The Love Interest

by Cale Dietrich

Natalie peeks her head out from the backseat. She’s wearing a black shirt and jeans, but her hair is still perfectly styled and her makeup is immaculate; her eyes are smoky and her lips are covered in pale-pink lipstick. “I’m here too. We all decided that we can’t let you die. Oh and, just so you know, Trev knows about me. I kind of had to tell him.”

  Trevor shrugs. “I’m a cheater, she’s a liar. But we’re happy and in love, and that’s what matters.”

  “Aw, babe,” says Natalie, and she plants a quick kiss on his cheek.

  I stifle a scream of frustration. “Don’t you see what you’ve done? Now we’re all going to die!”

  Natalie’s eyes widen. “Yeah, we will, if you don’t stop whining. Now hurry up.”

  I want to argue more but I quickly realize it’s stupid, so I jump into the front seat. Dyl climbs in after me, wedging himself between Natalie and Trevor. They both stare at him like he’s a confusing piece of art. He looks down at his calves.

  “Go!”

  Juliet plants her foot on the accelerator and the truck surges forward.

  Natalie crosses her arms. “Does your coach know you’ve rebelled?” Dyl and I both nod. “Shit, that means we’re already running out of time. Juliet, you need to drive as fast as you can and get us as far out of town as possible.”

  Juliet gives it some more gas and the truck picks up speed.

  “I know this might be an unpopular opinion at the moment,” says Trevor. “But shouldn’t we go somewhere public, like a mall or something, and then call the police?”

  I’m staring out the window at the flat, barren earth. “The LIC has enough money to bribe anyone. The police can’t help us.”

  “We could make a video explaining what happened to you and post it online, and …”

  “People have tried,” says Dyl. “They all died, and the whole thing is covered up so fast it was like it was never posted. They were tortured for days before they were sent to the incinerator. And they say they lowered the heat settings for those people, so their deaths took longer. I’d call bullshit, but I heard the screams. It took hours. My point is that the LIC doesn’t want anyone to know they exist, and they’ll never let the word get out. Ever. And every conceivable way of spreading the word has been tried, and they all failed. Our best chance is to hide and hope they give up or forget about us.”

  Trevor leans back in his seat and sighs. “I guess you’ve thought about this more than I have. It’s still so huge, I can’t even fathom it.”

  “Then why are you here?” I meant to sound curious, but it comes out sounding mean. I press my lips together, then realize it doesn’t matter that I did something that wasn’t Nice. The LIC wants to kill me anyway, so there’s no reason to be Nice ever again. I turn and look out the window as that sinks in.

  I don’t have to pretend I’m someone I’m not ever again.

  Trev winces. “Well, you’re my friend, Caden, and I’m not going to let some shady group of people treat you like a slave or kill you. And Natalie, well, she’s the most important person to me on the planet. I’ll do anything to protect her.” He looks over his shoulder. “And Dyl’s all right too, I guess.”

  “So is there somewhere we can go?” asks Juliet. “Like, someplace where people have made it away from them?”

  I shake my head. “As far as we know, no one has ever survived running from the LIC. A Stalker always catches them. Always.”

  “What’s a Stalker?” asks Juliet.

  “It’s a killing machine,” says Dyl. “It’s designed for one purpose: to keep Love Interests in line.”

  “Specifics, please.”

  “It’s a robot,” I say. “A big robot strong enough to pull people apart. They’re also expert trackers, and they’re scary fast. So far, they’ve got a perfect track record of catching fleeing Love Interests. No one gets away from a Stalker.”

  “But they’re not us,” says Natalie.

  “Everyone thinks that,” says Dyl. “Everyone thinks they’re the exception.”

  “No, she’s right,” I say. “They’ve never had to face us. We have a shot.”

  Silence falls over the truck. Juliet reaches a stop sign and the truck slows to a crawl. We’re already at the outskirts of town, and after this corner there’s a long stretch of road surrounded by paddocks. I stare at the rearview mirror.

  Out of the darkness, an eyeless face emerges. The swath of shadow unfurls, revealing the rest of the Stalker in all its horrific glory. The little rivers of light on its chest glow like fireflies in the darkness. Its toeless foot steps forward.

