Abigail then looped the rope around her waist and walked towards the edge of the cliff.
“Mary, sit in the loop and use your feet to keep yourself from hitting the wall,” Abigail yelled down. “I will pull you up.”
When Mary was secured, Abigail tapped her watch and began to back up. All was going well, and Mary was a few feet from the top when Abigail screamed as she began to slide towards the cliff.
Mary began to scream as she fell.
Peter and Casey grabbed the rope, and I threw my hands around Abigail’s waist; together we were able to catch Mary.
We all pulled back together, and, while Casey and the others were supporting her weight, I pulled Mary over the edge.
Her legs were cut badly, and her head looked like it had been scraped against the entire length of the rocks. She was barely conscious and was mouthing the word “Watch.”
I took off my watch and secured it to her arm. I tapped the button on the side to activate it, and we all gathered around and watched.
Her face began to mend. Skin grew like a web across her face. Hair grew back. Bits of rocks and twigs forced their way out of her skin. It was disgusting yet amazing to watch. Within minutes, she looked like normal, minus the blood that still stained her skin and clothes.
Mary sat up and brushed herself off.
“I hate doing that,” Mary said, making a face of disgust.
She put her hand to her head like she was woozy and said, “We will have to take it slow. I haven’t healed that much before.”
“It was my fault, Mary,” Abigail started. “My watch ran out of the serum. I used it so much the past few days. I should have checked it.”
Mary raised her hand.
“We are alive now, so there is nothing to apologize for,” Mary said calmly.
The sky was getting orange as night began to creep up.
“We can still make it before it gets dark,” Mary insisted.
I took out the remaining food and water I had in Donald’s bag and passed them around. We ate as we walked, and within an hour we approached the cabin.
It looked extremely old and about as safe as me climbing a rock wall. The wood was rotting, and it leaned to one side. The porch was more of a shell since the boards had rotted away. There was a row of logs that made a sort of staircase to the door. Despite night being now upon us, there seemed to be no lights on and no movement from inside.
“Do we knock?” I asked.
Mary looked troubled.
“They were expecting us,” she said, ignoring my question. “But it looks like no one is home.”
Mary paused then asked, “Peter…”
“I know,” Peter interrupted in a bored voice. “You want me to go see if someone is home because I can’t be hurt. Be right back.”
He walked towards the front of the house, and he touched his watch. The rest of us huddled behind a stack of wood and watched.
Peter disappeared behind the house and came back around the other side, shrugging his shoulders. Mary pointed at the door.
Peter rolled his eyes, walked to the door, and looked back at us. Mary waved him on.
Peter knocked a few times. Nothing happened. He turned around and gave us the motion to come on.
Then the door flew open, and a blue light erupted from the house. It sounded like a bug being caught in a bug zapper, but a hundred times louder and echoed in a canyon.
Peter shot forward from the door and skidded through the dirt like he had been pushed from behind by some sort of immense force.
Chapter 11
Peter lay on the ground, clothes smoking, for a few seconds before he sat up. His hair stood up like he had just stuck his finger in an electrical socket.
Walking through the door was a man in his fifties, who was built like an ox. His skin was so dark we would not have been able to see him if it had not been for the fact that he was radiating a dim light.
He had salt and pepper hair, and he wore a dark gray t-shirt and black pants that seemed too big for him if they hadn’t been secured around his waste by his belt.
“What do you want? Who are you?” the man called to Peter.
Peter stood up and brushed off his clothes.
“I am Peter. I was sent here to be picked up,” he replied.
“So you made it. I heard of the raid that happened down in town,” the man said in a solemn voice.
The man looked around.
“I thought there would be more of you. Six of you,” the man added.
“One of them is dead. The other four are…” Peter paused. I guess he did not want to give us away if this guy decided to snap again.
Mary stood up and walked towards him.
“Paul? I am Mary,” Mary said calmly.
The man seemed to relax.
“And the rest?” Paul asked.
Mary turned towards us and motioned for us to come out.
If that guy could send Peter flying like that, I would prefer to stay behind my wood, but I could not afford to look bad again in only a few hours.
“So five of you,” Paul mumbled. “Well, come in.”
Paul let us go into the cabin first as he stood outside like he was expecting someone else to show up. He closed the door and secured the two deadbolts.
Once inside the cabin, it did not look as terrifying or abandoned as it did outside. It had a common space that included the living area, kitchen, dining area, and a small bed in the corner. There was another room that only fit one small bed.
On a table near the door sat an old fashioned radio system with cords spilling out of it, as if it had been smashed and attempted to be put back together.
“You can sit if you like,” Paul offered. “I am afraid I do not have much food to offer though.”
“We already ate before we got here,” Mary replied. “So, what is the plan for pickup?”
Paul tensed up.
“With all the raids going on, it has been hard getting through to the West,” Paul said.
“But you said you got us a ride, just after nightfall,” Mary said with concern.
