But that didn’t keep the chillbumps from creepin’ up my arms as I got closer and closer to that store. I should at least see someone, ya know? Some tired looking dude with ruffled hair and drooping shoulders. A part-time student pushing a vacuum through a store. Hell, man, even a sound would’ve set my nerves at ease. Something like a laugh or the murmur of a conversation, but there wasn’t anything but the clack of my own footsteps against that polished floor.
I got to where I could see the display racks of Dollar Bonanza and realized I was holding my breath. My throat was so tight and dry… but I couldn’t have kept that whistling facade up even if it hadn’t been.
When I saw the shadow appear in front of the Dollar Bonanza entrance, my heart just about turned to ice, man. I still couldn’t see who, or what, was casting it and my imagination filled in the details all too readily. Mottled skin streaked with blood, maybe a few gashes displaying now useless organs, that vacant stare from eyes that never blink. Pupils that never dilate.
Rotters.
But that was absurd. I mean, what are the odds that that this bitch’s infection wiped out the entire mall on the same fuckin’ night? At the same fuckin’ time? I’m no mathematician, but it’d be astronomical, dude. Probably run a better chance of hittin’ the lottery on the same night you’re struck by lightning.
And I knew this, yet, I still couldn’t shake that feeling of impending doom. That cold certainty that things were about to go horribly, horribly wrong.
By the time I got to the front gate of Dollar Bonanza, my hands were clenched into fists, and it felt like my nutsack had hopped up into the safety of large intestine. My heart was palpitating and I didn’t want to look up from the floor, didn’t want to see whatever was waiting for me in that entrance.
I mean, it’s one thing to plan this shit out, ya know? To tell yourself that you’re Bosley fuckin’ Coughlin - Zombie Exterminator Elite and Champion of the Future. However, it’s a whole different ball game when it comes time to put thought into action. It’s like the difference between playing cops ‘n robbers and walking in on an armed robbery in progress.
So yeah… I was scared. Ain’t no shame in admittin’ that, dude. But there comes a time in every man’s life when he has to make a choice. Is he gonna sit by, with his thumb up his ass, and simply allow things to happen? Or is he gonna grow a pair and take control of his own fuckin’ destiny?
Let me tell ya brother, my time to make that decision had finally come.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
It was probably just her imagination, but with the rough and leathery flesh of Corduroy’s burned palm pressing against her lips, it seemed as if the taste of singed flesh flooded Ocean’s mouth. It thickened her saliva and made the back of her throat feel as if something had been left there to rot and sour. Her teeth gnashed at the skin, hoping the man would jerk his hand away long enough for her to scream, for Gauge to come running to her rescue, sickles flashing in the flickering light of the fire, his long hair flowing as his eyes blazed with indignation.
But Corduroy didn’t even so much as flinch, despite the fact that she could feel a fold of flesh slip between the gap in her front two teeth.
Maybe he couldn’t feel pain. Maybe the fire that had distorted his skin had also melted his nerves away, leaving nothing but a contorted mass of scars that were no different than a beetle’s shell. Or was he just that determined? Had his mind seized upon her so intensely that he could endure things that would make an ordinary man howl like a speared dog?
“Stop squirmin’, damn it! I’m taking you and you’ll fuckin’ thank me for it later!”
His voice was a low hiss and he tightened his grip on the back of Ocean’s head while the other hand pushed against her mouth so roughly that her teeth scraped against the inside of her lips. The taste of blood seeped across her tongue, the tangsharp. Rather than frightening the girl into compliance, however, the taste caused her panic stricken mind to react with the most primal of impulses.
Bleeding, oh God I’m bleeding, oh shit…
Her hands pummeled his chest with a series of dull thuds as she tried to twist and pull her way out of the man’s grasp. Part of her kept expecting Corduroy to slam her head against the brick wall or cover her nose as well as her mouth, shutting off her breathing entirely. Instead, he merely grunted as he fought to keep the young girl pressed tightly against his body. Again and again, his mouth darted toward her ear, but Ocean thrashed so violently that her hair was like a mass of tiny whips lashing out against his lips.
