by D. K Lake
Lane set me down on the ground but kept his arm around my waist just in case I decided to go floor diving.
“Hi, Alex, good to see you again.” Lena smiled at me.
“You, too.” I replied, smiling at her.
Dan was standing next to her but he was looking everywhere else so he didn't have to speak to me.
He was uncomfortable around me and it was so obvious.
Josh came over to me and hugged me again. I didn't mind, I wouldn't get many more hugs from him.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded and blew a strand of hair off my face, and Josh pressed the back of his fingers to my forehead.
“You're burning up.”
“No shit.”
“You must be Alex.” Ross said, interrupting us.
I smiled and faintly nodded.
“I'm Ross, I'm your chauffeur today.”
“I'm Zoe.” the girl with the long black hair greeted me.
I smiled, but I was distracted looking for Drew.
“Right, shall we? Nick's probably freaking out by now, I said we'd be back twenty minutes ago, he'll assume we're all dead now.” Ross laughed, opening the Jeep door for me.
“This is really happening.” I muttered.
Zoe waved bye to Dawn and climbed in the front, and Lane chucked my rucksack into the trunk, then came around to see me inside, but I stayed where I was.
“Wait.. where's Drew?”
Everyone sort of looked at me, like they were surprised I asked.
Then Lena stood up on her tiptoes, trying to look around the parking lot.
“Uh... he wandered off that way.” Lena said, pointing vaguely.
Then she smiled at me and walked off to the car where Evan was still under the hood. Dan was quick to follow her without even a 'hello'.
“They're going to follow us to the center, then they're going to head home.” Josh said.
“Home?” my voice came out broken.
“Yeah, back to Louisiana.”
“Huh, I thought...” I don't know what I thought, I knew the plan was just for them to accompany us originally, but I thought they'd stick around for a few days afterwards.
“Come on, Nick's waiting for you.” Lane said, taking over the position of holding the door open for me.
“Remember to say 'hi' to him for me, I'm not allowed in, neither are you but..” he trailed off.
What? Did I just hear him correctly? Not allowed in??
I couldn't believe this was happening so fast.
“Thank you for everything.” I said to Dawn.
“Don't be silly, you're very welcome, and I hear Lane and Josh are going to be staying on here until... until you get back” she finished unsure of her words.
Josh climbed into the back and reached out to take my hand. I grabbed the door and Lane steadied me into the Jeep and Josh pulled me up. I felt like a little old lady in her nineties needing a strong arm. At this rate, I'd need help to even use the bathroom. Thankfully if things got that bad Lane would never see it, I would be isolated in the center.
Dawn waved bye to us and I waved back, trying to turn around in my seat to see the other car where Lena, Dan, and Evan were stood around. Evan climbed into the driver's seat and Lena waved at me as we pulled out onto the main road.
“They're coming too, right, I mean, I get to say goodbye to them before I go in?”
“Err.. yeah, I think so.” Lane said, leaning over to buckle me in.
Think so?
I turned around in the seat between Josh and Lane, and watched the parking lot disappear as we drove further away.
“Hey,” Lane touched my arm. “Everything's going to be all right.”
I looked at Josh before I turned around, he pinched his lips together and pretended to look out the window. I still thought deep down that Josh knew this was a dead end, we had just dragged it out with an unnecessarily long road trip.
“You been on the crack pipe again?” I said, turning to look at Lane. Josh started to laugh but soon masked it with a cough.
“What?” Lane said, half-shocked, half-laughing.
“Lane, nothing is going to be all right. I'm dying, and you probably won't make it another year. Everyone is going to end up dead sooner or later.”
“Shut up!” Lane said annoyed.
“No, I won't, it's the truth!”
Lane leaned forward and looked around me to see what Josh was making of all this. I looked sideways at Josh.
“I'm staying out of this.” he said, turning to look out the window again.
“It's always been the same with you, just because you don't believe there's a cure, or there's hope, you think everything is doomed. You're only saying this stuff 'cause you're scared.”
“Am not!”
“Alex, I know you. Don't do this, don't push me away now, we've come so far, I don't want it to end like this.”
“See... even you admit this is the end.”
“That's not what I meant. I just don't want to get into a fight right before I say goodbye to you.”
“And, I'm not scared, 'cause unlike you, I live in the real world, I knew this day would come, I've accepted it... I'm not scared, I'm just pissed off with... with.” I threw my arms up in the air feeling angry.
“With?” Lane said.
“With...I dunno.. everything! Mexican bats, that deadbie that bit me, and the last one that bit my shoulder. You for making me come here when I just wanted to die at the prison. Lacey and Marcie for making my life hell, that weirdo that worked in the bowling alley that used to stare at my ass. My old PE teacher for being a total bitch-”
“So you're pissed at everyone?” Ross asked from the front.
“Everything sucks balls!” I yelled.
Then after a few seconds, everyone burst out laughing.
“What? You like to suck balls?” Lane said, pretending he hadn't heard me properly.
“Oh, shut up, you idiot.” I laughed.
Lane grinned at me.
“What now?” I asked.
“It wouldn't be a send off if you didn't call one of us an idiot.”
