week now. What took you so long to show up?”

  Abbie stared at him, searching for an answer. “Josh was coming. He was relaying the information. He told me to stay at home.”

  “How’s that Clean Skin of yours?”

  Abbie didn’t answer him.

  “She still there?” Roy asked, staring at her, twitching.

  Again she didn’t answer him.

  “You realize Magnus has declared the SZ a Clean Skin free zone?”

  “Yeah, I saw the video.”

  “And she’s still there with you?”

  “She’s fourteen years old, Roy. What would you have me do with her and her newborn son? Her striped, newborn son. Kick them out on the streets?”

  Roy shrugged, pouting his lips. “Not my problem. And she shouldn’t be your problem neither.”

  Abbie fought hard to bite her tongue from saying something she shouldn’t. She saw Langdon disappear into the room off to the left. She watched carefully and caught another glimpse of Deputy Cann. She saw him, saw his face this time. His bloodied face.

  And the deputy saw her.

  “What are you doing with the deputy?” she asked.

  Roy moved to block her vision of the room. “Ain’t no deputy here.”

  “I just saw him—”

  “No, you really didn’t,” Roy said firmly, his face in hers, his eyes threatening. He pulled back and sniffed, looking around the warehouse. “Ain’t nobody seen the deputy for a while now.” His eyes came back to hers and a shiver went through her bones. “It’s good that you’re here, Abbie. Finally,” he told her, leaning in again as if telling her a secret. “But as long as that Clean Skin is in your house, your loyalties are divided. As long as that Clean Skin is in your house, no one here will trust you. You understand?”

  He didn’t wait for a response. Before the words had even settled into her brain, he was already walking away.

  She glanced at the closed door of the room they were keeping Deputy Cann in, then her eyes slowly, worriedly, scanned the warehouse again, her body beginning to shake with shock. Her eyes fell on a young boy walking past the open roller door leading to the back parking lot. She froze and her mouth fell agape. It was Justin from her swimming class. A twelve-year-old boy walking around with a shotgun slung over his shoulder. She went to go after him, but Josh caught her arm.

  “What’d Roy want?” he demanded.

  She looked around, then back to the roller door, but Justin had gone. She turned back to Josh. “They have Deputy Cann here.”

  Josh stared, but didn’t answer.

  “I saw his face, they beat him,” she said.

  Again Josh stared, guilt sliding over his face, but he said nothing.

  “You knew? Jesus, Josh!”

 
“Cool it,” he said quietly, “don’t create a scene.”

  “You have the deputy hostage!” she hissed quietly.

  “No,” he said, then hesitated. “There’s nothing he can do. He’s outnumbered. They’re just keeping him out of the way so he doesn’t cause trouble.”

  “So, he’s a hostage then?”

  Josh and Abbie turned at the sound of laughter to see Wendy and Austin huddled and talking, their eyes fixed on her.

  “Why do I feel like the enemy here?” she muttered.

  “This is why I tried to tell you to stay away. They don’t like that Kaitlyn is in your house, Abbie. I gotta listen to their comments all the time. I’m guilty for hanging out with you. It puts me at risk. If they think I side with you, then they don’t trust me. I’m walking a fine line here.”

  “You realize they’ve enlisted twelve-year-old boys, don’t you? I just saw a kid from my swimming class with a rifle over his shoulder.”

  “It’s out of my hands, Abbie!” he hissed. “I’m keeping an eye on things, but right now there’s nothing I can do to help anyone.”

  Just then a young guy, who’d been manning the front of the store when Abbie arrived, ran into the warehouse and up to Roy Kenny. He whispered something in Roy’s ear, then Roy swiftly turned and ran into Magnus’ office. Abbie and Josh watched them exchange words, then Magnus motioned to the blinds. Roy moved over and pulled them down, then the door to the office closed. Abbie looked at Josh. His eyes were warily fixed on the closed office door.

  “What’s going on?” Abbie asked.

  “Don’t know,” he said. “Maybe you should go.”

  Abbie glanced around the room again and was inclined to agree. They didn’t want her there. And the truth was, Josh was right. If they didn’t trust her, then it would affect his place with them, and it wasn’t right to put Josh’s life at risk—or his mother’s—just to satisfy her own curiosities.

  She nodded, “Alright, I’ll go.”

  “You want me to walk you?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Stay and find out what’s going on.” She went to leave, but then stopped. “Don’t let them hurt the deputy. And look out for that young kid, Justin. Alright?”

  Josh nodded, then motioned for her to leave as he moved over to another group of armed men. As Abbie turned to go, she caught eyes with Wendy. The girl raised her index finger to her mouth. At first Abbie thought Wendy was telling her to be quiet, but then Wendy traced her finger down over her chin and neck, reminding Abbie that she was a single stripe.

  Abbie stared at Wendy’s three stripes, and thought of Josh’s three stripes, then she turned and left. As she did, she gave the door to the room the deputy was being held in one last glance, hoping he would be alright.

  Only a couple of guys milled about on the street outside, keeping watch. Otherwise the streets were empty. She shoved her hands in her jeans pockets again, as they still rattled with nerves. What the hell were they going to do to the deputy? And what the hell was she going to do about it? She felt wracked with guilt for walking away, but what could she do against all those armed people. She started to understand how Josh must’ve felt when they’d shot that soldier or beat that Clean Skin. Helpless. Outnumbered. Concerned with self-preservation. Survival.

  But she could call the chief. She could tell him what she knew.

  As she passed by the gate between the zones, she eyed the soldiers atop the barricade, as they watched her in turn. They looked a little edgy. It was then that she made out Chief Blackstone standing with them, and she wondered why. She paused a moment, staring at him. Did she run and tell him? She looked back to the hardware store and saw the guys on guard keeping a watch on her.

