“Okay,” Steve said, waving goodbye. He began to turn to walk back inside.
Collin stopped him and turned Steve’s head back the other way. “Wait for it,” he said, massaging Steve’s shoulders.
Steve was genuinely confused. “Wait for what?”
A few yards away, Sarah turned and smiled. She got caught looking back, and her face turned red from blushing. She grabbed Jenny’s hand and the two scurried off toward the guesthouse.
Steve’s heart skipped a beat.
“For that. You sly dog, you! Not even one day and already after the castle hottie!” Collin said, laughing his way back to their new room.
Robert had been watching the exchange from a distance and walked over. “Hey, asshole. Keep your eyes off Sarah. I saw the way you were looking at her. She’s mine, and that’s how it’s going to stay. You hear me?”
“Hey, Rob. How are the ribs doing?” Steve replied, holding his own ribs jokingly. “She’s yours, huh? Now, I wasn’t looking, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t see your name on her.”
Robert ignored the insult and stepped in closer. “Just watch your back,” he retorted, shoving Steve.
Steve stumbled back, but caught his balance. Before anyone could see the exchange, Robert backed up and walked away.
1740 hours
Robert stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him. Located on the second floor of southern side of the Inner Eye, his room was the compound’s second master bedroom. The room faced inward, and its private balcony overlooked the courtyard. Steve’s new room sat directly across, a rock’s throw away. Any and all extra space was utilized for survival, so Mark had added two other beds and stored surplus equipment inside. Robert’s roommates, Brian and Corey, sat on their beds, passing time.
“I can't believe that guy. What's his name? Steve!” Robert raged.
“I should have just let that asshole Alex get eaten,” Corey said. “Next time, remind me not to pull the trigger, or to aim lower.”
“Yeah, and who the hell do these new guys think they are,” Brian added. “They just come in here, talking shit and acting like they own the place.”
“And I can't believe my dad is letting them stay here! This is crazy! And he’s eyeballing my girl!” Robert exclaimed, tearing through his drawers, looking for something. “Damnit, Corey, where’s the fucking stash?”
“Calm down, bro. Same place it always is, in the top left drawer, under the panel,” Corey replied casually.
As Robert continued searching, Brian looked up, puzzled. “Your girl? Oh, he was checking out Sarah, huh?”
“There it is,” Robert said softly, taking out a plastic bag full of white powder. He spread an inch long line on the dresser and snorted it. “Ah, much better.”
“Hey, man, remember our talk? That shit has to last us,” Corey said, attention split between Robert and a game of Solitaire. “He was hitting on Sarah? We have to get rid of these guys, Rob.”
Robert sat down on his bed and began to calm down. The powdered narcotic was beginning to take effect. He thought about what Corey just said and took it seriously.
“You’re right, Corey. We have to get rid of them.”
“Dude, I was just joking. You know your dad wouldn’t allow it.”
“That’s why we have to make it seem like they did something so bad, my dad would have no other choice than to kick them out.”
Corey and Brian continued to entertain themselves as Robert lay on his bed, brainstorming.
“This stays between us three, got it? We’ll leave these assholes alone for now. Let them build up a false sense of security, then BAM! They’ll be out of here forever,” Robert said, crushing his fist in his hand.
1902 hours
Much of the castle’s original foundation had been left unchanged by Colonel Seaton, including the grand dining room. A rustic chandelier housing dozens of small candles hung from the center of the ceiling. The table was long and rectangular, and was carved from a single redwood tree. Two handcrafted wooden benches pulled out from underneath, easily providing enough room for the original survivors, although the group had to squeeze together to fit the cousins.
Dinner was simple: small slices of chicken breast, canned peas, rice from the cousins, and a modest portion of garden greens. To the cousins, it was a dream come true. Since their departure, they had not had a home-cooked meal. This was a delicious change of pace from tuna, vegetables, and other canned foods. They praised the chefs as they gobbled the food down.
