by Cameo Renae
I wasn’t the source of her cure, if that’s what just happened. I was acting as a friend who was there to help, to hold her hand when she was afraid. Someone to tell her that she was brave enough to overcome her fears. I couldn’t set her free. I couldn’t force her to be strong or courageous. She had to do that herself. And because she did, she triumphed.
I was doing and experiencing things that should only be allowed in sci-fi novels.
My gift was pushing me to limits I never knew existed. It was forcing me to become stronger, making me face and fight my deepest fears. I was finding out quickly that I was more courageous than I ever believed I could be.
All I wanted to do was save my family. If I happened to save others in the process of doing it…well, that was awesome.
I COULDN’T GO BACK TO sleep, so I got up and made some instant coffee. I figured if I couldn’t sleep, I might as well wire my body. Keanu and I were going to start our shift in an hour, but he was still out cold. I didn’t want to wake him yet, knowing he’d probably been up and down all night with Jones.
I peeked in to check on Chase and Dr. Simon, and both of them were sound asleep. I was a little jealous at how peaceful they looked. They were finally getting the rest their bodies desperately needed. Surviving was demanding and burdensome, not only physically, but mentally as well. To survive meant pulling through, keeping one's self together, holding on to hope and a desire for a better future—despite insurmountable odds. That was so much easier said than done. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could function without sleep, but I was desperate it would find me soon.
Our shift was scheduled for sunrise, and I was glad we’d have the advantage of the light. I’d take any help I could get. Sergeant Hawkins and Stevens both had black bags under their eyes as they dragged through the door. Their legs were heavy and slow.
“Food. Sleep,” Stevens mumbled, shuffling toward the kitchen.
I laughed. “I see you’ve reached zombie mode. But at least you kept us alive through the night, so I guess you deserve food and sleep.”
“Mmm,” he hummed with no facial expression, his blue eyes were droopy. He had reached his limit.
Sergeant Hawkins wasn’t as bad, but he was close.
“How’s Jones?” he asked Keanu, who’d stumbled out of his room. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was off. I couldn’t help but notice his defined, muscular physique. His skin looked smooth and tanned, and there was a large tribal tattoo on his right chest and arm. When he turned, I noticed the tattoo on his left arm—the same one Finn had.
Seeing it did something to me. I felt sad, regretful, and alone…all at the same time. These emotions washed over me like a flood, and it took everything inside of me to swallow them back.
“He’ll live,” Keanu answered. “I gave him another dose of pain meds. He should be out for a while.”
“Abi, you okay?” Stevens asked from the kitchen, preparing his oatmeal MRE. “Keanu walked out, and you looked like you were gonna burst into tears.”
I shook my head. “I’m just tired. I didn’t get much sleep.”
“He has that effect on me too,” Stevens chuckled.
“Shut up,” Keanu grumbled, running his hands through his dark hair. “I have a couple of sleeping pills if you need them, Abi. Just remind me. You can take one after our shift.”
“Hopefully, I won’t need it. If I feel like Stevens looks, I don’t think I’ll have a problem falling asleep.”
“Hey,” he sulked. “Believe me, if I weren't leaning against this counter, shoveling food into my mouth, I’d have fallen face first on the floor. Actually, this kitchen floor is looking pretty damn cozy.”
“It’s all yours, man,” Keanu said, heading toward him.
“Someone had better get out there. We can’t afford not having anyone on watch,” Sergeant Hawkins said.
“I’m ready. I’ll go now,” I said, throwing a rifle over my shoulder and Hellfire on my hip.
“Thank you,” he replied.
I was glad he trusted me, that they all trusted me. Sending me outside alone, with loaded weapons, more than proved it.
“I’ll be out in a sec. I’m going to grab some coffee,” Keanu said.
“No problem.” I waved, walking out the door.
Outside, there was a makeshift ladder in the front of the house leading to the roof. Someone had been busy…or trying to find something to do to stay awake. By the looks of the rough angles and bent nails, I assumed it was Stevens.
I hadn’t heard any hammering.
Carefully climbing to the top, I noticed they’d also put together a perch of sorts on the roof. It was just some scrap wood they found and threw together to make a covering. With the sun’s sweltering heat, we’d need it.
It was dawn, the start of a new day. As I did a quick sweep of the surrounding area, I couldn't help but wonder what this place used to look like. I imagined the girl, who was laying dead in her parents’ arms down below, riding her bike and running around with other kids from the neighborhood.
Just thirteen years ago, this world was filled with life. People were going on about their business without a care in the world. Then…bam! Doomsday. Mayhem, widespread death, and global destruction.
My mind wandered, wondering what it was like at Grammy’s place. She’d said they’d begun farming and even producing. I imagined it to be almost like my garden, except there were people there to share in the bounty. Maybe her little haven would be the place we could live. A place in the mountains, free from Arvies, and hopefully the government.
Keanu pulled his large frame up onto the roof and came to sit next to me under the shade. His hair skimmed the makeshift top. “Looks like a shorty designed this,” he sighed getting his rifle set up.
I laughed. “You are bigger than the average person.”
He grinned and shook his head.
