“Look Liv, is it? I am fine on my own. I know how to disappear quickly and how to blend in. I have been doing it my whole life. I never liked foster care and it never liked me. So I am used to being on the run. I am pretty good at it in fact,” Nate smirks.
“But..” I start then Tony interrupts me.
“Looks like he has made his choice. Let’s go.” He grabs my arm and tries to push me into the car.
“No Tony! We can’t leave him out here alone!” I wale and fight against Tony’s grip on my arm.
Cade speaks up. “Hey kid are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” he asks one more time.
“I’m sure,” Nate says with confidence.
“Then here take this.” Cade pulls his gun from his waistband of his pants. “Do you know how to use one of these?” he asks holding it in his hands now.
“Yeah I had a foster dad once that was a police officer and an avid hunter. Taught all us boys how to shoot. Why?” Nate ask.
“Because I want you to take it. Use it to protect yourself.” Cade reaches around my head and into the back and pulls out a box of bullets. He holds them out to the kid. “Here take ‘em I mean it. You need more than to be able to run fast in this world.”
Nate hesitantly reaches out and takes them and shoves them in his duffle bag. “Thanks.” He says with a childish smile that makes him look like a kid on Christmas who just got the toy they asked Santa for.
“Don’t mention it. Just promise me you won’t try and hurt anyone with it to steal from them. Use it to protect yourself against eaters and anyone else who might try and hurt you.” I can see the care and concern in Cade’s eyes as he speaks to Nate. Just minutes ago he looked ready to kill the poor boy, now he looks like he could cry if something happened to him. I smile. Cade is a big teddy bear.
“I promise,” Nate says,
“Do you have food or need anything else we can help you get before we part ways?” Cade asks.
“Nah I have enough ravioli and canned Spaghetti O’s to last me a while.
“So you’re the one that cleaned those off the shelves?” Cade asked with a smile.
Nate smiles back at Cade, “Yeah it was me. They are my favorite,” he admits.
“Mine too,” Cade says and pats Nate on the back. “Take care buddy and if you find yourself needing a place to stay or a hot meal or just get tired of being alone. Come find us.” Cade reaches in the front of the car and into the gloves compartment. He pulls out a piece of paper and a pen. He jots something down on it then hands it to Nate. “Here is where we are headed. If you can make it up there you are welcome any time.”
Nate looks down at the sliver of paper in his hand with disbelief in his eyes. “Th..Thanks man,” he says with a cracking voice.
He has probably never had this much compassion or concern in his life. My heart breaks for the little boy in front of me who is trying to act tough.
He clears his throat and pushes the piece of paper in his pocket. “I gotta get going. Find a place to stay tonight and all. Thanks again for everything.” He looks over to me sitting in the back seat and Wil standing beside Tony who is by my door, “I’m sorry girls.” He gives a weak smile.
“It’s okay Nate. Take care of yourself," I say with a genuine smile.
Willow just walks past Tony and gets in the front seat.
He watches Willow walk away and I can see a faint trace of sadness in his eyes. All this kid wants is to be accepted and wanted by someone. I know he has the tough guy act down pretty well and would never admit it. He turns to me and lets the smile light up his face. “Thanks Liv, you too.”
With that he turns around and walks off behind the store.
Cade and I watch him until he is out of sight. Cade sighs and shakes his head. He walks around to the back and throws in the food he had gotten in the store then walks around and gets in the driver’s seat. I didn’t notice it before but he got a huge garbage bag full of food. Tony follows his lead and picks up his overstuffed bag and shoves it in the back. Once he is seated beside me in the back and his door closes Cade starts up the Hummer and we make our way back onto the highway.
Wil and Tony have both been quiet since we left the Piggly Wiggly. I think Cade and I connected on another level since the experience with Nate because instead of the car being filled with the awkward silence that is rolling off of Wil and Tony, Cade and I have been laughing, joking and sharing some family stories the whole way. He is pretty funny once you get to know him.
“So that’s why I never got to have another sleep over,” he chuckles.
“That’s nothing once Willow tried…”
“NO!” Willow turns around and looks at me with a hint of laughter in her eyes. “You will NOT tell him that story!” she demands.
Tony laughs softly beside me before he chimes in “Oh come on Wil that was a good time and it makes for a hilarious story.”
“Yeah Wil Let me hear a story about you.” Cade pokes at Wil and smiles. She can’t fight the smile that has been threatening to leak from her eyes and fill her face since I first mentioned the story. It spreads over her face and dances across her cheeks.
“No way! It’s so embarrassing!” she says as her face reddens just thinking about it.
“Oh Come on Will!” Tony says as he leans up in his seat.
“Yeah come on Wil!” Cade nudges her with his shoulder.
“Okay, Okay but I will be the one to tell it not Liv!” She concedes.
