Grim Effects

by Kip Nelson

  She hated having to lie to Nick. Although she trusted him, she didn't think she could tell him the truth. The truth was something she wanted to forget anyway. But now she was alone. She liked it when they had been huddled together in the barn because it was safe. She didn't trust Jim. He barely had looked at her at all when he welcomed her into his home, and that was strange. Usually men liked looking at her. He had a hard edge to him that reminded her of her father. Maybe he just wasn’t used to entertaining company. It was easy to be lonely out here. He probably was worried about his family as well, if they had gone out to check on the neighbors.

  Tanya pushed open a door and saw that it was a young girl's room. Someone of a similar age to her had spent their time in here. She was glad for the heavy fleece that Jim had given her, but the rough texture scratched her skin, and it hung awkwardly on her slender body. Rummaging through the drawers, she hoped this girl wouldn't mind if she borrowed a new outfit. Her own clothes were hard and uncomfortable. The rain had dried and left her with not much recourse but to change clothes.

  It was going to be strange to sleep in another girl's bed. She'd been making a habit of it ever since she ran away from home. The houses she had stayed in all had been abandoned. It felt wrong to use a bed that was waiting for someone to come back. She walked to the window and looked out at the night sky. The rain fell in big drops, and in the distance more lightning flashed. The storm clouds were illuminated. It looked eerie and powerful. Tanya drew the curtains and turned away. The candles that burned in every room smelled nice and she stood by them, basking in their warmth. All in all, it was a cozy house, despite it being in the middle of nowhere, and she was glad she wasn't here alone. She didn't know how she would handle being in the house alone with Jim.

  She pulled her top over her head and heard a creak behind her. Turning around quickly, she saw Jim standing in the doorway. His looming figure filled the door frame. His eyes looked right through her, and when she saw him she saw every night when her father had come into her room. It always happened the same way. The door had been ajar, and he'd effortlessly pushed it open. Then he was standing there, entering her private space. This wasn't her space. Her arms curled around her chest as she held the top next to her body. She backed away, bumping against a chest of drawers. An ornament wobbled and almost fell, but stayed steady.

  Tanya's voice was paralyzed. She wanted to call out for Nick's help, and yet the words caught in her throat. So often she had wanted to call for help when her father had come into her room, but she hadn't been able to do it. He always said nobody would come running to help her because she was worthless and nobody apart from him cared. Jim's presence filled the room. Tanya felt herself crushed by it.

  “Make yourself comfortable. She won't be home tonight. The clothes should fit you. You look like her, you know. Same shape. Hope the bed is alright. She always complained about lumps in the mattress, but it should be okay for a night. Better than the barn anyway. She used to camp out there when she was younger. Thought it was a big adventure. I never let her out in the woods, though. Too dangerous out there. Did you know there are wolves? Wouldn't be surprised if they're out there now. Wolves always love the storm. Anyway, I hope you're settling in alright. Just remember to blow out the candles in the room. The ones in the kitchen I've made so they won't burn anything dangerous. But the ones in here. Well, there are a lot of curtains and fabric around. I'd hate to see this place go up in flames.”

  He lingered in the doorway for a few moments more and seemed as though he was going to say something else when he turned. Tanya only then realized that she had been holding her breath. She exhaled deeply and steadied herself against the chest of drawers. The footsteps faded into nothingness, but her eyes were locked on the door. She finished getting changed quickly, frantically pulling on new clothes, and then went to the room in which Nick was staying.

  “I've got a bad feeling about this,” she said as she burst into the room.

  Backdraft, sitting on the end of the bed, raised his head and panted toward Tanya. Nick was standing in front of a mirror changing. His shirt was off. Tanya's eyes ran across the rippling muscles. He was bruised in places. Tanya was filled with the strange and sudden urge to take care of him and nurse his wounds. His abs rippled and his biceps were thick. His shoulders were broad, and Tanya found herself blushing again. She looked away, afraid she had seen something she shouldn't have.

