“Impressive,” Roger said from behind her. Leaning against the adobe wall, he was enjoying the shade. Jade swung around, surprised. “How long you been here?” she asked.
“A few minutes. I didn’t want to disturb your concentration. You got some nice moves.”
Jade looked at him suspiciously. She knew he must be one of the newcomers. “And who are you?”
“Name’s Roger.”
She recalled the name from Mace. “Jade,” she answered, keeping her figurative guard up. “Do you make it a habit to spy on women?”
“I only spy on the pretty ones,” he said lightheartedly, taken by her looks. He instantly regretted the response, realizing he might lose his head if not careful. “I didn’t mean to spy, really. I was just looking for some shade and admired your moves. You’ve obviously got some boxing experience. I’m guessing some Kenpo and Jujitsu as well.”
“Impressive,” Jade replied, as she wiped sweat off her brow with the back of her glove. She looked him over. “You fight?”
“Used to. Used to teach as well. Taekwondo.”
Jade grew more interested. “I always loved the style. The kicks are amazing.”
“You’ve got some nice footwork as well.” Roger smiled uneasily. “Where’d you learn?”
“Aberdeen. Little Dojo outside town.”
“No kidding? I grew up in Bismark.” Roger said, a bit excited at the connection.
The location perked her up. “My mom had relatives there. I got a chance to go once when I was a teenager.”
“Really?” After a few seconds he asked, “Were you adopted?” He felt uncomfortable immediately for asking. He didn’t want to say something he’d regret. “Sorry,” he said. “I don’t mean to pry.”
“That’s okay,” Jade answered, intrigued. “How’d you guess?”
“You said your mom had relatives there. I thought you would’ve said I or we. Plus, their aren't that many exotic families in North Dakota.”
“Pretty sharp, Roger,” Jade said, genuinely impressed. “I’m surprised you’ve been allowed to just walk around freely. What gives?”
Knowing he should answer carefully, Roger said, “Well, we’ve been given a chance to prove ourselves.”
Jade raised her eyebrows. “That doesn’t happen often. I would have thought the commotion this morning would have changed that.”
“We were just traveling together. We had no idea they were going to run,” Roger answered quickly. “Mace asked us to stay and I agreed.”
Jade scrutinized him carefully. She knew most of the story but wanted to hear what he had to say. “Mace doesn’t ask anyone to stay. What makes you so special?”
Roger took a small step backwards as he grew more uncomfortable. “I really don’t know. I guess he just thought we might fit in.” Needing to be careful what he said, he also wanted to get a feel for how much danger they were in. He took a chance and asked quietly, “What’s it like here?”
“We stay safe,” Jade answered as she tried to read behind his eyes. “What do you really want to know, Roger?”
He didn’t expect her to be that direct. Taking a deep breath, he said, “I want to know if we’re going to die here.”
A small group of boys suddenly entered the training area and spotted him. They headed straight in his direction. Roger saw Bowie in front and said quickly to Jade, “I just get the feeling we may not last that long.” Turning towards the boys, he waited until they were within a few feet.
“I don’t want any trouble, Bowie,” Roger said passively as he lifted his hands up.
Bowie smirked back and was about to taunt when Jade spoke up quietly from behind Roger. “Bowie, he’s a guest. Let’s give him a chance.”
At the sound of her voice, Bowie’s look changed. He eyed Roger for a second then moved past. The boys all followed. “Sure thing, Jade.” They went straight to the weight section and didn’t look back.
“Who are you here?” Roger asked inquisitively as he watched them go. He couldn’t believe how easily they'd dispersed.
“Mace’s partner,” she said. Roger turned back towards her and nervously made eye contact. His first thought was what Mace might do if he saw them talking.
She read his mind. “He told you about his condition. He struggles with the darkness. He thinks you might be able to help him.”
