“So what does a scout do, exactly?” I asked to make small talk.
“We guard and monitor the perimeter for intruders, and hunt and fish.”
“Your mom’s a scout, too?”
Memphis settled back on the springy seat, a sprig of grass between his front teeth. “Ma likes to stay close to Dad since Kaden and I are raised now. Plus she doesn’t do the girlie thing well.”
Girlie thing? My heart skipped a beat. Could that mean hot showers, toothpaste, and clothing that wasn’t starched to death? “Like?”
“You know… cooking, baking and knitting. All that frou-frou stuff.”
My shoulders immediately slumped. I did my fair share of cooking back home, but seriously… that wasn’t even close to my definition of frou-frou. Still, my mind lingered on the aspect of a working kitchen, with a stove and running water.
“Is that where we’re headed to now?” Please. Please. Please, my internal OCD clean-freak begged.
“Not anytime soon.”
“Why?” I cringed at the whine in my voice.
“Well, for one, you’re on probation, and two, you can’t ride a horse injured.”
I cradled my arm, insulted. If they’d accepted me, why was I put on probation? Did they expect me to leave? What would they do if I did?
Memphis put his arm around my shoulder. “Ah, don’t take it personal. They just want to be sure you’re legit.”
“Legit, yeah right.” I angled away from him. I’d made a blind decision to stay and they weren’t even welcoming me in, like they expected me to run away and tattle.
“I know you’re legit,” he said with a low voice. “Isn’t that what matters?”
Apparently, it didn’t matter what he thought. I’d need to please the higher-ups first which scared me.
“You know, Memphis,” I rested my hand on his knee and squeezed, “I’d never tell anyone about your colony if that’s what this is all about.”
“Of course you won’t,” he said with a laugh. “Who would you tell?”
“Well…” True. It wasn’t like I could just hitch a ride home. I straightened my shoulders and smiled sweetly all the same. “Isn’t the reason for all this secrecy in case I run off?”
He yanked on the reins, slowing Cactus down. “It’s to make sure you’re not a spy.” I huffed at him and he chuckled. “Just kidding.”
I punched him in the arm.
“Actually, I need to go… piss.” He ticked his head to the left.
I faked a smile as I followed where he’d nodded; out toward the trees. Then, like clockwork the urge to pee hit me, too.
Memphis had already jumped down while Cactus nibbled on a patch of weeds nearby. I helped myself off the wagon and tumbled to the ground, landing on my butt.
“Whoa!”
Cactus startled and lunged forward.
“Abby!” Memphis took ahold of the reins before Cactus bolted and ran me over. He came next to me and lifted me up by my hips. “You’re just an accident waiting to happen, aren’t you?”
I pushed my lips together, swallowing down the pain throbbing in my wrist. Before any of this, I was very sure footed and had never injured nor broken anything. “I’m fine.” Removing myself from his grip, I dusted off my jeans. “Just give me a second.”
I stomped off into the bushes a few yards ahead, far enough away so if he decided to check on me I’d hear him. I squatted behind a fat tree next to a clump of leaves tipped in red and did my business only to realize I had nothing to wipe with. Inside my pack in the wagon was a little package of disposable tissues, totally illegal contraband in Brighton.
“Crap.” I wiggled my hinny to drip dry, missing the bidet back home.
After another struggle with the button on my jeans, I sauntered back, proud of myself. Maybe this adventure wasn’t so bad. Day two and I was adapting to whatever had been thrown at me and succeeding, mind you. I’d pass their so-called probation, then tell them my terms.
Memphis wasn’t at the wagon yet when I returned. I looked around terrified. Had I been right about the zombies?
“Memphis?” I called softly.
A crack in the brush jumpstarted my heart. I looked at my naked wrist to check how much time I had left of my life, then cursed at Kaden. Scanning the ground for a weapon, I picked up a sharp stick.
Rule 34.5 “If you ever encounter a zombie, don’t run. Stab their head swiftly, aiming for the eye socket, with anything that’ll puncture their brain.”
