“What if we get to the Oasis and aren't allowed in, and we have no supplies to get us home?” he asked, making a good point even in his altered state. “Then, we will have made this journey for nothing and not even allowed ourselves to have a moment of freedom. I believe in doing what is right by the tribe and by each other. Sometimes, while those things are out of our control, we have to take a moment for ourselves. You cannot live your last days like this, Brenna.”
“And what if they aren't our last days?” Brenna questioned him, squinting her eyes, and she took yet another gulp of the burning liquid.
“Then, the Oasis will be happy to help us, and it will not matter.”
Brenna took another sip and looked down to see half the bottle was gone. She passed it to Atlas so he could get his fair share before taking it from him again. She stood up and began to explore the dilapidated building, looking at remnants of all the people who were lost in the war. It was like a mausoleum without the bodies, an erected history museum in the middle of nowhere, and she found it to be fascinating. She wanted to know what they had been thinking as the war began and near its end and how they had spent their final moments, whether any of them had escaped to their own underground solace or to a more peaceful country.
“What are you doing?” Atlas’s voice called to her, and she turned around to follow it, it being much too close for someone who should be resting.
“What are YOU doing? You’re supposed to be resting that leg of yours!” she scolded him a little too loudly, pushing back against him so that he would go back to where he had been. But instead of walking back, he stumbled a little, grabbing her for support. As she was about half his size, this was a bad idea and brought her tumbling down on top of Atlas, spilling some of what was left in the bottle. She shrugged and took the last sip before setting it down. She moved to get up, but Atlas had his hands against her thighs and was looking at her again. Her head swam for a moment as she tried to focus on him.
Brenna smiled, trying to laugh it off, but the longer she stayed in the spot, the more the warmth of his body underneath her seeped into her veins and made her never want to move again. Then, he grew against her, and she let out a sigh. His hands moved dangerously high up her thighs, and she lowered her upper body on top of his so she could look at him a little closer. His dark eyes held so much love, pain, and history. They were something she could get comfortable looking into all the time. That was what it all was, comfortable and familiar in a good way. It would be so easy just to let herself go there one more time before they had to get back to reality. Raiders had little purpose in such a place other than as squatters, and so far, she had seen none. And unless sleepwalkers had caught their scent and were nearby, they would be reasonably safe from them as well.
A drop of water hit her face, and she looked up to see the exposed sky was beginning to spit in the early stages of a storm, something they didn’t often see back at the tribe. “Rain,” she whispered, holding out her hands to feel the drops as they came down like a cleansing salve.
Thunder and lightning crackled up above as she looked back down to Atlas and leaned in, her wet lips crashing against his. If this was the only moment of wild abandon she got in her life, then so be it.
Her hips ground against his as she felt his arousal, her top coming off and being discarded, exposing her large breasts to the pouring rain. Atlas was stunned at the sight, which made her smile. This was different from the first time it happened, less delicate and more fun, though she didn’t know if it was the rain, the freedom of being out there alone, or the alcohol that was making it that way.
She raised up to slip his bottoms off in one quick move before the material tried to stick to his saturated body, then lowering herself onto him once more, slowly letting him penetrate her aching center. It was full of so much need that she didn’t understand, even since the first time feelings had been confessed between them. It was so strange the way she had to push them away and hold them back. It wasn't something she was accustomed to. Even with the boy she had snuck spirits with at fifteen, she had felt little when he tried to kiss her in their inebriated state. Just a dull tingle where the bubbles of the spirits met and nothing more. She should have felt more, she knew and had once wondered if she was broken, never to feel that way about anyone.
She laughed out loud at the thought now as she began to rock back and forth over Atlas’s hard body. It was simply that she had never belonged there underground. What she was waiting for was above ground all along, waiting for her just the same.
She was lost in the motions now as she began to shiver, Atlas’s hands still holding her in place. She looked at him to center herself, thinking she might go crazy with the fuzziness of her mind. And then it was over, leaving her satisfied and yet unsatisfied at the same time, which she couldn't explain.
Chapter Eleven
The sound of the stream was foreign to Brenna, and she dipped down a makeshift leaf cup, then brought the water to her lips to drink. It tasted somewhat clearer and better than the water she knew from the Colony and the tribe. They had to suck out groundwater and collect rainwater, keeping it year-round even as it stagnated inside of makeshift tanks. This was real running water, something she had never seen. In fact, it wasn’t the first thing that surprised her. Jon had mentioned there would be a forest they would have to travel through to get to the Oasis. She had assumed that by forest, he meant something very different, something small and barely starting to grow. But this was the real deal. She didn’t know how it had survived or rebounded if that was the case, but the sounds were almost deafening, bugs and small animals all around.
“I still can't believe this,” she said, looking around on guard as she had another sip. The stream wasn't big enough for her to take a dip in, but she considered cleaning off her toes. “I always thought with the way the war happened pretty much everything that wasn’t meant to withstand extreme conditions was permanently dead. How are there this many trees and a stream full of fish?” she asked out loud as she stepped into the water with her feet. She was still a little wet from the rain and also sweaty from the way this forest held in the humidity. The cool water was relieving, even if it was simply cleaning dirt from in between her toes.