Sitting across from the cousins, one of the compound’s residents could no longer hold back. “Hi, my name’s Josue, but everybody calls me Joey,” he said, introducing himself to the newcomers. “I’m like the unofficial groundskeeper. Let me know if you have any questions or anything.”
“Nice to meet you, Joey. Thanks,” Steve said, shaking his hand and introducing himself and the rest of his family. “This still seems unreal. A day ago we were on the road eating canned tuna—”
“Yeah, everyone here has been wondering about you guys,” Joey said, cutting Steve off. “Where you came from, how you’ve survived this long, what the rest of the US is like, stuff like that. We don’t really get that much gossip around here, if you know what I mean.”
At once, the other survivors turned and chimed in. They had their questions locked and loaded. Some asked about the pandemic, others about the cousins’ personal journey. Joey was right; Americans missed their gossip.
Across the table, one woman stood out in particular. The thirty-year-old, mildly attractive brunette leaned in and would not stop talking. “So I heard that, like, the celebs and execs are all living nice and comfortably in their mansions and stuff. Did you guys run into any of them? I just feel so bad for most of them. Their careers will never be the same. My name’s Shannon, by the way. Where’d you guys say you were from?”
Before the cousins could be bombarded with more questions, Sarah came over and rescued them. “Come on, guys, they haven’t even been here a full day and you’re already all over them like hyenas,” she said, hushing the crowd. “Go on, let them eat in peace, you gossip queens.”
Sarah’s interruption proved successful, and the crowd went back to their meals.
“Alex, that Shannon chick just eye-fucked the shit out of me,” Billy whispered, staring at Shannon as she got up from the table to clear her plate.
“Good luck with that one, Bill,” Alex responded.
“So, how was your first dinner, Steve?” Sarah asked.
“Thanks for the help there,” Steve replied, wiping his mouth. “It was amazing. You’re definitely not missing out on our dinners, if you can call them that. Where do we put the plates?”
“Don’t worry about that. Leave them there. Someone will come by and clean up.”
“And full service? I can get used to this. So, how about that tour you promised?”
Sarah grabbed him by the arm, pulling him from the table. “I was just coming to get you.”
Alex, Billy, and Collin smirked and made childish jokes as Steve walked down the hall with his new friend.
“I think I’m gonna follow suit and head out,” Billy said, pushing his plate forward and rising to his feet to leave. “What do you say, Alex? Down for some post-dinner video games?”
“You know me, cuz, always down!” Alex replied, following Billy out of the dining hall. As they were walking out, Jenny came rushing by them with a handful of board games.
“Collin! Collin!” Jenny exclaimed, springing up behind Collin, startling him. “Do you want to play a game? There’s Monopoly, or Yahtzee!”
Not really giving him an option, Jenny dragged Collin by the arm like a dog on a leash.
Billy opted to hold his tongue, but Alex couldn’t help but give Collin a hard time. “Watch out, Jenny, he’s a cheater. Make sure you’re the banker!”
1926 hours
The sun was finishing its departure over the choppy Pacific Ocean, leaving the sky a beautiful combination of
red and orange. Like clockwork, small solar bulbs powered on, faintly lighting up the Eye.
Sarah started the tour at the gate and followed a counterclockwise course. They passed by the parking area first. Only a station wagon, a large military truck, and a battered 90’s Chevy pickup occupied the lot.
Next, they came to the RV. “Looks like Billy and Alex didn’t waste any time making themselves at home,” Sarah joked. The cousins had rolled down the canopy and set up lawn chairs and a card table around the side door.
“Yeah, looks like it,” Steve said, chuckling. He turned his attention to the open blinds and noticed Billy and Alex wrestling over the video game controllers. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but he found himself smiling. Maybe it was because he and his cousins had finally found what they had been searching for; maybe it had just been a long time since he had known happiness. Whatever the reason, Steve didn’t care. He was truly happy.
“Is something the matter?” Sarah asked, noticing a change.