Memphis came from around a tree, zipping up his pants. “I guess you’re ready to—” He eyed the stick. “What are you doing?”
I lowered it, then tossed it into the bushes. My ears heated.
“Umm… protection.” I quickly pulled myself up onto the bench.
“Against me?”
My lips almost blurted out my unhealthy and unjustified fear, but instead I said, “Wild animals.”
He paused for a minute when a whisper of a smile hit his lips as he rounded the wagon. “If you’re afraid of animals, I’ll get you a bow. We could always use the extra meat.”
I stared straight ahead, repulsed at the idea of killing anything.
“That would be great.” My voice trembled, giving me away.
He took up the reins, snapping them to get the horse to go. The seat shook a few times in his silent laughter. I turned my head and ignored him, gazing through the trees, zoning out. Being prepared would be a good idea, but not if they expected me to kill innocent animals. Not to mention I’d need lessons first—after my arm healed, of course. Why did I think I could handle this zombie zone thing? The idea I’d lead them was laughable. I’d never be like Lana.
After a few minutes, we slowed and arrived at an ivy-covered trellis blocking our path.
“Hold on.” Memphis handed me the reins and jumped off.
He pushed open the trellis, swinging it wide on hinges, then took Cactus’ bridle and maneuvered him through the opening. Cactus continued walking as Memphis jogged behind the wagon and closed the gate.
“Uh, Cactus.” I tugged at the reins. “Slow up, buddy.”
The horse shook his head, only walking faster.
“I mean it. Stop.”
The horse began to trot, then gallop.
“Whoa, boy.” Memphis jumped onto the sideboard and took the reins from me. Cactus whinnied and snorted, shaking his head, but obeyed. “I guess he knows he can get away with whatever with you.”
“Ha ha.” I stuck out my tongue.
Memphis smirked.
One point for Cactus, zero for me.
~~|~~
As we neared a clearing, Memphis stopped the horse again. He jumped off the wagon and flipped over the tarp revealing the yellow underside. Then he pulled out two wide brimmed hats and a blanket, setting them on the seat. Once he sat down again, he put the blanket over our shoulders, encasing us in yellow.
“Sorry.” He scooted closer to me and plopped a hat on my head. “Cactus blends in, but we don’t.” He pointed upward. “Satellites, you know.”
My jaw dropped. Even here, the EA watched? Why? No one was supposed to be living here. The dead zone that wasn’t really dead. Could no one escape the EA’s snooping? Dread crept low in my belly, like I was doing something wrong and about to be caught.
With a sharp jerk, Cactus pulled us out into the clearing. The wind picked up, tugging at my hat. Yellow weeds bent with the current across the grassy knoll.
“Won’t they see the trail from the wheels?” I asked.
“Uhhh, yeah, but the grass will spring back up after a little bit. It’s not perfect but it works.”
Perfect. That’s what Brighton promised; a perfect world where everyone’s dirty little secrets were revealed—all but theirs. I rubbed the vacant spot on my wrist. If I had my DOD, how long would it say I had to live in this brave wild world?
“Oh, and just so you know,” Memphis said, interrupting my thoughts. “I’m supposed to blindfold you.”
“What?”
I turned toward him and the bill of my hat bumped into his shoulder.
“It’s to keep our camp site a secret, but I’m not going to, not until we’re closer.”
I glowered. Their son takes me, then I’m labeled an EA spy. “Part of probation?”
Memphis shrugged a shoulder. “It’s to protect you incase you’re interrogated, actually.”
I exhaled hard. Did they truly believe the EA would interrogate me to the point of torture? That was ridiculous. This was about trust. I’d meant what I’d promised. I wouldn’t betray their existence or location. That was as long as they respected me and my wishes. Blindfolding was totally overkill.
“And I know you’re not going back anyway,” he continued. “You believe Kaden.”
I slyly glanced in his direction. Yes, I did believe him, though at the end of the day, Kaden’s word didn’t trump my decision making. A shove from the future was hard to deny.
“Don’t get me wrong, Memphis,” I clarified. “Everything is still very confusing, but like I promised, I wouldn’t say anything.”
