Then There Was You

by Heather Thurmeier

“Are you hurt?” he asked as she pried the longest blade out of the knife a fraction of an inch then pressed the edge of the tip into the floor of the cargo area behind her until it clicked into place. “Do you need help?”

  He reached for her and she shrieked, cutting into the air with the knife, hoping to connect with him somewhere painful. Her attack went wide, missing him completely. She struck out again hoping to get him on the backswing, but he grabbed her wrist and squeezed, forcing her hand to relax and drop the blade.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “Defending myself. What does it look like?” she shot back.

  The corner of his mouth twitched. He let go of her and scooped up her knife before she could grab it. “Defending yourself? With this?”

  “Give it to me,” she demanded, reaching out her hand, palm up.

  “Since I’m not at all worried about you hurting me with this, you can have it.” He almost placed it in her palm before jerking his hand back again, teasing her. “But first you need to tell me why you’re hiding in a truck, miles from the highway.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s none of your business.” She raised her chin, trying to appear tough and confident.

  “Since you’re on my property, I think it is my business.”

  Oh. Shit.

  “The highway was a parking lot and I couldn’t wait any longer for traffic to move,” she said. “I thought I’d cut through here until I hit a side road.”

  “I figured the highway would be a mess. I guess I didn’t realize it would get so bad so quickly.” He dropped her knife into her hand and shrugged. “Well then, you may as well grab your things and come with me.”

  She gripped her knife and shook her head. “No way. You shot at me. I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “I didn’t shoot at you. I shot at a deer. If you hadn’t honked, I would’ve hit my mark and been halfway home with my dinner by now.”

  How could she admit to him that she’d given in to her panic and had wrapped her arms around her chest and slumped forward in the driver’s seat, sobbing, only to lean on the horn in the process? She couldn’t. She couldn’t show weakness.

  “Come on. Let’s go. It’ll be dark in a couple of hours and I still need dinner. And by the looks of things, you need a place to crash for the night.”

  “Thank you, but I’m perfectly fine continuing on my way to the next road.”

  “Oh? And you’re going to drive through the river on the way? Okay. Good luck with that.” He turned and started walking away.

  What river? And where would she go? Her truck was out of gas. She could go it alone in these woods, or she could go with him since he knew the area. Probably she should go with him.

  But could she trust him not to turn the gun on her?

  Did she have any other choice?

  “Wait,” she called.

  Sara looked him up and down. He didn’t look threatening. He looked normal. Clean-cut, put together, with not a hint of crazy in his blue eyes. His shoulders were broad and arms were huge; his biceps, even hidden in his big jacket, looked sizable. He wore an amused expression that in another situation she would have found cute and intriguing. Hell, if they’d met in some normal way, she’d go so far as to say he was drop-dead sexy.

  She hesitated, debating with herself.

  The truth was, she didn’t know this area well enough to get where she needed to go without her truck’s GPS. Maybe if she went with him, he could point her in the right direction and she could be on her way to the bunker. Of course, she couldn’t tell him that was where she was headed.

  She couldn’t tell anyone that secret.

  Her family had sworn her to silence. They’d insisted that if something ever happened and they had to go to the bunker, she was to tell no one—to trust no one.

  “Staying or coming, darlin’? I haven’t got all day.”

  “I’m...I’m coming.” Oh crap, am I really doing this? Yes. She was. It was her best chance so she had to take it. “Just let me grab my things.”

  Her bag felt heavy and comforting on her back as she pulled the square-shaped pail from the corner of the cargo area. She folded the blanket she’d hidden under and tucked it into the space between the pail’s lid and the handle. It wasn’t the best way to carry it, but she didn’t want to leave the warm, woolen blanket behind. It was part of her gear.

  In the front seat she grabbed her purse, cell phone, and bottle of water. Not that her cell phone would do her any good, she hadn’t been able to get a single call to go through since the news of the outbreak aired, but she felt better knowing she had it on her, just in case she was able to get a clear line again...someday. She locked the door, pocketing the keys.

