Expiration Date

by Kristin Coley

  “Brandon,” I cried, seeing his bruised face. He gave me a lopsided smile. “What happened?”

  “Joy.” He breathed my name and I grasped his hand, then tore off my gloves in frustration. “I’m so happy to see you.” His fingers laced with mine. “I wanted to call you, but I was here.”

  “It’s okay,” I reassured him. “I’m here.”

  “We stopped it?”

  I glanced over my shoulder helplessly and Hope nodded. “Yes,” I said and his face lit up. “You talked to your brother?”

  “Talked, fought,” he shrugged. “He’s under a 72 hour psychiatric hold in a mental ward. We confronted him and he attacked me.” Brandon shook his head. “He had an assault rifle in his room. The police seized it and my parents are trying to get him the help he needs.”

  “It’s over,” I breathed, tears sliding down my face. “We did it.”

  “Those better be happy tears,” he teased, wincing as he shifted to see me better. “Hey, those are happy tears right?” The tears came faster, turning into sobs and he pulled me onto the bed. “Joy, what is it?”

  “I have to leave,” I choked out as the door closed behind Hope and Amber. “It’s not safe here for me.”

  “What? No,” he denied, holding me tighter as I curled my hand around his arm. “You can’t go.”

  “There are people who want us for our abilities,” I told him, swiping at my tears but they kept coming. “This stupid affliction ruins everything.”

  “You’re going with Hope and Mercy?” He asked and I shook my head.

  “No, it’s not a good idea for us to stay together,” I admitted, hating that it was the truth. Wrapped in Brandon’s arms, I couldn’t regret saving him, but it was a reminder of just how dangerously powerful we were together.

  “I don’t understand,” he confessed, his hand lifting my chin as he met my eyes. “Are you leaving with your parents?”

  “No,” I responded instantly, knowing I couldn’t trust Mo….Miranda, I corrected myself internally. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I have to leave….soon.”

  “Explain,” he ordered softly, his hand rubbing the nape of my neck.

  “The three of us have the same expiration date. It’s in 6, no 5 days now, and Mercy thinks only one of us dies, but we don’t know which one, so we all need to leave,” I explained in a rush and he sucked in a sharp breath. “My mom,” the words were physically painful to say, “She’s part of this.” I explained everything we’d learned as his eyes steadily grew wider. “So, you can see why we need to leave,” I concluded unhappily.

  “I thought yesterday was bad,” he murmured, looking as overwhelmed as I felt. “Promise me one thing?”

  I nodded, resting my head in the curve of his neck, as I wondered if I would ever get the chance to touch someone like this again.

  “Don’t leave without telling me. Can you promise me that much?”

  “I promise,” I whispered and he pressed his lips into my cheek, hugging me to him tightly.

  “We’ll figure this out,” he vowed and I nodded, needing to believe we would.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Mercy

  Houston strode through the doors, adjusting his course when he spotted me. “He alright?” I nodded, tugging one of the earbuds out as I matched his stride. He gestured to the headphones I had blasting. “Sorry, I forget you wear those.”

  “No big,” I mumbled, scratching my neck. “Habit on my part.”

  “I can understand why,” he acknowledged, giving me a tense smile. I grabbed his shoulder, jerking him backwards. “What the hell?” He sputtered, spinning around.

  “We need to talk,” I muttered, steering him back outside.

  “Okay,” he drawled, shrugging me off. “You could have just said that.”

  I nodded, crossing my arms. “Yeah, I could have.”

  He stared at me for a second, licking his lip, before shrugging. “What are we talking about?”

  “Me leaving.”

  “Yeah, way to announce that,” he declared, anger flickering across his face. “I think Amber and my sister both deserved better.”

  I cut him off, “That’s not what I want to talk about.”

  A dark chuckle escaped him, his chest swelling, as he demanded, “Then what exactly?”

  A sigh escaped me. “Hope. She has to leave. You get that, right?” His jaw worked, but he gave a jerky nod. “It doesn’t mean she has to leave alone,” I said meaningfully and his eyes narrowed. “She needs you.”

