The screw Emalee was working at had pulled out a few inches as well.
"Help me with it," Mason said.
They both gripped the loose side of the grate and tugged on it. At first nothing happened, but then a small chunk of the wall fell off and the third screw came loose, still attached to the grate.
Emalee rubbed her hands. They hurt, especially the fingers she'd used to work on the screws. If Mason had only helped me from the beginning, we'd be out of the sun by now, she thought.
Sorry.
"I told you to stay out of my head." Emalee stood and stretched her legs.
She walked as quietly as she could to the edge of the floor and peeked down.
The area below them was filled with zombies. She stopped counting after twenty because she was getting upset.
"Even if we manage to crawl through the grate to get to another part of the building, one where we can get out, we still need to get down to the street and it's filled with them," Emalee said.
"One thing at a time." Mason said. He laughed and Emalee turned to see he had the grate in his hands. He held it up like he'd won the spelling bee trophy.
Emalee walked to the vent but Mason passed her.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"Watch this," Mason said.
"Stop acting like a child."
Mason laughed. "I am a child. So are you. These are the dumb things we can still do and get away with, because we're children."
He went to the edge of the floor and held the grate over his head before turning to his sister. "Last chance to watch."
Emalee hesitated before giving in. Mason was right. They were still kids, and she figured they wouldn't have too many chances to act like it. She went and stood next to her brother.
"Which one?" Mason asked.
Emalee looked at the zombies below. "How about the one with the gray beard wearing sunglasses? With the red hat with the B on it. He looks creepy."
Mason tossed the grate and laughed when it hit the zombie in the face, knocking off the glasses and hat.
"This isn't fun," Emalee admitted. "Let's go."
"I thought it was cool."
Emalee groaned. "You're such a boy."
Chapter Two
The night was the worst part because Emalee could see the people clearly, wandering around and mixed with the zombies. She pulled her sleeping brother closer to her for body warmth and sighed. This was going to be another long one until the sun came up.
Mason had used his mind to find stray thoughts as they'd entered a ruined city, and there was a large group of survivors holed up in a leaning five story building.
"I don't like some of their thoughts. They seem like mean people," he'd said quietly. Then he'd smiled. "But I know where one of them has hidden six cans of corn and a can opener."
The corn had been delicious and Mason had led them to an abandoned train station where he said no thoughts could be heard. Emalee thought his gift was getting more powerful by the day but she didn't comment. They tried not to talk about what they could do unless it was to make fun of each other.
"I feel like a hobo," Mason said in his sleep. Emalee smiled. He often dreamed of stuff actually happening and would tell her as if he was asleep but watching over himself to see what was happening at the same time. She guessed, even in sleep, he was talking to her.
The train station itself had been destroyed in a fire so they found a rail car and crawled inside, pushing a few smelly boxes against the door. It didn't offer much protection but at least it blocked them from someone looking through the wooden slats.
Emalee missed Tosha and Mathyu. She wondered where they were right now and what they were doing. Had they found a safe place to sleep, away from the zombies, too?
She lightly pushed away from Mason and leaned against the side of the train car, peering into the darkness. There was no movement but she knew the ghosts and the zombies were out there. She hoped she'd never see a vampire or a werewolf.
The person they'd taken the corn from would be mad and might come looking for them if he could figure out which way they'd gone. Emalee felt horrible for stealing but Mason had justified it by explaining the person had left it in a public place and his name wasn't on any of the cans. Emalee had checked to make sure. He hadn't written on the cans.
The corn was delicious and now she wished they'd saved at least one can instead of eating them so fast. Her stomach hurt a little. She didn't like eating so much on one day and then not eating for a day or two, until they found something else to eat.
As they moved south, Mason swore they'd find oranges and apples growing on trees and fresh streams to drink from. He'd made sure they saved the cans from the corn so they could drink out of them someday. Emalee didn't think they'd carry them long before settling on a can each.
Emalee was lost in thoughts of picking fruit from trees when she heard someone walking on the gravel outside and coming closer.
She nudged Mason but covered his mouth because he was sometimes loud coming out of sleep. When he struggled for a second, she leaned closer to him and said to be quiet.
"Your breath smells like corn," he whispered.
They moved slowly to the side of the train car, peering out to see who was walking.
Two small people came into the moonlight two tracks over, trying to move quietly but failing. Emalee thought maybe they were mythical dwarves but when she got a good look she could see they were just two boys who might be around their age.
"Maybe they need help," Emalee whispered to her brother.
Mason shook his head and closed his eyes.
Emalee wanted to tell him to stop getting into other people's minds but didn't bother. He wouldn't listen and she had to admit right now it would help them. If these two boys were bad, Mason would find out.
Mason was quiet and Emalee didn't move, watching as the two boys walked down the tracks and out of sight, their footsteps no longer heard.
"Well?" Emalee finally asked.
"I couldn't get a good read on their thoughts. It was like they were blocking me without realizing they were doing it," Mason said.
"Wow. Are they also special, like us?"