“I did, didn’t I?” Paul said, looking nervous. “I tell you what. Stay here and let me go to the tower where I have a better signal. I will see if they are on their way.”
Paul walked over and picked up the radio carefully.
“I will be back in about fifteen minutes,” Paul said. “Just relax, and you will be on your way in no time. There is water in the barrel in the kitchen.”
He slipped out the door and closed it gently.
“That was odd,” Mary murmured.
It felt good sitting down; we had been moving the whole day. My muscles still hurt from climbing.
“Peter, what happened up on the porch?” I asked. “You know, when you were pushed down?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I had my back to the door. I just remember feeling really hot, and then everything went bright. The next thing I remember, I was flying through the air.”
“Mary, do you know if Paul had abilities like us?” I asked.
Mary thought for a second and responded, “I don’t recall any talk of it. But it is possible. Some people have hid it their whole lives. Maybe that’s another reason he has been helping us.”
About twenty minutes past when another thought popped in my mind.
“Mary, you said that a couple lived here, right?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Mary replied, now looking more worried.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but we heard a noise coming from the front of the house like footsteps.
The door creaked open, and Paul entered.
“So, are they coming?” Mary asked in a low voice.
“They are coming,” Paul responded. He looked out the window. “Why don’t you get some rest?”
“When are they coming?” Mary pressed.
There was a slight pause before Paul responded.
“Soon,” he said.
Paul locked the d
oor and sat the radio down on the table. He stood at the window, staring motionless into the night.
“Paul, where is your wife?” Mary asked with concern.
“She is gone,” Paul replied.
Mary thought about her next words carefully.
“Paul, you didn’t call for us to be extracted, did you?” Mary said calmly.
Paul made a sound slight whimper, like he was broken.
“I’m so sorry,” Paul cried as he turned slowly toward us. “But I can’t let you go.”
Casey and I jumped to our feet, but Paul threw out his hands, and sparks shot from his palms.
The last thing I remember before my heart stopped was a bright blue light and every muscle in my body tense up.
Chapter 12
My whole body felt so cold. I felt a soft hand stroking my head gently. Bit by bit, I started to piece together who I was and what had happened over the past few days. Then I remembered the blue sparks and my heart stopping.
I opened my eyes and gasped for air.
“It’s okay,” Abigail tried to assure me.
My head was lying in her lap, her face puffy like she had been crying.
My body slowly began to regain its feeling little by little, and I almost wished that it hadn’t. My chest felt like it had been danced on by an ox.
“My…my chest,” I stammered.
Casey walked over and knelt beside me.
“You were dead, man,” Casey said. “I mean, your heart had stopped, and you were not breathing for like five minutes.”
“You?” I managed, but every breath seemed like I was grasping for something that seemed too far to reach.
“You took most of the jolt. I just collapsed for a few seconds,” he replied. “Abigail tried to…bring you back for five minutes. Then Paul came over and zapped you again, and you started to breathe.”
Mary walked over and got on her knees. Apparently, she had been crying too.
“I’m sorry, Dalyn. I can’t restart a heart,” Mary said in a cracking voice.
I rubbed my chest. It felt swollen and like parts were in the wrong places.
Mary put her hands on my chest and took a deep breath.
I felt my chest get warm, and my muscles began to pulse like energy was massaging them. The pain went away slowly, and Mary removed her hands. I felt a hundred times better, but my heart still fluttered and my chest was still a little sore.
I tried to sit up, but I was still weak. Abigail lowered me back down.
“What exactly did you do to me?” I asked her.
Her face went pink to red instantly, and she dropped my head on the ground.
“Ow!” I yelped.
“I was trying to save your life you ungrateful…”Abigail thought for a second, “boy!”
She stormed off and joined in on Casey’s and Mary’s conversation.
Peter walked over and knelt down next to me.
“She beat the crap out of you when you were…dead,” Peter said. Then, like he was choosing his words carefully, he added, “I would be a little more appreciative. She did what she could and was really upset. She was really happy when you started to breathe. Just, think before you talk. Trust me; my mouth gets me in trouble a lot.”
I sat up a little and looked around the cabin.
“Where's Paul?” I asked Peter.
“Well, after he zapped you again, he went and stood on the porch. He told us not to move,” Peter responded.
Just then the radio started to make a beeping noise, like someone was trying to call.
Paul opened the door and leaned over the radio, moving a few dials. I could barely make out the voice that was coming through.
It was a man’s voice, and it sounded like he was repeating himself, “Pickup nine-nine-six-eight; we are on our way. Please activate beacon to confirm location. If we do not pickup signal, we will abort. Repeat, Pickup nine-nine-si—”
Paul turned off the radio.
“They better hurry,” Paul mumbled.
“I thought you said you didn't call for our extraction?” I asked.
Paul hesitated. “I called two nights ago when Mary contacted me.”
Mary and the others walked over to join the conversation.
“Then what changed your mind?” Mary asked.