“Then, I guess it will be a fish feast, either way, for us. I think there are many things we don’t know about the world, Brenna. Even with me living on the surface, I have learned and seen very little. That is why I am thankful to get the chance to come with you,” Atlas mentioned.
Brenna looked over to him, laying in the moss and quirked an eyebrow. “So, that’s what your benefit is by going on this journey?” she asked, keeping a straight face even though she was baiting him. She was relieved she was still comfortable to do that even after what they had experienced together. The last thing she wanted was for things to be strange or awkward because they had now had sex twice.
Brenna blushed at the memory of this last time and was unsure whether she regretted it. Not that she regretted anything she gifted to Atlas, even in that way, but the worry of pregnancy would always be on her mind. And they had been entirely reckless in what they did and how they did it. He had probably been right about them needing to enjoy themselves for once. Brenna always had the anxiety in the back of her mind that something horrible would come from their moments of happiness. She would probably find a new safe home at the Oasis and still be worried for months that something horrible was going to happen simply because she was conditioned that way.
She looked down and giggled quietly as she watched the small fish swim around her feet. “I would say there is another benefit standing right in front of me, but then you might feel hotter than you already are, and I don’t want you to collapse from the heat,” he teased, biting his lip. She rolled her eyes and looked back down at the fish, in awe at how the Earth was able to restore itself so well. Hopefully, humans wouldn't feel the need to destroy it ever again . . . or each other, for that matter, though, she knew better on that one. The histo
ry books back at the Colony showed her that hate always existed, and humanity as a whole never learned from its past.
“So, what’s the plan, boss?” Atlas asked. She picked up some water in her hands, crouching down in the stream and letting the water cleanse and cool her face and neck before splashing it toward Atlas. He stood up and laughed before crouching like he might pounce. In fact, that was exactly what he did, to the sound of Brenna’s squeals.
They landed on the other side of the stream at the base of a large oak tree with her laughing and mockingly fighting him off her. But his lips landed on hers for a moment, his body pressing against her. Her laugh was stifled, and her breathing came quickly against her will. She wasn't into delaying their journey any longer. It was a distraction they couldn't afford, even if that stream and forest had enough food and water to survive on as long as they wanted. The Batista would worry the longer they stayed away, and they needed enough time at the Oasis to know for sure if it was the right place to relocate.
She was about to tell Atlas so when they heard a growl. It was a little after dusk if she could guess, and that was the time when animals would come out to hunt. That was the way the coyotes were, though they were small, pitiful creatures in the desert, living off whatever meat they could find. She didn’t know what this growl meant, but as Atlas lifted his head, his eyes went wide.
“Don’t . . . move,” he said in a voice so soft she almost didn’t hear it. Her breath caught at the idea of what it was and how close it must be for him to look like that. In slow motion, he moved his hand down to his knife before pulling it out and almost slicing her with it as fast as he had to pull the thing. And then, in a flash, he was back on the ground on the other side of the stream, a creature almost the size of Brenna on top of him, snapping and snarling.
Brenna sat up and caught her breath as she grabbed her spear and assessed the situation. The snarling beast was furry with white and grey on its body. It was like a meaty coyote, and then it clicked. It was a wolf. Wolves had survived somehow. And if enough of them had, then the wolf’s pack wouldn't be far behind. The best they could do was kill the one and get out of dodge, and quickly. She had hoped to leisurely move through the forest and be able to exit and go straight to the Oasis from there without popping any more of Atlas’s stitches. Apparently, that was not how this was going to go now. Nature did not wait for their plans.
With a yell and one fell swoop, she brought the spear down in the wolf’s back as it growled and turned its attention to her. It was in pain, but it still came at her as it bled out, trying to bite at her leg. Luckily, while she wasn't as strong as Atlas, she was fast and always was one step ahead of the injured wolf until it had exhausted itself and its blood supply, laying down and breathing heavily on the forest floor.
He howled softly, and Brenna almost felt sorry for him but knew that would be a call for more. “We have to move, and now, Atlas.” He got up, blood dripping down his chest from the wolf. She knew she had to do something about it because they would easily follow that familiar scent, even as they ran. She doubted they could fight off an entire pack of wolves. She splashed water on him twice just as she heard the rustle of the leaves and an answering howl nearby. “Run!” was all she said as they both took off. She was ahead, but only for a moment as Atlas’s legs carried him in front, which served to motivate her to push her legs further and faster. The howls multiplied back where they had come from, and she could only hope they were headed the right way and could find a safe place to rest after they had run far enough. She was sure exhaustion would hit them long before they made it to the other side.
Brenna was sure to focus straight ahead on Atlas, and his lithe moves so that she followed him and didn’t trip or run into any of the trees. It was only by his grace that she made it through.
She didn’t know how long they had run before she heard the howls once more, the wolves having caught their scent at last. They wouldn't make it if they kept running.
