by Eve Langlais
Hannah knew she shouldn’t, not after the moment they’d just shared, but she finally had to ask, “If you loved me, why did you leave in the first place, and why did it take you so long to come back?”
* * * * *
Brody could hear the pain in her voice. Hell, he could still remember how lost and hurt she’d looked when he left. A pang went through him at the agony he’d caused her. It had all been his fault. He never should have gone and left her alone. It was a wonder she could forgive and love him again. He still hadn’t forgiven himself.
“I knew it was wrong to leave even as I drove away.” Brody started to talk, needing to explain himself so they could start fresh. “But I was so angry and proud that I didn’t stop. I wanted to prove to my dad that I could be something, and I wanted to show you that I was worth loving. That I could give you all the things you deserved.”
“All I wanted was you,” she said in the darkness, her voice small.
“You know what they say about hindsight. Well there I was, cocky and determined to make it big. I’m still not sure how I figured that would happen. I didn’t have all that many skills, and I’d never finished college. A fact I sadly regretted as the only jobs I got offered were menial grunt work. I wanted to come home when I realized the world was a much more cutthroat place than I’d expected. I was one of thousands of young men looking for work. But I couldn’t come back a failure-”
“So you kept looking?” she finished his sentence.
Brody traced her spine with fingers calloused from the manual labor he’d done over the past year and a half. “I kept moving every few weeks, desperate to find something, anything to justify why I’d left, but it was the same thing everywhere I went. I just wasn’t good enough.”
“You were good enough for me. And I know your father was always proud.”
“Again that hindsight thing. So many times, I gassed up the bike and picked up the phone, ready to quit and come home. I wish I had.” Brody fell silent as he bitterly recalled the dreams he’d had. A dream he’d followed westward, chasing a rainbow that never ended in a pot of gold, or Hannah. And then it was too late. He’d woken up one morning and found the world dying. As the death toll mounted, Brody had realized, to his horror, that he’d spent months chasing fool’s gold and lost everything that meant anything to him.
“I waited for you, you know,” she admitted. “Every time the phone rang or I heard a motorcycle, I thought it was you finally coming back to me. Then the flu hit and everyone died, and I think that’s when I finally admitted to myself you were never coming back.” Her voice choked, and Brody could feel his eyes dampen, glad she couldn’t see him.
He had to swallow hard before he trusted himself to speak. “I was coming back to you, I swear. Then the virus hit, and it was chaos everywhere.” She had actually been his first thought when the plague hit. Terrified for her, he’d begun travelling back, diverting around roadblocks that soon manned empty streets as the world faded with a cough and a sneeze. “I started for home, but as I travelled, I kept slowing down.” Fear had grabbed him. What if he returned and found her dead? Or worse what if she’d survived and moved on with someone else?
She didn’t ask him why, she just snuggled him closer and again he felt that stupid moisture in his eyes that he’d found her again. That she loved him, even if that love was tempered with hesitation. I’ll never hurt you again, he silently promised. He’d die first.
Brody had never gotten over Hannah. He’d never even tried. Offers from other women had been there, but he’d never been able to muster interest. All he’d ever wanted was his golden kitten.
He just hoped he could make her believe in him fully again so they could be the family they’d always been meant to be.
Chapter Nine
Hannah woke before Brody the next morning, and she watched him as he slept, the new lines he’d gained from the hardships he’d face smoothed out, leaving him looking like the boy she’d fallen in love with a lifetime ago. The boy and now the man she loved still.
Easing out of bed, she threw on some clothes and exited the room, heading for the front office and the vending machines Brody had said he’d found inside. With no coffee, she needed to get a caffeine fix in the form of a cola. She opened the glass paned office door, the sun rising still at her back. The pop machine stood, a sentinel of a bygone time, at the back of the room. Two steps in, just enough for the door to swing shut, a hand clapped over her mouth, while something sharp and pointed pricked the skin at her back through her shirt.
