by Max Lockwood
“That’s pretty dark,” Bethany said.
“I know, but I’ve been infected,” he said. “I’ll never pass a blood test. I’ll never be able to make out with a hot girl or have kids. Of course, that’s if I stay dormant for the rest of my life. I don’t know why I’m not brainwashed or sick right now. Bretton must have had at least twenty different viruses that he was testing. Maybe I got a weak one, but there’s no way for me to know. If I can be violent enough to snap a dude’s neck with my bare hands, then maybe it will happen again.”
“There could be a cure,” Bethany said, trying to make him feel better. It made her uncomfortable to be around someone who didn’t care if he lived or died. She had such a strong sense of self-preservation that she couldn’t even understand what he was going through.
He shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. I’m not going to get my hopes up.”
Bethany bit her lip. She didn’t want to be tied down to any commitments, but Will’s outlook on life was so sad and pathetic that she couldn’t stop herself before the words came out of her mouth.
“You can come with me if you want.”
“Come on,” he scoffed. “No. That’s not going to happen.”
“Why?” she asked, a little offended that he was so quick to say no.
“Because I’m looking you square in the eye and I can see that you pleaded for me to refuse,” he said, cracking a smile. “I mean, it’s so obvious that the last thing you want is a travel companion.”
She couldn’t help but smile either. He wasn’t wrong.
“I know I travel solo, but I could make an exception. I mean, at least until you’re back on your feet. We are heading the same direction, anyway.”
“That’s kind of you to offer, but neither of us wants that. Besides, you make me sound so pathetic for needing a partner.”
Bethany cringed. “I mean, you are a little sad.”
Will gave her a playful shove.
“If you ever make it to New York, look me up,” she said. “Who knows? Maybe we can form a support group for West Coast survivors.”
He nodded. “I hope you find exactly what you’re looking for. You’re one of the most badass women I’ve ever met, and I’ve met quite a few in the past few months. Stay safe, and don’t let strange men in big trucks convince you to go to their military base. Nine out of ten times, it’s a trap.”
She laughed. “Ten out of ten times, it’s a trap. You’re going to get yourself killed with those statistics.”
“You’re probably right. Oh, and if you get tired of running once you get across the border, head for the panhandle of Oklahoma. I’m talking rural Oklahoma.”
“What’s there?” she asked.
Will looked at the ground. “Some decent people. The last I heard, that’s where the good guys are going. Oklahoma and New York. If you meet up with them, tell them you know me. Actually, don’t.”
“Which is it?”
He thought for a moment. “Well, tell them you knew me, but you thought I was an asshole.”
She laughed. “I can certainly do that. Is there anything else you would want me to tell them?”
He shook his head. “No. I think I spoke too much around them anyway. They’ll be pleased to know that Will Domenica ran out of things to say. Is there anything you want me to tell your people if I happen to run into any of them?”
“No,” she replied. “I have no people. I’m a lone wolf.”
Will smiled at this. “You most certainly are.”
Bethany looked up and noted the sun’s position in the sky. It had to have been nearly an hour since they were dropped off. If there was any word from base about their disappearance, someone would be looking for them.
“I’m going to get moving,” Bethany said. “Are you sure you’re okay on your own?”
“Yeah,” Will said, giving her the peace of mind she wanted, even though he had no way of knowing if he’d be fine. “Good luck, Bethany.”
“You too, Will. Thanks for all your help.”
“No problem,” he said as she turned to run away. He watched her for a few seconds before she disappeared into the trees. He kept walking at a steady pace, trying to decide if he wanted to keep walking or find a place to rest. He was tired but decided to keep trudging forward, in hopes he would come to a good stopping place by the time night fell.
Bethany jogged ahead, calculating which direction she needed to go to head toward the border. She had gotten into pretty good shape in the last month from her travels on foot, but she still seemed to have trouble filling her lungs. After a few minutes, she slowed to a walk and coughed a few times, her throat choking up each time.
Her eyes clouded with tears, making it hard to see where she was going. She stomped her feet into the ground, frustrated with her uncontrollable emotions. Will told her he was going to be fine. She didn’t even like him that much in the first place. He nearly got her killed on multiple occasions. He was snarky, moody, and a downright pain in the butt sometimes—and that was after he snapped out of his infected trance. He was a liability and a ticking time bomb. So, why was she so sad to see him go? She didn’t want a travel buddy, and he didn’t either. They were both better off marching to the beat of their own drums.
“Get it together, Bethany,” she whispered to herself, drying her eyes on the corner of her sleeve.
She closed her eyes and pictured Will in a lakeside cottage in Canada. She imagined him learning how to fish and hunt on his own. Then, she pictured him with a girlfriend, a companion. Bethany turned this image into a wish and told herself that he would indeed be fine and that she shouldn’t spend another second worrying about near-strangers with bad attitudes.
Bethany took a deep breath and let Will go. She began to run, concentrating on the space she was putting between herself and the hardships she’d encountered. She had more important things to worry about. She had to live.