  “Didn't anyone teach you to knock?” Nick said in that easy manner of his. He smiled and gestured for her to come in. He pulled a T-shirt over his head. Tanya was both grateful and annoyed that he had done so. Still, she had the memory of his body anyway. “What's the problem?”

  Tanya sighed as she sat on the bed and started ruffling Backdraft's head. The dog nuzzled into her and murmured his pleasure. The bed sank as Nick sat on the opposite edge. Tanya was very aware of the space between them. It would be so easy to reach out and touch him, to feel his strong arms wrap around her. She wondered if he had a girlfriend. No, that was silly, he wouldn't be interested in her anyway. She was just a worthless girl. Tanya kept her attention solely on Backdraft, and wished that the burning sensation would fade from her cheeks.

  “I just think it's a bit creepy,” she said, not ready to tell him about her father.

  How could she? He barely knew anything about her and she knew how he'd react if he told her. He'd look at her with pity, like she was nothing but a victim. So far, he'd admired her for bringing Backdraft back. She didn't want that to change.

  “I think the storm has something to do with that. Jim doesn't seem like the friendliest guy, but I guess he's spent a lot of time here by himself. He did bring us in and show us hospitality as well. He could have just as easily turned us out into the storm,” Nick said.

  “I know, but I'm just worried that he's not who he says he is. You know what people are like...”

  “I do and, believe me, with what I've been through I have my guard up as well. I promise I won't let anything happen to you. I'm right across the hall if you need me. The house isn't that big. I'm sure if one of us gets in trouble, we'll hear each other scream. Would you like Backdraft to go with you?”

  Tanya almost said yes, but then she thought about how long the two of them had been apart. She also didn't want Nick to think she was a coward. “Thanks for the offer, but no. I think I'll be alright. Just knowing that you're across the hall is a big relief.”

  “Just try getting some sleep and, hopefully, the storm will be over by the morning. Then we'll talk about where we're going next. We've got the whole world to explore.”

  “Yeah, we do,” Tanya said, and smiled.

  She patted Backdraft one last time and then returned to her room. Closing the door behind her, she felt for a lock and was disappointed when there wasn't one. Despite what Nick said she knew how quiet men like her father could be when they wanted to be. Then she looked for something to bar the door. The only thing heavy enough was the chest of drawers, but she wasn't strong enough to move that. Instead, she crawled into bed. Indeed, the mattress was lumpy, but it was better than sleeping in a barn.

  The sound of the rain hitting the windows was soothing, but she couldn't allow herself to sleep. Her eyes kept glancing toward the door. She almost expected it to open. In her mind she wished that it was Nick, coming to check on her. He'd sit next to her and caress her face, show her all the affection she'd been missing. Her body started to burn. It quickly cooled for she then thought of Jim coming back. She doubted he'd gone to wish Nick or Cosmo a good night.

  After some time passed Tanya knew she wasn't going to get to sleep. The rain was growing softer, and she hadn't heard thunder for a while. There was something Jim said that she hadn't been able to figure out. Why had he told them not to go wandering around the farm? It wasn't like they were going to make a habit of it, especially with the storm the way it was. It only made her feel like he was hiding something. The fear swelled within her, and she knew something fishy going on. The
longer they stayed there, the more danger they would be in. Nick didn't seem to be too concerned, but Tanya couldn't shut her mind off. Eventually, she threw off the covers and flung open the door. The floor was cold, so she slipped her feet into her shoes before she left the room.

  Pausing outside Nick's room, she considered waking him up, but didn't want him to think she was being foolish. She slowly walked down the stairs, trying to tread as softly as possible so the creaks were not too loud. She found herself in the kitchen again. Candles flickered, making shadows dance upon the walls. Everywhere she saw something that could have been a person, but only turned out to be shadows. The house was quiet and still. She walked through the living room. More pictures of Jim's family were dotted around the place, some more recent than the one she had seen earlier. They seemed happy, and his daughter did look like her. By the front door she froze. There were pairs of shoes in the doorway. Maybe they had more than one pair each, but she wondered why they still were there if they had gone out.