  “Go!” I scream, my hand slapping the steering wheel. “Go!”

  Juliet’s eyes dart to mine, then she follows my stare to the mirror and her mouth drops open. She plants her foot on the accelerator and the truck skids around the corner, sending up smoke. We skid across into the opposite lane, which, thankfully, is empty, and then she corrects course and pulls into the other lane. She absolutely guns it. The entire cab vibrates as we shoot forward.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-NINE

  “Is it still chasing us?”

  We’ve been driving now for almost five hours. My eyes feel dry and heavy, as if they’re being pushed out of my head. My hands are numb, and the hair on my arms is standing up. I peer over my shoulder. Behind me all I can see is a massive wall of darkness. I turn to the left and notice that the earth around us is flat and barren, broken apart only by the occasional tree.

  Trevor leans forward. He’s smiling. I grind my teeth together. He shouldn’t be here. He should be safe, in his bed, asleep. So should Juliet and Natalie.

  “Want a sour worm?” asks Trevor, offering me a bag filled with neon-colored candy. He’s chewing with his mouth open. “They’re good. And you need to keep your sugar up. It’s almost time to switch dri—”

  “I’m fine,” interrupts Juliet. Her eyes are red and puffy. “Really.”

  “No, he’s right,” I say. “We need to switch.” I pull a sour worm out from the bag and pop it into my mouth. I bite down hard, cutting off the head. I feel the sugary energy creep through my blood, rushing to my heart and settling the shakiness of my arms. “Let’s do it now. Park, and we’ll both run around then get back in. It’ll take two seconds.”

  “It’s going to be out there, Caden,” says Dyl. “It could’ve caught us if it wanted to. It’s doing what they always said it would. It’s tormenting us.”

  I shudder. “I know. But it’ll end it for sure if we crash. At least this way we’ve got a shot.”

  Juliet puts her foot on the brake and the truck slows. “Now!” she calls.

  I jump out and land on the road. I take a few quick steps to regain my balance, then I turn and run toward the front of the truck. Juliet passes me. I reach the front door, which is open.

  Natalie screams, high and loud.

  I look up.

  The Stalker steps out of the darkness.

  “Caden!” screams Juliet. “Get in!”

  I leap into the truck and slam my foot down on the accelerator. Please please please. The truck charges forward. I grip the wheel and turn it, and the truck skids back onto the road. Wind whips in through the open door. In the rearview mirror the wall of blackness moves forward, covering the Stalker. It raises its mannequin head and meets my stare as the darkness covers its face.

  With one hand, I reach out and slam the door shut. The sound vibrates around the cab, then silence falls.

  “It’s messing with us,” says Natalie. “But that’s a good thing, right? It buys us time. We just need a plan, and Juliet, you’re the only one who can think us out of this. So you need to sleep, because we need you at full brain power to get us out of this.”

  “I’m fine,” says Juliet. “I can think and keep watch.”

  “Nat’s right, we need you to sleep,” I say. “You’ve been outvoted, so do it.”

  She stares at me for a second, then opens her mouth. Her eyebrows furrow and she pouts before turning and leaning her hea
d against the headrest. Why is she acting so strange? It hits me: that was the first time I’ve ever bossed her around. The power in our relationship has shifted, and now she has no idea what to expect from me. I want to explain myself to her, to tell her that I’m not an awful person, I’m just not the meek boy she thought I was. I want to tell her I understand this change must be a shock to her, but that I’m still pretty much the same guy, only better, because now I can finally say what I truly think and feel.

  I want her to know the real me.

  I open my mouth, but she closes her eyes and pretends to be asleep. If she doesn’t want to talk, I need to respect that. It’s the only way I’ll ever rebuild any form of relationship with her.

  “So after Caden, I’ll drive,” says Natalie. “Then Trev, then Dyl. And then the cycle repeats. And I know what you’re thinking, Trev, but I’ve driven in a car with you so I know you’re actually a pretty decent driver. Much better than you think you are, anyway. So you can drive on your own for a few hours. You’ll be fine.”

  Trevor scratches his forearm. “Yeah, because fine is exactly how I’d describe our current situation.”