Roger wasn’t sure what to say. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Try,” she said quietly. “Please, just try.” Admitting the need for help, Jade felt a pit of despair grow in her belly. Something needed to change. She'd grown so accustomed to this life she'd buried any thoughts for a better one. She loved them all fiercely: Her children, the orphans, Mace, everyone. They were all her family. She'd die for every one of them.
When the infection first started taking root, Mace described in the tiniest detail the changes coming over him. At first it brought them closer. They shared numerous tears as they held each other, worrying about how his condition might affect the camp, their life, their children...
"I can't bear the thought of losing you," Mace confessed a few months after being bitten. She could see the desperation in his eyes. They'd just discovered the Alamo. Already fortified by another group, the infected somehow found a way in and took it over. By the time Mace found it, all that was left was the evidence of a slaughter.
Lying on an old mattress on the floor of the officer's quarters, Mace had faced her with Jason sleeping soundly in-between them. "My heart," he'd said, "it doesn't feel the same. I'm losing all feeling."
Grabbing his hand, Jade squeezed it as she gazed into his eyes. "We'll get through this. We have to. I'll just love you harder."
Mace had looked away. "I'll never hurt you." He couldn't maintain eye contact. "Or any of the kids. That much I promise."
Squeezing his hand harder, Jade had read the fear and pain in his expression. "I know you won't," she'd replied, her own fear increasing. She tried to stay strong and calm.
"I feel this pull," he'd continued. "It's dark: Like pitch black. It's trying to take me over." Staring at her again, he could actually feel his heart twist a little colder. "I'm not going to be able to lead us for long," he'd admitted. He'd squeezed her hand so hard it began to hurt. She didn't react, staying completely focused on his face. "I am going to keep anyone and anything from ever getting in here, J," he'd stated. The thought of that role gave him back some feeling of control. "That's going to be my mission. No one will ever hurt any of us again."
As he said the words, the thirst for violence began to surface. If he couldn't beat his condition, he would use it as best he could to protect them all.
"I believe in you," she'd said, "and I'll always be yours." She could no longer hold in her fear, and tears formed and slowly spilled over. "I'll always be yours," she'd repeated quietly. It would be the last time they would make love tenderly.
As Mace grew darker, he spoke to her about his condition less often, his guilt and fear over his own inner feelings making him pull back. He couldn't share with her the details.
Watching him grow closer with Lisa, Jade felt her heart rip open like a scab yanked off a wound. She loved them both fiercely, but felt like an outsider as their bond strengthened and hers and Mace's weakened. It was the loneliest feeling in the world.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Completely spent, Tom was covered in sweat, his head still fuzzy from the pot. Lying on his back on Lisa’s bed, he needed more than a few minutes break. Lisa fondled him from the side, still wanting more. When he didn’t respond right away, she climbed on top and straddled him. “One more time,” she whispered in his ear as she pulled on him, feeling for movement.
“I don’t know if I have anything left,” Tom said weakly. “It’s been six times. That’s like a record for me. Can’t we just talk for a little while?”
Lisa was baked enough not to get angry. His response, or lack thereof, actually stuck her as funny. She wasn’t exactly a guy magnet, but when men were around, they we
re always more interested in sex than she was. Now that she'd wanted some, she found one that wanted to talk. She rolled off and lay on her back. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Tell me about yourself. You weren’t always some nymphomaniac apocalyptic warrior chick, right? You had to be part of the real world at one time.”
Lisa turned her head towards him and felt her head spin. She hadn’t thought about her old life in years. “Why would I want to go back there?” she asked, slightly annoyed. “All that is gone. This is all that’s left.” A part of her couldn't face who'd she become. She kept the past buried under lock and key.
Tom propped himself up on an elbow. “Do you really think things will never change? Don’t you ever dream about a brighter future?”
She thought about it for a second and said, “No, Tom. I don’t. I don’t live in some fairytale world.” She felt her anger start to bubble.
“Neither do I,” Tom said, as he questioned his request for conversation. “But the kids here. They could have more. They could have a better future. They could grow up and have something better to offer the world.”