“Easy promise to make when you’ve got no one to tell.” He smiled widely and I wanted to punch the smugness off his cocky face.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“Abby?”
I awoke with a start.
Sitting up, my stomach dropped with the knowledge I’d fallen asleep on Memphis’ lap. “How long have I been out?”
A self-assured smile stretched on his lips. “A little bit. I’m sure you’re exhausted after everything.”
Exhaustion was an understatement. I could sleep for a week. But sleeping on his lap? Oh dear baby Brightonites. Not good.
“It’s no worries. Besides, Cactus could use a drink and I want to stretch.” He slid off the bench seat, beaming with even more smugness. He reached up to help me down.
I stared at his hand, gaining my bearings. He’d parked the wagon under a large oak next to a stream. Cactus was already sucking down gulps of water.
“Yeah, sure.” Reluctantly, I took it and allowed him to help me down.
Once on the ground, I stretched and rubbed my sore neck. My whole body ached. Memphis’ hands landed on my shoulder and squeezed their way up to my neck. I leaned into him when a tiny moan escaped from my lips and I stiffened, pulling away.
“Thanks.” A flush heated my face once again, betraying me, while his lip quirked up in a grin.
Yes, I appreciated his attention to my needs, but I wouldn’t complicate things by developing attachments to either of the brothers.
“If you want to eat something, there’s food in the pouch.” He pointed to a satchel hanging from the bucket seat.
A bundle of crackers wrapped nicely in a fine thin sheet of clear, stretchy filament, alongside some fruit and assorted nuts were inside.
“What’s this?” I held up the package.
“Cheese crackers.”
I rolled my eyes. “No, silly. What’s it wrapped in?”
He quirked a smile. “Plastic wrap.”
Plastic. So thin? How weird.
I shrugged, feeling dumb as I unfolded a corner. “We don’t use wasteful stuff like that in Brighton when we can help it.”
His brow lifted. “Well, you’re not in Brighton anymore.”
I frowned, glaring at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He moved closer to me, a grin tugging on his lips. “How else are we supposed to keep food fresh?”
“Glass, or even paper since it’s so plentiful in your world.” My chin lifted, challenging him. We’d become very adept at recycling in Brighton, so much so, we threw away very little of anything. “Plastic isn’t good for the environment.”
“I’ll let the ladies know not to drill for anymore oil.” He winked and stole a cracker from me.
I cocked my head to the side, angered he wasn’t taking anything I said seriously. “Not funny.”
He kept grinning in that mischievous way while he chewed, teasing me without saying a word. I wrinkled my nose.
“Oh don’t get all post-apocalyptic on me, Sugar.”
I leaned against the wagon and crossed my ankles. “I wasn’t lecturing. I’m just curious.”
“It’s cool.” He stole another cracker and dangled it in front of me.
The smell itself almost killed me and I gave into my hunger, allowing him to feed me one. Salty and tangy, the cracker’s flavor burst in my mouth, shooting pain through my taste buds. I chewed, savoring all I could, then reached for another.
“Not bad.”
“Not bad? It’s awesome. Aunt Clara makes them all the time.” He popped a few more in his mouth. “It’s one of her specialties, along with peach cobbler.”
My mouth watered on queue. “That’s my favorite.”
“Well,” he said with a wink, touching my nose. “If you’re good, I’ll make sure she makes you one of your own.”
I smirked again, feeling heat return to my cheeks. His swagger was affecting me way too easily. Distance. I needed to keep a distance from these adorable boys.
“Give me those.” I knocked his hat from his head, then stole the bag from his fingers.
“Oooh,” he said, but he didn’t fight me for any more of them. Instead, he turned to check on Cactus.
~~|~~
After I finished eating and refilled my canteen, we continued on our way, hiding once again under the hats and blanket.
“We’ve got quite a ways to go, so feel free to sleep if you want.” Memphis patted his lap.