As she begins her story our car slows down as we go through a crowded eater town. Her story should be enough to keep my mind off the eaters but I kind of zone her out as I look out the window. I mean I have heard this story a million times plus I was there, so it’s like my body already knows when to laugh and when not to.
The eaters that we are passing come in very different stages of death. Some look like Mr. Portwood with his red eyes, some are just starting to take on the slight purpling of the skin that only death brings. Then there are the worst ones that have been dead awhile with the flesh leaking down their body exposing the off white color of the bone.
My eyes zero in on a small child. He is maybe six or seven. His dirty blond hair matted with dirt and blood. As we slow down some to navigate through the mass of eaters in front of us I get a better look at him as he wobbles his way toward the car. His eyes are bleak and lifeless and have the faintest hint of red still left in them but they mostly have that clouded white color that most of the older eaters have. His skin is a dull grey and is starting to peel away from his bones in different areas. His arms are stretched out reaching for the Hummer, but he isn’t even close enough to touch it, yet he still readies himself to grab on. I wonder what killed him? Why wasn’t he protected? Was he alone when he died? All those questions flash through my mind as Cade steps on the gas breaking us free from the herd in the road.
Once we hit open road again I glance back and only see specks of the cluster we just pushed through. I rest my head back on the seat and continue to stare out of the window.
Chapter Fifteen
Willow
Cade slows down as we approach a narrow gravel road on the right side of the main highway we have been traveling on for what feels like days. The SUV bounces around as it hits each bump in its path. I grab the ‘oh shit’ handle and hold my breath and try not to squeeze my eyes shut as Cade drives. He seems so determined to get us to the cabin that he wastes no time slowing down. I let go of the breath I am holding when I finally see the cabin coming into view. It is on the peak of a smaller mountain that is surrounded by bigger more masculine mountains. The only way to it is the hell driveway, if you even want to call it that, or by climbing the side of a mountain. Cade had the right idea by wanting to come here.
Once we finally pull in front of it Cade shuts the SUV off and turns in his seat so he can see all of us.
“Tony and I will go in and check it before we start to unload everything. I doubt anyone or thing would come this far but with the world going to shit we can�
��t be too cautious.”
“Okay,” Liv mumbles as she stretches and rubs her eyes trying to rid the sleep from them.
“Be careful,” I say to them both as they climb out of the SUV and push the doors shut quietly.
I watch as they climb the stairs. Cade opens the door and they disappear in the cabin. Once they are both inside I turn in my seat and look at Liv.
“How the hell did you sleep through the ride down that death trap of a driveway?” I ask and smile.
She shrugs her shoulders, “I dunno I guess I was more tired than I thought.”
“Yeah, I feel like I could sleep for a month.”
Liv chuckles, “Yeah I know the feeling.” She glances around and sways in her seat from side to side. “I have got to piss! They need to hurry! They act like we are some fragile ass little gir…”she stops and looks down. “Anyway...I need to pee,” she whispers.
“They have to feel like men I guess,” I say and shrug my shoulders.
Both of us turn our attention to the cabin again when Cade steps out and motions us both to get out. I can’t help but giggle at the sight of a big gruffy man standing on the porch his arms flailing around like an idiot.
“I take it we are clear,” I say to Liv giggling more and open my door.
“I guess so,” she says as she gets out and dashes for the door. She pauses to ask Cade something, I am assuming it is directions to the nearest bathroom by the way she is holding herself.
Cade points off into the distance and shakes his head laughing as Liv rushes past him.
I walk towards Cade and meet him on the porch. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and leads me in the door.
“Let me show you around, we can get the bags later,” he says.
I nod my head and let him lead me around the cabin. It’s beautiful yet simple. We walk into the living room and the first thing I see are the deer heads mounted all over the walls. The sofa is a deep earth brown color with a matching loveseat and recliner. They are all positioned in the direction of the floor to ceiling fireplace. A giant bear skin rug lays on the cherry oak hardwood floors stretched out like it’s protecting the fire pit.
“Is that real?” I ask pointing to the bear rug.
“Yep me and my dad shot it our first year out here.” Cade’s voice rings with pride, but his eyes look sad from the mention of his dad.
I wrap my arms around his waist. Looking up at him I speak, “It’s beautiful Cade y’all did a good job with it. It really brings the room together.”
He smiles down at me, “Thanks, It has always been my favorite thing about this place.”
We walk farther into the cabin and he shows me all four of the bedrooms and shares stories of when he was younger coming to the cabin. I don’t really pay much attention to the cabin. My full attention is on this beautiful man talking to me. I love the way his eyes light up when he mentions his mom. I knew he would have been a mama’s boy and that’s okay most of the good guys are.