  “So does Joy,” he replied tersely and I could see how much the words cost him. He was torn between the two people he loved most, having to decide which one to protect.

  “I disagree,” I stated, meeting his glare. “Joy doesn’t need you. She needs Brandon.” He grimaced and I smiled grimly. “Yeah, I feel your pain. I’ve got two sisters. One of whom I’m depending on you to keep safe.”

  “What you’re asking is insane,” he muttered, pacing in front of me. “Leaving with Hope and her dad,” he stressed, running a hand through his hair, “Going on the road? I don’t even know if that’s what we’re doing. Not finishing high school. Running away.”

  “Get a GED, find a way, if you want to keep Hope,” I told him unsympathetically. “She’s worth it.”

  “I know that,” he growled, his eyes flashing a warning. “But I have a family you’re asking me to leave behind.”

  I leaned in, my words terse, “So do I.” He blinked, stepping back at the anger in my words. “I just found them and now I have to leave them. You think you can understand that? Knowing they’re in danger and knowing the best thing I can do is walk away like a damn coward?” Understanding crossed his face and I punched his shoulder. “I don’t want your sympathy. I want you to take care of Hope and our Dad,” I informed him and he nodded. “You do that, and I’ll talk to Brandon. That dude is not going to walk away from Joy.”

  “Yeah, I got that feeling from him too,” he admitted, rubbing his shoulder. “We talk to him together.”

  “Fine,” I said, nodding to the building. “Let’s go. Wasting daylight.”

  “What about Amber?”

  “None of your business,” I warned and he snapped his mouth shut as we made our way inside.

  We met Amber and Hope outside Brandon’s room, and I nodded toward it. “He good?”

  “No date,” Hope confirmed. “But he managed to change it.” She motioned to the waiting room down the hall. “Half the football team and most of the cheerleaders are in there. Their dates have all changed.”

  Relief coursed through me as I glanced at Amber, but she refused to meet my eyes and I heaved a sigh, reaching for Brandon’s door. “We need to talk to him,” I informed the girls, knocking before I opened it. Joy was wiping her eyes when Houston and I walked in. “Do you mind if we talk to Brandon alone?” I asked, tempering my normally harsh voice. Joy nodded, standing, as she glanced at Brandon.

  “I’d like to talk to your brothers,” he told her with a crooked smile and I observed how he favored his left side. Bruising covered his face and as Joy disappeared through the door, I commented, “Hell of a fight.” Brandon’s smile disappeared at my words.

  “It was,” he replied, working his jaw. “I was fighting for my life.”

  “Glad you won,” I remarked, receiving the hint of an unwilling smile. “We wanted to talk to you about Joy,” I told him and he nodded, pushing himself up further on the bed.

  “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you too,” he said quickly. “Do you mind if I go first?” I traded a glance with Houston and we both shrugged. “Okay, good,” Brandon muttered nervously, taking a deep breath. “She told me about, um…leaving,” he mentioned, lowering his voice. “How it isn’t safe here for her.” We nodded and he continued. “She needs somewhere safe to go and someone to protect her, take care of her.” He exhaled, glancing between us carefully. “I can do that. I want to do that.” I didn’t let the satisfied smile cross my face, but I felt Ho
uston’s gaze flicker toward me. “I’m not the smartest guy at school, but I can keep her safe,” Brandon hurried to add, wincing as he leaned forward.

  “What about football and college?” I questioned, ignoring Houston’s elbow when it jammed into my side. “You’re gonna give it all up for her?”

  “Yes,” he replied instantly. “She’s worth it, and she’s taught me that life is about pursuing what makes you happy. Football was something I did to go to college so I could follow my brother’s dream, not mine. With Joy, I can be myself.”

  “Sounds great,” Houston interrupted curtly and it was my turn to eye him. “But Joy needs support because of her affliction. It’s not easy. Can you handle that?”

  Brandon’s gaze narrowed determinedly. “I don’t know what it’s like for her, but I know when she’s with me, she can be normal. She can touch my skin without fear. I was made for her and I will do anything to keep her safe,” he answered fiercely.