I shook my head, containing my groan. No. I was done sleeping on boys’ laps. But the news we had farther to go made my sore butt muscles hurt even worse. My curiosity (if wherever we were going had a shower) was killing me, not to mention things down south were beginning to itch. My inner city girl wished for Elle’s Refulgence to drive us there.
“So, wherever your family camp is, you have to have some areas where you’re exposed to the satellites, right? Like fields where you grow crops.”
“We have a system…” He suddenly stopped smiling like I’d insulted his dead grandma.
“And?”
He looked down at me from the corner of his eye. “You’re on probation. That’s classified information.”
I elbowed him in the side. “How am I supposed to lead if I don’t know how the colony works?”
“Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t.”
I pursed my lips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He twisted so he could look at me full on. “You may not lead in this lifetime.”
“According to Kaden, I will,” I said, determined.
“Abby. Your Complement’s present is not our future.”
“Sure it is.”
“No, it’s not, and I’ll prove it to you.” His eyes squinted for a moment while he pursed his lips. “How do you think future-you discovers time travel?”
“In a Brighton laboratory, where else?”
“And what if you don’t return to Brighton to do that? Then what?”
The words hung in the air, thick in the sun’s heat.
Time travel wouldn’t exist in the future or now. That was unless I made a decision to give the secrets to the EA. Otherwise it may never be discovered. I looked down at my naked wrist suddenly aware of how huge my decisions were to that discovery. Without it, it could jeopardize her… me… us. She’d prevented me from returning to the EA. Was that because if I would have returned, eventually I’d discover time travel for Brighton? My head hurt thinking about it.
Then my mouth dropped open. The abduction didn’t just rescue me, it altered everything. It wasn’t about being bait, or showing the EA I was the Oracle. It was about destroying time travel. And if everything was okay, future-me shouldn’t show anymore. She was like my new DOD watch. Life with the rebels wasn’t an option. It was my destiny.
Holy dead walkers.
Memphis leaned toward me. “You’re thinking too deeply about this.”
“Huh?” I focused on his smile,
terrified. My throat began to tighten. My lids filled with tears. I’d never see Elle or my parents again.
Memphis rocked my shoulder. “Abby?”
“What?” I scooted away from him, igniting the skin along my inner thighs. I lightly scratched, careful to appear like I was only readjusting the jeans sticking to my legs. As if it wasn’t enough that my life as I knew it had literally ended, now my privates were on fire, too. Seriously?
“It’ll be okay,” he offered.
I blinked at him, jerked back to reality. “Of course it’ll be okay. Why would you say that?”
“’Cause you’re kind of freaking out.”
“Am not.” My lips felt leathery, my throat chapped. A tear slithered down my cheek. I wanted to yell at him, hit him, but the desire to itch the heck out of my inner thighs robbed me of my sanity. I pulled the blanket up higher, hiding where I scratched.
“Okay.” Memphis pushed out a deep breath, oblivious, as we rode in silence.
It wasn’t about whether or not a life here would be far better than in Brighton: it was about time travel. But could I live here? Without the walls, without the safeguards, without my watch?
“I wonder how I ever managed to be in charge,” I said. “Your dad seems pretty established as the head honcho.” I chuckled to soften my observation.
“He’s only in charge of daily operations, safety stuff. The Elders run the colony.”
I squirmed again, wanting to rip off my jeans and scratch everything down with a wire brush. “Then I guess I don’t run the colony.”
Memphis’ features darkened. “Who knows? After this stunt, I doubt even Kaden will get a chance to lead security like originally agreed.”
I frowned. Why would Kaden no longer be allowed to head up security? He seemed so much more adept at this leading thing than I could ever be. I wanted to ask, but let out a strangled gasp instead, unable to control myself.
“Are you okay?” Memphis asked.
“I need to pee again,” I lied as my butt cheeks danced on the bench.
He slowed Cactus, but I jumped off before Memphis could help me down, keeping my limbs springy to cushion my fall. Fire danced up my inner thighs with the impact, but I didn’t care. With my pack in hand, I tried to keep a smile, and darted bowlegged over to the furthest bush. Memphis yelled something about blowing our cover, but I didn’t care. The itching had to stop.
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