“No. Everything is perfect,” Steve answered. “Let’s keep going.”
After pointing out various rooms and storage areas, Sarah stopped and turned her attention to one room in particular. “Mark converted that room to a medical facility. It’s basic, but it works. We’re lucky he thought to have one, since there’s no hospitals anymore.”
“That’s good thinking,” Steve said. “Collin is like that. He always preaches about preventative measures, like survival foods, first aid, and car stuff.”
Sarah continued to gaze at the room. “Before all of this, I was training to become a nurse. It’s nice to have something from your past that you can still hold onto, ya know?”
Steve knew exactly what she meant.
“Come on,” she said, taking him by the arm. “We aren’t even halfway done.”
The castle’s architecture was picturesque: massive stone and marble hallways and giant wooden doors. Lanterns hung on the walls in strategic locations, filling the corridors with much-needed light.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Steve said honestly. “I went up to Hearst Castle once on a camping trip with Alex and his family. But I have to say, Hearst Castle has nothing on this place.”
They soon found themselves at the end of the Inner Eye. The structure ended and from there, steep cliffs took over, eventually converging on the Outer Eye’s fortress wall.
“Where to from here?” Steve asked.
“We follow the yellow brick road, of course,” Sarah answered, directing Steve’s attention to a stone path that led through the garden.
A brisk sea breeze picked up, causing Sarah to shiver. Steve noticed and offered his jacket. “Here take this.”
“Thanks,” Sarah said with a smile.
They passed by a section near the cliffs that housed livestock. There was a chicken coop and a small stable with three cows and a pair of horses.
“You guys have a great thing going here,” Steve said, trying unsuccessfully to get to horses to come over by whistling and tapping the fence. “I’m kind of jealous.”
“Yes, we do. And it’s nice to know that there are more people out there, too.”
As they continued their stroll, Steve dug his hands into his pockets, not wanting Sarah to know that he was a little cold. Luckily for him, the tour ended moments later in front of his new room.
“If you ever need anything, Jenny and I live in the guesthouse,” Sarah said, pointing to the small servants’ house near the garden. “Joey was nice enough to let Jenny and I use it.”
“Thanks,” Steve said. The one-word reply was weak, and he knew it. He really wanted to say more. He shuffled his feet like a schoolboy with a crush.Grow some balls, he thought. Out of nowhere, he threw caution to the wind. “Hey, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, so I just wanted to ask and get it out of the way. Do you and Robert have something going on?”
Sarah’s laughter was both puzzling and frightening to Steve. He thought Robert’s claims of Sarah being his had some possible validity. Just as his stomach began to turn itself inside out, Sarah explained.
“Rob? No. Definitely not. We used to date—if you could call it that—back in like freshman year of high school. He became Mr. Popular. You know, quarterback of the football team. Too important for a nerd with a 4.0.”
“What an idiot.”
“Why do you ask? Did he say something?”
“That you guys were sort of a thing.”
“Ugh. He just won’t let go. When he left for USC, he got into the high life. You know, drugs and partying. After that, it really went downhill for him. He lost his scholarship, then transferred a bunch of times. Finally, he came back home after being un-drafted. I was living at my grandma’s nearby, going to med school. He tried to ask me out a couple times, but that train left a long time ago.”
Suddenly, sounds from inside Steve’s room caught their attention. They opened up the door and found Collin and Jenny playing a game of Monopoly.
“Sarah, is it time to do my hair?” Jenny asked, moving the metal dog piece around to Baltic Avenue. “That’ll be another two hundred dollars for me.”
Jenny’s stack of play money was easily four times the size of Collin’s, and she had twice as many properties. Steve didn’t need Collin’s dismal expression to know the game was over.
Sarah looked momentarily flustered, and Steve gathered that she must have forgotten about her earlier promise to Jenny. She quickly played it off. “Yes, it is.” She looked at Steve and mouthed, “Sorry.”