Lisa’s head spun harder as she realized she’d given up on any type of future for her daughter or any of the kids. They were all so focused on the day-to-day that their only plans for tomorrow revolved around survival.
She calmed down and asked quietly. “What type of future do you see?”
“I don’t know. If I take the time to look at this camp, I see leaders here. I see this as a training ground for what could be. It's all Roger's talked about since we got here.”
For the first time in years, Lisa actually felt her heart stir. It was a faint tap against the stone, but it was there nonetheless. “Go on,” she said, interested in what else he had to say.
“Things are changing already. The dead are dying off. We have the antidote to the plague. I think we have a real shot at surviving and creating a better world.”
Lisa surprised herself by leaning in and kissing Tom on the lips. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said, feeling somewhat confused. She wasn’t sure what she felt, if anything.
As Tom stared in her eyes he felt a connection. “I am, too,” he said as he studied her face. It had been years since he'd had sex, as well, and he felt his body responding. “You’re gonna be gladder in a second.”
Lisa smiled as she felt him beneath the sheets.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The group in San Marcos, Texas was growing. More people with troubling thoughts felt a connection as soon as they arrived. A growing sense of paranoia slowly began to take over the camp.
Alone at his post, Stephen felt uncomfortable. “Something’s not right. You getting that feeling?” He lowered the Walkie-Talkie as he scanned the area around them.
“Yeah I do,” answered Marty quietly from the car.“It feels like a storm is coming. A big one. It feels like it’s headed this way.”
Stephen glanced up at the sky. “The sky is completely clear. What are you talking about?”
“Not that type of storm, you idiot. It feels like a storm of rage. I feel it in the ground. In the air. Everywhere. It’s like it’s out there and it’s just gonna just rip right out of the ground and take us over.”
“Dude, you’re like freaking me out. Shut up.”
“You feel it, though, don’t you?” Marty asked, needing verification of his feelings. He wasn’t sure if he was going crazy or not.
After a few seconds of allowing the words to sink in his head, Stephen couldn’t help but agree. “Holy shit, I think you’re right. At first I was thinking it was more like a bear or something.” His voice held a tinge of fear. “I feel it now. Shit, what do you think it is?” Stephen cocked his weapon. “I ain’t going out like that.”
“We need to go tell the others,” Marty said as he nervously searched the area for savage specters.
“And then what?” Stephen jerked as something moved up ahead behind a car. He lifted the rifle and lined up the scope. He couldn’t see anything, but he could feel the evil-longing in the energy. It didn’t come from the car. It came from somewhere behind it.
Traces of fury shot at him like darts from the source, and he could feel them fight to get inside his skull. Feeling the waves grow steadily stronger, he realized they would become unbearable if they stayed where they were. The energy wanted to destroy them.
His heart raced and he fired two holes into the metal. Marty felt the waves near him as well. “We need to leave!” Marty yelled. “We need to leave now! Let’s get everybody out! Now!”
“Where are we going to go!?” Stephen asked as he aimed the rifle all over. The feeling was everywhere. It wouldn’t stop.
“We need to find the source and kill it!”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The crowd roared as Bowie and Crockett raced past them along the obstacle course. Built by Mace over the course of a year, it stretched around the entire compound, surrounded by large rolls of razor wire on its outer edge. Just inside the trench, it was used regularly by the kids to increase their physical and mental aptitude.
The boys were neck and neck as they dove under the netting to army crawl through the latest obstacle. “Give it up, Davey,” Bowie huffed as he dragged himself through on elbows and knees.
“Eat shit,” grinned Crockett as he struggled to keep pace. His head stayed down and he scampered furiously to try to pull ahead.
They emerged out the other end of the net together and briefly made eye contact. As Bowie jumped to his feet he threw a handful of dirt in Crockett’s face. Crockett bent over and tried to blink the dirt out of his eyes.
