by S. E. Smith
“It’s a natural talent,” Dust retorted teasingly. “Wait for my next show.”
Josie leaned back and stared up at Dust with a serious expression. Dust looked down and gave her a crooked smile. He really didn’t know what to say.
His eyes widened in surprise when Josie suddenly leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. He started to pull back, but Josie’s arms were around his waist preventing him. His hands slid to her hips. He was about to gently push her away when the sound of a throat clearing startled them both apart.
Dust turned his head to see Sammy standing at the corner of the gym. She was staring at him with an uneasy expression. Her gaze moved back and forth between him and Josie several times before she pressed her lips together.
“I thought she was telling you that dinner was ready,” Sammy replied in a voice edged with anger. “Neither one of you normally passes up a meal, so I was worried that something bad had happened. Obviously, I was wrong.”
“Sammy,” Josie started to say.
“I’ll talk to her,” Dust interjected in a quiet voice.
Josie looked at Dust and flushed. “I shouldn’t have….” Her voice died when Dust shook his head.
“Don’t feel bad, Josie,” Dust muttered, moving from one foot to the other. “It didn’t mean anything. You just needed someone and I was here.”
Josie nodded. “Yeah, good ole Dust to the rescue again,” she muttered, turning on her heel. “Dinner is ready, by the way.”
Dust watched Josie walk by Sammy and murmur something softly under her breath. Only when Josie disappeared around the corner did he walk toward Sammy. She was still scowling at him. A slight grin curved the corner of his lips. She would never admit it, but he could tell she was jealous.
“It doesn’t feel good, does it?” He asked curiously.
Sammy glared at him and folded her arms across her chest. “What doesn’t feel good?” She demanded in a tight voice.
“Feeling jealous,” he said, coming to a stop in front of her. “I didn’t like it, either.”
A frown creased Sammy’s brow and the scowl turned to a look of confusion. Dust lifted his hand and ran it along her cheek. She stared warily back at him when he slid his hand down her throat and wrapped it around the back of her neck.
“When did you feel it?” She asked in a slightly husky voice.
Dust took a step closer. “When Randolph was eyeing you,” he admitted.
“Randolph?!” Sammy scoffed. “He’s a slime bag.”
Dust’s lips twitched in amusement. “Yeah, he is, but I was still jealous.”
“I wouldn’t let him kiss me,” Sammy whispered, staring into his eyes.
“I’m glad,” Dust murmured, pulling Sammy a touch closer. “She’s just hurting. She isn’t really interested in me.”
“I know,” Sammy forced out in a barely audible voice. “And yes, she is. Interested… in you, that is.”
“Dust! Sammy! Dinner is… Oh,” Todd stopped in his tracks and looked back and forth between them with a wide-eyed expression. “Are you kissing again?”
Sammy pulled back and shook her head. “No, we aren’t kissing again,” she said in a husky voice.
Todd looked at his sister with a doubtful expression. “Are you sure? It sure looked like it,” he muttered.
Sammy turned on her heel and reached for her little brother’s hand. “I’m sure. Besides, Dust smells like a diesel engine at the moment. Who wants to kiss a motor?” She asked in a teasing tone.
“Is that why you have a black mark on your neck?” Todd asked innocently.
Dust bit back a laugh when Sammy released a soft curse and glanced over her shoulder to glare at him. With a shake of her head, she released Todd’s hand and muttered something about needing to go clean up before they ate. Todd giggled and looked back at Dust with a huge, knowing grin.
“She likes you,” Todd whispered to Dust as Sammy stomped back into the gym.
“Yeah, well, I like her, too,” Dust admitted with a crooked grin. “Tell everyone I’ll be there in a minute. I need to get cleaned up first. Someone mentioned that I smelled like an old engine.”
“I will. Miss Martha made a big pot of chicken flavored rice and vegetables from the stuff we brought. I didn’t even know we had any of it. It smells a lot like what mom used to make,” Todd said excitedly before the gleam in his eyes faded a little. “I miss my mom and dad.”
