“I really doubt They would just leave us alone,” Shay rolled her eyes. “I know I haven’t been ‘in the know’ for long and haven’t had direct contact with Them, but I don’t get the impression they would just go away because you left.”
“They wouldn’t,” Xander agreed. “What do you remember about the guy following you?”
Sydney had almost forgotten that Shay had suspected she was being followed. It was the whole reason she had left town with Zak. Why were they back?
“Not much really. He was normal looking, and I’m not even a hundred percent sure he was following me. I just saw him two different places I went on the same day and it weirded me out since you guys were being so mysterious.”
“Why did you come back?” Syd asked.
“I got tired of not knowing what the hell was going on,” her voice went high pitched again, but this time it was in indignation.
“Well, I think you just walked out of the kettle and into the fire,” Xander sighed.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
“I think we should get out of town,” Zak offered.
Shay and Xander had gotten up to get rid of the remains of their breakfast. Sydney watched Shay tease Xander and he only rolled his eyes. She had a feeling she knew just what Shay was snickering happily about but she pretended not to notice. Once they had both returned, Sydney shrugged. “Is all of us running really going to solve anything?”
“It might give us some time to come up with a plan,” Shay pointed out.
Syd knew it was stupid, but she still felt guilty for making her friends leave their home. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t want to run, she just didn’t want them to have to run with her. The responsible, logical side of her brain told her it wasn’t fair to continue to risk her friends’ lives. But the longer she hesitated, the harder it was to leave them behind.
Zak finally spoke up. “I have a...client, who has a cabin in Wisconsin. He said I could use it whenever I wanted. We could go there. It’s not directly connected to any of us.”
“Ha! Is this the guy who has the poodle he keeps bringing to you to groom every week even though it doesn’t need it?”
“Maybe,” Zak smiled. “He told me the code that unlocks the doors. We could go there and hide out until we come up with a plan.”
“In the woods?” Sydney asked dubiously.
“That’s where cabins usually are,” Zak sarcasm was tipped with animosity and Syd knew he was only going along for Shay and Xander. He, obviously, still blamed her for the trouble she had caused.
As he should, Sydney thought to herself. If the others noticed his attitude they ignored it. “I just don’t think getting away from other people is the best answer. Crowds have their advantages.”
“Since when have They cared if they were in a city?” Xander pointed out. They’ve attacked in Vegas and Chicago both. Hell, maybe getting away from the city is a good thing. Crowds can be dangerous too. What if whatever is happening spreads? I mean, zombie apocalypse? The city is the last place I would want to be.”
Shay laughed. “Very true.”
“This isn’t a zombie apocalypse though,” Syd didn’t feel like joking but Xander and Shay’s humor was alleviating some of the tension.
“How can you guys laugh at a time like this?” Zak shook his head.
Shay rolled her eyes and Xander shrugged. “Sometimes laughter is the only thing that can keep you sane.”
“Find the humor in a situation—no matter how bad—and you take control back,” Shay grinned. “That’s not to say we aren’t taking this seriously though. This is some crazy shit—we’re just trying to figure out what to do.”
“Yeah, and it’s three against one,” Xander turned to Syd. “It looks like you’ve been out voted. We’re going to this cabin.”
Sydney tossed her hands in the air. “Fine.”
“Do you need to let the guy know we’re using his place?”
“Nah. He was telling me last week he wasn’t going to be able to make it up there for months but he was worried about it not being checked on for so long. Told me to go whenever I wanted.”
“He must really like you,” Xander snorted.
“Hey, I’m good at what I do,” Zak feigned offense.
“I bet,” Shay chuckled.
“OK,” Zak changed the subject. “Let’s get out of here.
Thirty minutes later they were on the road, headed out of town.
***
The cabin was near Castle Rock Lake and, after stopping for groceries, it was late afternoon before they arrived. They gathered their bags and supplies and headed inside. The place was small but cozy, featuring a large living area, a bathroom and two bedrooms that branched off a hallway on the left side of the house. Sydney thought she should feel better being in a place that no one should be able to find them in, but instead, she felt exposed and vulnerable.
They were surrounded by trees and the closest neighbor was at least a half mile away. She couldn’t help thinking if they were attacked, it was doubtful anyone would hear them and they definitely wouldn't see anything. Sighing, she tossed her bag on the bed and jumped when Xander wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Relax. Pretend we’re on vacation.”
“Seriously? You can forget what’s happening?”
“No. But I thought saying it out loud might help.” She smiled at him and he kissed her forehead.
For a while they all pretended everything was fine. They made dinner, drank beers and sat in front of a fire. And despite the mild headache, Sydney had all day, she almost felt normal. Several beers in, she got up and wandered down the hall to the bathroom. After peeing and washing her hands she stared at herself in the mirror. Being tipsy was opening her mind up to dark thoughts. She put a hand on her head and held still as possible. She didn’t know if she expected to feel something moving inside or what, but she waited.
When nothing happened she lowered her hands to the sink and leaned against it heavily. Why am I doing this? I’m not more important than any of them. If I love them as much as I say I do, then I should be putting them first. She didn’t have many options but if she didn’t choose one someone else was going to end up getting hurt because of her. The smartest thing would be for her to leave. But every time she got close to making the decision the air was sucked from her lungs.