Mason moved away from the side and got comfortable on the floor again. Emalee joined him, tucking her legs up because she was cold.
"I don't know what they are. They don't seem bad but I couldn't get an idea if they had good thoughts, either. It doesn't matter. They kept walking and we probably won't see them again. I'm going back to sleep. You should try it, too," Mason said.
Emalee knew she wasn't going to sleep tonight. Her mind was racing with figuring out their problems and now with the added bonus of seeing two boys that might be different like them... it was all too much for her.
She sat up against the wooden slats and watched her brother, who immediately fell back asleep. He could do that in seconds and it always amazed Emalee and made her a little jealous, too. While she'd sit up half the night worrying about things she couldn't control, Mason could lean against a cold wall and be snoring in seconds if he wanted.
It was another of his many gifts.
Emalee wanted the world to be back the way it was. She missed her parents and friends. She wanted to read books about zombies, not have to run from them. Her favorite show on TV had been about zombies, too. It was much nicer to read and watch zombies than to face them.
It was cold and dark inside the abandoned train car but it was better than the alternative. It was better than anything right now.
* * * * *
Emalee must've dozed off at some point because she opened her eyes, blinded by a thin beam of sunlight right in her face.
Mason was snoring softly but when she moved he woke with a start, arms flailing.
"Relax. It's me," she said quietly to calm him. One of these days he was going to break her nose when he woke like this. She usually tried to get away from Mason before he started his sleep-attack.
"Where are we?" Mason asked
, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Even though she was sure he'd slept through the night he looked tired. Sleeping on a cold floor of a train car wasn't the best place to spend a night.
"We're acting like a couple of hobos," Emalee said. She stood and stretched, wishing they'd saved at least one can of corn. She was thirsty, too.
"I guess it's time for us to move along," Mason said. He joined his sister in stretching but suddenly stopped, cocking his head.
He'd heard something but it wasn't a noise Emalee could hear. She knew this look: he'd intercepted a thought from someone nearby.
"Who is it?" Emalee asked in a whisper.
Mason looked confused and stared at his sister.
She was about to punch him in the arm and tell him to hurry up and tell her what was going on when he put up a finger.
"Remember the two boys from last night?"
"Yes," Emalee said.
"They're still around. They know where we are. They knew last night but didn't want to scare us. They want to talk and get to know us. They've also never met anyone that has any gifts," Mason said.
"How do you know?"
Mason tapped the side of his head. "One of them is just like me. He can read thoughts but he knows how to block his own, which I don't. He said he'd teach me."
"What if it's a trick?" Emalee asked. Now she was scared. They'd never met anyone else with gifts like they had. "Does the other one have gifts like I do?"
Mason shook his head. "He can do other stuff but they didn't tell me what. They're twins. They said we're the first kids they've ever met with powers and they're interested to talk to us, face to face."
"I don't like this," Emalee said.
"They let me look inside their heads for anything bad. They're just like us. Two kids who are hungry and don't want to get eaten by a zombie. I think they're cool," Mason said.
"Fine. But, if they end up being mean, I'm going to blame you and I'll be so mad."
Mason shrugged his shoulders. "You're mad at me all the time anyway." He opened the door of the train car and smiled, putting his face up to the warm sun.
Emalee could see the twin boys standing against what was left of this side of the railway station. They were both smiling.
Chapter Three
"Stop talking in my head and use your mouth," Emalee said to the smaller twin. She wasn't going to talk to him that way. It was bad enough Mason did it.
The boy laughed and wiped his unruly blonde hair back from his sweaty forehead. "Sorry. It's a habit. My brother doesn't mind."
Emalee put her hands on her hips. "Well, I do. I'm sure I can block you out of my head, too."
"I'm Parker. This is my brother, Reading. We're named after cities in Pennsylvania."
"Why?" Mason asked.
Both twins shrugged at the same exact time and it looked creepy to Emalee, like she was seeing them in a mirror.
"Mama said they were her favorite places to visit when she was a little girl. I don't know if I believe her, though. When I read her thoughts it was very adult and confusing. She'd get mad at me all the time for looking into her head," Parker said.
Emalee looked at Mason and narrowed her eyes. "Everyone gets mad because it's rude."
Mason didn't look at Emalee. He probably already knew the comment was directed at him.
"Where are you two going?" Reading asked, looking at the ground. He kicked at a rock.
Emalee thought it was cute he was shy around them. Maybe he had a crush on her?
"We were heading south. We met a nice woman who gave us a ride but then she, uh, went away. She was going south so we figured it was the right way to go. She was an adult and all, so... it made sense to us," Mason said.
"I think we'll go with you. Safety in numbers and all that," Parker said.
"I'm not going with them," Reading said suddenly and yanked on his brother's sleeve. "Let's get out of here."
"Are you crazy? This is a good thing. They're just like us," Parker said.
"No, they're not," Reading yelled and looked up, meeting Emalee's gaze. He looked really mad.