“You asshole!” he yelled. He shook his head then took off in pursuit. Bowie laughed as he headed for the mud pit next. The crowd all ran ahead, cutting through the Alamo to beat them to the next obstacle. The crowd was a little out of breath as they ran to the vantage point and found Mace and Roger already waiting. At the sight of the kids, Mace knew Bowie would come through any moment.
“Watch this,” Mace said to Roger with a mischievous grin. Bowie picked up speed once he saw the obstacle and was now a good fifteen feet ahead of Crockett as he timed his jump. He leapt for the first rope that hung across the middle of the pit to swing himself across.
As soon as Bowie leapt, Mace yanked on a piece of fishing line tied to the rope. The rope moved to the side and out of Bowie’s range. Bowie yelled as he frantically grasped for the rope and it slipped out of his fingers. He fell face-first into the mud pit with a splunk. The crowd was in hysterics as Crockett came upon the scene. Leaping for the second rope, Crockett easily swung across. He paused on the other side to grin at Bowie, who slowly dragged himself out of the pit.
Crockett flashed a thumbs up to Mace before he took off again, heading for the finish line. Bowie stood up, covered in mud, and yelled, “That is messed up!” to Mace.
“Teach you not to cheat,” Mace said in all seriousness.
“How do you know I cheated?”
“You always cheat. You need to learn it’s not just about you, Bowie, it’s about the camp.”
The boys around him continued to crack up. A few rolled on the ground, holding their bellies as they pointed at Bowie. Roger looked around and was surprised what he felt. They were actually a pretty solid group, he thought. There was a camaraderie to them.
“You do this often?” he asked Mace quietly.
“What, teach them not to cheat?” He showed a hint of a smile.
“No, the races.”
“At least once a month.Keeps them sharp.”
“Are there more?”
“Where you been? Jersey’s racing next.”
“What? How did I not know about this?”
“What can I say. They’re kids. They want to keep secrets.”
“Yeah, but what about Kelly? Why wouldn’t she tell me?”
“She’s trying to fit in. You’ll figure out how to keep tabs. Trust me.” Mace looked quickly around. The boys were all leaving. “We jus
t need to reset this for later.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll see.”
Chelsea, Maya and Kelly all gathered at the starting line. “Normally only two people race,” Chelsea said to Kelly, as she pulled her quad back to loosen it up.
“Then why am I here?”
“Because we don’t think you’ll be able to keep up anyway,” replied Maya with a grin.
Kelly smiled back playfully. After the punch, they’d grown closer but still wary of each other.“Hey, I’ve been on the road for months. One thing I can do is run. Besides, I’ve got longer legs.”
Focused on the race, Chelsea dropped into starting position. “Enough talk already. Let’s get this on. You know I’m gonna beat you both.”
“Ha,” Maya said as she waited for one of the Rangers to signal the start.
“Are you tampons ready?” he yelled. They all rolled their eyes and he smiled at their reactions. Kelly and Maya dropped to runner’s formation.
“Ready, set, go!” He dropped his arm to signal the race was on.
Kelly pulled out to an immediate lead and Chelsea yelled, “No way!” as she and Maya ran neck and neck behind.
“We’ve got to make sure she goes for the first rope at the mud pit,” Maya panted as they ran.
“What?” Chelsea asked as she watched Kelly easily scale the first obstacle, the rope-wall. “Dang, she’s good.”
“I saw Mace this morning. He was setting up Bowie. There’s a fishing line tied to the first rope.” Maya slowed down a little as she tried to explain.
“What did you do?” Chelsea asked as she tried to time her jump for the rope-wall up ahead.
Chelsea came to the wall and jumped for the second knot on the rope. Grabbing it, she hoisted herself up and quickly scaled over. Maya scaled the wall right next to her.
“It will be awesome,” Maya said as they dropped to the other side, “but we can’t let her get too far ahead. We’ve got to force her to the first rope.”
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