“No.” I couldn’t imagine the terror and pain Nikolai went through. “Why are they doing this?”
Shadows haunted Malik’s eyes. “All I know is they hunt us. No idea how they didn’t take me, too.”
Colin inhaled sharply and leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“That’s what Nikolai said. They took him, set him free, and prodded him with spears until he ran.” His chest shuddered. “Within no time, they were chasing him.”
“They caught him,” I whispered.
“The cuts”—he yanked on the back of his durasuit—“they’re part of the chase. They had spears with bone points. Primitive stuff, but effective. When they got close, they sliced him, poked him, caused enough pain to make him run some more until he dropped from exhaustion.”
“Then they tied him down?” Colin said. “Like Will? Hell, probably what they did to Piper, too. Man, these are some gruesome bastards.”
I gnawed on my lower lip. “Did they leave him in a rock circle, too?” The sadistic taunt hadn’t been lost on any of us.
Malik moaned. “It was so much worse.”
I rubbed his shoulder. Could I bear to hear more?
“A circle would have been too simple.” He closed his eyes and shook his head as if denying the memory. “It’s a game to them, and they’re damned creative. They dug a hole, tied him down inside, and covered the surface with plastic.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
I blinked. “That makes no sense. Why plastic? And where did they get it?”
“From the ship. The wrappers from the blankets. I tucked the ones I didn’t take with me inside the hatch.” He grunted. “I didn’t want to litter.”
It made sense now. Colin was right. These people were sick. “They laid him out like your water extractor?”
“They knew it was me coming after Nikolai.” His pain-filled eyes bored into mine. “I think they’ve watched us from the second we got here. This was a message for me alone. It’s like they make it as nasty as possible, like it’s some kind of ritual.”
I couldn’t speak. I crooked my neck around, expecting to see fiends rushing our way, but it was too dark to see far. The night was a breathing, whirring entity of insects and night birds. The sounds we’d dismissed as normal Eris could conceal just about anything. They might watch us at this moment.
Fear plunged through me. I’d been stupid to take Joe away to practice with my crossbow each night. Had they been nearby, spying on me while I did it? Planning Joe’s or my capture?
If only we could figure out how they hid from us. We walked across a flat area of the desert. There was no place they could hide. Yet they did.
“There’s more,” Malik said. “And it’s worse.”
Colin rocked on his heels. “What’s worse than that?”
“Nikolai said they wore cartoon-like masks, but pants and shirts, like people from Earth. They looked like us, although he couldn’t be sure, because he never saw their faces.”
Colin’s face screwed up. “Okay, I guess that’s bad.”
Malik’s head rose, and he stared into the night. “They spoke English, like you and me.”
Colin jumped to his feet and backed away. “Are you saying the colonists are doing this?”
“Who else?” Malik peered up at him.
“That makes no sense,” I said. “They’re from Earth. How could they do something like that?”
“ReGreen could.” Malik stood, and his legs wavered.
I jumped up and grabbed his arm, steadying him.
“I can’t figure out why, though,” he said.
Colin’s brow twisted. “Bet the kid hallucinated. He was worn out, scared. People imagine all sorts of things at times like that. The colonists wouldn’t do something like that to us.” He bit the inside of his lip. “Yeah, that’s it. He thought they spoke English.”
“Run. Run faster. It’s the only way you have honor.” Malik hissed. “That’s what he told me they said before he died.” He grimaced. “They laughed when they came after him.”
“So, the boy-wonder returns.”
I whirled toward the voice.
Riley stood behind me, glaring at Malik. “Where’s the kid?”
“Dead,” Malik said.
Riley walked around to stand in front of us, his hands clenched against his thighs. “Another loss on your part?” I didn’t need the firelight to see Riley’s expression. The sneer was apparent in his voice.
Rushing forward, I shoved him. “Leave him alone. He’s tired. He went after Nikolai, then ran all the way back to us. He’s barely slept the whole time he’s been gone.”
Riley caught himself and strode forward to grab my shoulders. His gaze swept toward Malik. “Why do you defend him? He’s useless.”
