The man grinned. “I’m kind like that.”
“Kindness? Is that what the folks you bring here and torture say?” I asked.
“That reminds me,” the man said scratching his chin. “Where’s my prisoner? Would you folks know anything about that?”
Ryder straightened his spine. “He’s no longer with us.”
“Really?” the man said sounding as though he was impressed.
“Will I have to clean up this mess too?” Ryder said nodding toward the storage building.
The man laughed. “I don’t think you’ll be around to worry about it.”
“Is that a threat?” Ryder asked.
“Take it as you will,” the man said shifting his eyes toward Shawn.
Something told me that when the man did something, Shawn was going to be his first target, no doubt because of the markings. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Listen!” the man said cupping his hand around his ear. “If you listen closely, you can hear their screams.”
For a second, I thought I’d actually heard something. But it had been so distant that it could have easily have been the sound of a blackbird crowing.
“It’s started,” the man said looking into the storage room. His eyes were aimed at the ground. He lifted his gun and pointed it what I could only assume was his prisoner. “Not going to need you anymore.”
The guy pulled the trigger and turned his attention back toward us. If there really were people close enough that I could hear them scream, they’d definitely be able to hear a gunshot.
“Soon, the world will be a safer place for all of us that remain!” the man shouted, as he looked up at the sky. His gaze lowered and settled back on Shawn. “But,” the man cleared his throat, “there won’t be many that remain. In fact, I’m kind of hoping it might just be me.” He looked at me and raised his eyebrow. “And maybe her.”
Shawn erupted into laughter, and the man raised his gun. He didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
Shawn’s body jerked to the side, and I knew that he’d been hit. Before I’d even been able to raise my gun, Ryder slammed his shoulder into the man and knocked him down.
Logan tried to catch Shawn before he fell but he hadn’t been fast enough, and Shawn tumbled to the ground. Blood was pouring out of his shoulder and onto the dirt and grasses.
“Abby,” Logan said, but his voice had sounded distant. “Help me.”
Another gunshot rang out, and I whipped my head around to see Ryder holding the man’s wrist tightly. He’d missed, but the noise could cause others to come looking.
Ryder’s hands were empty, and I could only assume he’d dropped his knife. The man kicked his leg upward trying to throw Ryder off of him, but Ryder barely moved on impact. He pulled back his fist and threw it into the man’s face, enough to disorient him.
“Emery!” Ryder shouted.
I stepped forward as if something had taken over my body. It felt like I was being guided as my hand placed the end of the barrel between the man’s eyes. I didn’t think about it. I pulled the trigger.
Chapter 24
The native man laid there on the ground staring blankly up toward the sky. There was no question about it, he was dead.
I ran to Shawn and dropped to my knees at his side. He clenched his teeth as he turned toward me.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Shawn said between breaths. His jaw was stiff, but I could tell he was trying to smile at me.
“I think I saw a first aid kit in the hidden room,” Ryder said and instantly vanished into the storage building.
“Put pressure on the wound,” I said, but Logan already was. I hated feeling helpless, but that was exactly how I felt.
Shawn grabbed my hand. “It’s going to be OK. I promise.”
I forced myself to smile at him, but my heart was aching. The pain was so strong it was almost as if I could feel the wound myself.
“Doesn’t this bring back memories?” Shawn asked.
I shook my head, but then memories of how I’d first met Shawn flooded my mind. It was different, but the way he was looking at me was much the same.
“My angel,” he said blinking slowly.
“Where’s Ryder?” I said whipping my head around. With each blink, his eyes seemed to stay closed longer and longer. “What do we do?”
I couldn’t lose him. Ryder and Logan had managed to push through losing Charlie, but I wasn’t as strong as they were. I wouldn’t be able to survive losing Shawn.
“I’m fine, really,” Shawn said, each word coming out far too slowly.
Ryder knelt down next to me and opened up the first aid kit. Shawn winced as Ryder delicately rolled up his sleeve. He worked quickly to tie a band tightly above the wound.
Logan moved closer and inspected the wound. “It removed a big chunk of flesh, but that’s all it is. The bullet grazed him, but it grazed him good.”
“Told you I was fine,” Shawn said.
The loss of blood was probably exaggerated by the fact that Shawn hadn’t eaten in some time, and that he hadn’t been sleeping well. After Ryder finished bandaging him up, Logan and Ryder helped him into the house.
Shawn looked up at me. “Stop looking at me like I’m going to die, it’s making me nervous. I’m fine.”
“I just don’t want to—”
“You’re not going to,” Shawn said. “Trust me, this is nothing compared to how I was when you first found me.”
Ryder cleared his throat. “Emery,” he said his voice just above a whisper. “I’m going to need some help.”
“With what?” I said holding onto Shawn’s hand almost as though I was afraid to let go.
“We need to clean up the yard,” Ryder said.
“I’ll help,” Logan said, but I could hear that he was already sitting in the chair rocking back and forth.
“No, we need to work fast in case someone heard the gunshots,” Ryder said lightly placing his hand on my shoulder.
My heart felt as though it skipped a beat when I thought about leaving Shawn. What if something happened while I was away?
“Go,” Shawn said. “I’ll be here when you get back.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Shawn blinked several times, and his eyes cast the magical spell over me that they always had. And that they always would.
“I promise,” Shawn said.
I stood and kissed Shawn on the cheek. Ryder was already staring out the window waiting.
“Ready?” Ryder asked.
“Not really, but let’s get it over with.”
Ryder nodded and opened the door. He looked around in every direction before stepping out onto the porch.
Everything around us was still. The only thing that was different was that there was a dead body laying on the ground and probably another in the storage building.