“I miss mine, too, Todd,” Dust murmured, laying his hand on Todd’s thin shoulder. “Go on, I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Dust watched Todd turn and walk back toward the entrance of the gym. For a moment, he wished that he had the power to turn back time. Then again, if he could, he’d still need a way to stop the comet and figure out a way to still meet Sammy and Todd. Shaking his head at wishful thoughts, he cleaned up the area before heading through the back door of the gym to the boy’s locker room and the bucket of water he had stored in there earlier.
*.*.*
Two hours later, Dust sat next to Sammy on one of the mats in the locker room. The others were sitting around it as well. In the center, a fire burned inside the rock circle. It was just enough to keep the chill out of the room.
Raymond had surprised everyone by pulling out a harmonica. He was playing several old tunes, some of which Dust didn’t know. Todd was lying with his head on Josie’s lap, his eyes growing heavier as the night wore on. What surprised Dust the most was that Denise was sitting close to Randolph. Martha was sitting beside Raymond while Beau was doing a perimeter check.
“That was nice, Raymond,” Martha replied when the melody faded. “I never knew you played so well. I heard you at some of the different functions, but it never dawned on me that you were so good.”
Raymond chuckled and gently cleaned the instrument before he wrapped it in the handkerchief and placed it back into his shirt pocket. It was obvious that he cared about the tiny reminder of normal days. For a moment, Dust wished he had some small reminder of his own to carry around with him.
“Being the president of the bank left me little time for my playing. Still, I do enjoy it. I learned how to play when I was about Todd’s age,” Raymond reminisced. “I begged my father to buy me one. He gave me my first harmonica on my eighth birthday and I’ve been playing ever since.”
“I wish I had learned how to play an instrument,” Sammy said with a grin. “I tried out for the band, but I wasn’t very good.”
“I play the piano,” Denise whispered, glancing nervously around. “Not that I could carry that around with me.”
“I played the drums for two years,” Dust admitted. “I quit when I broke my arm.”
Martha chuckled. “I can imagine it would be a little difficult to play one-handed,” she replied with a sigh. “I sang in the church choir.”
“So did my mom,” Josie replied in a soft voice.
“She had a beautiful voice, didn’t she, Josie,” Randolph said, glancing at his sister. “So do you.”
Josie glanced up at her brother in surprise and scowled. “How would you know?” She asked in a clipped tone.
The smile on Randolph’s lips faded and a sad look came into them. Dust could tell the other man felt uneasy about conversing with Josie. He watched in surprise when Denise reached over and threaded her fingers through Randolph’s in encouragement.
“You used to sing when you hung out at the laundry,” Randolph finally said.
“Oh,” Josie muttered, falling silent.
“I remember…,” Randolph’s voice faded and his eyes glazed over as if he was seeing something that wasn’t there. “She’s coming. I can see her. She isn’t far.”
“Who?” Raymond asked in surprise.
Randolph blinked several times before he shook his head and looked around at everyone. “The She Devil. She’ll be here soon,” he choked out.
“We have to get ready,” Dust said, rising to his feet. “Raymond, get Beau. Sammy, you have to hide.”
Chapte
r 24
The Battle:
The group rose as one. Even Todd, who had been half asleep, could feel the tension and urgency in the air. They didn’t have much time to really get things ready. Between working on the old bus, and Beau and Randolph’s arrival, time seemed to be on fast forward.
Dust silently cursed. They had to backtrack and the loss of distance between them and the She Devil was working against them. Still, they had discovered more survivors. Deep down, Dust knew that Raymond, Martha, and Denise wouldn’t have lasted very long if they had remained in the town.
“What’s your plan?” Beau asked Dust as he stepped into the main area of the gym.
Dust glanced at Josie and Randolph. In reality, they were the only ones that really stood a chance against the creature. Even then, he knew that it wasn’t going to be easy. Randolph’s main talent lay in knowing when and where the She Devil was. When it came to fighting, it was going to fall on his and Josie’s shoulders.