“Ugh! I hate your bathroom! It’s all wood! Why didn’t you mention it was basically an outhouse?” Liv complains as she comes into the small kitchen we have stopped in.
Cade chuckles, “I happen to love that bathroom. It’s so natural don’t ya think?” He cocks his head to the side questioning Liv.
“Yeah...You could call it that.” she sarcastically agrees.
Cade throws his head back and laughs.
***
“That was some of the best deer burgers I have ever ate.” Tony stretches back in his chair and rubs his belly.
“It was delicious Cade,” Liv agrees.
“Thanks guys. My dad taught me the recipe for it when I shot my first deer.”
Hearing him talk about his parents sure makes me miss mine. I haven’t been too worried about them since all of this started because I know they are safe. They left for a cruise a week before any of this happened. Liv’s parents went too so how much safer can you get than being in the middle of the ocean? Or at least that’s what I am telling myself.
“What about your parents?” Cade asks breaking me out of my own thoughts.
“They are on a cruise with Liv’s parents.”
“Have you got to talk to them since this all started?” Cade questions.
“No we haven’t. The phones are out and although we haven’t tried I am guessing Skype will be out too,” Liv breaths with irritation in her voice.
“Right. Sorry.” Cade looks down at his empty plate then sighs, “When are they supposed to be back?” He glances over at Liv then at me.
“Well what’s today’s date?” I think out loud.
“The 14th,” Tony quietly responds.
“Okay so about…”
“Eighteen days three hours and twenty five minutes.” Liv finishes my sentence for me. “Yeah I have been counting down the days in my head,” she confesses.
I reach across the table and grab her hand giving it a light squeeze. “They are going to be alright Liv.”
“Yeah babe, I’m sure they are fine,” Tony agrees while wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
She gives a fake smile, “I hope so.”
Cade clears his throat, “What about you Tony? Any more family out there?”
“My mom and dad divorced a while back. I haven’t really spoke to him since and my mom,” Tony’s voice cracks and I want to tell him to stop just forget the question but before I can he continues, “My um.. mom, she passed last year of breast cancer. And my cousin who was more like a brother, he died too. So no Cade the only family I have is right here.” He hugs Liv to him and reaches out and pats my hand that is still holding Liv’s.
Cade nods, “That’s understandable. I am sorry for your loss Tony.”
Everyone goes quiet for a while and we just sit at the table holding on to some part of the other person. Cade is holding one of my hands and my other is stretches over the table still holding Liv’s. Liv has her head lend over on Tony’s shoulder while his arm is slung around her keeping her close to him. He has his other hand rested on top of mine and Liv’s. We don’t move, we don’t talk, we just sit there and have a moment of silence for our lost family members and for the ones who we hope are okay.
After another fifteen minutes of silence Cade breaks it, “So who is up for family game night?” He rubs his hands together as he stands up with a menacing look on his face.
“Family game night?” I hesitantly voice.
“Yeah.” He shrugs, “We are all family now so let’s start it off right!”
I look over to Liv who is now sitting up in her own seat with a goofy grin on her face. She used to love family game night at her house. Both our families would get together and we would square off. The Gregs vs The Samuels. My face lights up with an idea. Liv catches my look from the corner of her eye and turns to me with a full faced smile from ear to ear.
“CHARADES!” We both scream in unison and fall out of our seats giggling.
Cade and Tony join in on the laughter. “Okay, but boys against girls,” Cade says after our laughter has died down some.
“Oh you are on Mister! We are going to kick y’all’s ass!” I say as I pull Liv up to her feet.
“Uh Cade are you sure about this?” Tony questions.
“Hell yeah I am sure we got this bro!” he says slapping Tony on the back.
Tony laughs, “If you say so but I just know what happened last time the girls teamed up for this game. They won the town championship.”
“What? Are you serious? A town championship game of Charades? Where the hell did y’all grow up?” Cade jokes.
“A very small town that we are now champions of.” I strut past Cade and into the living room like I am Queen or something.
The kitchen erupts in laughter.
***
We spend the next couple of hours playing and laughing like the world is normal again. I can’t help but wish that was the case. I know if things never changed Devin would still be alive so would Cade’s family and Emil
y. But I would have never had the chance to love a little girl as close to the way a mother loves a child. I wouldn’t have made peace with Grant. I would have never met Cade and I would have never realized how strong my best friend is. She pushes you to your limits and then some. So not only did I get all those things I also kind of found myself in all of this. As crazy as it sounds, I am not the same Willow I was three months ago. I am better, stronger and more forgiving. Now all I need to make me complete is my parents.
Books by N. Nieto
Resurrect Secrets
Books by Salice Rodgers
Master May I
Mistress A
Lillies
The Deception of Annika
Say Something
Forgive Me
Redeem Me
Revive Me
Destruction
Surviving This Life Page 14