What were they going to do with me? If they planned to kill me why were they letting me clean up?
“What do we have for medicine?” Marie asked.
“A little bit of cough syrup,” Donna replied. “I don’t think that’s going to help her.” She raised her voice slightly as she looked into my droopy eyes. “Will that help?”
I shook my head as I pulled on the scratchy pale blue shirt they’d given me. “The room is spinning. I just need to lay down.”
“Maybe some water would help,” Marie said.
“Good idea,” Donna said.
I pulled on the pair of boxer shorts they’d given me and then the baggy tan pants. It felt like a uniform. A very uncomfortable uniform.
Donna came back into the room with a glass of water. I took a small sip before lowering myself down on the bed.
“Lyle says he’ll watch her while we clean the cellar,” Donna said. “He’ll be up soon.”
“Okay,” Marie said. She lowered her voice. “I’m surprised he’s keeping her. She’s not going to be worth much.”
Worth much?
“He said two days maximum if there is no improvement,” Donna said her voice so soft her words like sandpaper on rough wood.
I didn’t have a lot of time. Of course, worst-case scenario, I could just magically get better. Hopefully, that would do the trick.
As I laid there listening to the women moving around, my stomach grumbled. I’d thrown up my last meal which had been hours ago. I didn’t even have to pretend to feel weak… I did feel weak.
After a long while, they softly descended the stairs. I was surprised they had left me alone for as long as they had. They must have truly believed I wasn’t capable of going anywhere.
The stairs creaked as one person ascended. I knew before he walked in that it was Lyle lingering in the doorway.
My eyelids were mostly closed but I could see him standing there… watching me. He wasn’t holding his gun but his hand was hovering over it, ready to draw it quickly if need be.
Lyle walked across the floor and sat down in the rocking chair at the window. He placed his palms on his thighs and rocked slowly.
It had to be at least five steps from the bed to the rocking chair. He’d be able to pull his gun before I got to him.
I was screwed.
Twenty-Four
Lyle’s slow rocking was almost enough to put me to sleep. I had to fight off the urge because this might be my only chance. Either they were going to kill me or they were going to put me back in the basement with the others.
Something outside of the window grabbed Lyle’s attention. He stood and placed his hand on the glass.
“Shit,” he muttered. He gave me a quick glanced before he dashed out of the room and down the stairs.
The front door slammed closed after him and I jerked. I drew in a breath, waiting to see if I heard any movement inside the house. There wasn’t a single noise.
I rolled out of the bed as quietly as I could and walked over to the window. Every muscle in my body was tense as I slide my head over until I could peek out around the curtain.
In front of the house at the bottom of the steps was a man standing next to a horse. There was a carriage behind the horse with a lantern set on the seat. It created a yellowish glow around the entire area.
“I don’t have anything to trade today,” Lyle said just only loud enough that I could hear him. He ran his hands through his hair. He looked nervous.
The man next to the horse looked up at the house seemingly right in my direction. I moved back not wanting to be seen.
There was a chance the man would help me but there was also a chance he wouldn’t.
“No one?” the man asked. “Because I have a case of water and two bulk sized bags of rice today.
“That sounds great but I just don’t think I could spare…,” he said, his voice trailing off. “Not catching as many these days.” Lyle looked at the carriage. “Well… maybe I do have someone I could spare.”
Someone he could spare?
The man waited as Lyle walked over to the shed. He took the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. He shouted something I couldn’t hear down the stairs before tucking the key back into his pocket.
I watched as he walked back over to the man with the horse. Minutes later, the shed door opened and the women were leading someone out.
I squinted but I didn’t recognize her until she stepped into the light from the lantern. Veronica looked like a doe in the headlights as they brought her over to the man.
Donna and Marie held her in place as the man walked around her. He looked her up and down, carefully examining her. The man reached out and touched her hair, twisting it softly between his fingers.
He nodded and the women checked the roped that kept her hands tied behind her back. The man unloaded a box and a bag from his carriage and grabbed Veronica by the upper arm.
“We’re square?” Lyle asked.
“We’re square.” The man nodded.
“Wait,” Veronica said. “What’s happening here? What are you doing with me?”
Lyle raised his hand and slapped her across the face. At the end of his swing, the man caught his hand. His fingers were wrapped so tightly I could see Lyle’s face reddening even in the dim lighting.
“She’s mine now. You don’t lay a hand on her again, got that?” the man said and Veronica’s spine stiffened. It seemed as though she didn’t know if she should be happy to be leaving or scared.
“Got it,” Lyle said between his teeth. I couldn’t hear the words but I could read his lips.
“I’ll be back in a few weeks,” the man said helping Veronica into the seat.
“Okay,” Lyle said. “I should have a real good one for you then.”
“I can’t wait,” the man said as he climbed into his carriage and snapped the reins.
“Bring this stuff inside,” Lyle growled before turning toward the house.
I gasped and ducked out of sight, soundlessly making my way back to the bed. There were loud creaks and cracks as someone quickly came up the stairs.