  Walking back to the kitchen, she noticed a tall door, which she assumed was a pantry. Feeling a little hungry, she opened it. The door was stiff, and she had to pull with all her might to open it. When it finally gave way, she was flung backward.

  It wasn't a pantry at all.

  Wooden steps descended into pitch black darkness. There were no sounds, but cool air drifted up the steps and curled around her ankles. Tanya's throat ran dry. Something inside her told her the smart thing to do was just to slam the door shut and return to bed, but she had to try being brave. The world would not have any mercy for her, and if she was going to go along with Nick, then she would have to be brave. Breathing deeply and steadily she picked up a lantern and held it in front of her. As she slowly descended the steps, the darkness gave way to light. She looked back, checking that the light from the kitchen still was there.

  Tanya closed her eyes and tried telling herself that everything was going to be fine. She just was being silly. It wasn't like there were monsters down there, and when she saw Nick in the morning she could tell him what she had done. He might even be impressed.

  Shivering, she looked around the basement. There were a number of tools and pieces of furniture around, but other than that it was barren. As she turned the lantern around, illuminating every part of the room, the fear dissipated from her mind and relief filled her. There was nothing strange here. It was all just a regular basement, and everything had been in her mind. She laughed softly to herself and shook her head, then went to return to the kitchen. As she did so, however, her eyes caught something. She turned. To her right, against the wall, was a freezer. There was nothing strange about it, apart from a red stain that bled through the surface. Whatever was in there was not being kept frozen. She gulped again and wondered if Jim just had forgotten about it. But what was that red stain?

  Tanya walked over and opened the door. She gasped and almost dropped the lantern. The freezer was filled with limbs. Human limbs. Severed and arranged neatly. Nausea rose within her, especially when she looked at the top of the freezer and saw the head of Jim's daughter. She staggered backward. Time seemed to stand still as the girl’s hollow mouth silently screamed at Tanya. She knew she had to get back to Nick as soon as possible. Spinning on her heels, she was about to run back up the stairs when she saw him in the doorway.

  “I told you to stay in the house,” he said in a low voice.

  This time the lantern did drop to the floor. She staggered backward and bumped into the freezer. The door slammed shut and the farmer took the first step down. Tanya's eyes widened in fear as her hand pressed against the cold, dried blood. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out.

  Chapter Sixteen

  David's head was groggy. The last thing he remembered...Mikey! No...no...that was hours ago now. Had it been hours, or had it been days? It felt as though he had been asleep for a long time, and yet his mind was not rested at all. His arms ached, and his head swam with an uneasy feeling. His stomach was in knots, either due to hunger or anxiety. He didn't know which was more prevalent. When he tried moving, his body ached and he thought he was going to throw up. So, he stayed where he was. Where that was exactly he couldn't say. Outside the rain still was falling. He could hear the patter against the window. A window. He was inside. The storm. His clothes were damp, but not sodden as they once were. He'd been in this place long enough for his clothes to dry somewhat at least. He remembered the storm and walking into the city, then feeling so exhausted he just wanted to rest. After that everything was blank.

  “He's waking up,” a high-pitched voice said.

  He heard footsteps rush toward him. David tried swinging his arms to defend himself if need be. His body was sluggish, though. It didn't act as quickly as his mind. He got caught up in the blanket and struggled to get his arms free. At first, he thought he was restrained and his eyes went wide with panic, wondering what kind of people had captured him. Instantly, he thought about the men who had killed Mikey. Had they found him? Or worse...what if Nick and the others had trailed him back to the city and brought him here? Maybe he knew what a threat David was and was going to make him pay.

  “Whoa, it's okay. You're okay,” another voice said.