27
Callum gripped the arms of the chair in the business center of the hotel that he used as his own personal study. He was having a terrible day. Ever since he woke up, he was plagued by everyone’s problems. First, there was a new shipment of people and there was no place to put them. Then, there weren’t enough medical supplies for all the surgeries scheduled. The latest news that his prisoners were missing set him over the top. He tried so hard to control his temper. Oh, he tried so hard.
“I don’t understand,” he said through gritted teeth. “The door was locked. I asked for someone to stand guard. I told everyone to be on the lookout. The laborers had specific instructions to return the prisoners back to their cell if they managed to escape. What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know,” Annabelle said, wringing her hands. “I was putting the boys to bed when the men were apprehended. You gave me the night off, remember?”
“That doesn’t excuse every other goddamn citizen in this town!” Callum seethed. “Now, tell me why they haven’t been found? We sent out all of our trucks to search the roads and the forests in the area. We even sent the laborers by the truckload to find them. Yet, for some reason that’s beyond my comprehension, they’ve returned empty handed. One truck didn’t even come back. I’ve lost good employees over this.”
“I don’t have an answer for you, Callum,” Annabelle said. “I wish I did. I had a bad feeling about that group from the start.”
“So did I,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “What ever happened to the other girl who arrived with them? What was her name—was it Avery?”
“Ariel,” she corrected.
“Yeah, that one. Go get her.”
Annabelle scurried to the front desk and dialed Ariel’s room. About a minute later, Ariel burst into the study.
“I heard you wanted me,” Ariel said, wearing a low-cut blouse with very tight pants. Her choice of words was blatantly obvious as to what she was trying to hint at. Callum noticed, but he had business to attend to first.
“I don’t know if you know this,” he said delicately, “but y
our friends have gone missing. Do you have any idea where they may be?”
“They’re not my friends,” she corrected. “I don’t really know the tall one, but Bobby Dean is a piece of crap and Melissa is a little hussy.”
“Sure, but do you know where they are?”
“Not a clue. I know they wanted to leave. I told them they were being stupid. Safe Haven is the nicest town I’ve ever been to. They’re total idiots for wanting to leave. I think they wanted to go to New Jersey or somewhere. Maybe you can check there.”
Callum sighed. “I think they wanted to go to New York, but that’s beside the point. I want to find out how they managed to escape. Furthermore, if they’re hiding around town or somewhere nearby, I need all the help I can get to find them. Can you help me?”
Ariel frowned and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I must have been sleeping when it happened. I have no idea where they are.”
Against his better judgment, Callum believed her. After all, she didn’t seem to have the mental capacity to come up with a good lie and execute it under pressure. She was also very into him and was so desperate for his affections that it was almost sad. But Callum found her behavior flattering. She was very complimentary of everything he had done in Safe Haven, and that boosted his ego after a great blow to his confidence.
“Thank you, Ariel,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “I wish we had more residents like you.”
“Callum, if there’s anything I can do to help you, just say the word and I’ll do it,” she gushed. “I’m so inspired by your vision for this place.”
He showed off his dazzling teeth. “Do you know what? I think I could use your help. Annabelle is a good employee, but she has a lot on her plate with her brothers. I’d like you to become an assistant, of sorts. Would you be up to that?”
She raised her eyebrows. “I would be honored.”
“Good. Now, come with me. I’m going to tell you the things about Safe Haven that I don’t mention in the tour.”
Getting Ariel to accept his plans could prove challenging to Callum, and he knew that going into his new hire. Annabelle was skeptical at first, but she couldn’t afford not to work for him—her brothers’ lives were at stake. Ariel had no ties to the infected, but Callum thought he could create a tie between himself and the girl.
Callum and Ariel walked side by side to the hospital. Ariel seemed pleased with herself that Callum trusted her to take on such an important task. She beamed every time he spoke to her and was eager to please.
“Now, I know what I’m about to show you may be shocking and hard to look at. But this cure is necessary to save lives and ensure that no one else gets infected. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I understand,” she replied. “Is it like a shot? Or a bunch of pills?”
“Not quite. This involves brain surgery to remove the damaged parts of the brain. You’ll see what I mean.”
He brought her into the hospital and took her to the nearest patient’s room.
“This patient had surgery yesterday,” Callum said, pointing to a young woman in the bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling.
“Is she going to be like that forever?” Ariel asked. She kept shivering, even though it wasn’t that cold in the room.
“More or less. We have a lot of patients who go on to be very good helpers. They do a lot of jobs that the healthy residents can’t do on their own. Unfortunately, their brains don’t function at as high of a level as ours do.”
Ariel was overcome with emotion as she watched the woman drool. “That’s so sad.”
“It is sad,” Callum agreed. “But it’s sadder when family members have to kill their own kin because they’re too violent.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Ariel said, though she found the patients disturbing.
Callum led her out of the hospital, escorting her back to the hotel. She looked unsettled but not outwardly disgusted.
“So, what did you think of the cure?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. That kind of stuff makes me squeamish. I don’t really like thinking about people’s brains. I guess if it helps people, then it’s okay.”
“So you’re not upset by it? You don’t want to resign from your post because of it?”