  * * *

  It’s been eight hours since we went on the run, and the red gas gauge has started flashing. I’ve watched it flash so many times now it’s burned into my retinas, and the image lingers even when I close my eyes.

  Dyl’s driving, and I’m in the middle of the backseat, wedged between Natalie and Juliet. No matter how I try to position myself, my thighs are always touching one of them. Juliet hasn’t said a word to me since I moved to the backseat, and when I look at her she always turns her head and looks out the window.

  “We need to stop,” says Dyl. His voice is deeper and more gravelly than usual. “Are you sure there’s a station up ahead?”

  Juliet chews her bottom lip. “It doesn’t matter, because that thing’s not going to let us refuel. But we can do something about it. Come on, you guys, I know we’re all thinking it.”

  “I’m not thinking anything,” I say. “What are you thinking? You’re the genius.”

  I meant it as a compliment, but like most things I’ve said recently, it comes out sounding harsh.

  Juliet fiddles with a long strand of her hair. Her long, slightly pink fingers are shaking. “I think we need to fight it.”

  “I was not thinking that,” says Dyl. “It’s a killing machine. There’s no way we can face it. No way. It’ll butcher us all. There was this video they showed us, back in the LIC, of it ripping a Nice’s head off with its bare hands. It’s unstoppable.”

  “I have weapons,” she says. “They’re in the back of the truck. While Nat and Trev were loading the truck I went to my lab and grabbed some of the things I’d been working on. I brought your suit, Natalie, and the Black Hole Bombs and the Bolt Gloves and a few other things. We can fight it if we plan our attack. If we run out of fuel and it catches us we’re all screwed. If we plan ahead, we can at least try to take it out.”

  “So what’s the plan?” I ask.

  Juliet grins. “I say we blow it up.” She rubs her palms together. “The bombs, they’re strong enough to do it. If I can get to the detonator and we plant it in its path, I can destroy the Stalker. I know I can. All we’ll need is some sort of building to hide in while we plant the bomb.”

  Dyl sighs. “How do we even know a bomb will work?”

  I roll my eyes. “What else are we going to try, Dyl? Should we just give up and die? If that’s what you want to do go right ahead, but I want to at least try something, and this is the best plan we have.”

  “No, you’re right,” he says. “Sorry. Wait, you were saying we needed a building? Because look.” He points out his window. The sun is slowly rising, and against the pink sky is the outline of a barn. “Will that do?”

  Juliet nods. “It’s perfect. Okay, we need to do this now. Is everyone ready to run? Dyl and Caden, I’m going to need you to be bait. Nat and Trev, run in the opposite direction in case anything goes wrong. Okay?”

  “Wait, what?” says Natalie. “What are we doing?”

  “When the truck stops, get away from us. Caden, run to the back and find the black backpack. That’s the one with the bombs. Grab it and then run toward the barn.”

  The barn is rapidly approaching.

  “Stop, Dyl! Make it look like the gas ran out.”

  Dyl puts his foot on the brake and the truck rolls to a halt. Trev grabs the door handle, swings the door open, and jumps out; Juliet follows him. I leap out after them. I turn for a second and look down the road. In the distance is a lone figure. It lowers its head and moves into a sprint position.

  I wrench the tarp off the back of the truck and start searching for the backpack. Natalie and Trev leap off the road and sprint toward the forest. I scramble through a pile of clothes, then a pile of cans, then my fingers touch scratchy canvas. I grab one of the straps and pull, revealing a black backpack. I turn. The Stalker is about five hundred yards away and closing fast. Juliet and Dyl are in front of the barn, where Dyl is pushing up a plank of wood, trying to open the door.

  I sling the bag over my shoulder and run. The bag jostles as my feet pound against the damp grass. Dyl drops the plank of wood and the barn door swings open, creaking as it moves. I reach them and pass the bag to Juliet.

  “Is this it?” I ask, my voice harsh from breathlessness.

  “It is.” Her eyes go wide. “Now move!”

  I look where she’s looking. The Stalker is standing beside the truck. It’s bent over, its black fingers gripping the bottom. It straightens up, lifting the truck clean off the road like it weighs nothing. The Stalker pauses there for a moment, holding the truck above its head.

