by Mariah Lynde
“One of those…chance situations I guess you could call it. Robbie and I met in elementary school and at the time we both needed a friend pretty badly. It just so happened that we shared a lot of the same interests and tastes. When life got hard, we always kind of just helped one another out.” I shrugged and moved to lean back against the counter once again. “Good enough?”
“Well, it explains some stuff, but still not why you two still seem so close.” Cal moved to take a seat at the dining table, but not once did his gaze waver away from me.
“Like I said… it just kind of happened. As we were growing up, there were a lot of random things we both went through and we survived them together. Over time, we just got to this point where for us, it only made sense to lean on one another like we would family. Now, we’re more like siblings then just friends. Some people thought we were actually related in some places.” I rolled my shoulders before staring back at him, “Some people meet their lifelong best friend in college or at their job, I met mine in fourth grade Music class.”
“You’ve known one another that long?” Gray eyes had widened and were watching me with a healthy amount of disbelief.
“Yeah, that long. A lifetime.” As I answered him, I shook my head as memories of my childhood sprang up. While I stood there, every detail of the rollercoaster that was my life began playing themselves out in my mind’s eye. Shaking my head in amusement as I recalled some of the antics that we had pulled off, I lifted the mug to my lips and sipped my coffee before chuckling quietly to myself.
Remembering that I had put Cal on the defensive, I pushed away from the counter before motioning towards the coffee pot.
“Feel free.” Making my way across the kitchen and into the living room, I flopped down on the couch to relax while observing him. Drawing in a small breath, I let the aroma of the fresh brew in the mug set me at ease.
From my vantage point on the couch, I could monitor Cal without truly being noticed. Not like it mattered too awful much. For the most part, he kept his gaze trained on everything but me while he rummaged through my kitchen. If I were to be honest that was a relief more than anything. Shaking my head as I took another sip of my coffee, I looked to the boxes and bags piled before me in the living room. Already my mind was trying to figure out just where and how to store all of it.
“So, how are you going to accomplish what they asked of you today?” Cal’s voice drew me away from my problem on storing supplies and to the challenge that had been lain before me.
“How do you mean? It’s pretty simple to go out and purchase things.” As I spoke, I turned my head to smirk over at him. I couldn’t help but to snicker just a little when he grimaced after his first sip of coffee.
“Oh hell, this is that girlie coffee shit. You can’t even drink normal coffee?” Gray eyes stared at me with a pained look of resignation. “Anyway, I’d think the stuff they’re sending you after would be kind of hard to find.”
“Bite me, asshole. It’s an indulgence that I take for myself in being home. You’re welcome not to drink any…that means there’s more for me.” Offering him a snarky little smile I settled back on the couch and continued, “As for the items that I’ll be acquiring today, no it shouldn’t be all that hard. Much like designer clothing, you can find anything at an affordable price if you know where to look.”
“Don’t tempt me.” I thought I heard him mutter but as I peered at Cal, he looked as if he were just idly sipping his coffee. Just as I was about to ask him what he’d said, he spoke again, “Yeah, well what they are asking you to go look for is not exactly designer clothing. We’re close to a major city for the state of North Carolina and I don’t exactly think you’re going to find a corn field in the middle of Charlotte.”
“Wow, you really are spoiled.” Snickering softly before I shook my finger at him, “Less than ten miles from here is an actual working farm. Living as far out as I do, we can hop over to one of the small towns nearby and find a feed store.”
“Isn’t that just for animals? Like, livestock and stuff?” However adept Cal Mitty may have been in an office setting, I got the impression for anything outside of a coffee run, he would be completely clueless. My shoulders shook with laughter as I moved to lean against the cushions on the back of the couch. This man would be the death of me in one way or another.
“You said it yourself, ‘livestock and stuff’. That ‘and stuff’ part is what you should focus on. Most feed stores carry seeds, seedlings, and plants for people to cultivate for their crops around here.” At some point in this conversation I had decided to start explaining everything in intricate detail, almost as if I were talking to a child. Whether that was because Cal happened to be an unwelcome guest in my home, my own irritability, or the fact I actually need to do so – didn’t really seem to matter.
Between yesterday and today, I figured the policy of explaining everything I did in depth was far easier than just giving a simple answer. When you gave people a nice, short, concise response they ended up giving you the third degree anyway. So instead of waiting around for him to ask me probing questions to find out exactly what I would be doing, I just went ahead and spelled it out.
“So we’re going to acquire all those things in one place?” Cal looked to me with a healthy amount of disbelief.
“Not all those things, but packaged seeds, yes. I’ll probably spring for some chicken feed, wire, tools, or some other list of odds and ends.” Chuckling as he peered at me in confusion, I just smiled again before I lifted the mug to my lips once more.
“Why not the seedlings or plants?” This time, his voice held a trace of confusion that brought me up short. Was this serious curiosity or some kind of way to leech out information that he thought would be paramount to his own survival later?