My glare could have melted steel.
“Don’t tell me you care for our little military boy?” he said.
“I do. He’s better than you’ll ever dream of being.”
Riley shoved past me and fisted the front of Malik’s durasuit, hauling him close. “That’s my paired partner you’re fooling around with.”
Malik’s arms flew up. He grabbed Riley and flipped him over his hip. Riley smacked on his back and blinked around in a daze.
Malik would so have to teach me that move.
Riley caught his breath and scrambled to his feet. “Don’t touch me again. Or I’ll—”
“You came at me, not the other way around.” Malik’s voice was deadly.
“I’m warning you.” Riley waved the laser pistol in the air.
Malik stood his ground. “What, you going to shoot me in front of all these witnesses?”
Distracted by the confrontation, I hadn’t realized everyone was awake. Felicia sat near Joe. Mandy huddled in Tiff’s arms. Trey stood beside my friend, my crossbow lifted with a bolt in the shaft. I tugged Malik’s sleeve, pulling him to the side to give Trey a clear shot.
Colin gripped a stick, poised to jump into the fray.
Kalani sat on her blanket, sniffing.
Scowling, Riley tucked the gun into his waistband. “Watch your back, asshole.” He crossed to the other side of the fire.
Colin tossed his stick on the ground. “Party’s over. Back to bed. You, too, Lesha. Riley can stand guard in your place.”
“Come. Lie down.” I tugged Malik toward my blanket. “You must be exhausted.”
People returned to their sand beds. As fascinating as the argument must have been, morning would come soon and the torturous desert went on forever.
We lay together under one blanket, Joe at my front, Malik spooning my back. Joe fell asleep right away.
Colin and Riley whispered on the other side of the fire. I wanted to yell at them to shut up but held in my rage. No need to stir things up again.
Riley snickered. “Great idea. Distance is the key. I need as much as possible.” I heard a smack, like he’d hit Colin on the back. They moved outside the rock circle after that.
Let them stay up all night, laughing and joking. The rest of tonight was mine and Malik’s. Closing my eyes, I blocked out their hushed conversation. But, as tired as I was, I couldn’t sleep. Malik, pressed against my back, occupied all my thoughts and emotions. His arm slid around my waist and he snuggled closer. Warmth surrounded me, inside and out.
“Did you mean what you said about liking me?” he whispered by my ear. His heart thumped against my back. Steady. True. Like the guy who held me.
“I did.”
The trail of his lips moved along the back of my neck, making my knees quiver. “I feel the same.”
Someone shook my shoulder. “Wake up.”
Joe.
“Wha…?” I swatted at him. Couldn’t he let me sleep longer? I didn’t want to get up yet. Waking meant walking in the sun all day.
Malik still lay at my back. Asleep, if the sounds he made were anything to go by. Damn, he snored. Not loud, but jeez. A smile warmed my lips, maybe brighter than the sun. I could l
ive with a little snoring.
“They’re gone,” Joe said.
Who was gone? I opened my eyes, blinking at the light streaming down on my face. The day had warmed up already.
Wait a minute. We’d always started walking when the sun hugged the horizon before it got too hot.
I bolted upright, startling Malik. Even his sleep-warmed browns couldn’t distract me from Joe’s distraught face. “Why didn’t the last guards wake us?”
Joe shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Colin. Riley. Kalani. Three fewer lumps on the ground. No blankets or packs lay nearby, waiting to be picked up before they moved out.
Distance, Riley had said. Kalani had told me the implant didn’t work as well when she put space between her and Riley.
Crap.
“I looked everywhere for them. Even climbed that hill over there.” Joe pointed.
“You didn’t. It’s not safe!”
“I stay where I could see you,” he whined. “But I couldn’t find them.” He swallowed. “Our stuff’s gone, too.”
I sprang to my feet. My pack. Where was it? I’d left it by the fire.
Malik got up as well. “Damn. My crossbow’s missing.”