Returning to the living room, she sat down next to Xander who drew her close and Shay smiled at them both. “I want you guys to promise me something,” she said before she lost her nerve. Xander’s hand tightened on her shoulder.
“What?” Shay asked her, eyes narrowed.
“Don’t put me above yourselves.” Xander and Shay started to protest, but Zak, Sydney couldn’t help noticing, kept his face blank. “No, listen. I need to say this. I brought this mess into your lives. I don't know what is happening to me, or what will happen to me. But I don’t want it to lead to you guys getting hurt. If someone comes for me, let them take me. If it comes—” her words were cut off by Xander’s hand over her mouth.
He was being playful and serious at the same time. “Stop.” His hold was firm but gentle. “We aren’t just going to let you get taken—or murdered,” he said, pulling no punches.
She pulled his hand away. “Listen,” she said again. “If I’m taken or killed you guys go to the police, the media. Whoever will listen, so you can get the word out.”
“Hey! That’s a good idea!” Zak said suddenly. Xander scowled at him, but he kept going. “Why don’t we go to the media?”
Everyone considered that for a moment. “I don’t think it’s time yet. Not when we don't have more information,” Xander reasoned. “If we try to go to them now, it would be too easy to dismiss as being made up.”
“Plus, the longer it’s out there, the more time people will have to forget,” Shay added.
“I think we made a mistake of getting rid of Connor’s body,” Sydney sighed.
Shay shuddered. “I don’t want to know the details of what you di
d with it, but I’m assuming it’s not really able to be examined anymore.”
“Nope,” Xander answered.
“Smart guys. Real smart,” Zak shook his head.
“What would you have done?” Xander snapped. Zak looked like he was going to answer, then realized he didn’t have a good response so he just shook his head again.
“Let’s just all get some sleep,” Shay suggested, easing the tension the best she could. On their way down the hall Shay slowed and pulled Sydney back with her.
“Hey,” she said, eyes sparkling. “I just want to say, I’m happy for you and Xander.”
“Oh!” Syd protested. “Don’t make too much of it. Everything is so crazy right now I don’t even know what’s going on.”
“Well, I’m between guys right now. So let me live vicariously,” Shay giggled. “You are two of my favorite people in the world and I couldn’t be happier for you.”
Sydney tried to contain her grin when she replied. “Well, thanks.”
“Sure,” Shay squeezed her and hurried off down the hall to the room she and Zak were sharing.
Climbing into bed, Sydney realized she was exhausted. Her headache had gotten worse in the past hour and her body felt empty and clumsy. And, she realized, she was starving again. Her stomach growled and she hoped Xander hadn’t noticed.
Curled next to him, she did her best to clear her mind enough to sleep. It wasn’t long before the steady rhythm of Xander’s breathing told her he was out like a light. She continued to lay staring at the ceiling, frustrated that no matter how exhausted she was, she couldn’t turn her brain off enough to sleep. The silence of the woods made it harder to relax. It was the opposite reaction she should be having. The absence of car engines, busses, random shouts and trains passing created room for her imagination to run wild.
That was why she wasn’t sure if the scratching sound was real or imagined. The hair on her arms stood on end as she strained to make out the source of the sound. It’s just a tree, she tried to reassure herself. Or a raccoon. It could absolutely be a raccoon. But the scratching sounds changed as it seemed to get closer. It shifted to a shuffling sound and her heart nearly stopped beating when she realized it sounded like footsteps. The terror frozen in the pit of her stomach broke into cold ice across her skin when she saw the bright, yellow-white orb shining through the thin curtains.
Sydney closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe regularly. It’s another hallucination. No one knows we’re here. A part of her wanted to wake Xander up, but she didn’t want to worry him. How do you get rid of a hallucination? she wondered. Prove it’s not real? It seemed like as good an idea as any. She sat up slowly, trying not to disturb Xander. When he didn’t stir she slid out of the bed and took another fortifying breath. The footsteps were slow and hesitant, as if the walker was trying not to be heard.
She walked softly to the window and gathered her courage to open the curtains. By the time she crossed the room the orb had swished out of view. Holding her breath she gripped the edge of the glossy drapery. She was sure she would see Short Man on the other side of the window, leering in at her with his head busted open. Or maybe this time it would the guy who cut off Connor’s head. She let out a slow breath and eased it open just a crack but couldn’t see anything other than darkness, so she opened it a little wider. Still nothing.
Giving up on being cautious, she held her breath and pulled the curtain back, willing herself to not scream at whatever she saw. There was nothing there. Feeling almost disappointed, she leaned into the window trying to see underneath it, to the right and then to the left. It was when she looked towards the front door that she finally saw something. Someone was crouching on the porch, huddled next to the railing and the golden orb floated lazily above the person’s head.
