Equinox

by L. J. Higgins

  “No.” My lip wobbled, but I gritted my teeth.

  “Did they hurt you?”

  “Betty,” was all I could get out.

  “Is she okay?”

  “No.” I didn’t know why I was shaking my head. “They killed her.”

  Silence came from the other end of the phone. I hated I’d told him this way, but it’d be worse waiting for another whole day for him to find out.

  He drew in a deep breath. “You can’t stay there, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “I’m going to text you an address for an empty safe house. You need to find your way there, and I’ll meet you. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. Reece?”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m so sorry,” I said.

  “I’ll text you the address, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  He hung up the phone, and I sat listening to the continuous beep until Natalie opened the door holding two backpacks.

  “I grabbed some food and water, and some spare clothes so we don’t look like hunters,” she said. “Where did you get a phone?”

  The phone dinged in my hand. There was no point in hiding it anymore. Natalie was in this with me and we needed it to get to the next safe house.

  “Betty gave it to me,” I said.

  “She was one sneaky lady,” she replied.

  I opened the message to see the address, and I held it up to Natalie. “This is the address for a safe house. It’s where Reece will meet us.”

  “Wish we kept the GPS device,” she said.

  “We don’t need one.” I straightened my spine, thankful for something to focus my thoughts on. “We’ll change into civilian clothing and make our way out to the highway and hitchhike.”

  “Don’t they say people who pick up hitchhikers are serial killers or something?” she asked.

  Her joke seemed out of place after the events of the night before. But she was a hunter. We were trained to feel nothing.

  “If that’s the case, I’m more scared for the driver than for us.” I forced a smile.

  “We’ve got this,” Natalie said.

  “I know,” I replied.

  After changing into a pair of black knee length shorts a size too big and a baggy white t-shirt, I put on the backpack, and we made our way towards the highway. It wasn’t long before a big red truck pulled over.

  “Where you girls going?” the driver asked.

  “Smithstone,” Natalie said.

  “I’m going straight past Smithstone. Jump in,” he said with a smile.

  Natalie looked to me, and I shrugged. What other choice did we have?

  Climbing in, I let Natalie squeeze in next to the big-bellied man at the wheel. He wore a green cap, but his smile appeared genuine. Not like that of a serial killer.

  “My name’s Mike,” he said as he pulled back out onto the highway.

  “I’m Rachel,” said Natalie. “And this is Ruth.”

  I shot her a glare. Ruth? Really?

  “Nice to meet you Rachel and Ruth. What brings you out this way?” he asked.

  “Just travelling through,” she said.

  Mike took this as his cue to tell us about his wife and three kids back home. How he’d been driving trucks for the past ten years and what he loved and hated about his life on the road. It was like he was trying to prove to us he was a good guy and definitely not a serial killer. I appreciated how he filled the silence as I stared out the window, watching the green of the trees and blue of the sky blur…

  “Ruth, we’re here.”

  Natalie’s voice forced my eyes open, and I realised I must’ve fallen asleep. I rubbed at them with balled fists as Mike pulled the truck into a service station.

  “Thank you so much for the ride, Mike,” Natalie said.

  “My pleasure. Was nice to have some company for a while,” he said.

  We climbed out of the truck, and I stretched my arms and neck.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” I said.

  “You obviously needed it,” she replied. “Mike kept me company.”

  “Sounds like he’s your new bestie,” I said.

  She held up her crossed fingers. “Me and Mike are like this.”

  “Let’s go inside and see if they can tell us how to get to this address,” I said, and we made our way towards the service station.

  A buzzer dinged as we walked over the threshold and towards a woman at the counter.

  “How can I help you ladies?” she asked with a smile.

  “We’re hoping you can show us how to get to this address,” I said, holding out the phone.

  “Louis Court. That’s only a few streets behind us. If you cut down the path between the houses behind the toilet block, you’ll be in Turner Street. Turn right, and at the end of the street, you’ll see the one you’re looking for.”

  “Thank you for your help,” I said, putting the phone back in my pocket.

  “Have a nice day,” she said.

  We left the service station, Natalie giving Mike a wave, and made our way behind the restrooms. The path the lady had described stretched between two wooden fences towards a street, and we made our way down and turned right as she’d instructed.

  We found Louis Court at the end of the street just as the lady had said, and turned down it, looking at the numbers on the mail boxes.

  “What number is it?” Natalie asked.

  “Fourteen,” I said. “There it is.”

  We approached a lowset home, set back from the street and partially hidden by tall hedges and palm trees. A concrete path led towards the front door, and my heart hammered in my chest as we approached.

  “You want to do the honours?” she asked.

  Stepping forward, I rapped on the door and waited with baited breath.

  Chapter Twelve

  The phone in my pocket began to vibrate, and I pulled it out to see Reece’s name. I paused, as a sinking feeling formed in my chest.

  “Aren’t you going to answer it?” asked Natalie.

  “Yeah, give me a minute,” I replied, pressing the button and putting the phone to my ear. “Hey.”

  “Is that you knocking?” Reece asked.

  A smile broke across my lips. “Yes. Open the freaking door already.”