“If you move or scream, you die.”
* * * * *
Brody awoke alone with a sense of something not being right. Hopping out of bed, he pulled on his jeans as he checked the bathroom for Hannah. Tucking the gun he’d put under the pillow into his pants, he left the room, his feeling of urgency increasing.
Where could she have gone?
The bike still sat in its spot, untouched. His eyes scanned the area around the motel, but nothing moved. A flicker of motion in the corner of his eye caught his attention from the office. He pretended not to see it and wandered around the backside of the building. He ran quickly once out of sight ‘til he reached the rear of the office then he inched quietly up the side. Scuffing sounds ahead had him holding his breath and peering around the corner. His hearth clenched at the sight of Hannah being marched with a knife at her back.
Aiming the gun, he called out, “Let the girl go, or I’ll blow your fucking head off.”
The ruffian whirled, one hand tangled in Hannah’s hair, the knife moved to a point below her chin.
“One move and she dies,” threatened the bastard who had dared touch Brody’s woman.
The absolute look of terror in Hannah’s eyes twisted like a knife in Brody’s gut. “I am not telling you again. Let her go, or I’ll cut you apart piece by fucking piece.” Brody cocked the gun, stilling his breath, waiting for his shot.
Hannah, as if sensing her captor’s distraction, slammed her foot down on his instep. With a yelp, his knife hand moved, and Brody fired.
* * * * *
Hannah heard the crack of the pistol, might have even felt the whizzing breeze as the bullet flew past her face and hit the vagrant who’d caught her. With a scream, the hand in her hair loosened, and she ran straight for Brody.
Thunderclouds brewed in his eyes, and his lips were taut with anger. He reached an arm out to curl around her and tuck her face-first into his chest. She heard another crack of the gun and the screaming stopped.
Shaking, she let him lead her to their room. Tenderly, he lifted her chin and, with antiseptic and bandages from a kit he kept in the saddlebags, he cleaned and covered the nick on her neck. Then he engulfed her in a huge hug, a bone-crushing one.
“Don’t you ever go out on your own like that again,” he said with a tight voice.
Hannah, still in shock, just nodded. She’d even do one better. Once they found Beth, she’d go back home and never leave again.
Brody packed their things in silence and signaled to her it was time to go. Hannah kept her eyes averted so not to see the body in the parking lot. Death in this case had been inevitable and justified. Scum like that couldn’t be allowed to live and prey on others. She only hoped Beth hadn’t run into him as well.
Had all the men left in the world gone crazy? Why did they all want to hurt and rape? She thanked god that Brody hadn’t turned feral. She also prayed with all her might that Beth hadn’t been waylaid.
After checking their route on a map he’d brought along, Brody drove, only stopping for gas. Hannah found herself getting more and more tense the farther they went without seeing any signs of Beth. Oh god, please let her be all right. She knew they had to be getting close to the old Amish village. Signs of people in the area were glaringly obvious from the road that had been cleared of vehicles allowing them to make good time, to the smoke spiraling in the sky which pulled at them like a beacon.
Trying to ignore her anxiety over Beth, she
found herself thinking back on Brody’s confession of the previous night. He never stopped caring, and he wanted to come back. She didn’t have a hard time picturing his pride standing in the way of common sense. Brody had never been the type to tuck tail and admit defeat. But his stubbornness had cost them both a lot. Hannah wished she could trust in him completely. The pain of the last year and a half was still an ache in her heart, and her skeptical side couldn’t help wondering if he’d leave eventually looking for greener pastures again.
Brody cursed and downshifted on the bike, startling Hannah. Lifting her head from where it rested on his back, she peered around his wide shoulders to see two men dressed ruggedly in jeans and ball caps, standing in the middle of the road, rifles aimed menacingly.
“What do they want?” she asked, fear making her voice come out high.
“Just let me do the talking,” he said, slowing the bike down, then pulling the gun from the tank bag and putting it in his lap.