  My head swung toward Houston. “Good enough for me. You?” He nodded slowly and I turned back to Brandon. “You have a plan, right?” I questioned, one eyebrow lifted doubtfully, but he nodded.

  “I do.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, cradling his ribs. “They’re supposed to release me today. I have to get a few things ready, then I can come back and get Joy.”

  “It’s her decision,” Houston added abruptly. “We might be agreeing to this, but ultimately, it’s her choice.”

  “Of course,” Brandon agreed, his face suddenly uncertain. “You think she’ll say no?”

  “No, man,” I told him, shaking my head. “I think she’ll follow you anywhere.” He stood up and I braced him, my grip tightening in warning. “Just make sure you treat her right.”

  “I will,” he swore and I relaxed my hold. “Her happiness is all I want.”

  “We believe you,” Houston stated and I nodded. “Doesn’t mean we won’t be keeping an eye on you, and we ever find out you didn’t put her happiness first….”

  “Well, let’s just say I know where to bury the bodies,” I finished and Brandon surprised us with a broad grin.

  “You’ve got the protective older brother thing down,” he informed me and my lips twitched at the compliment. “It’s too bad we couldn’t all stay together,” he added ruefully. “Where we’re going, there’s space,” he mentioned and I shook my head.

  “Don’t give us any details,” I cautioned. “Maybe, one day, there’s a possibility we could be together, but for now, it’s better if we don’t know where the others are.” Brandon nodded resolutely. “I’ll set something up so we can communicate with one another, but locations should never be revealed.” I moved to the door, pausing before I opened it. “I’m trusting both of you to keep my sisters safe. Don’t disappointment me.”

  I left before they could say anything, almost slamming into Amber. Pain pooled in her eyes and I closed my own in response. “I’m leaving, not abandoning you,” I rasped, my hand coming up next to her cheek and hovering there. She turned her head, lightly pressing her lips into my palm. “Have a little faith in me,” I begged, her warm breath tickling the skin. “This isn’t what I want, but at the moment it’s the only way to keep them safe, to keep all of us safe.”

  “I don’t want faith, I want Mercy,” she whispered, pulling away from me. Her gaze sharpened. “My dad walked out on us when I was a baby and my mom never forgave him. I learned not to depend on people because they leave.” She gave me an accusing glare. “Like you.”

  “I admire that about you,” I confessed, catching her off guard. “We’re not so different, you know. Self-reliant, guarded, and maybe a little damaged.”

  “Speak for yourself,” she scorned, tilting her chin up. “I don’t need you. I’m strong enough to survive some guy.”

  “I know. It’s why you’re my perfect half.” She blinked at me in astonishment. “You’ll be fine until we meet again.”

  “If you think I’m the kind of girl that waits around for some guy to get his act together, then you clearly don’t know me,” she retorted, the glint in her eyes challenging me.

  “I think for the right guy, you might surprise yourself,” I replied with a wink, leaning out of her reach as her hand came up. “I promise you this, Amber. I’ll come for you the second I think it’s safe.”

  She shook her head, her eyes suspiciously bright. “You think you’ll be able to find me?” She challenged and I grinned.

  “Damn straight.” I tapped my forehead. “World’s best GPS, remember?” She scoffed disbelievingly. “Believe me, no matter where you are in the world, I will find you.”

  She straightened regally, a fragile trust in her eyes. “I won’t wait forever,” she warned and I allowed myself a single kiss along her cheek.

  “You won’t have too,” I swore as I walked away from her, clenching my hands into fists to keep from going back. Our survival hinged on our separation, and I wouldn’t risk any of our lives for my own selfishness.

  “You made my best friend cry,” Hope mentioned, matching my steps. “I’m pretty sure there’s some code involved that says I need to beat you up for that.”

  “No need. I’ll do it myself,” I answered her, yanking her sideways as I came to the hospital chapel. “We need to talk.”

  She stumbled in after me, griping, “You could have just said that, no need to manhandle.”

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, checking her arm. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No, Mercy, you didn’t,” she replied, stilling my hand. “What did you want to talk about?”