Paul sat in a wooden chair next to the radio, and his shoulders fell.
“Our broadcast was being tapped by the Renatus government. An hour after our conversation and after I called in an extraction, the Guards came to my house. They took my wife. They told me if I did not cooperate that they would kill her.” Paul choked. “They asked what your names were. All I knew was six people were coming. The only names I knew were Mary Curtiss and Abigail.”
Paul took another deep breath and continued. “I don’t think they caught the second transmission about the extraction because they told me if you show up to call them. They asked how I contacted the West. I partially lied and told them that when someone needed to be picked up, they would activate a beacon. I handed all of the beacons over to them.”
“So if we had a beacon, then we could leave?” I said with new hope.
“You can’t leave,” Paul said with sorrow in his voice. “The Guards will come for you and give Linda back to me.”
“Do you think that they will just give you your wife and let you live after what you have done?” Mary asked in a calm voice. “Best case is that they take us and keep your wife so you obey them. You know they are not forgiving, Paul.”
“You don’t think I thought about all that?” Paul’s voice rose. “I know the chances of my wife and I getting out of this alive are low. It’s just too late.”
“Paul.” Mary walked closer to Paul. “Please let us go.”
“I can’t take that risk. I’m sorry,” Paul said, looking away. “They are here.”
We got quiet and listened. A low rumbling like thunder sounded like it was coming closer. Seconds later, we saw lights coming down from the sky, and wind started to rattle the windows as two helicopters landed in the yard about a hundred feet away.
Paul opened the door and placed his massive frame in the center.
The engines of the helicopters slowed, and about ten Guards from each aircraft jumped out and placed themselves in a U-shaped formation.
Aaric emerged from one of the helicopters with an older lady walking next to him. They walked into the middle of the U-formation, and Aaric opened his arms.
“Linda!” Paul shouted to the lady next to Aaric. “Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"
Linda, a small pale skinned lady with gray hair, just stared ahead like she had not heard him.
“Paul, you have done marvelous. With these kinds of results, we can apprehend so many fugitives,” Aaric said with a proud smile on his ugly face. “Bring them out so I can see them.”
Paul hesitated. He turned and looked at Mary, who was shaking her head.
“Give me my wife and give me your word you will not harm us or these children,” Paul said.
“I admire your conviction, Paul, but you’re really not in the position to negotiate,” Aaric gloated. “But, I tell you what. If you hand them over, you get to stay in your…home, and I may arrange visitations with your wife.”
Paul clenched his fist and glared at Aaric.
“I will get them,” Paul told Aaric.
Paul stepped in and shut the door.
“Paul, please…”Mary started.
“You don’t have much time. The evacuation helicopter will only hang around for about fifteen minutes before it leaves,” Paul interrupted.
“You’re going to let us go?” Casey asked.
“I thought you gave away all your beacons?” Mary asked.
Paul walked into the room and moved the bed out of the way like it was made of feathers. Hidden under the bed was a small door leading under the house.
“I kept one for me and Linda to escape,” Paul said. “But it doesn’t look like that will be happening now.”
“Here,” Paul handed the beacon to Mary. “The right button activates it. Hold it up so the pilot can see the light.”
“Paul, thank you,” Mary said gently. “Aren’t you coming with us?”
Paul smiled and knelt down again. He reached into the hidden door and pulled out a satchel.
“Please take this. If you can find my daughter and could give her this, I would be very grateful. Both of us would,” Paul said with tears in his eyes. “This door leads to a tunnel behind the house. You will come out behind a large boulder. Once you are out, follow the path around into the clearing. It will take you about ten minutes if you hurry.”
“Paul!” Aaric shouted. “You are not having second thoughts now are you? My offer is quite generous, considering your circumstances.”
“Please,” Paul pleaded, holding the satchel out to Mary.
Mary nodded and took the satchel.
“What is her name?” Mary asked with tears forming in her eyes.
Paul smiled like he was pulling all the memories he had of her and was reliving them.
“Annie,” Paul said as a tear fell from his eye. “There is a picture in the front pocket of the bag. She would be fifteen now.”
Casey and Peter lowered themselves through the door and disappeared.
Mary kissed Paul on the cheek and promised him she would find Annie.
“Please do not tell her what I did,” Paul said in shame.
“You have nothing to feel sorry about, Paul. You did the right thing, and that’s what matters. You are one of the bravest people I know,” Mary told Paul as she lowered herself down.
Abigail gave a sympathetic smile to Paul and followed behind Mary.
Then only Paul and I were left.
“Are you sure you will not come?” I asked Paul.
Paul smiled at me.
“I admire people like you,” Paul said. “Someone can do you wrong, and you are still worried about them. I hope my girl turns out like you. We need more people in the world like that.”
He extended his hand out, and I shook it.
“You must go quickly. I will try to keep them busy for you,” he said with a new found courage.
Sky of Dust: The Last Weapon Page 7