The drive only took approximately four minutes, before Ross started to slow the Jeep down, and pulled over to the side of the road.
“Why are we stopping?”
“Security is strict, they don't let anyone in or out unless you're army and they know you.” Josh said.
“So how exactly are we going to... no, how am I going to get in?” I asked, eyeing Ross in the front.
Then it clicked.
“Wait, am I going in the trunk?”
They all looked at me, even Ross turned around and looked at me.
“I don't understand, I thought Nick was expecting me?”
“He is, but no one else can know.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“'cause they're very strict about who they let in, there was no way they were just going to let you in, it goes against protocol.” Ross said.
“Okay, so why are you helping us if you're with them?” I said to Ross.
“I may be with them, but I don't agree with everything they... Look, if you want Nick to work his magic on you or whatever you're going to have to go in undercover, it's as simple as that. I'm not a part of the collectors, they wouldn't let me bring you in.”
“Collectors?” I queried.
“The guys who go out and find... find people to experiment on.”
“What! You have guys that kidnap humans to experiment on?”
No one answered.
“Oh my God, you knew about this?” I asked Josh and Lane.
Neither one of them answered.
“They can't test the vaccines on animals, 'cause no animal can become infected. They even tried infecting animals so they could test the vaccine, but it never worked, it only works on humans.”
“And where exactly do they get these humans from? The ones they use to... experiment on?”
“I don't know, I'm not a part
of that side of things. They're brought over with the supplies.”
“What, like in chains? Cages?” I turned to Lane. “And you want to send me in there? Are you insane?”
“Alex, if there's a chance we've gotta take it, there's no other option here.”
Josh opened the door and jumped out just as I heard another car pull up behind us.
“I'm gonna be put in a cage, stripped naked, and have my body parts amputated.”
Lane grabbed my chin and turned me to face him.
“Stop that, my brother's not like that.”
“Not like that? He's been testing the vaccine on humans, possibly against their will, like caged monkeys-”
“Alex, stop. You will be safe with him.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“'Cause he's my brother.”
“So?”
“Ross got a walkie talkie down to Nick, and we spoke for a few minutes before we got cut off, I told him how you kept me alive and took care of me, and how I don't know how I can do this without you.”
He looked into my eyes, and his glistened.
“Don't do that.”
“Sorry.” He cleared his throat and rubbed his eyes.
“Come on.” he said, opening the other door and sliding out.
I shuffled to the edge and hung my legs over the side, and Lane lifted me down.
“I feel like you're throwing me to the lions.” I muttered.
“My brother is hardly a lion, he won't let anything happen to you.”
“Right.” I mumbled to myself as he held my hand and walked me around the Jeep.
Josh was talking to Ross about the next time they would meet up at the shopping center. Ross was going to keep them updated about me. I glanced over at the other car, Dan was sat in the front seat, arms crossed, apparently not getting out. Evan was sitting on the hood next to Lena. I was still looking for Drew when he climbed out of the back seat and reached back in to get his crossbow. He slammed the door, harder than necessary and leaned against the side of the car, briefly glancing in my direction.
He stood in the same clothes, the same dirt marks on his face, the same grubby hands, the same Drew. I tried to smile at him, but his eyes drifted to my hand that Lane was currently holding onto and not letting go of.
I took a step forward, about to walk over to him but he saw me heading his way and quickly pushed away from the car and wandered a little way down the road.
Huh?
Ross opened the door to the trunk and moved my rucksack aside.
“You won't be in there for too long, couple minutes tops.”
“Great... How are you getting back? Are you taking them back again?” I asked Ross.
“We're walking back with Zoe,” Josh said. “She's pretty vicious with that thing.” he added, looking at the long machete she had in her hands, it was similar to Lena's, I hadn't even seen her holding it.
She was such a dainty thing to be carrying such a brutal weapon.
My hand was trembling, I didn't even know why. I blew out a breath and tried to get ahold of myself.
Lane rubbed my arms up and down trying to avoid my scabs and cuts that were still healing, but he forgot about my sunburn and I had to gently remove his hands. He pulled me into a hug and I heard Evan saying bye to Josh in the background. I turned in Lane's arms to look at Evan.
“Bye, Alex, take care you guys.” Evan said, patting Lena on the ass before he walked back to the car.
“See ya, thanks for the help.” Lane said, and Evan nodded his head at us.
He climbed into the driver's seat and lit a cigarette.
Lena came over to me with her arms out to me. Lane reluctantly let go of me so Lena could hug me, and she hugged me for what felt like minutes. I was a little taken back, I didn't know her all that well.. I didn't know her full stop, I knew her name was Lena, Evan was her boyfriend, and she came from Seattle, that was it, but I hugged her back all the same. I looked over her shoulder and saw Drew was back again, leaning against the side of the car with a cigarette between his fingers, staring at the ground.
Lena looked behind her to see what I was looking at.
“He's not good with goodbyes.” she said, before reaching up to hug Lane as well.
Ross was getting fidgety... it was time to go.
Lena waved at me before ducking into the car. Evan started the engine and I looked at Drew, waiting for him to come over and say goodbye.