“See anything?”
“Nope. Just hot sand and lots of sunshine.”
“Day shift should be easy. Mutants shouldn’t be coming out, and I think we sent a message to any survivors in the area.”
“The Manics?”
“Yeah, them too. But they are the ones we need to watch for. Those crazy bastards.”
We sat in silence for the next two hours. The sun’s position rose higher and higher in the sky, making the roof unbearable.
The silence was broken by Dr. Simon hollering. “Abi, come quickly.”
What can he possibly want?
“Go ahead. I’ve got it,” Keanu said. “If they need my help, send Stevens up.”
“Will do,” I said, quickly making my way off the roof. My mind was going haywire. I hated they didn’t come out and say, Abi, this happened. Then, at least I’d know whatever was up and could start dealing with it mentally.
When I reached the bottom, I dashed for the front door.
Danielle and Chase were sitting at the table, with Dr. Simon and Sergeant Hawkins standing in front of her with bewildered looks on their faces.
“What’s up?” I asked, panting.
“What did you do to Danielle?” Dr. Simon questioned.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I mean, she’s normal. She’s cured.” His hand gestured to her sitting at the table; her eyes were bright and clear and…normal looking.
“I didn’t do anything,” I said, shaking my head.
“She told me you did,” he stated. “She told me she was in trouble last night, and you visited her in her mind. That you helped heal her.”
“I—” I didn’t know what to say. I glanced over to Danielle, who met my stare and nodded. “All I did was be there for her as she fought the monster inside.”
“And?”
“And, apparently she won.” I shrugged.
“Abi, you’ve done what science hasn’t been able to do. You entered a mind and helped cure it.”
Chase’s face was also beaming “You cracked the code on crazy.” He turned to Danielle with wide eyes and
shook his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
She held up her hand. “It’s okay. I was in a dark place, lost in my mind. I’ve been alone on the topside for at least a month. The people I was with, they—” She stopped, her body trembled.
“You don’t have to tell us,” I urged.
“I know. But I feel like I have to tell someone,” she mumbled.
“You’re safe with us,” Chase said. “You can tell us as much or as little as you want.”
She closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Dr. Simon and I sat down, ready to hear her story. Sergeant Hawkins stood by the door, at the ready, a rifle in hand.
“I was three when I was taken into an underground bunker with five men and two women. Three of the men—two brothers and a cousin—were wealthy, and had pooled their money to build the shelter. The brothers brought their parents, and the oldest brother brought his wife. The last member was a close family friend.”
“Were they your family?” I asked.
“They told me they were. The brothers said I was the daughter of their sister, and that she died giving birth to me. I found out later, they never had a sister. The truth was, the younger brother found me standing in the middle of the street, lost and afraid. He said he tried to find my parents, but riots had broken out, and he didn’t want to leave me alone. So, he took me.
“The older brother’s wife became my mother. She took good care of me, making sure I was well fed, teaching me how to read and write. She spent her time cutting up T-shirts to make me dresses.” Danielle drifted off, most likely thinking about the happy memories she’d just dredged up.
The sergeant cleared his throat from the doorway and snapped her back to reality.
“Sorry.” She looked up and smiled sheepishly. “But that was when I was little. As the years went by, the men would have nights where they’d get high and drunk. I guess they’d stocked the bunker with more than just food and water.” She paused, and I could tell she was struggling.
Chase leaned in and lightly squeezed her shoulder, which seemed to give her strength to continue.
“The drunker they got, the more they fought with each other. My mother would keep me locked in her room during those nights. We would play board games until I fell asleep. Until one night, when a loud knock on the door woke me. It was her husband. His eyes were bright red. He was angry and accused her of fooling around with the others. It wasn’t true. She was always with me.” She took in a deep breath and fidgeted with her hands. “He shouted and threw things. Then he beat her until she dropped to the ground and didn’t move. When he left, I ran over to her, but she wouldn’t wake up.”
“Where were the parents?” Chase asked.
“They were old and kept to themselves. They didn’t like my mom or me, so we kept to ourselves. She was the reason I was alive.”
“What happened to her?”
“Her injuries kept her in bed. She could barely walk. And then, eight days after my eighth birthday, she didn’t wake up.”
“I’m so sorry,” Chase said.
“I’m sorry as well,” Dr. Simon added. “Not only for your loss, but for what you had to endure.”
Danielle’s body was shaking, tears spilled from her eyes, followed by deep sobs. “She was gone. There was no one to protect me from the others.” She buried her face in her hands.
Chase put his arm around her shoulder. “Hey,” he whispered. “You don’t have to tell us anymore. I think we know what happened next.”
“Dear child,” Dr. Simon wiped a tear from his cheek, “we are glad we found you. We will protect you now.”
“You can’t protect her if you take her back to the bunker,” I said.
“She might hold the cure, and that would allow us to live topside,” Sergeant Hawkins said from the doorway.
Danielle looked to me. “I don’t mind going with them. No one can do more harm than what I’ve already experienced. I have no one…no family.”
“You have us,” I said, reaching across the table.