  The door swung open, and in front of me stood Reece. He hung up the phone in his hand, and I did the same.

  “Would you like to come in?” he asked, eyeing me over.

  “Yes, please,” Natalie said, stepping past me and into the house. She gave Reece a quick hug. “Where’s the toilet? I’m busting.”

  Reece laughed. “Head down the hall, first door on your right.”

  Natalie bounced away.

  I remained outside.

  “Are you coming in? Or do you have somewhere else you need to be?” he asked.

  “I’m coming in, but you can’t hug me, okay?” I said.

  “Are you angry at me?”

  “No. I just don’t want you to hug me.” I knew the moment he wrapped his arms around me I’d crumble. This wasn’t the time to fall apart.

  He crossed his arms tight over his chest. “I promise. No hugging.”

  I nodded to assure myself I could hold it together before walking through the doorway, my eyes meeting his as I stepped past him.

  “I’ve been worried about you,” he said.

  “Don’t,” I replied. “I just want a cup of tea or something. And maybe something to eat if you have food. As long as it’s not spaghetti.”

  His grin eased my tense muscles. “Let’s see what there is.”

  He led me down the hallway to a small dining room beside a kitchen. I took a seat while he turned on the kettle and rummaged through the fridge.

  “How about a sandwich?” he asked.

  “Yes, please,” Natalie said as she joined us. “I’m starving.”

  “A sandwich would be great,” I added.

  “Two sandwiches it is.”

  Reece set ab
out making our meal and tea in the kitchen, and I leaned back, watching him as he worked. It felt good to be back in his presence.

  When he was done, he sat a plate and a mug of tea in front of each of us.

  “This looks great,” I said before biting into my ham and cheese sandwich.

  “Thanks, Reece,” Natalie said.

  “Sorry Tyson couldn’t make it. He really wanted to be here,” Reece said.

  “Sure, he did. It’s only been two and a half years, what’s another few days, right?” I said.

  “Things are really crazy back at the bunker. You’ll understand when you get there.”

  “The bunker?” Natalie asked. “So, you’re underground?”

  Reece shot her a curious look before answering. “I guess you could say that.”

  “Cool,” she said, taking another bite of her sandwich.

  “What made you change your mind about Skywatchers exactly?” he asked her.

  “That day in the bush. Ky told me to ask more questions, so I started doing some digging.”

  “And? What did you find?” he pushed.

  “Apparently, you lot aren’t as bad as we’ve been told,” she said.

  “So, all of those years of believing we needed to be slaughtered is just overridden by one sentence from Ky?” he asked.

  “Ky was the best alien hunter Skywatchers had. If her mind could be changed, why not mine?”

  “Just a reminder I’m sitting right here,” I said. “And she has a point.”

  “But you had motivation,” Reece replied. “I showed you your brother was alive.”

  “That definitely helped,” I agreed.

  “Let’s just call it intuition. Ky made me seek the truth, and I found it. Simple as that,” Natalie said.

  “Simple as that,” Reece repeated.

  I looked between them, an uneasiness filling the air. It made sense Reece didn’t trust her, but I hated how his questions made me doubt her, too.

  “If it wasn’t for Natalie, I’d still be locked up in Skywatchers, and they’d still be attempting to brainwash me back into being a hunter,” I reminded him and myself.

  “Sorry, Natalie,” he said. “Just can’t be too sure.”

  “I completely understand,” she replied. “I’d be suspicious, too.”

  “So, what’s my brother, who can’t seem to pull himself away from his work even if it means reuniting with his sister, doing that’s so important anyway?” I asked.

  He looked over at Natalie one more time. “We’re only a week or so away from launch. Your brother’s been the driving force behind getting two spacecraft ready to take those of us who’ve made it to the bunker back home.”

  My throat clenched tight. He was leaving?

  “Wow, that’s incredible,” Natalie said. “How many of you are there?”

  “I’m not sure,” he replied, watching me.

  “That’s great you’ll be able to return home.” I forced a smile.

  It was selfish of me to want him to stay. But he’d been the first friend I’d made in years, and the first guy I’d been so comfortable with.

  “Everyone’s really looking forward to meeting you,” he said, trying to lift the mood.

  I raised an eyebrow. “Excited to meet someone who murdered so many of their friends?”

  “Tyson knows your story. We all know what Skywatchers are capable of. And you’re underestimating what your brother has done for all of us. Without him, there might be none of us alive to go home.”

  There was that word again. Home. Reminding me he didn’t belong here. But where did I belong? I hoped my brother held the answers.

  “I’ll believe it when I see it,” I said.

  “You aren’t tricking us so they can kill us the moment we step inside, are you?” asked Natalie.

  “No. We don’t work like Skywatchers,” he said.

  I knew he meant for his comment to hurt Natalie, but it made my chest ache, too.

  “It’s been a long day. I might go have a shower and go to bed. I’m shattered,” I said.

  “There’s a bed set up for you right across from the bathroom,” Reece said.

  I left Natalie and Reece at the dining table, putting my things in the room and grabbing the towel at the end of the bed.

