I took the white box and looked at it. “You didn’t have to do this.”
“We all got you something. It would have been weird if I wouldn’t have,” Caleb said pointing at the box with his chin. “Go on, open it.”
My fingers trembled as I pulled the top off. Inside was a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. There were four different sparkling colored gems alternating around the border.
“It’s beautiful,” I said. “This looks really expensive. You shouldn’t have.”
“Yeah, well, I did,” Caleb said. “It’s not a big deal. It’s too bad you didn’t get a chance to see what Deacon got you.”
I swallowed my tears back. “What did he get me?”
“A gaming console,” Caleb said with a wink.
“You’re not serious, are you?”
“No, I’m not,” he said nudging me with his elbow. “Want me to help you put that on?”
I nodded enthusiastically. He stood behind me and I pulled my hair out of the way. His breath felt warm on the back of my neck.
“He got you that sweater you saw that one time like three months ago,” Caleb said.
“Are you kidding me?” I said turning to face him. My fingers wouldn’t stop touching the necklace around my neck.
Caleb chuckled. “Nope, not kidding. He was a thoughtful guy.”
“Yeah,” I said my smile falling away. “But so are you. This is really beautiful. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Those gems,” Caleb said reaching out to touch the necklace. His fingers felt like ice on my skin. “They’re our birthstones. The four of us.”
My hands flew to my mouth. I tried not to cry but there wasn’t anything I could do to stop the tears from falling.
Caleb wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. He chuckled softly.
“I had no idea you would react like this,” he said. “Maybe I should have kept it in my pocket.”
“It’s just really thoughtful,” I said between my gasping tears.
“I’m glad I didn’t get the gaming console,” Caleb said. “Would have been harder to fit that in my pocket.”
A small laugh escaped from between my lips. “This is better. So much better.”
Caleb stepped away from me and cleared his throat. He picked Clover up off of the bag and handed her to me.
“We should get moving,” Caleb said pulling the strap over his shoulder.
My head kept bobbing as I wiped away my tears. I was sure the whites of my eyes were crimson from all the crying.
The rain would wash away my tears even though it made my skin feel dusty and tight. I needed a shower but the rain was the closest I would get to one.
We had walked the entire morning but our feet hadn’t moved nearly as quickly as they had before. Caleb and I were exhausted. I didn’t know how I’d ever feel rested again without a home and a bed… a place that was dry and safe.
“Holy crap, Joss, look!” Caleb said before he started waving his hands in the air. “Over here! Help!”
In the distance, the people looked like bobbing black dots on the horizon. The only thing I knew for sure was that by their shape, I knew they were people.
“Hello!” Caleb shouted.
The dots didn’t hear him. We were too far away.
“We have to run,” Caleb said. “They might be able to help us.”
“They might just be people like us, looking for help too,” I said.
“Maybe, but then we can help each other,” Caleb said.
It felt like there were little needles stabbing at the bottom of my feet as we jogged. The knee-deep puddles slowed us but they didn’t stop us.
We closed half the distance before they heard Caleb’s shouts for help. They stopped moving but they didn’t come toward us.
There were two men and a woman. All three were just as soaked and appeared just as tired as we were.
“Hello,” Caleb said with a wave and a smile.
“Hi there,” the man on the left said without returning a smile. His beard was full and his eyes were crystal blue. There was a tattoo on both sides of his neck.
Caleb stood close to me. “We thought maybe you were help.”
“Nope,” the man said. “Just trying to survive like you. I’m Jake and this is my sister Billie and her fiancé Lucas.”
“I’m Caleb and this is Joss,” Caleb said.
“Hi,” I said flashing a thin-lipped smile in their direction.
Billie had a cut on the side of her cheek and a large bruise on her arm. Her wavy hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. She kept her eyes on me, it was like I feel them piercing through my skin.
Her fiancé Lucas had short hair the color of a sandy beach. He had dark circles under his darting eyes.
“Where are you all headed?” Caleb asked.
“Just looking for supplies and help,” Jake said. “How about you two?”
“Same,” Caleb said.
Jake gestured at the bag Caleb was carrying. “Is that all you got?”
“I’m afraid so,” Caleb said.
Jake, Billie, and Lucas each had their own bag.
“We don’t have much either,” Jake said. “Maybe we should all join forces.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Caleb said. “You guys think there is help out there?”
“Yeah, of course,” Jake said. “We just have to find them. They aren’t coming for us, it seems.”
Caleb nodded. “We were heading south in the hopes it will be warmer and less wet.”
“Our thoughts exactly,” Jake said with a half-smile. “Guess we’re all on the same page.”
Caleb and I followed behind as they turned and began to walk. There was only silence between us except for squishing sounds of the earth and water as we trudged forward.
It had been a solid ten minutes before Caleb spoke.
“Where are you guys from?” he asked.
“Small town,” Jake replied.
“Which one?” Caleb asked interest widening his eyes.
Jake didn’t turn. “You wouldn’t have heard of it.”