“The She Devil is stronger than she was back at the silo,” Dust stated in a quiet voice. “This isn’t like the fight back there. This is much, much worse.”
Dust watched as Beau paled and swallowed before he gave a sharp nod. Dust didn’t miss the quick glance that Beau shot toward Josie before his jaw tightened. Dust could see that Beau realized that he was about to see what Josie could really do. The small flames were nothing compared to what she was capable of creating.
“If you can draw her in, me and the others will blast the hell out of the bitch,” Beau said. “The women and the boy need to find a place to hide. Josie can watch over them.”
“I see you’re still trying to call the shots,” Josie muttered under her breath. “If the She Devil is as strong as Dust says she is, then he’s going to need my help.”
Dust nodded grimly. “She’s right, Beau,” he said in a slightly hesitant voice. “Raymond can stay with Sammy and the others.”
Sammy’s lips pursed and she shook her head. “We need a way to draw her out. If she suspects anything, it will be harder to kill her. I think we need to use me as bait. We know that she wants me dead,” she suggested in a quiet voice. “Besides, how do you hide from something that can pass through walls? It is better to be out in the open than to hide.”
“No, Sammy,” Todd cried out in fear, moving closer to his sister so he could wrap his arms around her waist and hold onto her. “I don’t want anything to happen to you!”
Sammy’s expression softened and she wrapped her arms around Todd and hugged him to her. Her gaze rose and she stared back at Dust. He could see the worry and fear reflected in them, but also the resignation. His gut clenched in response. As much as he hated to admit it, Sammy was right. Even if she hid, the She Devil could find her. Because of that, Sammy would be in more danger than if she was out in the open where they could rally around her.
Dust drew in a deep breath and ran his hand over the back of his neck. His gaze moved around the room. Everyone was staring silently back at him, waiting for him to make a decision. For a moment, he wished he didn’t have to be the one to do it. He suddenly felt much older than his fifteen years.
“I hate to admit it, but she’s right,” Dust replied in a husky voice, turning to look at Martha. “I need you, Denise, and Todd to find a safe place in the locker room. The showers would probably be the safest place,” he said before he turned to look at the others. “Beau, you and Raymond set up a perimeter on each side in front of the gym. One can hide behind the remains of the bus shed and the other back behind the concrete sign. Randolph, I want you to stay with Sammy. You can sense where the She Devil is. You let Sammy know if she is near.”
“What about me?” Josie asked, rubbing her hands together.
Dust looked at Josie. “You do what you can to protect the others,” he said in a quiet voice.
“What are you going to do?” Beau asked in a hard voice.
Dust’s lips tightened for a moment before he relaxed them. “I’ll be there,” he promised. “Get the weapons you’ll need. Martha, can you fire a gun?”
Martha nodded her head. “Yes,” she said.
“So can I,” Denise added softly. “You don’t live on a farm and not learn how to.”
Dust turned back to Beau. “Make sure they have some weapons,” he said, turning away.
“What about me?” Todd asked, looking around at everyone. “What am I supposed to do?”
Dust glanced back at the small, determined face. He saw Sammy’s arms tighten protectively around Todd and she gazed back at him with a worried expression. His gaze moved back to Todd and he reached into his pocket and pulled out the pocket knife his dad had given him. He turned back and held it out.
“Take this,” he instructed. “Only use it if you have to. I want you to watch Martha and Denise’s back.”
Todd took the folded blade. He stared down at the small knife in his hand before he looked back up at Dust. A shaky, but brave smile curved his lips.
“I’ll watch their back,” Todd promised. “Sammy showed me.”
*.*.*
“She’s close, maybe a mile or so,” Randolph murmured a half hour later.
“Remember, protect Sammy,” Dust instructed before he faded.
“Damn,” Randolph muttered in a shaky breath. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to him doing that.”
“It was pretty freaky the first few times,” Sammy replied with a shrug. “Now, it seems normal.”
“I don’t know what normal is anymore,” Randolph confessed, staring up at the sky. “It looks like another storm is coming. Maybe she’ll seek shelter.”