Steve waved off the apology. “I’m sure there’ll be more opportunities for us to hang out.”
“I hope so.”
Jenny sprang up and rushed to Sarah, hugging her tightly. “Sarah promised she was going to do my hair. She said she’s going to make me look like a princess.”
“I guess it’s that time. Goodnight, Collin. Night, Steve.”
“Goodnight, Sarah,” Collin said. “Sorry, Jenny, looks like we’re going to have to start over next time.” Collin began picking up the money, cards and play houses, pointedly avoiding looking up at Steve, who was ready to give him a hard time about being a sore loser.
Sarah gave Steve his jacket back, and the two girls left, giggling and laughing their way back to the guesthouse.
Exhausted, Collin lay on his new bed. “Not even one day in, and already in. Hot damn, Steve!”
Steve shut the door and dove onto his own bed. “It’s not even like that—”
“Yet.”
Steve chucked a pillow at Collin, who barely deflected it away from his head.
“All right, I’ve had enough of being roasted for the evening. Go to sleep,” Steve ordered gently.
Collin rolled over and clicked the lamp off. “Fine. Sleep tight, man.”
“Hey, Cully. I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for everything you’ve done. For getting us here. I know the others think that, too. Just got to give Bill some time to mend.”
Collin turned on his side away from Steve. It took him a moment to gather his words. “I know. And thanks. We couldn’t have done it without each other.”
Snakes in the Garden
May 22, 2009
1643 hours
Over a month had passed since the cousin’s initial arrival, and morale was at an all-time high. Steve had thought that the cousins would begin to drift apart, even living so close to each other, but in reality, the opposite happened. During the daytime, the cousins were occupied with individual chores, but at dinner, they always sat together. In an effort to remain close, Steve concocted a weekly schedule of “family time,” in which all four would rendezvous in the RV to hang out. Generally, Mondays were poker night and Thursdays were dedicated to video game tournaments. Throughout the week, Collin and Steve would stop by the RV just to hang out and share stories. As Steve had predicted, Billy began to warm up to Collin.
They loved all the benefits of living normal lives. No more night watches. They had hot, home-cooked meals. They
even got to sleep in, although they woke up every few hours for the first few weeks out of habit. But most of all, they no longer had to drive to stay alive.
The daily tasks weren’t overly laborious by any means. On the contrary, they were a refreshing change of pace. Billy had his hands full with the castle’s numerous electrical problems. Alex assisted Billy when he could, but his own duties rotated him between cleaning and lookout. Collin had fallen into a handyman role of fixing and maintaining the compound, and he had discovered a passion for cooking, although his ego would never let him admit it to his family.
Collin had convinced Mark that Steve was the best shot of the group. After proving his accuracy and precision, Steve had been offered the position of full-time guard. Steve had thanked Mark for giving him the option, but had respectfully declined; he preferred part-time, which gave him enough free time to see Sarah and help her in the garden.
Sarah and Steve were almost inseparable. There was rarely a day the two didn’t hang out. Day by day, they built a close relationship, and the romantic flirting continued. Their connection was the most organic thing either had experienced in a long time. Steve showed Sarah how to handle and shoot guns, giving her advice and tips. She didn’t much care for violence, but listened and practiced intently. Since she couldn’t study medicine anymore, she had taken up art. She showed Steve some of her drawings, incredible sketches of distant landscapes and made-up creations. She didn’t have many colors to work with, so most were done in pencil.
Billy and Alex spent most of their time as they did before, playing video games, drinking, and messing around. Once had they settled in, Billy had started them back on a workout routine. Since there were no free weights or machines to use, they focused on calisthenics, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and running. They even mixed and mingled with the other survivors. One morning, after breakfast, Alex bumped into Shannon, the gossip queen, who was doing the notorious walk of shame back from the RV. Her hair was a mess, and her clothes were barely hanging on. Alex chuckled at the slight hitch in her step.
The Longest Road (Book 1) Page 19