  This one was lower. David looked up to see two people standing before him, a man and a woman. They looked quite young. The girl was attractive. The same kind of girl who would have avoided him in the old world. The same kind of girl who would have swooned over Nick. David could feel his face turn red as he thought about that man, the man who was responsible for the death of his best friend. The man before him was quite similar to the girl. They both had dark hair and similar features, such as dimples in their cheeks and almond-shaped eyes. At first, he thought they were a couple, but when he looked longer he thought they might be siblings. This was confirmed when the man introduced the two of them.

  “I'm Max, and this is my sister Tori,” he said, holding out his hand.

  David tentatively took it. He wasn't used to the kindness of strangers. Max had a firm handshake, the kind of handshake that David's father always had taught David to have. It was important to make a good first impression, and a weak handshake could derail any kind of relationship, professional or personal. David's handshake had been one of his defining characteristics. Strong and imposing, it set him out as a formidable presence, and was one of the reasons he had risen so quickly to the role of a bank manager. He wondered if Max had the same drive as him.

  Tori's handshake was weaker, of course, but her skin was warm, and David felt his heart flutter when their hands touched. When he looked into her eyes she turned away. It was useless. There was no point even entertaining the idea of a romance. He just wasn't the type of man who women such as Tori went for. They'd always choose the blustering hero figure of Nick over the reliable, responsible man such as David. In that moment, his heart was filled with hatred for Tori and all her kind.

  “David,” he said in a terse voice, still unsure if he could trust them.

  He glanced around at the apartment. The curtains were open, showing the gray skies over the city. The place was sparse. Useless DVDs rested on shelves along with books. A television was in the corner. Candles were sitting around the room, although many of them had burned down until they were almost only a wick.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Tori asked. “When we saw you outside we thought you might be dead, or close to it.”

  “Maybe I was,” David said.

  Then he remembered his manners. His father had taught him that as well. Basic courtesy could take a man a long way. Unlike Nick, he didn't have natural charisma to rely upon. Thinking about it, he couldn't even remember Nick thanking him or Mikey for taking them in. Anger boiled inside him once again. He should have been more careful around Nick. He should have known what kind of man Nick was from the outset and been harder with Mikey. He never should have let Nick and Cosmo stay with them. David had known from the moment he and Mikey found them that they were trouble. Mikey was a
lways too friendly and too trusting. Unfortunately, this time it had cost his life.

  “Thank you so much for doing what you did. I can't imagine what would have happened to me if I had stayed out there.”

  “It's the least we could do,” Max said.

  “No, no, it's not. I know what people can be like since the world changed. Most people only are looking out for themselves. I know you didn't have to do what you did.”

  “What were you doing out there in the storm anyway?” Tori asked. David pressed his lips together and sighed. He pulled the blanket off him and sat up on the couch.

  “Hang on a minute, Tor,” Max said, and turned to David. “I have some spare clothes if you want them? Had to leave you in the wet ones because, well, it would have been weird to undress you. We also have a bit of food stored if you'd like something to eat. It's not much but...”

  David smiled. “That would be great, thank you,” he said, the pangs aching in his stomach.

  Max disappeared into another room and came back with a new shirt and some pants. Tori went into the kitchen. David looked at her swaying hips as she walked away. Despite the state of the world Tori was keeping herself in good shape. His gaze lingered as she moved around the kitchen, only turning away when she returned with a plate of food. It was biscuits, some canned peaches, and cereal. Hardly the feasts he had been used to, but he thanked Tori graciously anyway. When he started eating he realized he was hungrier than he first had thought, and the food soon had disappeared from the plate.

  “To answer your question,” David said, brushing some of the crumbs away from his lips, “I was coming back to the city. I've suffered a lot out there. I was in the wild with my friend Mikey. We were hunting and living well. I mean no offense by this since your food was great, but I have been used to eating venison and all kinds of other meat that we hunted and cooked ourselves.”