  “You know how you can’t see Amber and Brandon’s expiration dates anymore?” She nodded. “I don’t know where Brandon or Houston die anymore. It’s like it disappeared where they’re concerned.”

  “You think it has something to do with the fact that they know about us?” She questioned and I shook my head.

  “Honestly, I have no idea. I just thought you should know.” I reached up to rub my neck, feeling the weight of my hair knotted there. “Another thing,” I met her eyes. “Houston’s mom, she’s dangerous,” I cautioned her.

  Hope folded her arms over her chest, her forehead crinkling. “Dangerous?”

  I inhaled, stooping a little as I grasped her shoulders. “I heard her yesterday and where she dies registered. I looked it up.” Her face stilled. “It’s a women’s penitentiary a few towns over.”

  “She dies in prison,” Hope repeated and I nodded.

  “I didn’t want to say anything to Joy or Houston, but you need to leave, Hope, get the hell away from her and here. Brandon is going to take Joy away.” I fished a phone from my pocket and handed it to her. “It’s a burner. Joy has one too. We can keep in touch through them.”

  She took the phone automatically, but her hand closed over my wrist. “We meet. Once a year. Neutral ground. Promise me.”

  “I promise.” I hauled her close, and she wrapped her arms around my waist, squeezing tightly. “You’re my sister, my family, I love you.”

  “I love you,” she answered as I pulled back, holding up a single finger to stop me from speaking. “This is not goodbye.”

  I shook my head. “Until we meet again.”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Hope

  I checked the bags again, trying to ignore the countdown in my head. We were cutting it close, too close for my Dad, but it hadn’t been easy packing up our lives in less than a week. I was just glad Joy had left yesterday, leaving with Brandon in the morning while Houston and I had gone to school with Amber.

  Miranda and Todd Drake had no idea Joy was with Brandon, and since Joy was legally an adult according to her own forged birth certificate, they had to wait twenty-four hours to file a missing person report. I felt bad for them, especially Todd since he had no clue about any of this, but Joy was safer if no one knew where she was, including myself.

  Watching Mercy leave had been one of the most difficult moments in my life, right there with my mom’s death, but seeing Houston�
��s face as he had to do the same with Joy, not knowing where they were going or when we’d meet again, had broken my heart. Part of me truly hated Lillian Dubois, a woman I’d never met, for everything she’d set in motion. I understood why Mercy considered her a monster as the countdown to our death loomed ever closer.

  It hadn’t changed even with all of our preparations, and the knowledge terrified me. I was the last one there, and with 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 22 seconds left until our expiration date, I wondered if we had changed it at all or if I was the one destined to die.

  I piled the bags next to the door, the last of our clothes and my mom’s antique glass bowl wrapped protectively in bubble wrap for our journey. I’d tried to tell Houston he didn’t have to come, that we would meet up later after he’d graduated, not so soon after Joy’s disappearance, but he’d insisted we go together.

  When he’d told me his idea, I’d wondered if we could make it work, if he’d really be okay hitting the road with my Dad tagging along. He kept saying it was okay and Dad had agreed, and with them double teaming me, I’d given in. Dad wanted me as far away from here as possible, so he would have agreed to anything, and Houston had a surprising stubborn streak.

  Gramps had left Houston a travel camper with the intention of him taking a year after high school to travel the country before going to college. He’d even left him money so he could do it and Houston decided it made sense to go early. His parents had disagreed but he was over eighteen, so they couldn’t stop him.

  He planned for us to get our GEDs while we were on the road, which was fine with me. Dad was enthusiastic about the entire idea. In fact, I thought Dad was more excited about the adventure than I was. He hadn’t drank since our conversation that night and it was like I had my Dad back. Something I wasn’t willing to lose.

  I sank to the floor since there was nowhere to sit. We’d sold or given away every piece of furniture and signed a contract with a real estate agency to rent the house. It would provide a little income for us while we were on the road, but as I glanced around the empty space, all I saw were the memories. Dad had asked me if I’d prefer selling the house, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I’d grown up here and it was where all my memories of Mom stemmed.