“Stop fighting and make this easier for both of us.”
Ocean kicked as hard as she could and connected with Corduroy’s shins firmly enough that her bare toes felt like they’d curled underneath themselves. Flares of pain shot through her foot. The man’s grip on her never loosened, the only sign that he’d even felt her attack was a slight widening of his eye.
She tried biting again, harder this time, clamping down on his hand so violently that her entire head trembled with the effort. A sharp intake of air let her know that Corduroy was, indeed, capable of feeling pain… but instead of pulling away, he simply set his jaw, and the entire time, his words haunted Ocean’s thoughts. I’m going to take you…
Like hell you are!
She’d fight until every muscle in her body was ripped and torn. Would bite until her teeth sank through tissue and shattered against bone. But she would never—ever—let this disgusting sack of burnt meat force his way into her. And, with God as her witness, she most surely would not thank the bastard for it later.
Let’s see how you like this, rotter breath.
Ocean jerked her right knee upward, at the same time, she grabbed Corduroy’s shoulders and allowed her body to drop, dead weight, toward the floor. Caught off balance by this sudden change in tactics, he also began falling toward the ground, at the same moment her knee buried itself into his crotch. The air rushed out of his mouth in something that was half grunt, half moan and his hands released the young girl, preferring instead to cup his testicles.
His body slumped to the floor as he pulled his knees up close to his chest, rolling onto his side. His good eye was clenched shut and the grimace that covered his face made the shadows in his gnarled burns seem deeper. He rolled back and forth, breathing heavily through his nose. Cough-like groans passed through the same lips that had so recently whispered threats to the girl who now towered above him.
“Asshole!” She punctuated the curse with a sharp kick to his ribs and then, fearing that he might somehow muster the strength to get back up, she darted toward the entrance to the north tunnel. She’d closed half the distance when she heard Gauge’s laugh echo from the kitchen. The sound of his voice made her skid to a stop as she twirled around.
It was strange, but after realizing she wouldn’t be able to scream for help, Ocean had entirely forgotten about the others. It was as though the world had grown smaller, as if she and Corduroy were the sole inhabitants of a planet no bigger than the room that served as Baby’s nursery.
There had been no sounds other than the two of them grappling for dominance. In her mind, the struggle had been loud enough to call the dead, as her father used to say. If Gauge and Levi had continued cooking just yards away, then obviously it hadn’t been any louder than what Pebble had been when searching for whatever it was he had lost.
Ocean wanted to run to Gauge, to press her face into his solid chest and wrap her arms around his waist. She wanted to feel his arms encircling her, to let tears flow from her eyes while she blurted and sobbed her way through the whole story. And he, of course, would gently push her away as he stormed out of the kitchen, his booming voice echoing through the tunnels with Corduroy’s name. She wanted this so badly that her legs jerked and twitched with pent up energy, longing to run to the man who would surely be her savior once again.
Or would he? Would Gauge and Levi really believe her story? After all, she’d only been with them for a short time, whereas Corduroy seemed firmly entre
nched within their little family. With no witnesses, it would be her word against his, wouldn’t it? He could always make up some lie, some reason that she might be angry enough to try to turn the others against him.
Who would they believe? Some girl who was only barely a woman, a relative stranger in their midst on top of that? Or someone who was trusted enough to journey topside with Gauge? Someone who’d been with them for God knows how long?
It was true that Ocean felt as if she and Gauge were growing closer every day. Since her hair had begun growing back and her cheeks started rounding out, she thought he looked at her differently. Sometimes, she’d catch him looking at her out of the corner of her eye. Not in the same way Corduroy did, though. Gauge’s expression was soft and tender, the corners of his lips pulled into that little grin that had the power to make her feel as if her body had become weightless. When they spoke, his little nicknames for her were becoming more and more frequent: honey, sweetie, darling, dear.