“No, not really,” she replied, not understanding why it was such a big deal to Callum.
“That’s fantastic!” he said, clapping his hands together. “I’m so happy, I could kiss you.”
She stopped dead in her tracks. “Do you mean it?”
“I’m really happy that you’re not upset by the cure. It causes problems for a lot of people.”
“No,” she said. “Do you really want to kiss me?”
He tilted his head, looking back at her. She had a blazing look in her eye. He had meant it as an exaggeration, a way to get the point across to her that he was happy she wasn’t horrified by his practices. But when he thought about it, he supposed he wouldn’t mind kissing her. She was more than willing, that was for sure. He had experienced a stressful day so far. He figured he could blow off a little steam.
“Not here,” he said. “We should be a little more discreet. I don’t want rumors spreading.”
“Oh, no, of course,” she said quickly, her cheeks becoming flushed. “Let’s go to my room. I’m all alone now that those dirtbags are gone.”
Once in private, Callum and Ariel did not stop at a kiss. Much to her amazement, Callum decided that he wanted to go all the way with her. It was something she had imagined ever since she’d first met him. The moment didn’t last long, but it was just what Ariel had hoped for. She had something that Melissa could never have.
Callum said that he had important business to attend to, so he redressed and left her room as quickly as he came. She stayed in bed for a moment, pressing her nose against the pillows that smelled like his hair pomade. Ariel felt unstoppable.
Eventually, she got dressed and made her way down to the lobby to await further instructions as Callum insisted she do. Ariel approached the front desk, eager to see if Annabelle needed any assistance. They were now co-workers and Callum’s most trusted employees.
“Next time, try to be a little sneakier,” Annabelle said to Ariel before she could say hello.
“What do you mean?” Ariel asked, embarrassed.
“The walls are thin here,” Annabelle said dryly as she shuffled paperwork. “I’m just letting you know that other people know, if that’s something that bothers you.”
Ariel puffed out her chest. “Oh, yeah? The other girls are jealous that he likes me more than them?”
Annabelle shook her head, unimpressed with Ariel’s self-awareness. “Don’t let this get to your head.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Annabelle sighed and leaned in a little closer to Ariel. “Look, don’t get upset, but this is a pretty normal occurrence. Lots of cute young women come to town. Callum’s a young guy—he’s going to be interested in the new hottest thing. I just wanted to let you know that people will notice. Some girls aren’t okay with that.”
Ariel’s mouth gaped open. “He sleeps with all the girls?” she said louder than she should have.
“Yes,” Annabelle said bluntly. “Let’s not make a big deal out of it.”
There was no way Ariel wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. She didn’t always choose the best men, but she didn’t accept disrespect from a man. If someone treated her poorly, she would let him know, loud and clear. Once the fire was burning in her chest, there was no putting it out. She would give Callum a piece of her mind.
“How dare he,” she hissed as she left the hotel. “How dare he make me feel like I was the only one. He lied to me, right to my face. I’ll tell him what’s up. He’s going to regret ever crossing me.”
But Ariel wasn’t quite sure where to find him. Not knowing where else to go, she stomped all the way to the hospital. If he wasn’t there at the moment, he would be eventually. She could wait.
When the nu
rse at the front desk asked what she was doing there, Ariel immediately told her that she was working for Callum and she would wait until he arrived. She spoke with such authority that the nurse decided it would be best to allow her to do whatever she thought was best.
After waiting for five whole minutes, Ariel became bored and started walking the halls. She stopped when she saw the little girl she’d arrived with. She looked even smaller in the bed and half of her long, blonde hair was shaved. A winding scar snaked its way across her head, making Ariel’s legs feel weak just looking at it.
But what startled Ariel even more was that the girl’s dad was in the bed next to her.
“Mike,” she gasped. “What happened to you?”
The man stared blankly at her, just as his young daughter did. His head was also partially shaved and scarred.
“No,” Ariel whispered, finally realizing why the father had never returned to the hotel room after checking in on his daughter. It didn’t make sense, though. Mike was perfectly healthy when they came to Safe Haven. What could have happened to him in such a short amount of time?
“I heard you’re looking for me.” Callum scowled. “I thought you were going to be cool.”
“I thought you were,” she retorted. “You sleep with all the girls. I’m not okay with that.”
Callum simply shrugged. It wasn’t worth the energy to try to defend himself when she was right in her accusation.
“I don’t even care about that now,” she said, breaking out into a sweat. “What happened to Mike? He was fine earlier.”
“His brain couldn’t handle what had become of his daughter. It’s a shame, too, because our surgeon did an excellent job on her.”
“You cut out his brain?” Ariel shrieked. “Why, because he didn’t like what happened to his daughter?”
“More or less.” Callum shrugged. “This town doesn’t run smoothly when people are causing trouble.”
Ariel felt sick. She couldn’t believe that Callum was turning out to be a monster. He’d seemed so sweet just hours ago.
“I didn’t like what was happening to the Infected but accepted it because there aren’t a lot of choices. I’m not okay with harming innocent people.”