“Trees!” Atlas called out to her, leaping up a tree like he was just another one of the forest animals. Brenna threw herself at the tree next to him, finding footholds as soon as possible even as the snarling got too close for comfort. Her spear fell, and she growled, knowing there was no going back for it. She heard it snap as one of the wolves chomped down on it. She would have to take one of Atlas’s knives once they could come down, so she wasn't completely defenseless, but she wasn't that great with them, at least not in close combat, though she could throw a bit.
She didn’t look back as she heard the claws scratch against bark until she was finally in the upper parts of the tree on a large branch just thick enough to hold her weight, at least for now. She had to hope there wouldn't be another storm with winds strong enough to break this branch. The wolves gathered below, barking, howling, and scratching at the trees, trying to climb. They would get about halfway up before falling. Brenna watched cautiously from above, her heart still racing in her chest. She had never been so tired in her life. But she was afraid to fall asleep, and her own heartbeat wouldn't let her.
Finally, the wolves realized this was not the meal they were going to get and moved on, probably hunting for other creatures that came out at night. The forest ignited with even more sound than there had been when they arrived at the stream, and the wind rustled the leaves of the trees all around her.
The trees were close together here, so Atlas was settled, relaxed on his branch not too far away, a little higher than she was. She looked to him as she slowly brought herself down to a sitting position, her legs crossed out in front of her, so she fit onto the branch. She tried her best not to look down, but she was so vulnerable up high like her body was not made for balancing. Atlas made it look so easy. But he did that with most things.
“I don’t know how we are supposed to sleep like this. Maybe we should get down and keep going, or at least take a look at your leg,” she said to him.
She watched him smile, his face illuminated by the moon and stars blinking just above them. “My leg is fine. I had a good medic,” he said teasingly. “I don’t think we are that far now from the Oasis, maybe half a day’s journey if that. We ran pretty far, and luckily in the right direction. Of course, I made sure we did. Besides, we don’t know what other animals are down there. This is the best thing for our safety, especially at night.” She nodded. It must have been why he took the lead. Because he knew where he was going. She had only been in a panic. “Let's just try to rest, so we are at our best to convince these people to let us in, yes?” he suggested.
Brenna sighed in response, knowing she wasn't going to sleep. She had not been sleeping much on the journey at all, and being up in the tree would just make it that much harder. She envied Atlas’s ability to center himself wherever they were. She just wasn't that person. And maybe secretly, this whole mission was entirely selfish. It wasn’t just about her and Atlas, her future children, or saving the Batista from a future war with Colony 88. It was truly about her. She wanted to feel safe and comfortable. As much as she loved Atlas and the other Batista for taking her in, as much as she had embraced that life, she still did not feel as at home as she wanted to. She didn’t even know if she would know what a home was if it bit her in the ass.
“You can't sleep, can you?” he asked after some time in silence. His eyes were closed, but he must have sensed her restlessness. She was so desperate for rest, she had taken to counting the stars, but it didn’t work.
“No, I can’t. I’ll be fine, though,” she lied for the sake of making sure he didn’t suffer with her.
“Why don’t I sing you to sleep?” he offered.
She looked at him strangely. It was both an odd and sweet offer; maybe she should take it. She nodded before relaxing as best she could against the branch and closing her eyes. As he began his tune, she imagined him singing like this to their children someday, somewhere that wasn't in a barren land with Raiders on one side and the Colony on the other.
At first, it was a hum, a
nd then he began to weave a tale with his words. It was as soothing as anything could get in the woods, with all its loud sounds.
There’s a girl in my sights
There’s a song in her heart
She swings slow to her own beat
There’s a girl who knows me well
There’s a girl I’d rather not tell
How I feel that she is mine in another lifetime
There’s a song in my heart
And she is always at the start
How I long to sing and dance with her only
There’s another man I can tell
Who wants to make her smile as well
I have a choice to make
There’s a girl I want to fight for
And a song I cannot ignore
She will be mine before the night is over
Chapter Twelve
Brenna stood several yards away from it, taking it all in. It was real, every single bit of it, and it was also well protected. She could tell from where she stood. Surrounding it was a high fence that likely went all the way around, and then on the inside, a wall that towered even over that. The only things she could see that were taller were two large buildings, one that had guards at the top of it with guns. She hoped they didn’t decide to shoot. Hopefully, she and Atlas looked non-threatening in comparison to any of the other threats they saw.
And then there was a large tank lifted up above everything else that she suspected held either fuel or water, she wasn't sure which. She could have stayed in one place and studied it all day, trying to figure out how this anomaly existed like this. It was huge, probably contained homes, farmland, medics . . . it was a dream come true! Yet, she was wide awake. Her thirst told her so.
Then, she heard it, the faint moan and shuffling of someone that wasn't her or Atlas. She looked around her. Damn it, a sleepwalker. “Atlas,” she said with worry in her voice as she remembered she no longer had her spear. She pulled out her knife, then looked toward the Oasis and knew they weren't going to survive it if there was more than one, which there likely was. A place full of people and resources would easily attract a few sleepwalkers.
Thirst (The Oasis Plague Book 1) Page 8