  Maybe the chief already knew Magnus was holding the deputy? Maybe that’s why that young guy ran in and told Roy. The glimpse she’d had of Deputy Cann’s bloodied face flashed in her mind, but she let it go. He was still alive, and it looked like the chief was getting ready to go in. Let him handle it, she thought.

  She turned her eyes away from the chief and the soldiers at the gate. She thought it strange that the soldiers remained in their bio-suits. It was as though they wanted to keep their faces hidden. She found it a little unnerving, and somewhat ironic that the streetlights reflected off their face masks to give them an alien appearance. It only made her think of Wendy’s words, about how the single stripes could be next on the list of potential vanishings after the Clean Skins.

  “Hey, Abbie.” The voice made her jump. She turned to see Austin jogging out from the shadows of the parking lot behind the warehouse.

  She stared at him. “What do you want?”

  “It’s not safe to walk by yourself.”

  She eyed his tall, gym-toned frame. “I’m fine,” she said, and began walking toward her home.

  “No,” he said, moving in step with her. “I’ll walk you.”

  She glanced sideways at him, but kept walking.

  “If you’re here to make threats, don’t bother. Wendy and Roy have done that already.”

  Austin gave a little chuckle. “Yeah, Wendy’s got a thing for Josh. What’s going on with you two, anyway?”

  She looked at him. “Me and Josh?”

  Austin nodded.

  “Nothing. We’re just neighbors,” Abbie said. It was the truth, but she also thought it best to ensure a little distance was kept between her and Josh, especially in front of Austin.

  Austin nodded in contemplation. “I think he likes you.”

  Abbie didn’t respond.

  “I mean,” Austin shrugged, “Wendy’s all over him and he hasn’t given in yet. The other guys think he’s crazy for not tapping that. With all the shit that’s been going down, who’d turn down a lay, right?”

  “Josh can do what he likes.”

  “Yeah, but he won’t,” he said. “He’s protective of you.”

  Abbie glanced at Austin. “He’s just looking out for a fellow Striped One.”

  “He’s gotta be careful, though, you know. That boner he’s got for you could land him in trouble.”

  Abbie stopped and stared at Austin. “Why? Because I have a Clean Skin in my house and he shouldn’t be consorting with my kind? I thought you weren’t here to make threats?”

  “I’m not,” Austin stopped as well, turning to face her. “I don’t make threats, Abbie. I make promises.”

  “So then what are you promising?” Abbie demanded, folding her arms.

  “Shit is getting real around here,” Austin told her, his two angry red stripes standing out on his olive skin despite the lack of light. “This Striped Zone has finally got some leadership and the Clean Zone is worried. If shit is going to go down between the two, then we need Josh. We need his loyalty. You can’t get in the way of that.”

  “I’m not getting in the way of that.”

  “Yes, you are. You’re protecting that Clean Skin, and Josh is protecting you. That can’t work. He can’t fight the Clean Skins and protect you at the same time. He has to choose. And the only way he can choose you is if you dump that Clean Skin bitch and her kid. He can’t have it both ways. So you’re either with him or against him.”

  “You can’t tell me what to do, Austin. You can’t tell anyone what to do. This is Victoryville, USA. We have free speech, we have rights.”

  “Not any more. The aliens took that away when they stole our healthy. What we have now is two sides fighting for survival.”

  “No, we have three sides,” Abbie told him. “The Striped Ones, the Clean Skins, and those of us who want to live in peace!” She turned to stalk off, but Austin grabbed her arm and yanked her back so violently she almost lost her feet.

  “I haven’t finished!”

  “What’s wrong with you?” she said, trying to pull her arm from his grip, but he didn’t relent. “How can you do this?”

  “This is my town!” he spat.

  “Yeah? Well, it’s my town too!”

  �
�Those Clean Skins tried to hand us over to the aliens. Well, fuck them!”

  “Not all Clean Skins!”

  “This is your last warning!” he hissed, squeezing her arm so tightly it made her gasp. “Get rid of her or we will take both of you out!” He pushed and released her arm at the same time, and she fell to the ground. He stepped toward her and spat at her viciously. It landed on her cheek and she turned her face in disgust. She held her body still, her heaving chest the only movement, and watched from the corner of her eye as Austin glared, then turned and walked away.

  *

  Richard and Dr. Pellan turned to the basement stairs on hearing the front door of the house closing. They glanced at each other then slowly, carefully, ascended to find out who it was. Richard pressed his ear to the door and listened. He couldn’t hear any voices, so he figured it must be Abbie returning from the meeting. He slowly twisted the handle and opened the door a crack. He heard movement coming from the kitchen. The front door was closed, so he decided to take the risk.

  He opened the door wide enough to slip out through the crack, then quietly made his way to the kitchen. He peered in and saw Abbie standing at the counter with her back to the door. She was wiping her face with paper towel.

  “Abbie?” he said quietly.

  She jumped in fright and turned around to him. Her eyes shone wet with tears.

  His body instantly tensed. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  She turned away, holding the back of her hand up to her nose. He heard her sniffing.

  “Abbie?” he said softly, moving to place his hand on her shoulder and turn her around. “What’s wrong?”

  She looked at him as tears spilled down her cheeks.

  “Hey . . .” he said gently. He took hold of both her shoulders, trying to peer into her face which she had lowered to the floor. “Abbie, tell me what’s wrong.”

  She let out an audible sob and he felt her shoulders shake.

  He pulled her into a hug. “It’s alright. It’s okay,” he tried to soothe her, as she cried into his T-shirt.

  “Is she alright?” Pellan’s concerned voice came from the doorway.