But what about Levi? If Ocean had noticed this change coming over Gauge, then surely the other woman had as well. Did she see all the little squeezes that Gauge gave Ocean’s hand, the way he’d place his palm against the side of her cheek and stare into her eyes with a smile? If she did, was she jealous? Enough, perhaps, to believe whatever ludicrous tale Corduroy might spin to get his ass out of trouble?
And then there was the real question. If it came right down to it, who would Gauge pick if he were forced to? Ocean, or Levi?
While Ocean knew exactly how she felt about the dark-haired man, she wasn’t entirely convinced his feelings for her were as strong. If Levi demanded that he make a choice, there was a good chance that he would elect to keep things the way they’d always been. It would be much easier, after all, to forget a girl he liked but barely knew, than to give up someone who’d spent years with him.
The sound of Corduroy’s breathing snapped Ocean’s focus out of her own head. The burned man had staggered back to his feet and, even though he was still hunched over with his hands pressed to his groin, he turned his head slowly to look at her.
Without another thought, Ocean dashed to the opposite side of the room so that the large table was directly between them. She could see Gauge’s legs through the crackling flames of the open hearth and the swish of Levi’s dark dress as she swiveled back and forth on the balls of her feet. Corduroy was already hobbling around the table and he crept as if his scrotum pulsed with agony every time he scissored his legs for another step. He also seemed to be gathering strength every second, standing a little straighter the closer he came to her.
Though she didn’t know what it meant, she held a closed fist in front of her face and slowly lifted her middle finger so that it was the only one pointing up. She’d seen her mother do that when she was really angry. Often enough to know that it was something bad, perhaps even some Old World magic, like the Evil Eye that her father had told her about. Then, without a second glance, she ran across the room and ducked into the jagged hole that served as the entrance to the kitchen.
Since it was much smaller than the chamber they slept and dined in, the kitchen area was so hot that the air felt thin and hard to breathe. Gauge and Levi were both so drenched in sweat that their long hair was plastered to their skulls. They each held a small rectangle of tin in their hands, the pieces of metal were normally used to help coax flames back from a mound of embers, but now the pair fanned themselves with them as if even a warm breeze was better than none at all. They stood nearly shoulder to shoulder, but Gauge stepped to the side when Ocean entered, and smiled at her. If Levi noticed, however, she hid any emotions it may have stirred and continued dumping roots into a dented, metal pot with her free hand.
“Good morning, sweetheart. You sleep well?”
Ocean nodded her head, but remained silent. She still wasn’t entirely sure whether she should tell the others about the confrontation in the main chamber. She was afraid that the words would simply spill out if she so much as even parted her lips, and once the story was out, there was no taking it back. She would have to live with the consequences, whatever they may be, for the rest of her life.
Just like opening the door. There would be consequences for that, too.
She tried to push the thought from her head, but it still caused her stomach to feel queasy. With everything that had transpired between her and Corduroy, she’d almost managed to forget about the little room and what she’d seen the night before.
Only yesterday, life had seemed so simple. So perfect. She hadn’t doubted her standing with the group in the least bit and spending the rest of her life in this subterranean hideout had been a foregone conclusion. She’d grow old with these people, would watch Pebble and Baby grow into adults, and deal with any type of fallout that might come when Gauge finally realized his feelings were stronger for Ocean than they were for Levi. Corduroy had been an irritation… someone who she definitely didn’t trust on an instinctual level, but she hadn’t really thought he was dangerous. That he was capable of—
“—and potatoes for breakfast. Should turn out pretty good with the wild onions Cord brought back yesterday.”