Lyle stomped in the room just as I rested my head back down on the pillow. For a second, I thought he was going to grab me off the bed but he didn’t. He made his way back to the chair and stared out the window. I could only assume he was watching the light disappearing into the distance.
Veronica was gone. Traded for some food and water. Wendy didn’t know it and Kellan didn’t know it but in a few weeks the man would be back and it would be one of us being traded for something else.
I couldn’t let that happen. I had to do something while Lyle was up here, and the women were downstairs putting their new supplies away.
My eyes landed on the half-full glass on the nightstand next to me. I groaned as I shifted my weight slightly.
“Water,” I said my voice barely existing.
“Huh?” Lyle grunted. I peeked through the small crack between my eyelids. His eyes darted to the glass and then back at me. “Oh.”
Lyle walked over and picked up the glass. He shoved it in my direction.
“Help me,” I mumbled. And Lyle rolled his eyes but helped me into a half-seated position.
I took the glass from him, making my handshake. The water splashed up the side of the glass as I raised it to my lips.
I took a small sip before I tightened my grip on the glass. My heart raced but it was the only thing I could think to do and I had to do something.
I smashed the glass over Lyle’s head. The glass shattered. Bits of glass rained down all over the blanket on top of me.
I thought it would knock him out but it didn’t. Lyle’s eyes oozed a fiery rage that made the back of my head prickle with fear. Blood dripped down his forehead glazing over his eyebrow.
I didn’t notice my palm was bleeding until Lyle grabbed my wrist. He squeezed so hard it felt like my bones were about to crack. Lyle yanked me off of the bed and it felt like the bone at my shou
lder was going to pop right out of the socket.
“You stupid bitch,” Lyle said dragging me across the floor toward the door.
Donna and Marie surely must have heard the commotion and would be coming up the stairs soon. I was lucky that Lyle hadn’t pulled his gun. In fact, it was surprising I didn’t already have a bullet between my eyes.
I looked up and saw the gun at his hip. It must not have crossed his mind. Or maybe he didn’t want me dead. What good was I to him if I were dead? You can’t exchange a dead person for food and water.
I grabbed the door frame and held on tightly. I howled as my fingernail caught a rough edge of the wood and bent the wrong way but I didn’t let go.
Lyle hadn’t been expecting the rough stop and it had been enough to momentarily halt his forward momentum. My fighting also increased his rage.
“Dammit,” he muttered as he tried to pry my fingers away from the wood.
I counted to five in my head and let go, reaching up for his gun. By the time he’d realized what I was doing I already had pulled his weapon from his hip.
Lyle backed up, holding his hands in the air. I could hear movement below. They were coming.
My hand shook, but I didn’t have a choice. I opened my mouth and forced my voice to work. “Sorry.”
Twenty-Five
The pop of the gun made my ears ring. My hand shook and I almost dropped the gun but I somehow, I managed to readjust my grip.
Lyle backed into the wall and slid down. His eyes were impossibly wide with disbelief.
“You shot me,” he said pressing his hands to this thigh. Blood gushed out between his fingers and dripped onto the floor. “Look at this mess.” Lyle was shaking his head. “Might as well kill me because this isn’t ever coming out of the carpet.”
I took a step toward him and he flinched. I reached down into his front pocket and removed the key.
“Lyle!” Donna said pushing past me and kneeling down beside him. “Get the first aid kit!”
Marie disappeared into the bathroom and suddenly it was like I wasn’t there. The only thing the women cared about was saving Lyle.
I walked down the stairs almost completely backward afraid they’d realize I was getting away. My hand shook as I reached out to unlock the door.
I ran through the dirt making my way through the hot night to the shed. Each breath pulled at my insides as I tried to steady my hand to open the padlock.
I fumbled the gun, catching it before it dropped to the ground. I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was coming for me. Even though I expected to see someone coming, all I saw was empty shadows.
I tucked the gun into my waistband and opened the lock. I tucked the key into the front pocket of my new pants and threw the lock as far as I could into the darkness.
My feet slapped against the stairs as I stormed downward. Wendy looked up at me her brows squeezed tightly together.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Kellan started toward me but the chain hooked to his arm stopped him from continuing forward.
“We have to go fast,” I said reaching into my pocket for the key. If this key didn’t work, I didn’t know what I was going to do.
I shoved it into the lock at Kellan’s wrist. When it popped open, we both drew in a breath sharing the same bit of air.
“I heard a gunshot,” Kellan said.
“It’s Lyle. I shot him in the leg,” I said.
“You did?” he asked seeming quite surprised.
I raised a confident, almost cocky brow. “I did.”
“So, they could be coming?” he asked.
I nodded and moved quickly over to Wendy. The key worked again and I gestured at the stairs.
“I’m not sure how much time we have,” I said turning toward the stairs.
Wendy followed Kellan who was right behind me. I held the gun up as I looked out of the shed.
“What do I do now?” Wendy asked as we stepped out into the open area between the houses. “Can I just leave?”
“Yes. Go. Run,” I said taking Kellan’s hand leading him away from the house.
“Thank you,” she said looking into my eyes.