Brody stopped about fifteen feet from the two men, one of whom had his rifle pointed at them. The other had lowered his gun and held a hand up in a stopping motion. When Brody killed the engine, he spoke.
“Howdy, folks. You wouldn’t be Brody and Hannah, would you?”
Hannah knew her jaw dropped even as her heart sped up. If they knew their names and expected them, that could only mean…
“Beth!” she cried. “Is she here?”
The one pointing the gun lowered it and smiled, and Hannah noticed how young he was. “She sure is. When we heard she’d run away and that you’d probably come looking for her, we stationed some guys to keep any eye out for you.”
“Why the guns then?” asked Brody, his body still tense.
“It always pays to be safe. We’ve had run-ins with a few dickheads who seem to think that no cops means they can do what the hell they like.”
Brody relaxed. “Fair enough. A shame the virus didn’t target assholes.”
“No kidding. My name’s Joel by the way,” said the older one, holding out hand which Brody shook. “And this here is my son Mike.”
They shook hands all around, and Hannah bit her lip so as to not scream. She didn’t care about their names. She wanted to see Beth.
Impatient she blurted. “Where’s Beth? Can I see her?” And shake her for scaring the crap out of me! Hannah couldn’t believe they’d actually found her. A part of her had thought their search would be fruitless.
“She’s back at the village. Why don’t you follow us?”
Boarding some dirt bikes of their own, they followed Joel and Mike down the road, passing farms with tilled fields and livestock grazing. They eventually entered a bustling town-an extremely outdated one with clapboard and stone buildings.
Brody parked his bike in front of a house that Mike claimed was his, and they all got off their bikes, Hannah rubbing her sore posterior.
“Hannah!” Beth squealed as she came running out the front door. She promptly burst into tears.
Hannah squeezed her little sister tight and closed her eyes as tears leaked in relief. Then she shook her sister. “What did you think you were doing? Do you have any idea how dangerous your road trip was? Or how worried we all were?”
Beth ducked her head. “I know it was stupid. I ran into some nasty guys the next town over. I was lucky Mike was on a supply mission. He and Joel heard me screaming and managed to scare them off.” Beth darted a look over at Mike, who talked with Brody, the hero worship in her eyes evident.
“Oh Bethie,” said Hannah. “I’m so glad you didn’t get hurt. You were damned lucky.”
“I know that now. Mike lectured me pretty good. I’m sorry, Hannah. I shouldn’t have run off like that.”
Hannah couldn’t have been more stunned if she’d been slapped. Beth apologizing? “Yes, well, at least you’re safe.”
“Oh Hannah, this place is so amazing. I only got here last night, but Mike gave me a tour this morning before he went to wait for you guys. Can we stay please? There’s all kinds of things I could do here, and they’ve got extra houses and…”
Hannah held up her hands. “Whoa, Bethie. We just got here. I guess if you really want to stay, then I can’t stop you. But, just so you know, I am going back. We had to leave Uncle Fred alone while we came after you.”
“So that means I can stay?” Without waiting for confirmation, Beth clapped her hands in glee and turned to Mike who had approached. “Did you hear that Mike? I can stay.”
Looking at the smiles they exchanged, Hannah felt like sighing. It would seem Beth had found more than a new community. Hannah was happy for her. Beth deserved to have someone to love her and give her the family and home life she craved.
They spent the rest of that day touring the Amish village. As with the rest of the world, everyone in the Amish village save one family had died. That family had welcomed the newcomers as they straggled in and shown them how to live off the land.
The village seemed very self-sufficient with a windmill and waterwheel for a limited amount of power and for the grinding of wheat into flour. They had a smokehouse for curing meats, a general store for people to gather in and exchange produce, and even a schoolhouse with a half dozen children. The community itself had gathered over forty people and, as Joel confided, they expected that number to swell as some of the young men had gone out on scouting trips and brought back not only goods but survivors.