  Then it turns and faces us.

  I grab Dyl by the shirt and pull him a few steps forward. This yanks him out of his stupor and he starts running. Juliet follows us just as the Stalker throws the truck. It soars through the air toward us.

  I dive forward as an orange blur rockets through the side of the barn, sending up a spray of wood chips. The truck hits the other side of the wall and crumbles, spraying glass and unleashing a pungent smell of gasoline. Orange fire spreads from the hood, spewing black smoke.

  Juliet crouches beside the wreckage and unzips the backpack.

  “Get away!” I call as I stand up. “It could blow!”

  She ignores me and keeps ferreting around the bag. “Yes!” she says as she pulls out a black boxlike item. She places it on the ground and presses a button. A light on the side turns from red to green. Then she pulls a small black thing that’s shaped like a pen from the middle of the device. Smiling, she grabs a handful of straw and covers the object with it.

  Through the smoke, the Stalker appears. Juliet scrambles away, joining us. We’re pressed against the back of the barn. I offer my hand to Dyl. He grabs it. His palm is cold and sweaty.

  The detached door of the truck is embedded deep in the ground. The Stalker swipes at it. The door lifts up, spins once, then falls and digs itself deep into the ground, sending up little clods of brown earth.

  Dyl lets go of my hand and steps forward. The Stalker’s head pivots to the side, staring at him.

  “Take me,” says Dyl. His voice is hoarse. He pounds his fist on his chest. “Leave them, take me.” The sound of his fist hitting his flesh is the only noise in the entire barn. Or at least it seems that way.

  I notice his feet are crossing, and he’s moving slowly to the left. Toward the bomb.

  The Stalker moves into a sprint position.

  “Now!”

  The Stalker transforms into a blur of darkness, its hand stretching out to grab Dyl. Juliet presses her thumb down on the end of the pen. The hand grabs Dyl’s shirt and yanks down, slamming him into the ground.

  A maelstrom of intense black and purple erupts out of the ground, swirling viciously. The air turns freezing cold, like all the warmth has been sucked out of the room. A vortex of color has enveloped the Stalker, save for its hand.
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  With a snap, the ball of color folds in on itself. The Stalker’s detached hand is all that remains. It drops, then lies still on the blackened, smoldering earth.

  “Oh my God!” says Juliet. She jumps up and down and pulls me into a hug. “It worked! Do you know the ramifications of this, Caden? I’ve discovered a way to create a truly contained explosive. All of the destructive power, none of the risk. The potential for this …”

  Dyl is still lying facedown on the ground. Oh no. The straw surrounding him is red with blood. His blood. There’s a lot of it.

  I go to say something, but my throat clamps shut and I freeze. Please, please let him be okay. Juliet releases me.

  She sees Dyl. “No way. Not now.”

  I crouch beside him.

  “Dyl?” I say softly. I touch his shoulder and roll him onto his back.

  His nose is leaking blood, and his face is pale and sweaty. He opens his mouth, and his Adam’s apple bobs up and down.

  “Caden?” he says.

  His eyes close.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY

  Dyl is leaning against a tree using a rolled-up jacket as a pillow. His head lolls to the left and his eyes are closed, but he’s breathing. We’re in the middle of a grayish-blue forest, surrounded by smooth-barked white trees. I’m sitting beside him with my legs out in front of me, waiting for him to wake up. A sane person would be sitting with the others in front of the fire, where it’s warm and dry, but I wanted to be there when he woke. He stirs and I straighten up.

  “Hey,” I say softly as I shift closer to him.

  He looks down at his chest. He’s shirtless, but most of his chest is covered by a white pad. When the Stalker slammed him into the ground, the force was so strong it took a lot of the skin off. His face glows white, and his hair is damp and pressed down over his forehead. Damn it, the LIC was right. Wounded guys are hot.

  Thankfully, the cuts are quite shallow, little more than grazes, and Natalie thinks he passed out from shock. While I was carrying Dyl away from the barn, Juliet raided the wreckage of the truck for food and other supplies. She managed to salvage a few cans of food, some singed clothes, and a kit filled with medicine and matches.