  “Anything else you want to grab?” he asked, looking her up and down.

  She suddenly felt like a pack mule heading out for a long trek. She chose to ignore his comment, along with his teasing look, and took inventory of herself. Backpack on back, purse on shoulder, pail in one hand, and water bottle in the other, cell phone in pocket. Got everything.

  “I’m good,” she said, smiling and adjusting the already heavy pail in her hand.

  He didn’t say anything, just shook his head, turned, and walked away.

  They wandered in silence for a while, and she did her best not to fall. She was normally very sure-footed, but being in the woods with her arms full and unbalanced made her stumble more times than she could count. While crossing an impossibly narrow wooden bridge, she barely caught herself before taking a header into the river below.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when her feet hit solid ground on the other side and she was still dry. He hadn’t been kidding about her not being able to cross the river in her truck. It was fast-moving and wide. The truck would have made it halfway, if she’d been lucky.

  “Let’s rest here for a few minutes before we go farther,” he said, looking comfortable sitting on a tree stump.

  “I’m fine,” she said between heavy breaths. “I can keep going.”

  “I’m sure you can, but let’s stop for a few minutes anyway.”

  She glanced around, unsure of what she was looking for.... some hint of unrest or danger or something. “Are you sure it’s safe to stop?”

  “We’re safe here for now. This is my property and rarely does anyone wander on to it without my invitation.” He raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. “Whatever’s going on out there,” he nudged his head in the general direction of the highway and beyond, “it shouldn’t reach us here.”

  “Okay.” She dropped the heavy bucket. Hiking through the woods had made it feel as if it weighed fifty pounds instead of fifteen. She sat on top of it, the folded blanket still resting under her rear, making it a more comfortable seat than expected.

  The water from her bottle had long ago turned warm, but she drank heavily anyway. She hadn’t realized how out of shape she was until now. Not that she looked out of shape, with her flat stomach and hourglass silhouette. But her lungs burned with exertion and her feet felt as if they were made of lead. Apparently, she needed to use the treadmill and weight machines at the gym more often—if such a place even existed anymore.

  The thought of what might be the new normal for the world brought tears to her eyes, blurring her vision.

  “You okay, darlin’?” he asked, taking a drink from his own water bottle, which had been clipped to his belt with a carabineer.

  Sara bit her lip and nodded. She wouldn’t show weakness around some strange man, even if he did look at her with concern in his eyes and not a hint of malice. “Do you know what’s happening out there? I was on the road between clients when all of a sudden the music stopped and the emergency broadcast started. But it’s not really telling me anything except to stay home.”

  “So you decided to hit the road?” He chuckled. “Not one to follow directions well, I guess.”

  She shrugged. “Do you know what’s going on?”

  He shook his head. “I hea
rd something about a pandemic on the news and that’s it. I didn’t stick around in town to find out more.”

  Pandemic? That wasn’t a word the government liked to throw around lightly. Could something of that magnitude really have happened?

  Her heart pounded as she absorbed the news. This was bad. But how bad? Were they in danger here and just didn’t know it yet? A pandemic? What kind? How did it spread? Water? Blood? Air?

  She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to clear the questions from her head. Panicking wouldn’t do her any good. She had to deal with her immediate situation first and then worry about everything else...like a pandemic...second.

  “I’m Dane, by the way,” he said, reaching out his hand and taking hers. “And you are?”

  “Sara.”

  He smiled. She struggled to return it. He was being very nice to her, given their unusual meeting and the events of the day.

  “What’s in the bucket that’s so important you’re willing to carry it through the woods and not leave it behind?”

  If she told him, would he use his gun and take it from her?

  “Nothing.”

  “Really? Well, that’s the most important ‘nothing’ I’ve ever seen then.”

  They sat in silence for a few minutes, each drinking from their water bottles and neither making eye contact.