“You’re welcome,” I said with a bob of my head. Wendy mirrored the nod and disappeared without another look back.
Shadows moved about from window to window on the second floor of the house. The other buildings were still dark and I had to hope they were empty.
I pulled Kellan along trying to get away before Lyle decided to send Donna and Marie after me. He had to know what I’d done. The thought had to have least crossed his mind that I would release his prisoners.
Kellan seemed to be dragging his feet. He pointed at my hand. “You’re bleeding.”
“It’s just a scratch. I’m fine. Please,” I said with wide eyes. “Let’s move faster.”
He picked up his pace but something still seemed to be on his mind. It seemed as though he had changed.
I wasn’t sure how far we had gone when he grabbed me by the shoulder and turned me to face him. Sunlight was starting to touch the horizon giving his face an eerie glow. I could tell by the dull twinkle in his eye that something was wrong.
“Gwen,” Kellan exhaled slowly. “I need to tell you something.”
“Okay but can we keep walking while we talk?” I asked.
“No,” Kellan said shaking his head.
I looked behind him to make sure no one was coming. It seemed unlikely that Donna and Marie would be charging after us leaving Lyle behind. Although if he demanded it, they would have obeyed.
“I’m afraid what I’m about to tell you is going to change everything. You’re going to hate me,” Kellan said. “Hell, I won’t be surprised if you point that gun at me and you probably should.”
I snorted. “There isn’t anything you can tell me that I haven’t already heard. Nothing can shock me anymore. I’ve pretty much seen it all.”
“I’m so sorry, Gwen, but I haven’t been leading you to Winnipeg.” Kellan looked down at his feet as my stomach heavily sank.
“Where have you been leading me?”
Kellan sighed. “Just out of the way. Keeping you away.”
“What do you mean out of the way?” I shifted my weight and crossed my arms. I tried to look into his eyes but he was doing everything possible to avoid connecting with mine. “What’s going on Kellan?”
“I’m a terrible person. I thought I was doing the right thing… for my brother.”
“What did you do? Is Nick….”
Kellan sniffed hard and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “I’ll tell you how to get back there, I promise.”
“If anything happened to him or Molly so help me God—”
“Nick and Molly are fine, at least, they are for now.”
“For now?” I squealed.
Kellan released a shaky exhale. “They wanted a baby. They wanted a baby so bad they would do anything to get one.”
“Oh my God,” I breathed.
I remembered how Amber had told us about having lost her baby. She’d been desperate. Apparently, they had needed to get me out of the way and with Bronx still out there it hadn’t been hard to convince me to leave.
“What did they do to her?” I asked in a shaky voice. Did I want to know the answer?
“Nothing. She has months of safety ahead of her but after that… after that I don’t know what they’re planning to do,” Kellan said.
I swallowed hard. “What about Nick? Are they going to do something to get him out of the way too?”
Kellan shook his head. “He’s fine for now. At least I think so. They won’t want to risk a failed pregnancy.”
“Were either of you really helping people to Winnipeg?” I asked.
Kellan pressed his lips together. “We did. We were but when Amber lost the baby things got a little weird. Peter was distracted. He wanted to fix it.”
“Fix it.” I chuckled my disgust. “Take me back there.”
Kellan shook his head. “I… I can’t do that.” He finally held my gaze longer than a few seconds. “I can tell you how to get back there. It won’t be hard. You’ll be there in no time. I was just leading you in a circle until I decided what to do.”
“But the river,” I said.
“The river will take you to Winnipeg.”
“Why can’t you take me? Don’t you believe that after all this you owe me something? I just saved you from crazy Lyle and his wives. Now help me save my brother and his girlfriend.”
“I told you, I’m a terrible person. I’m too afraid of what Peter might do to me if I go back. He’ll know that I told you.” Kellan gestured at the gun tucked into the back of my new pants. “You have the upper hand. Not to mention they won’t be expecting you. You’ll have the element of surprise too.”
My ears started to ring loudly and the world around me fuzzed into a pixelated blur. It felt impossible to believe what he was saying but I knew he wouldn’t make it up. It all made too much sense.
“Fine,” I said drawing in an angry breath. I wanted to punch Kellan in the face. Lord knows, he deserved it. “Tell me how to get back there.”
Kellan gave me a detailed description of how to get back to the cabin. He said if I moved fast, maybe I could be there before nightfall but of course after all the walking we’d done I didn’t think he was telling the truth. For all I knew, he was leading me on a wild goose chase but I didn’t have a lot of choices.
The one thing I did believe was that the river would take me to Winnipeg. If I failed at saving my brother, maybe I would still have a chance at finding Bronx.
“I hope I can find them,” I said.
“You will,” Kellan said. “Good luck.”
I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t think of a single word I wanted to utter to him.
He let out a breath and turned. He ran so fast that even if I wanted to catch him, I wouldn’t have been able to. I was left standing there… alone.
My eyes shifted away from Kellan’s shrinking silhouette and toward the direction I was supposed to go. I sucked in a breath and picked up my foot.
Yellow Heat - A Post-Apocalyptic Novel (The Red Sky Series Book 6) Page 12