She took hold of my hand. “Thank you. And that’s why I will go with them. Because I want you to be safe.” She looked at me through tear filled eyes. “I know why you’re out here alone. You want to save your family. I will be doing the same.”
“Yes, we will be your family,” Dr. Simon agreed. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.”
“Thank you.” She smiled.
“So, how did you escape?” I asked.
Her hands twisted around themselves. “The oldest brother left the bunker in a drunken rage. The others begged him to stay, but he wouldn’t listen. Days later, the other two went out to look for him, and also never returned. Me and their parents were left behind. But they didn’t want me around. They shunned me because I was sixteen and pregnant.
“I had no idea how to survive, or what I’d be facing. I just shoved as much food and water into an old backpack as would fit, and ran until I came to the house where you found me. And after my daughter was stillborn…I wished to sleep and not wake up. But every day, my eyes would open, and I couldn’t understand why.”
She broke off and wept silently into her hands.
I felt awful for Danielle. Reaching out, I stroked her hair.
“I don’t think we will ever meet a survivor like you,” I said. “You’re the bravest girl I know.”
She shook her head. “You’re the bravest girl I know.”
“I think you both are pretty damn close on the bravery score,” Chase noted.
His comment made Danielle laugh through her tears.
“I know there’s something we can do to make you feel better. It’s not much, but it’s a start. It’ll give you the closure you need,” Chase said.
We all turned to him, and Danielle wiped her eyes.
“What’s that?”
“We could have a burial for your little girl.”
“Autumn,” she whispered. “Her name was Autumn.”
He nodded sympathetically. “We can have a proper burial for Autumn. What do you think about that?”
She looked around the table, her eyes landing on me. “You’d do that for me?”
“Of course we would,” I said, feeling like we’d just made a major step toward her recovery. “She deserves nothing less.”
BEFORE THE SUN SET, CHASE went outside and dug a small grave next to Jimenez. We all stood around in support, as Danielle placed her baby in her final resting place, and Dr. Simon said a prayer. It was short and sweet, but I could see that it was another triumph for Danielle. In just a few short days, she wasn’t the same girl we’d found at that house. And deep inside, I knew that she would make it.
That evening the entire atmosphere changed. Jones was recovering, and Danielle sat at the dinner table with us. Stevens brought out a pack of cards and taught us a few games. It was the first time in a long time it seemed like an ordinary evening. We ate until we were full, drank water until we weren’t thirsty, and laughed for what seemed like hours.
When it was time for bed, Danielle and I headed to our room. She asked if I could keep the flashlight on, and I agreed. She then busied herself with arranging her sleeping bag right next to mine. Some things would take time to adjust.
“Good night, Abi,” Danielle whispered, once we were tucked in.
“Good night, Danielle.” Looking up at the glowing circle on the ceiling, I said a quick prayer, asking God to watch over Finn and my family.
Then I rolled to my side and finally fell into a deep sleep.
THE NEXT MORNING, I WOKE to screams. When I went outside, I found out Jones had fixed the radio, and they’d made contact with the bunker. A chopper was already on its way to our location for extraction.
They packed up their bags, maintaining their good spirits throughout the day. They’d achieved their mission and were glad to be heading back to their families, minus a few. I couldn’t imagine what those families would have to go through.
Keanu and I were on the roof that morning, an
d I caught him glancing over at me with concern. “I know you’re stressing about going back to the bunker, but just like Danielle, you have all of us on your side. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
I sighed and shook my head. “That’s the thing. You will never know what they’re doing to me. I’ve been there before. Even the lab techs don’t have a clue what’s being injected into us. We’re held in a private wing, heavily monitored and guarded. They never let me see my family, other than the few visits per month; and even then, only unless it’s approved. No one can enter our area unless they have a secret access code. So, if you guys think you can protect me, you can’t. Once I enter the bunker, I’ll be a ghost.”
He exhaled loudly and gave me a worried glance. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. And that was the last thing he said during the rest of our watch.
The day dragged on and on, and finally, when the sun hung low in the sky, they loaded all their gear outside.
A chair was placed outside for Jones, and he’d been given binoculars so he could watch the sky.
To my surprise, instead of chopper blades cutting through the air, I heard screams and growls blaring in my head.
“Abi,” Chase yelled, turning to me with his hands over his ears.
I nodded. “I hear it.”
“What?” Sergeant Hawkins asked, his eyes darting between us.
“Arvies. A lot of them,” I replied.
“Are they heading our way?” Stevens asked, and I nodded.
Sarge took out his binoculars and turned his attention southwest, the direction of the last attack.
“I think I see them,” he said. “Five clicks, just coming over a hill.”
“How many?” Keanu asked.
“More than the last town,” he answered.
“Oh God.” Stevens sighed. “What are we going to do?”
“We stay here until the chopper comes. If they don’t come in time, we’ll lock ourselves in the underground.”
“We’ll never get out. They’ll never find us.”
“Yes they will.” The sergeant tried to keep everyone hopeful. He turned to Jones. “I need you to try and make contact with the bunker. Alert them of the Arvies, and tell them we might have to seek shelter in one of the homes. We will mark the roof with an X.”