Whichever the case may be, I could see no harm in expanding on his knowledge base. My time with him alone until we met up with the rest of the group would be short. While he had me beat in size, as of the last couple of days, I had more of a propensity for violence than he did, so my odds seemed good. Then again, if he happened to be faking me out it could just end badly for me all the way around.
Having this man here in my home was already a strain on my tolerance. I couldn’t shake the fact that there was more to him than met the eye. While in the long term, the time spent waiting to meet up with the rest of the group would be relatively short, and for that amount of time, I’d be on my own with this man. A man I knew barely anything about, so there was no telling just what he could be capable of.
That brief reminder had me tensing a little. Paranoia could be a nasty bugger and at the moment, mine was running rampant. So much so I had forgotten just what it was we were talking about and came back into focus with Cal’s gaze locked on me expectantly.
“Well?”He asked.
“Well, what?” I shot back and then blushed at being caught unaware, “Sorry I got caught up in thinking about the day. What is it you wanted to know exactly?”
“Why not get seedlings and actual plants? I mean, they’re already growing and it would be safe to assume that they’d be ready to harvest far more quickly.” Thankfully, his annoyance caused him to expand on just what he’d meant and allowed me to put my mind back on track.
“Oh, right. Well, plants and seedlings require constant maintenance. You have to consider that while we are in temporary areas or moving around, plants and seedlings can be damaged or in some cases wilt from neglect. It’s better to have seeds in preparation for where you might end up. That way youhave them to plant when you’re ready to set down roots in a place that you plan on staying in for a long while.” Finishing off the coffee in my mug, I turned my head and looked to him, “As a group, we’re planning for the long haul and where we’ll all end up.”
“So what will you do for now? I mean, isn’t that kind of risky?” He asked quietly. His gaze bored into me with a bit more than natural interest and I couldn’t for the life of me understand why.
“N
ot especially. Here in the early days we just hit up small markets for things like fresh vegetables. While we still have utilities there is also the option of frozen vegetables. Once we get on the road, it’ll be a matter of scavenging where necessary. Then, when we meet up with the others we’ll be able to plan out a garden or green house or something.” Scrunching my nose a little, I hoped that those generalized plans would be enough to quench Cal’s curiosity.
“Like I said, isn’t that kind of a risk?” His eyes locked with my own and I found myself struggling to speak. While I had no idea of his true intentions, in this particular moment, his interest seemed to be genuinely focused on myself and whatever thoughts I might have about this whole situation.
“Not…really.” The words passed my lips and while that in itself could be considered an accomplishment, the fact each one squeaked out made me flinch in embarrassment.
“I still don’t understand why you consider it not to be a risk.” He frowned a little before moving towards me, “Can you please explain? I mean, I get the buying vegetables while the stores are still open now, but the interim, when we’re on the road? I mean, scavenging for stuff like that, there’s no real guarantee is there?”
“No, there’s not. However, if we were to waste the money on buying seedlings and plants there’s every possibility we would still be doing the same thing when the time comes to move. They require a lot of care and attention, which is something not likely to happen while we were on the move. More than that, trying to keep them in good health long enough to reach whatever destination we have in mind is also not a guarantee. We’ll likely spend hours a day on the road and whether those plants are in a car or trailer, they’ll be lacking for sunlight and all the things they need to be fruitful. Whereas, seeds can be used once we’re settled in wherever it is we end up.”
“You really do think about things from a whole lot of different angles. My question is…are any of your friends aware of just how much knowledge you’ve acquired?” Cal stared at me, looking for all the world like he’d just been slapped with the force of a hurricane.
“Robbie knows.” This time when I answered him, my tone was soft. The fact he had picked up on that much had a bracing effect on me. “I’ve been this way since we were kids. If I read something it gets locked up in the vault.” I pointed to my temple.
“So, you mean like general stuff or everything?” The question rang with a certain quality of tone that left me in no doubt about what Cal seemed to be trying to do. Then again, it seemed rather obvious to me that he was trying to figure out just how far that particular ability of mine stretched.
“Everything. While reading is the general culprit, anything that has a certain beat or rhythm can be committed to memory as well. Thus why I catch on to song lyrics more quickly than the average bear, but it is always changing. I never know what stuff will stick and what won’t. Honestly, it’s kind of a crap shoot, but Robbie is aware of all of it.” I looked down to watch my fingers curl around the now empty mug. Anything was better than seeing Cal’s disgust or judgment about how strange I was.
I’d said before I was a freak of nature and the truth of the matter was, no one could deny it. Photographic memory or even memorization, were gifts that people could easily grasp. My particular ability to see things just once or acquire knowledge by grazing through articles paired with that kind of memorization…had proven to most that I was a freak of a whole new order.
Robbie, for all his intelligence, still didn’t retain things the way I did. In some ways, this made me feel a little adrift in thinking myself weird. No matter what I felt or thought, Robbie had and would never judge me for it. Still, in the course of things we’d both made it a habit to avoid the subject at all costs with other people.