Caleb flicked his eyes toward me but all I could offer him was a shrug. Jake and his friends didn’t seem very talkative but at least we weren’t alone. Just finding others was a good sign because that meant there would be more survivors. Maybe not many but there would be more.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself with each step we took along with the strangers. Every puddle we waded through, I reminded myself that eventually, we’d get there… wherever there was.
We didn’t stop walking until it was too dark to see in front of us. One wrong step and we could drown or be pulled away by quick-moving water.
Jake and Lucas worked together to prop a small blue tarp onto some thick twigs that stuck into the ground easily. It was nice to be out of the rain but still, it was going to be a cold night.
Billie pulled a small blanket out of her pack and wrapped it around her shoulders. She stared at me when she caught me watching her.
I smiled awkwardly and looked away. Clover climbed onto my lap. She stared at the strangers for a long moment before sitting down on my leg and half-closing her eyes. The suspicious look on her face summed up how I felt about our new traveling companions.
“We can take turns sleeping,” Jake said. “It’s a good idea that someone always keeps an eye open just in case.”
“A bear could sneak up on us,” Lucas quickly added. “Bet they’re getting really hungry right about now.”
Billie nodded slowly and snuggled closer to Lucas. Jake held out his palms and smiled.
“I’ll take the first watch,” Jake said.
“Um,” Caleb said glancing at me. “I guess that would be okay.”
“Perfect,” Jake said. He repositioned himself at the edge of the opening. It gave him the best view of our surroundings.
Caleb laid down close to me, resting his hand on my side. I used my arm for a pillow and he used the duffel bag.
Neither was a comfortable option but that was to be expected. Comfort was a word that would soon be extinct.
I didn’t think it would be possible to fall asleep but somehow it had happened. My eyes popped open and Jake was standing over Caleb and me.
He reached down and yanked the duffel bag out from under Caleb. Jake took several steps back and held up his knife.
“Hey!” Caleb said. “That’s ours!”
“It’s every man for himself now,” Jake said. “We’re going to be needing this.”
“We need it too,” Caleb said taking a step toward Jake.
Jake backed away into the rain with a low chuckle. I scrambled to my feet.
“You guys have your own stuff,” I said my voice cracking.
“We need more,” Jake said.
Caleb lunged forward and reached for the bag again. Before he could get to it, Jake’s fist landed on Caleb’s cheekbone with a hard thud.
“Caleb!” I said as he stumbled backward.
“I’m fine,” he said touching his hand to his cheek. He glared at Jake. “You’re not taking our stuff.”
Caleb took a step forward, stopping abruptly when Billie stood in between them with her blade aimed at the soft skin just below his chin.
“You’re going to kill me over some snacks and some dog food?” Caleb asked.
Billie didn’t answer.
“We’ve done it before and we’d do it again,” Jake said.
Caleb’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths. “Well, I guess you’re going to have to do it again. Because there is no way in hell, I’m letting you take our stuff.”
23
Adam
I found a broom and cleaned off a section of the floor for us to sit without getting stabbed by broken glass. I’d been tempted to head back out to the garage and dig through the mess in the hopes of finding sleeping bags.
The nights were cold but being inside the four walls definitely helped keep us warm. Eva had decided to help herself to another bottle of wine, which no doubt was doing its job to keep her insides warm and toasty.
I checked over our bags several times, adding random items I found lying around. There had been a first aid kit inside the desk drawer and a box full of matches that I knew worked because I’d lit a few small candles I found and set them on the bar so we weren’t sitting around in complete darkness.
Chloe had several empty packages of beef sticks scattered around her but that didn’t stop her from opening another. I looked away when her eyes flicked upward and met mine.
Eva got to her feet, stumbling as she made her way back behind the bar. Bottles clinked and clanked as she moved things around, alternating her groans and giggles.
“What are you doing?” I asked setting down the broom. I opened a bag of chips and sat down on the floor, leaning my back against the wall.
“My bottle is almost empty,” Eva said.
“Your second bottle is almost empty?” I asked.
Eva popped up. It took a bit for her eyes to focus on me. “You’re counting?”
“It’s not hard to count to two,” I replied.
Chloe’s lip curled but she quickly bit down on her beef stick so no one would notice.
“It’s not like there is anything else to do,” Eva said.
Eva grabbed another bottle and wobbled her way back to the floor with a bottle in each hand. She stared at Chloe as she sloppily took a drink from the open bottle.
“Want some, Chloe?” Eva asked, her words slurring together.
“No, thank you,” Chloe said softly.
“You guys are so boring,” Eva said leaning back on her hands.
Eva looked back and forth between Chloe and me, studying us each for a long moment. She leaned forward clasping her hands together and steepling her fingers together.
“You know he’s my boyfriend, right?” Eva said.
“Jesus, Eva,” I muttered.
“What?” she asked grinning. “I see how she looks at you.”
I let out an annoyed breath and shook my head.
“I have no interest in your boyfriend,” Chloe said.