“We could use a healthy couple like you,” Joel said as they sat around that evening playing cards by the light of an oil lamp.
Brody looked over at her, and Hannah realized he wanted her to answer. “I appreciate the offer, but my uncle Fred is back home and well, I don’t think I’m ready to leave my family home quite yet. But we’ll definitely be back to visit.”
Hannah expected Beth to protest but, wrapped up in Mike’s presence, she barely glanced at Hannah. Brody, however, had a crease between his brows. Does he want to stay?
But that night as he made love to her in the pillowy bed, the mattress fluffy with stuffed feathers, he said not a word to her about her decision. Instead he buried himself between her thighs, his tongue dancing with hers eagerly.
And Hannah lost herself to the pleasure.
* * * * *
“So what time are we leaving?”
Her question took him by surprise. He knew she was worried about Fred, but he’d thought they’d stay at least one more day to make sure Beth was settled, and he kind of wanted to check things out some more. Surely even she could see how much better off they would be moving here.
“You don’t want to stay and make sure Beth’s going to be all right?”
“Beth’s a grown girl, something I need to accept. Besides, it looks like she and Mike have hit it off, and he seems like a decent sort. He’ll make sure she’s okay.”
Biting his tongue but determined to work on her once they got back, along with the help of Fred whom he knew would side with him, he prepped the bike for their return trip.
Amid a tearful good-bye, where the sisters promised to visit soon, Joel pulled him aside. “Watch yourself, son. Some of the boys ran into some dirtbags last night. Last thing you need is them following you back. They tend to run in packs, and I’d hate for you or Hannah to get hurt.”
Brody looked at Hannah, and his gut clenched. If anything were to happen to her…
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll be careful. If I can convince her, we’ll be back soon. I like what you guys got going here.”
The good-byes over with, Brody straddled his steel horse and inwardly smiled when Hannah wrapped her arms around him. The feeling would never get old.
The trip home went quickly, but twilight hit before they made it all the way back. Finding another roadside motel, Brody stopped for the night.
As soon as Hannah got off, she turned quickly to the side and threw up.
“Jesus, kitten, are you okay?” he asked.
“Must have been something I ate,” she mumbled.
The n
ext day she still looked queasy, but they made it all the way home without her getting ill.
Fred came wheeling out of the house, his face sober. “Beth, is she…”
“She’s fine,” said Hannah rushing over to hug her uncle. “She just decided to stay behind at the Amish settlement.”
“You found people then?” said Fred, his face cracking a smile. “Marvelous. So when’s the big move?”
“What do you mean?” asked Hannah, her face creased in confusion.
Brody restrained himself from smiling. It looked like Fred would be on his side in this argument.
“We can’t stay here by ourselves forever, Hannah girl.”
“Why not?”
“Because they’re equipped to survive,” said Brody, jumping to Fred’s rescue.
“We’ve been doing just fine ’til now. I don’t see why we suddenly have to up and leave.”
Fred shook his head. “Well, I for one wouldn’t mind being around people again. I love you, girl, but a man gets lonely.”
“Fine, then leave,” she said, looking almost like a child with her lower lip jutting in a pout. “Go and live with Beth. I’ll be just fine here.”
“Hannah, don’t be like that.”
But Hannah had already fled to the house she refused against all reason to abandon.
Brody sighed. “It’ll take more than one day to convince her. I thought for sure once she realized Beth wasn’t coming back she’d come to her senses.”
“I meant what I said though. I want to go. Will you take me, Brody?”
Looking at the old man, Brody knew he couldn’t say no. Problem was, in order to take Fred, he’d have to leave Hannah behind for a few days. Not an idea he was crazy with.
As if reading his mind, Fred said, “Maybe if she’s by herself for a few days, she’ll come to her senses. Realize just how lonely it is out here.”
“Yeah, but what if something happens?”