I’d left his beside my pack when we went to bed. I dragged my eyes to where I’d left my crossbow the night before. Relief made my knees sag when I saw it still lying near the head of my blanket.
“Do you think they were taken by whoever’s hunting us?” I asked Malik.
“I’ll check for tracks.” He jumped over the rock surround and jogged into the desert, but returned a short time later. “No other tracks. They’re alone.” Gasping for breath, he bent forward, his hands on his knees. “They headed east, toward the mountains.”
“They took almost everything,” I said.
Malik straightened, and his grim expression met mine. “Except for my water extractors. Must have decided they wouldn’t have time to set them up. Or they didn’t know how to use them.”
Mandy tugged my sleeve. I gave her a distracted glance before returning my gaze to Malik. “How could they do this to us? We’ll die. We’ve got to leave right away.” I ran to our blankets and flung the top one up, shooting sand into the air. “If we move fast, we’ll catch up to them, maybe before it gets dark.”
A quick inventory showed they’d not only taken what was left of our food and water, they’d taken my bag. Mom’s dress. Dad’s shirts.
Our family vid.
I sniffed. They couldn’t get away with this. We’d find them, even if we had to run twenty-four hours a day and…
Mandy yanked on my sleeve again.
“What is it, honey?” I asked.
Her dark eyes held a lifetime of sorrow. What had this little girl seen that made her afraid to speak?
She grunted and pointed at Malik. At first, I didn’t see it. Not until he turned sideways.
A bite mark flared scarlet on his neck. How could it happen? We had posted guards so we could sleep without fear.
Colin and Riley, volunteering to stand watch. Laughing. Plotting. Maybe finding a snake and bringing it closer.
Malik collapsed into my arms.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Tiff and Trey helped me settle Malik on a blanket and drag it into the shade. Dropping beside him, I smoothed the hair from his forehead. He was so hot.
Bitten. The pain of it stabbed through me, leaving me breathless.
What would I do? What could I do?
Unfortunately, nothing. If he woke, I’d try to get him to drink water. Otherwise, I’d suffer his every groan and pray he’d live like Tiff had.
Malik’s illness followed the same pattern. A fever, followed by delirium.
I took the time to set up water collectors, because we’d need them now more than ever. Then I returned to Malik.
Joe sat beside me, rubbing Malik’s arm. When my brother’s face tilted up to me, I clutched him close and broke down, wailing for what I might lose. How could I bear it if Malik died?
Tiff and Trey hovered nearby. Mandy sat on Malik’s other side, holding his hand. She kept whispering stay.
By mid-afternoon, he thrashed his head on the blanket. Sweat trickled down his face. His heart raced under my hand.
He screamed.
Devon. Get down. Must be a buddy from the war.
Sam. Piper. Will. Nikolai. We’d lost too many friends.
“Becca,” he whispered. According to Riley, she was the pairing waiting for him at the colony. She’d been thirteen when she left for Eris. They might not have met, but he knew her name.
My heart splintered. I’d held out hope, but the pairing must be true.
Last night, he told me he wanted to be with me. He’d slept in my arms. It had to be real, more real than a computer match.
When he woke and he would wake, I’d ask him about Becca. We’d talk about it. Together, we’d figure out how to keep our implants from ruling our minds.
Lying beside him, I rested my head on his chest. The rapid thump of his heart reassured me he would live. Please, he had to live.
“Is he getting better?” Felicia stood by Malik’s feet, wringing her hands.
I couldn’t answer. I was afraid if I opened my mouth I’d start screaming and never stop.
Sobbing, she turned away to go lay in the shade.
I woke just before dusk to Malik mumbling. “No.” He thrust the blanket off and bolted upright. “Nikolai.”
Rising onto my knees, I steadied his shoulders and stared into his eyes. They were wide, frightened, and filled with visions only he could see. “It’s okay.”
Did he relive their deaths? We’d watched, helpless, as many of our fellow survivors died in the crash. Then we lost the Captain, Sam, Jay, Piper, Will, and Nikolai. We’d carry their weight with us forever.