  “I’d be polite and ask you were you’re from and where you’re headed, but since you don’t want to tell me what’s in your bucket, I figure you’re not going to want to tell me that other stuff either.”

  “You’d be right.”

  “Okay. Have it your way. But so you know, I’m not some crazy guy you have to be afraid of because I’m carrying a gun.”

  “I know,” she said quietly, hoping he believed her even though she knew it was a lie. She didn’t trust him, and she did worry he might be a little crazy, but she didn’t want him to know she felt that way.

  “I don’t think you do.” He stood and took the gun off his shoulder. She flinched, proving his point. “Stay here a minute, darlin’, and be quiet. I’m going to scrounge us up something for dinner before we make more noise on the way to my cabin.

  He didn’t wait for her reply before disappearing into the woods. Good thing. She wouldn’t have been able to find words anyway, not with her heart pounding in her throat. Instead, she put her head in her hands and allowed the weight of the day to bear down on her shoulders for a few minutes before she had to be strong again.

  Chapter Three

  Dane wiped the bloodied edge of his knife across his thigh. Adding a little more blood didn’t matter anymore since he was covered in it already. He’d have a nice, long shower when they got back to the cabin, but until then, he was going to look like he’d walked off the set of a horror flick.

  Slinging his rifle back over his shoulder, he left his kill where it lay and started back toward the river to collect the girl. He’d collect her, then stop back for the deer on the way to the cabin. It would save him dragging the thing any farther than he had to.

  In the next day or two, he could go out and try again for another deer when he didn’t have Sara sitting in the woods waiting for him. It was amazing he’d been able to find game, what with Sara’s loud steps and jingling backpack announcing their place in the woods.

  What was all that stuff she brought with her anyway? Whatever it was, it had to be important since she hadn’t left it behind, even though it was obviously getting heavy.

  At least they didn’t have much farther to travel to get to his place. Then she could stay or go as she decided. He wouldn’t make her stay with him for long if she didn’t want to. Of course, the idea of her going off in the woods alone with only that silly pocketknife to protect herself was anything but comforting. How had she expected that little blade to be enough? Well, if she decided to leave, he’d make sure she took something more lethal with her for protection.

  “You ready?” he asked, coming back to the edge of the river where he’d left her. “My cabin isn’t too much farther. We should be there in another half hour or so, depending on how difficult you find the trail.”

  She got to her feet and shouldered her backpack and purse then gripped her bucket in her hand. “I’m ready when you are.” Her gaze fell to the blood splattered across his chest.

  He smiled proudly. “Dinner.”

  “Disgusting.”

  “Only until you taste my venison stew, and then you’ll be begging for seconds.”

  “I highly doubt it.”

  “Suit yourself. Your starvation is not my problem.” He wandered off ahead of her, leading the way back to his cabin, setting a quick pace he hoped she could keep up with.

  “Thanks for your concern.” Her voice was thick with sarcasm. “But just so your mind is at ease, I won’t starve. I have all the food I need with me.”

  So that’s what the bucket was filled with. Food. Interesting. Maybe she was more prepared than she looked. What other things did she have with her that she hadn’t let on about?

  He followed his trail back to where the deer waited, already gutted. He tried to imagine what this scene would look like to this city girl and chuckled. She was in for a rude awakening about life in the woods.

  When he reached the deer, he grabbed the antlers and started off toward the cabin again, dragging his kill through the woods as he went. There was no other option. The deer was too heavy to carry the rest of the way, and he wasn’t about to starve. So dragging meat home for dinner was the only way.

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Sara mumbled behind him.

  “Do not throw up on my deer.”

  “It’s just....” She gagged on the words. “The blood....” Another gag.

  He stopped and motioned for her to walk beside him. “Stay up here with me. You won’t smell or see anything but trees and leaves. Breathe through your mouth for a bit if you have to until the feeling subsides.”