Sydney’s heart slammed in her chest and she froze, even though the person’s back was to her, she was sure they would see her if she moved a muscle. After a motionless standoff, Sydney’s initial terror had calmed enough for her to pay more attention to the figure. The person was small, probably female or a child, and despite the chilly air, she wasn’t wearing a coat. Definitely a hallucination, she reassured herself. But what if it’s not. What if she needs help? OK, so either it’s not real and going out there to confront it will prove it’s not real and it will go away. Or, a girl needs help and if I go out there I can help her. I can’t just leave her out there to freeze. Her voice of reason finally spoke up. If it is a person, odds are, they don’t need help. They are here to cut your head off. Well, Sydney told herself, let’s finally get it over with. It’s time to figure out what the hell is going on.
Determined to not let her fear get the best of her, she tiptoed out of the bedroom. She listened for any sounds on the other side but heard nothing. Fully expecting the person to be gone, she unlocked the door and eased it open. The figure, crouched in the corner, was still positioned so Sydney couldn’t see enough of their face to even tell if it was a woman or a kid.
She wasn’t stupid enough to venture onto the porch in case this was some kind of trap. She wanted to be able to lock herself inside the cabin as quickly as possible. Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth so she had to work up enough spit to speak. “Are you OK?”
The whisper sounded like a shout in the stillness of the woods and her words caused the figure to jump like a terrified rabbit. When she looked up, Sydney froze in shock. The woman was young, with dark hair and baggy clothes. The blood covering the lower half of her face wasn’t the most alarming. The fact that Sydney was staring into her own terrified face was what sucked the air from her lungs and turned her blood to ice.
Chapter Forty
It was as if the mirage had been on pause and Sydney’s voice had pushed play. She watched herself jump at something only the hallucination-Sydney could hear and then stare, wide-eyed into the wall of the cabin. Whatever she saw or heard caused her to open the bag she had been hunched over and yank random items from within and toss them to the side. A shoe, a shirt, a pair of panties, and then a make-up bag that she almost threw down but stopped herself. She unzipped the bag with such force most of its contents spilled out, including a thin tube of what looked like eyeliner.
Hallucination-Sydney snatched the eyeliner from the ground and uncapped it. Real-Sydney could feel herself starting to hyperventilate as she watched the other Sydney pull her sleeve up to her elbow and slash words across her skin. She didn’t need to be closer or have more light to know what the words were. “DONT LET THEM FIND YOU” The night was as silent as the vision and Real-Sydney could feel her heart kicking against her ribs. The hallucination-Sydney jumped again and dropped the eyeliner as she peered into the wall of the cabin. Whatever hallway or doorway existed in that spot in her world didn’t exist in the real world, but that didn’t stop Real-Sydney from slowly looking over her should to make sure no one was beside her.
Hallucination-Sydney began crawling away. Other than the bloody nose, she didn’t appear to have any injuries, she just seemed weak and tired. She had to crawl but once she had unfolded herself, Real-Sydney got a better look at the vision’s clothes. She was dressed in the same, too big clothes, she had been wearing when she woke up next to the lake. The hallucination only made it a few feet before movement from the left made Real-Sydney jump. She slowly turned her head and froze when she saw the man who had beheaded Connor standing less than ten feet away. At first she was sure he wasn’t real either, but when she looked down again Hallucination-Sydney was gone.
“You’re real, aren’t you?” Sydney whispered, surprising herself.
“Yes.” The man’s voice was soft and neutral and without an accent that Sydney could detect. He sounded as creepily normal as he looked. The sound of their voices was so jarring that she realized that it had to have been his footsteps she had heard. The hallucinations never seemed to make any noise, and she didn’t realize that until their words seemed to shout out of the darkness.
“What do you want?”
“Why?”
“I need to collect data.”
“Data?”
“Yes. I have gathered as much as I can through observation and I need to run more tests. For that, I would need you to come back to my lab with me.”
“Lab?” Sydney was disappointed in her de-evolving to one word sentences. But her throat was dry and her breathing too shallow for conversation.
“My lab,” he confirmed.
“How did you find us?” Sydney managed to ask and was proud of herself for sounding less terrified than she felt. She expected the guy to pull a gun or to run at her or for him to lift off his head and sprout a demon from his neck. Anything except for him to quietly reason with her.
“I didn’t—well not directly.”
“What does that mean?” She knew she should scream for help, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Whatever this man wanted, she hoped to keep it from Xander and Shay and Zak for as long as possible.
“Come with me and I’ll explain.”
“You mean you don’t want my head?” she wanted to gloat over her ability to be sarcastic but she didn’t want to push her luck.
The man smiled slightly. “No.”
“Why?”
“You’re different. I need to learn why.”
“Different from what? Who?”
“Come with me and you’ll find out.”
“And if I don’t?”
He reached into his pockets and pulled out a dark, oblong-shaped object and from the other pocket an odd looking gun. He held up the gun. “These are tranquilizer darts.” He aimed at her torso. “I’ll shoot you with this and you will have enough time to scream for help before you are out or before you die. If I have to, I will kill you. The tranqs are for large animals. I have no idea how it will affect a human.” He held up the other hand. “This is a grenade. After I shoot you with the dart, I will throw this inside the cabin. Your friends will probably die—or at least be horribly maimed. Or you can come with me willingly and quietly.”
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