Sammy shook her head and gazed out over the dark gray, rolling clouds. Green lightning flashed in the distance, creating a spider web of light that faded almost as quickly as it appeared. Her fingers tightened around the bow in her left hand. She casually reached up and pulled an arrow out of the sheath strapped to her back.
“She’s here,” Randolph whispered, staring at the black shape that was slowly moving toward them.
“I see her,” Sammy replied, threading the arrow on the string. “Just let me know where she is if she disappears.”
Both of them stood waiting as the She Devil swooped down. Their gazes remained locked on her as she landed on the hard packed, dirt parking area in front of the gym. Sammy swallowed. This was not the creature from the silo. This one was different, more evolved. She rose up, over five and a half feet in height, and walked on two legs. Dust hadn’t been exaggerating when he said that she had evolved.
The She Devil paused, glancing from side to side with a thoughtful expression. Her long, leathery wings expanded outward for a moment before she folded them around her body like a cape. They were so long that the ends actually dragged along the ground behind her. What fascinated Sammy was that she was wearing clothing that looked almost Grecian in style.
“Where is the one I seek?” The She Devil asked in a slightly husky, accented voice.
Sammy felt Randolph start in surprise. Her left hand clenched the bow tighter while the fingers of her right hand twitched on the long shaft of the arrow in preparation. Drawing in a deep breath, Sammy forced the stiff muscles of her shoulders to relax.
“I’m here,” Dust replied, slightly behind the creature. “I don’t want to fight you, but I won’t let you harm anyone else.”
The She Devil partially turned, her dark eyes flowing over Dust. From this angle, Sammy could see that while her face had changed to a more human appearance, her nose and mouth still retained some of the characteristics of her canine DNA. A soft gasp escaped Sammy when the creature’s features suddenly distorted. As if in slow motion, the black fur covering her faded and her face and body transformed.
“What the…?,” Randolph hissed, staring in disbelief at the human-looking form.
“I have… Evolved, like you,” the She Devil whispered to Dust.
“No,” Dust replied, staring back at the beautiful creature standing in front of him. “You want to kill.
That is not want I want.”
The She Devil turned and looked at Sammy and Randolph. Her gaze skimmed over Randolph before she dismissed him. Sammy shivered when the creature’s gaze lingered on her.
“I am more powerful than that female,” the She Devil stated, turning back to look at Dust. “Join me as my mate. Share your power with me and we will rule this world together.”
Dust shook his head again. “No,” he said again. “Why do you want me? What power do you think I have?”
The She Devil took a step toward Dust and reached out one slender, delicate hand, as if to touch him. It was enough to make the hair on the back of Sammy’s neck stand up in warning. Lifting the bow, she pulled back on the arrow.
“I wouldn’t,” Sammy warned, staring at the creature.
A soft growl escaped the beast as she turned and hurtled toward Sammy with blinding speed. Sammy released the arrow at the same time as Randolph grabbed her around the waist and twisted with her. The movement knocked them both off balance, and they fell to the ground.
Sammy rolled onto her back and stared up in horror when the creature reappeared where she had been standing. The long shaft of the arrow protruded from the She Devil’s right shoulder. A loud snarl escaped the beast when she reached up and snapped the end off.
Sammy and Randolph scooted back several feet before scrambling to their feet. Sammy quickly pulled another arrow from the sheath and threaded it to the string. Her eyes widened in horror when the She Devil reached over her shoulder and pulled the broken shaft through her flesh. Fresh blood, the color of black ink, darkened the white tunic she had wrapped around her. With a flick of her wrist, the beast tossed the broken arrow away from her.
“You will die a slow death, human,” the She Devil whispered.
“I’ll see you in hell first,” Sammy retorted, pulling up the bow again.
The She Devil stared back at Sammy before she threw her head back and laughed. The sound washed over Sammy, sending goose bumps racing across her flesh at the promise held in it. Lightning flashed closer, highlighting the soft mocha skin of the She Devil’s shoulders and the quickly healing wound.