Emalee didn't say anything. She'd seen this look from kids every now and then. They didn't understand how special she and Mason were. They thought they were too different or slow.
"I'll be right back," Parker said and grabbed his brother by the arm, walking them down the train tracks until they were out of earshot.
"What are they saying?" Emalee asked Mason.
"I can't tell. He's blocking me and he's really good at it. I hope they stay because I want to learn how to do that, too." Mason shook his head and sighed. "I'm hungry."
"I say we just leave them," Emalee said. She didn't like the looks she'd gotten from Reading. She didn't like people who judged her based on her looks or what they thought was wrong with her. What were wrong were his feelings towards another kid. She didn't like him.
Mason didn't move. She could tell he was trying to break through and read their thoughts but failing.
The twins turned back and walked towards Emalee, Parker smiling but Reading frowning, with his head down. He didn't look too happy.
"We're going to stay and hang out with you for awhile. Right, Reading?" Parker punched his brother in the arm when he didn't respond.
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever."
Mason stepped in front of Emalee and crossed his arms.
"That's not good enough for me. I want you to apologize to my sister," Mason said.
Reading looked at Mason, his face full of rage. He was shaking his head and his hands were curled into fists. The boy was smaller than Mason but he might be stupid enough to attack in anger.
"I said I was coming with you. That's good enough," Reading said.
"Not for me," Mason said and made his own fists.
Emalee was very proud of her brother right now. Even though they fought a lot, they still had one another's back, and Mason was proving it. No matter what happened, they were family and protected each other.
Parker stepped between Mason and Reading, his hands keeping them apart.
"This is ridiculous. There are zombies in the area. I can sense them. They'll be upon us soon if we don't go. Now. We can argue this out once we're safe. I think there's another city just up the road. If we follow the train tracks, we'll be there soon. Agreed?"
"No," Mason said. He stared at Reading. "Apologize to my sister or I'll punch you in the face."
Emalee didn't think this was going to end well. She looked around and saw, to her dismay, there were several zombies approaching from both directions and they'd be caught in the middle in the next few minutes unless they moved.
She put her hand on Mason's arm gently.
"I think we can argue later. The zombies are coming," Emalee said.
Mason pointed at Reading. "I'm not going anywhere with him until he apologizes to you."
Parker looked around and sighed.
The zombies were coming closer, one slow step at a time. They were between the ruined train station building and the train cars.
Emalee thought they might be able to fit underneath the train car if they had to, but then she saw shuffling feet on the other side. The zombies were going to surround the group soon.
She yanked on her brother's arm. They had to leave.
"Well? Say it or I'm going to bust you in the nose," Mason said.
Emalee had never seen her brother this angry before. She was a little scared at the look in his eyes, too.
"I won't." Reading put up his fists, ready to fight. "You're both freaks. I don't want to be around you."
Parker pushed his brother back and shook his head.
"What are you doing? They're freaks like we are," Parker said.
"No. They're not. You know exactly what I mean, too," Reading said.
"I know you're being a real jerk. Mama would be so mad at you if she were still alive." Parker turned back to Emalee and Mason. "I'm really sorry. I swear I will get him to apologize as soon as we're away from the zombies
."
"I won't ever do it," Reading said.
Parker shook his head and turned back to his twin, putting a hand on his shoulder. Reading shook it off and stepped away, a look of fear in his eyes.
"Don't you dare get into my head," Reading said. "You can't make me do it."
"I can and I will." Parker closed his eyes.
Reading looked like he was about to attack his brother but he froze, fists in the air ready to strike.
Emalee looked at Mason, unsure of what was going on and what they could do. The zombies were getting closer by the second but the twins had gone still.
"We need to go," Mason said and took Emalee by the hand. "I think they'll find us again if they want to."
Emalee hoped they didn't want to, because she was scared of the twins. They weren't right in the head. She had so many questions for them but it wasn't worth getting in between whatever they were doing.
Mason ran to the gap between train cars a few feet away, hopping over the connector and onto the other side, Emalee a step behind. When Mason started moving, he could gain some speed and Emalee struggled to keep up with her shorter legs and shorter stride.
Two zombies, only a few feet away, turned and began their slow pursuit.
Mason ran across another set of train tracks to a wooden fence, slats broken or rotting. He stopped and stared at the barrier.
Emalee stifled a scream when a zombie got close. Tugging at Mason’s sleeve, she pointed at a gap she thought they could squeeze through.
Mason was lost in thought and didn't respond right away. The zombie, a tall man with tattered clothing and rotten teeth, put a dirty hand on Emalee's arm.
Now she screamed.
Mason pulled his sister away and ran to the gap, letting her go first while he stood to protect her. He had his fists ready to fight; although, the thought of Mason trying to punch someone twice his size would be hysterical in better conditions.
On the other side of the fence was nothing but thorny bushes and dead trees, a field, as far as Emalee could see, of a torched forest trying to repair itself.
With no clear cut path through the blackened tree stumps and low bushes, Emalee didn't think they could get far.
Dying Days (Novella): Family Ties Page 2