Now, sitting here in my living room and trying to explain just how messed up my brain tended to work, I felt disjointed. This man did not really know me and yet his words served as a reminder that even with my best friend, I seemed to be some kind of unknown anomaly.
“The rest of your group, all the others that we spoke with last evening, they are not even aware of this?” Cal asked in incredulity. Not that I could blame him this time, in less than forty-eight hours he’dalready figured out this particular flaw.
“No, people see what they want to see, or in our case, hear what they want to hear.” I shrugged. Uncomfortable with Cal’s proximity, I moved to push myself up off the couch and head back towards the kitchen.
“How do you mean?” Even as I walked away from him, Cal’s presence seemed to hover in the air around me. However, I was more than happy to try and put a little bit more distance between us to give myself the illusion of freedom if nothing else.
“Just what I said. When we’re all online and talking on Skype, my little rants and raves can be summed up by simple overreaction. Most times they assume that anything I bring up subject wise is because of something that I came into contact with that day. Not because I read something six months ago and a recent event has me factoring it in to the whole process.” Finishing my explanation softly, I rolled my shoulders before moving to pour myself another cup of coffee.
“Have you ever considered the fact that if you told them, they might not question you as much?” His words had me going still. My hands froze in place with the coffee pot tilted just slightly so that the flow of hot liquid stopped. Truly, I debated on just how to answer him. He brought up a seemingly valid point, but I doubted he could truly understand, at least from my perspective. There had been reasons Robbie and I had kept this a guarded secret for so long.
Not that the small ability hadn’t come at a hefty price. My lack of tact button in dealing with the world had been tossed out in favor of my little memorization trick. So while I may have been socially inept, I did have a head full of facts and knowledge that ranged a broad spectrum of subjects. Sadly, there just happened to be a lot of them that couldn’t be applied to everyday life.
“It’s been considered. I can’t lie about that. However, my best friend has a hard time grasping what I can do, my parents as well. I’d prefer the others just think I’m paranoid over the little things than realize just how long I end up obsessing over stuff. Yes, it can be a bonus, especially in times like these where we’re facing some kind of major event. Most the time however, it can be considered a pitfall. Too much information is just that sometimes: too much. In those cases, simplicity can be considered the best way to go.” I absently stared down into my now half full coffee cup, I wanted nothing more than to have this particular conversation end.
I almost preferred the argument over Robbie and I than this.
“You really think they would be that unaccepting?” This time when he spoke it was from just over my shoulder. I had not even noticed that he had gotten so close to me while I’d been speaking. When he laid his hand on my arm I shuddered, yanking myself back a couple of steps before I shook my head and sighed.
“Not willing to risk it, not yet. If and when things get really bad, I’ll likely have no choice. Until then, I’d like to keep some form of privacy about myself.” Peering at him with a glare before I moved to grab my coffee cup once more, “We should probably discuss today. Well, more correctly, the next few days.”
“What about it? I mean, I think heading out to grab planting stuff is pretty self-explanatory.” He shrugged a little before peering over at me like some lost little boy who didn’t know where exactly he happened to be going.
“Yeah, that part is, but you threw in your lot with us last night. Which begs the question how are we gonna handle your presence here. We’re not supposed to be going out alone, remember? Last I checked, you live nowhere near here.” Lifting my coffee cup to take a healthy gulp of the scalding liquid within, my brain screamed in protest as it burned my tongue.
Not one to be outdone, I actively tried to stop myself from grimacing to give away the fact I had just seared my mouth with liquid hotter than hell itself. Instead, I peered over at Cal, hoping that the water
ing of my eyes was not so bad that he realized what had happened.
“Oh. Right.” He said and moved to lean back against the counter opposite of me. A part of me breathed a sigh of relief that he had taken the hint about giving me my personal space. Sadly, his next words proved that had been a false ray of hope, “Well, I thought about that last night while I was parked on your couch. Honestly, the place I have in the city is a penthouse apartment at the top of a high building. Hearing you talk to…Alec?”
He paused a little as he peered at me, looking for some kind of affirmation. Realizing he would not continue until he got some form of reply, I nodded.
“Right, Alec…anyway, hearing you describe what would happen to him and his wife has me rethinking my own living arrangements. A building filled with undead is going to be a hell of a lot harder to get out of than a floor level rental like this.” I watched as he pushed off the counter and straighten to his full height, “I thought maybe I’d talk to your manager about renting one of the places around here. Plus, if they all come with those cellar type rooms like you have, it can only be a benefit right?”
Stunned, I stared over at Cal in silence. Internally, I was screaming. The last thing I wanted was this man anywhere near my home. In the two days I’d had to deal with him, I’d found myself more frustrated, angry, and capable of violence than at any other time in my life. Something about this man put me more on edge than I had ever known.
Still, I had promised that I’d go nowhere alone. My own rule was coming back to bite me in the ass, just as predicted.
“I see.” Paltry words those might be, but at the moment they were all I could seem to come up with.
“You don’t sound too enthused about that.” My gaze jerked up to peer over at Cal for a moment before my lips twisted up in a lopsided smirk.