Ocean watched as Levi took the pot and carried it to the hole in the wall that served as their hearth. Since they weren’t baking or frying anything this morning, the large metal box with the folding door had been dragged out of the fireplace and set to the side. Entirely focused on the pot, Levi’s shin banged against the blackened, make-shift stove and she cursed as water splashed over the sides. The drops bubbled and hissed on the hot bricks and the older woman glared at the container as if it were to blame for her misfortune. Still grumbling, she slipped the handle of the pot onto the tripod, then pushed the entire contraption backward so that the pot hung directly over the licking flames.
Gauge was laughing at Levi’s scowl and he put his hand on Ocean’s shoulder as he winked at the young girl.
“What do you think, honey? Think clumsy Levi there would last a couple months topside?”
Levi repeated the same gesture that Ocean had given to Corduroy and the woman’s eyes narrowed playfully.
“Seems to me, there was a time when Mr. Patterson was a bit clumsy as well.”
Though her words were delivered in a light singsong, the smile disappeared from Gauge’s face as quickly as the smoke from the fire curled into the broken pipe that served as a chimney. His grip on Ocean’s shoulder tightened and she felt his body stiffen in response to the words.
“Not funny, Levi.”
Gauge’s voice was as cold as his stare and, despite the emotional turmoil that still raged within her, Ocean’s curiosity was so great that she had to ask.
“Who’s Mr. Patterson?”
Though he answered her question, Gauge’s eyes never strayed far from Levi.
“Nobody. Mr. Patterson is dead. He died a long, long time ago.”
To Ocean, the tension in the room was nearly as thick as the pungent aroma of the wild onions. Levi, however, seemed oblivious to the change that had come over Gauge. She continued speaking with a wry smile and sparkling eyes, her voice lilting with mock admonishment.
“Nobody? Don’t let him fool you, Ocean. Mr. Patterson is a great man… and if he tries really hard, some day he might even become a good man.”
For some reason, this statement caused Levi to giggle but Gauge was clearly not amused. His grip on Ocean’s shoulder was so tight now that it felt as if her bones were grinding against one another. Part of her wanted to twist away from the pain that radiated through her neck and back, but another, stronger part was afraid to remind him that she was even still in the room.
That part remembered the sharp sting of his hand lashing out in anger, the rage that had burned in his eyes so fiercely that it could have instantly evaporated all of the water in the now boiling pot.
“That’s enough, Levi.”
“Mr. Patterson is—”
“I said that’s enough!”
Gauge’s voice rolled through the k
itchen like a clap of underground thunder, it’s echoes fleeing through the tunnels outside, as if afraid that the darkness that overtook the man might be turned on them next.
Levi’s jaw dropped open and she stared at Gauge like a woman who’d just seen a flying rotter. She blinked several times before placing her hands on her hips and cocking her head to the side.
“For God’s sake, Gauge… lighten the fuck up, why don’t you? I was just playing.”
“Well, maybe you should just leave the damn playing to Pebble, you ever think about that?”
The couple’s eyes were locked together, neither one willing to be the first to look away. Out of the corner of her own eye, Ocean saw Corduroy lumber into the doorway. He’d been drawn in, no doubt, by Gauge’s shout, but his eye didn’t look at either Levi or Gauge. Instead, it stared directly at Ocean from beneath a heavy brow. Though he remained completely silent, a clear message was delivered in both his posture and expression: don’t you say a word, not a damn word. Not if you know what’s good for you.
Ocean tried to look away, but Corduroy’s presence almost seemed to demand her attention. She wasn’t able to stare him directly in the eye as Levi was doing with Gauge but, at the same time, she felt compelled to sneak quick peaks in his general direction.
“Fuck you, Gauge… I don’t need this shit.”
The water in the pot boiled so rapidly that the entire thing swayed back and forth on its tripod. From the nursery, Ocean could hear Baby’s thin wail. Usually, that would have been enough to send her rushing to the infant’s side, but on this particular morning, the child’s cries didn’t elicit the same surge of nervous panic that it normally did. Instead, Ocean remained trapped between Gauge’s painful grip and Corduroy’s hard stare, positive that Baby would be safer in the other room than he would be in the kitchen.
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