He finally looked up at me and our eyes connected, and he gave me this look, I wasn't sure what it was. Thoughtful, sad, confused. I thought I saw him frown for a split second. Was he annoyed with me for something?
Then he flicked his cigarette butt into the grass and climbed back into the car without a word. Then, as if in slow motion, Evan pulled out onto the road and drove past us, Dan gave Josh a little wave goodbye, but not me. And Lena was leaning across Drew to wave at me, and Drew was looking out the opposite window over Lena's shoulder.
I stood on the spot confused, and silently stewing over Drew leaving like that. I don't know what I was expecting, he'd pull me in for a hug, I'd fall into his arms, I'd cry my eyes out, and we'd have a moment, and he'd tell me he loves me... okay, maybe not that moment, I was just letting my imagination run wild there for a second... but I at least expected a simple goodbye, one word was all I wanted. Josh and Lane were talking and looking at me, I think they had been talking to me, but I was silently sobbing on the inside, I don't know if the virus was setting my mood off again, but I actually felt crushed over the whole Drew thing. But why? We weren't that close, we hardly knew each other, and he clearly didn't give a shit about me because he couldn't even be bothered to say goodbye. I wanted to punch him, but I couldn't even do that because he was gone. Again!
I let out a breath and shook my hair from my face, trying to appear functional, brushing it under the carpet. I had gone from hardcore-couldn't-care-less about anyone, to nearly a sobbing mess in front of Lane.
“Alex, don't cry.” Lane comforted me. “You'll make me cry.” he added.
Josh shifted around uncomfortably. So did I. I didn't want to see Lane cry. That wasn't the image I wanted to take with me.
“I'm not.” I blinked away a tear.
“So let's get this show on the road.” I stood up straighter and looked at Ross, who had his hand on the door to the back of the Jeep, waiting to close it.
Lane bent over coughing all of a sudden and I rolled my eyes, those cigarettes were going to kill him before the deadbies could.
I waited for him to stop coughing and said, “You need to lay off the smokes.”
I looked at Josh, “Tell him.”
Josh patted Lane's back as he cleared his throat, you should listen to her, that cough sounds like it's getting worse.”
“I'm okay.” Lane reassured us.
“So this is goodbye.” I said, reaching for Josh, he hugged me tightly.
“Not goodbye, not yet.” he whispered close to my ear.
I squeezed him a little tighter, I was going to miss him, he had done so much for me, and along the way he had lost one of his friends. He had come here for me, if I ever made it out alive and in one piece, I owed Josh.
He slowly let go and the three of them moved aside to give Lane and me some room.
“So I'll see you on the other side.” Lane sniffed.
I wrinkled my brow.
“You know, when you come back, and you're all you again.” he said being more specific.
I nodded. I didn't want to fight this anymore, but I translated that as he meant he'll see me on the other side, after I've become a deadbie and been dissected for medical research purposes, and after he gets eaten by a horde of deadbies.
So yeah, I'll see you on the other side, Lane, whatever that means.
I hugged him once more around the waist, and then gently pushed him back a step, otherwise he was never going to let me go.
I don't know how we had gone from me telling him we would never be
friends to being inseparable most of the time, I'm not sure where it all changed, maybe it was the day by the river when he saw my tits. Who knew. But I considered us more than friends. He was me best friend, my protector, my family, and my sanity. Somewhere along the way he had grown up and turned into a man, and learned how to kill a deadbie with a fork... he was sort of my hero, and I was going to miss him.
“Okay let's do this shit.” I said.
Lane grinned, it was a grin I wasn't going to forget, one of his playful smiles.
“You gonna be okay, babe?” Ross asked Zoe.
“We'll make sure she gets back safely.” Josh said, reaching back into the Jeep to collect a baseball bat and a piece of wood with nails sticking out of it.
“We got creative.” Josh said, looking at the weapon in his hand, and passing the bat to Lane.
“I'll be fine, and it's the dead ones that should worry when I'm outside.” Zoe said, reaching up and kissing Ross on the lips, but it turned into more than a quick peck on the lips and all three of us suddenly found something else interesting to look at. I found my eyes glued to a stone at the side of the road.
“Right, ready?” Ross asked, after they came up for air.
Lane helped me climb into the back of the Jeep, where Ross gave me a blanket and rearranged the empty boxes around me.
“Just stay down and we should be okay, they never check the back, and I know the two on the gate.”
I nodded, and he slowly closed the door to the back of the Jeep. I peeked around a box and saw Lane's sad face looking at me through the window. I heard the door at the front slam shut and the engine started... and we were off. After a few skips of the CD, Ross settled on the track he wanted to listen to, and turned the volume up full blast, The Offspring, Pretty Fly (For a White Guy), blasted out the speakers.
I shook my head, almost laughing. What the hell? One minute I was nearly bawling my eyes out, the next I'm nearly in hysterics. I think it was my emotions going into overdrive. I watched as Lane, Josh and Zoe became small little dots in the distance, standing side by side with their weapons in hand.
Ross turned a corner and they were gone from view.
Gone forever. I thought.
That was the last time I ever thought I would see Lane Walker and it hurt like hell.