I helped Ryder drag the body further back on the property. At the far end opposite the lake, we came upon the other grave where the last prisoner had been buried.
“Guess we’ll be digging two more,” Ryder said.
“Guess so,” I said looking around.
Sunshine lit up our surrounding as it dried out the land.
“Are you worried?” Ryder asked as he studied me.
“Yeah, of course, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know, it’s kind of weird, but I guess I’m not.” Ryder started walking back toward the storage building.
I followed at his heels. “Why not?”
“This place just feels right to me. I think it feels more like home than it had living with Jacob.” Ryder met my eyes. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’re still unsure.”
“It’s OK,” I said flashing him a tight-lipped smile. “If only I felt it too.”
“I think I know why you don’t, and maybe why you never will.”
Ryder stared straight ahead even when I grabbed his arm to get him to slow down.
“OK, tell me why then?” I said almost sou
nding as if I were begging for answers.
“Because the home you had before was your home. Back with your parents and stuff. Nothing will ever compare to that. Nothing will ever feel like that did.” Ryder wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me for a quick hug. “I could be wrong, but that’s what I think. Deep down you’re comparing this place to your home, and well, nothing will ever compare.”
“So, I’ll just have to settle?” I asked, but I could help but feel deep down that maybe he was right.
Ryder shrugged. “In a way, I suppose. Hell, I don’t know if this is where we’ll stay forever even if you decide we should stay. But it’s pretty good. At least for now.”
I mulled over his words as we dragged the native’s prisoner’s body away from the house. Nothing would ever come close to what I had with my parents. That felt like a different life. A different person.
Staying on the farm maybe was the right thing to do for the person I was now, and for the new family I was a part of.
Ryder picked up the shovel he’d dragged along and drove it into the earth.
“OK,” I said, and he paused.
“OK, what?”
I swallowed as I looked up at the crystal blue sky. “We should stay. You know, for a while. Let’s do it. Let’s make this our home.”
“Are you sure?” Ryder asked trying to hold back his smile.
“I’m sure. Yeah, I really am sure,” I said, and the warmth bubbled up inside of me made me feel… content. Maybe the feeling that surged through me was the sign I so desperately wanted because I didn’t feel worried. It felt like the right thing.
My home would always be back in Michigan where I’d lived with my parents, but this would be where I stayed. Where we lived and took care of one another until we were forced to leave.
“Logan and Abby are going to be thrilled,” Ryder said.
“What about Shawn?” I asked chewing my lip.
Ryder looked away and sighed. “He’ll be happy anywhere you are.”
I couldn’t hide my smile. I’d be happy anywhere Shawn was, and of course having Ryder, Logan, and Abby with us, would make it even better.
That night after Ryder and I had finished burying the bodies, Shawn was already looking better than he had. He held his arm close to his body just as he had after we’d first met.
“That arm sure is taking a beating,” I said as he laid down in bed carefully easing himself back.
“It sure has,” Shawn smiled. “I’m pretty tough though, I’ll get through it.”
I stared out the window into the darkness that was quickly sucking up the world around us.
“Come to bed,” Shawn said.
I was constantly worried that someone would approach. Thinking that maybe what the native had said about the war taking place nearby had been true, and it wouldn’t be long before the house was overtaken.
But nothing was different. It was the same sky, the same moon, and all of the same undisturbed surroundings.
“What are you thinking about?” Shawn asked.
“The war. Do you think it’s really over?”
Shawn exhaled loudly. “Could be. I hope so.”
“Who do you think won?”
“Does it matter?”
I shrugged. “I guess not. Either way, we’re screwed, right?”
“Maybe. I’d like to assume they both wiped each other out… maybe we’re all that’s left.”
“Wouldn’t that be something? Do you think we’ll ever know how it all turned out?”
“Maybe,” Shawn said. “Maybe not.”
I turned and smiled at him. “Perhaps it’s better if we don’t.”
I laid down on the bed and curled up in Shawn’s good arm. He pressed his cheek against the top of my head.
“There’s always a chance it’s just us, and we’ll have to repopulate the world,” Shawn said, and I could tell he was grinning.
“Shawn!” I said playfully.
He laughed and gave me a gentle squeeze. “Well, it could be true!”
“I don’t think it’s a great idea bringing children into this world,” I said with a small frown.
“Your parents brought you into it, and you’re doing just fine.”
I sat up and looked into his eyes. “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation!”
“Well, just don’t rule it out completely is all I’m saying,” Shawn said pulling me back down into his arm. “Who knows how things will be down the line.”
I rested my head back down considering listing out all the reasons why it shouldn’t ever happen, but instead, I started thinking about all the things we’d have to do. We’d have to try planting the seeds, and I could set up some alarms and traps just like my dad had.
The more I thought about it, the more the farmhouse felt like a place I wanted to stay. It wouldn’t compare to what I had before, but maybe we could make it pretty darn good.
We were a family.
We would take care of each other.
Together we would fight for our lives, and together we were strong.
This is the end of The Ravaged Land Divided Series.
If you enjoyed this book and would like to read how it all started, please read Ravaged Land the first book in the Ravaged Land Series.
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About the Author
Kellee L. Greene is a stay-at-home-mom to two super awesome and wonderfully sassy children. She loves to read, draw and spend time with her family when she’s not writing. Writing and having people read her books has been a long time dream of hers and she’s excited to write more. Her favorites genres are Fantasy and Sci-fi. Kellee lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two kids and two cats.
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www.kelleelgreene.com
Ravaged Land: Divided Series - A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Books 1-3 Page 41