“Right,” Eva said. “I can tell when women want to hook up with my boyfriend. They get this look in their eyes.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You do realize I just lost my boyfriend, right?” Chloe asked. “I have no interest in hooking up with your boyfriend or anyone for that matter. The only thing I want is this nightmare to end.”
“I’m sorry,” I said automatically.
Eva glared at me. “Why are you apologizing to her?”
“Because I’m sorry she lost her boyfriend,” I said.
“We all lost everything,” Eva said. “Her situation isn’t special.”
“So? Doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck any less,” I said.
Eva set the bottles down and crossed her arms. “Why are you taking her side?”
“I’m not taking any side,” I said frustration saturating my tone.
“You’re even sitting closer to her than you are to me,” Eva said.
“I’m just sitting by the door,” I said.
Eva’s body started swaying even though she was sitting. “I’m just sick of Mrs. Big Chest, throwing herself at my boyfriend right in front of me.”
“Eva,” I said trying to keep my voice calm.
“I’m not throwing myself at him,” Chloe said.
Eva turned toward Chloe and even though she wasn’t far, it seemed to take forever. She pointed her finger at Chloe and opened her mouth but nothing came out.
Eva’s eyes closed and her body flopped forward. I quickly crawled over to her and helped her down to the floor.
“Wine always puts her to sleep,” I said.
“That’s not sleep,” Chloe said. “She passed out.”
“What’s the difference, really?” I asked. I rolled Eva onto her side, brushing her hair behind her ear with my fingertip. “You should try to get some sleep too. We’ll need to get moving when morning comes.”
Chloe nodded and finished her beef stick before laying down. She kept her back against the wall and curled her arms under her head.
I brought Eva’s fireplace poker over to where I was sitting and set it down next to my little shovel. The last thing I wanted was Eva to get startled and reach out for her poker like she had in the garage, especially in her current condition.
I leaned back and closed my eyes. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t sleep in the cold, damp room.
My body was exhausted but, in the silence, my rapid heartbeat was too noisy. It felt as though it was causing my body to gently rock back and forth.
I stood and started to pace in the hopes that it would help settle me down. Even though my hands weren’t wet, I shook them vigorously at my sides as if I were trying to dry them off.
Walking past the main door, I noticed something in the distance. I stopped walking and squinted to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.
Two lights bobbed up and down, disappearing from time to time as if they were being moved around. I could only see them when they were pointed directly at the pub.
Someone was coming.
“Shit,” I muttered and started shaking Chloe awake. I was going to need help to get Eva’s drunken ass up off the floor. My eyes were wide with seriousness as I tapped my index finger to my lips. “Shh!”
“What is it?” Chloe asked in a voice coated with exhaustion.
“Someone’s coming,” I whispered loudly. “We need to get out of here.”
“What time is it?” Chloe asked.
I ignored her and pulled her to her feet. “Help me get Eva up.”
“Leave me alone,” Eva grumbled as she swatted her hands at us.
“Eva! We have to go,” I said.
I slipped my hands under her arms and pulled her to her feet. She seemed to weigh twice as much when she was drunk but this was something I already knew.
I dragged Eva toward the door but almost
dropped her when I saw the lights were almost here. By the time we gathered our things, if we could even carry all our things and Eva, they’d see us.
“Dammit,” I said. “There’s no time.”
“What are we going to do?” Chloe asked.
“You’re not going to be doing my boyfriend,” Eva said.
Chloe glared at her for a long moment before she slapped her sharply across the face. Eva’s eyes opened wide as she placed her palm on the spot she’d been hit.
“That wasn’t—”
“Shut up,” Chloe said. She hesitated for a long moment, staring directly into Eva’s eyes before turning to me. “What should we do?”
“We’ll have to hide,” I said.
Chloe shook her head and looked around. “Where?”
“In the office,” I said. “Think you can get Eva there? I’ll carry our things.”
“Yeah,” Chloe said. “My arm is better… not broken, at least.”
Eva tried to step away from her but she almost fell. She didn’t like it but she allowed Chloe to help her into the back.
I carried everything into the back office taking only two trips. On the last trip, I held both the fireplace shovel and the poker.
I stopped halfway to the backroom. The candlelight dancing on the walls forced me to turn around. I blew out all of the candles except for one I carried with me into the back.
Soundlessly, I closed the office door, twisting the little lock into place. I set the candle on the desk and leaned back against the door. I listened as I watched Chloe help Eva drink from one of the bottles of water.
“I have to pee,” Eva said.
“You’re going to have to hold it,” I whispered. “And you’re going to have to keep your voice down.”
Her face scrunched up and it looked as though she was about to say something I already knew I didn’t want to hear. The look on my face must have made her change her mind.
I could hear them in the other room, kicking things around. They were here.
24
Stevie
We rode for hours. My legs were more sore than from walking since I was using muscles I hadn’t used in ages. Walking I was used to… biking not nearly as much. I had only biked when I wanted to get further away from my house than my feet could carry me.
The Reset Series (Book 1): Flood Page 12