“How’s he doing?” Trey asked.
I shrugged and stroked Malik’s forehead. Was it cooler or was I imagining it because I wanted it to be true? Could I hope he’d get better like Tiff had?
“I’m sorry.” Trey came over and patted my shoulder. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.” He drifted back to lie in the shade. Mandy was flaked out, sleeping.
I eased Malik onto the blanket and buried my face in his neck. He smelled like Malik, that woodsy, spicy scent uniquely his own. Inhaling, I drank it in, hoping I’d remember it forever.
“Please,” I whispered against his skin. “Don’t leave me. I need you.”
“I heard that.” His eyes opened, sultry with sleep. Clear and free of the sickness from his bite. “Just so you know, I want to hear it at least a hundred times more. And say it myself.” His arms slid around my waist, pulling me down onto him. Our lips met, our tongues teased. I ran my fingers across his hair.
I snuggled closer to him, not caring how hot it was or who might be watching. He was getting better. Nothing else mattered.
He cleared his throat. “How long was I sick?”
“All day. I worried you’d die like Jay.”
“I feel pretty good. Tired, but okay.” His hands trembled on my back, but maybe he was on the mend.
“Lesha,” Joe yelled. He ran down a low hill nestling something in his arms. Tiff followed. They’d gone to pee. At least, I assumed they had when they took off together a short time ago. What did he carry? A better question was, could we eat it? My stomach had gone from groaning to giving me the silent treatment. Since I’d put nothing in it all day, I imagined it was regrouping before staging a rebellion.
At least we had Malik’s water extractors. We didn’t get much from them, just a few sips every hour, but that was better than nothing.
Joe raced up to me. “Look.” He dropped to his knees, cradling a bluish creature.
I leaned forward. What the…? It looked like a combination of a bird and a…lizard? “Another stray? How did you find it in the middle of nowhere?”
He shrugged. “It was just there.”
I took a whiff. “No smell. A definite impr
ovement.”
He scowled. “This isn’t a pink meerkat.”
I’d figured that one out on my own, thanks. “Is it an Eris lizard?”
He tilted his head, his brow twisting. “Sort of. More like a combo of a bird and a reptile, I guess.”
“I see.” I didn’t, actually.
About the size of a housecat, the creature nestled in Joe’s arms like a baby. Its body was long, lean, and covered with iridescent blue scales. It had lacy, light blue wings that looked more for decoration than flying, and a plumed, feathered tail. I assumed it could run like a tiny T-Rex on its back legs if it had to. But the wings were much too delicate to support its weight. How did the creature escape predators if it couldn’t fly?
Joe stroked the creature’s back, and it arched into his touch. “I bet he wants to live with me forever.”
“You know it’s a boy? How can you tell?” Joe opened his mouth, but I held up my hand. I really didn’t want to know. “I suppose he told you he wants to live with you, too?” I laughed. “What, in lizardeze?”
Joe scowled. “You know he can’t talk to me. Not really. But I just know.”
That, I could believe. Joe had developed an uncanny ability to communicate with animals back at the Bunker.
“I miss my mouse,” he said.
We were starving. Why in the world would we take on a pet when we couldn’t feed ourselves? “What will he eat? We have nothing to share with him.” Joe might have to take the creature back to wherever he’d found it.
“Insects.” Joe ran his finger along the creature’s back, and it rippled its spine. I could swear it gazed up at him with adoration.
Insects were edible. While I hadn’t reached that point yet, I might have to reconsider. The thing was, could I? Crunchy bugs, wiggling as they slid down my throat. Not my idea of fine dining, but it beat trying to eat the air.
“When he gets bigger, I bet he’ll hunt prey,” Joe said. “Like those camels.”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Whoa, how big do you think this thing will get?” It would have to be the size of a hovercraft to take out a camel. No way would a bird-lizard grow that large.
“Really big.” Joe squinted up at me. “So, can I keep him?”
Phoenix Arise: YA Sci-fi Thriller (From the Ashes Book 1) Page 22