  She grabbed her stomach with her free hand and threw her head back, closing her eyes. “Oh God.”

  “Don’t be overly dramatic or anything. It’s a deer. Not a rat or a dog or anything else that should be offensive to you.”

  She groaned again and staggered on the uneven terrain of the trail. She yelped and collapsed into a pile on the ground.

  He dropped the antlers and crouched down. “Are you okay?”

  Tears filled her eyes, already spilling down her cheeks. She shook her head and gripped her knee in both hands.

  Great, just what he needed. It wasn’t enough to drag a buck home; now he’d have to carry the girl, too?

  “Can you walk?” he asked, not wanting to be insensitive, but needing to know what he was dealing with.

  “I don’t know. I’ll try.” Her voice sounded weak.

  He set her pail upright and refolded the blanket on top of it, then lifted her until she sat on the makeshift seat and kneeled in front of her. He touched her knee but it was impossible to tell how much it was injured through her jeans. It didn’t appear to be swollen and it wasn’t dripping blood, which were both promising signs. Hopefully that meant it was only a bad bruise and she’d be fine.

  “I think I’ll be okay. Let’s keep going. I’ll rest when we get there.” She pulled herself to her feet, staggering as she tried to put weight on her injured leg.

  Dane tucked his arm around her waist, pulling her tight against his side, steadying her. “Let me help you.”

  “I’m fine on my own.” She moved away from him and reached for her bucket, righting herself when she had a firm grip on it.

  “You’re not okay on that knee and if you insist on bringing that thing with us, then you’re going to need me for support to get to the cabin.”

  He grabbed his deer in one hand and pulled her close into his side with his other. Somehow, between the two of them, they’d make it home. He settled his hand on her hip, squeezing on reflex any time she stumbled or swayed. Her hip was tiny in his palm and he wondered how a girl with such a petite fra
me could carry her heavy supplies. He had to admit he was a little impressed with her determination.

  Sara leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked. Their pace had slowed, but they were still making good time. Only a little farther and they’d be home. Even though his arm had started to ache from dragging his dinner and he had a nauseous girl leaning on him for support, he almost didn’t want the cabin to appear before them.

  He liked feeling Sara cuddled in beside him this way. She fit surprisingly well with him, her presence more comforting than he’d expected.

  Such an interesting turn his life had taken today.

  Minutes later, they arrived at his front porch. He dropped the buck long enough to unlock the front door and push it open for Sara.

  “Go inside, make yourself at home, get cleaned up, whatever you need to do. I’ll be a little while. I need to deal with the deer before the meat is unusable.”

  She nodded and he collected his kill, heading off toward the garage and his butchering table. Surely he could trust her to be alone in his house for a few minutes while he skinned and hung the venison. With the outbreak, who knew how much longer he’d be able to hunt fresh meat. He wasn’t about to waste a single bit of the animal because of worrying about the girl. She’d found her way into the woods on her own; she could find her way around his small cabin too.

  As he worked, he couldn’t help but wonder where she was really headed. Why wouldn’t she tell him?

  Why did he care so much?

  ***

  Sara stood inside the door to the cabin and looked around, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. It was already late in the afternoon. She should light some lamps and settle in for the night. As much as she wanted to keep going on her way to the bunker, there was no way she could continue in the dark.

  Her arms and back ached from exertion. Her knee throbbed. She felt as if she was covered in a film of sweat and grime from her trek through the trees.

  He’d said to make herself at home, to get cleaned up. Did that include a shower?

  Just the thought of the hot water washing away the last few hours brought a smile to her lips. She hadn’t had time for one that morning when she’d been running late to work. And then the outbreak had happened and the emergency broadcast system had sent everyone listening home to “safety” as instructed by...whom? The World Health Organization? The CDC? The president? It didn’t really matter. And she hadn’t headed home. She’d stayed on the road, simply changing her destination. Her go bag and bucket of food supplies were already in the truck where she always kept them waiting.