  The warmth of the shower would usually help me relax and wash all of my troubles away, but it seemed nothing would stop the rush of thoughts and images in my mind. Watching a hunter execute Betty. Such a kind and wonderful woman. It made my chest ache in a way it hadn’t for years. Since I’d been told my brother was dead. I wanted to get my hands on that hunter and squeeze his throat until he stopped breathing and collapsed in a heap. But how could I be angry at him for following orders I’d have followed only weeks before? Maybe that’s what was the hardest. Not losing Betty who I’d barely known. Seeing myself in the hunter that’d murdered her.

  After finishing my shower, I changed into more comfortable clothing and said goodnight to Reece and Natalie who still sat talking at the dining table. After making my way to the room Reece had said I could sleep in, I crawled into the double bed and snuggled under the blankets. Thoughts of Betty and her killer tried to infiltrate my mind once again, but I pushed them away with thoughts of my brother. I was hurt he hadn’t been there to greet me. But it seemed his priorities had changed in the past two and a half years. I couldn’t be angry. He’d spent so many years putting me first. Maybe it’d been his chance to be free of me and do something for himself. Tears welled in my eyes, and I hugged the blanket closer to my chest. What if he was avoiding me? I’d spent so many years missing him, and never once had he reached out.

  “Ky?” Reece whispered from the doorway behind me.

  I stilled, hoping he’d think I was asleep and leave me alone. Silence followed, and assuming he’d decided to leave, I released a breath and wiped at my eyes.

  The motion of the bed sinking made me jump.

  “It’s just me,” he whispered. He crawled beneath the blankets and held me close. “Is this okay?”

  I nodded and swallowed hard.

  “I know you’re disappointed Tyson’s not here, and I promise you he’s just as frustrated he couldn’t meet you. But if he left now, the whole project could fall to pieces, everything he’s spent the past three and a half years working on,” he said.

  “He’s not just avoiding me?” I asked hating the child-like sound of my voice.

  “Avoiding you? Not a chance. You’re all he’s talked about since I met him. He can’t wait to have you back.”

  I released a breath at his words and rolled over to face him. His nose only inches from mine.

  “I have something I thought you might want,” he said.

  “What?”

  He grabbed my hand and placed something inside it. Opening it, I found my pendant resting on my palm.

  “How did you?”

  “I found it when I went back to the area they’d taken you from. I’m so sorry I didn’t fight harder,” he said.

  I held the pendant to my chest. “It wasn’t worth the risk. I’m here now.”

  He wrapped my hand in his, and my heart beat faster.

  “I’m so sorry about Betty,” I said, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach. “I wanted to run out and save her…”

  “It’s okay. Natalie told me she stopped you. She said if she hadn’t, Skywatchers would’ve imprisoned you again, or worse.”

  “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone there.” I looked into his bright blue eyes.

  “Natalie said they’d already paid her a visit earlier in the day, and she’d managed to hide.” He took his hand back and ran his fingers through his hair. “They weren’t going to stop until they had her, and Betty swore she’d never leave the farm. I know it’s horrible, but Betty knew the risks. She did it to help those of us who were in need of her help.”

  I placed the pendant on the bedside table, and when I lay down, Reece hugged me to his chest as we lay in silence. The com
fort of being in his arms was exactly what I needed despite how much I’d wanted to fight it.

  Reece wiped a tear from my cheek and held my gaze. “Tomorrow, we’ll get to the bunker, and you’ll be back with Tyson. I promise this will all be worth it when you two are reunited.”

  “And then you’ll fly off into the sunset back to your planet,” I said.

  “At least you won’t have my clumsy ass annoying you anymore.” He laughed.

  I smiled. “You’re pretty annoying.”

  “I aim to please.”

  “Thank you.”

  “For pleasing you?”

  I hit him in the chest. “No, you idiot. For not giving up on me. For fighting so hard to get me back to my brother.”

  “Like I said, I owe him.”

  “That’s the only reason?” I asked hopefully.

  He shrugged. “Didn’t hurt his sister was alright looking. Terrible personality, but good looking.”

  I punched him again. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m delightful.”

  He rubbed his bicep. “Not the word I’d use, but if you say so.”

  I rolled away from him, and he put his arm over me, pulling me close.

  “I missed you,” I whispered so quiet the moment the words escaped my lips I hoped he couldn’t hear them.

  “I missed you, too.”

  When I awoke, Reece was gone, and my nose was greeted by the smell of bacon and eggs cooking. Climbing out of bed, I stretched before making my way towards the dining room where Natalie was setting the table and Reece was cooking.

  “Morning,” Natalie sing-songed. “How’d you sleep?”

  “Like a baby,” I said. “I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.”

  My eyes met Reece’s, and he smiled.

  “The bacon and eggs are just about ready,” he said. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

  “That’d be amazing,” I said. “I could get used to this service. Maybe we could just stay here forever.”

  “Quite the catch, this one, isn’t he?” Natalie had returned to the kitchen and placed her arm over Reece’s shoulders. “If I’d known he could cook at Skywatchers, I might’ve tried harder to get his attention.”

  She gave him a wink before walking towards the kettle, and I gritted my teeth.

  “I didn’t know you were trying to get my attention,” said Reece.