by Amy Cook
Amiel bolted upright with a start, hearing her name shouted dimly from the world around her. She hadn’t even realized she’d drifted off, and now the sun light was streaming through the buildings windows. The dark windows of the car kept most of the sun from penetrating her cocoon of safety. Over a pile of tires, she could see Tandy’s head. He was looking around with an expression of concern and confusion, and she immediately scooted out of the car.
“I’m over here,” she replied with a groggy yawn, edging around the tires to come into view. His eyes immediately shot toward her and he released a sigh of relief. His gaze shrewdly took in her disheveled and sleep clouded eyes.
“Where ya been, honey? I’ve been lookin’ for ya a good ten minutes now.” She winced, looking down at the ground.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” She paused, unsure how he would feel about her sleeping in his son’s prized car. “I uh…I slept in Harley’s car,” she blurted out, waiting for the anger. Instead his brows rose in surprise, and he leaned to the side to see around the tires, then looked back to her. After a long moment he merely turned around and headed back toward the fridge.
“So what would ya like to eat for breakfast? I’ve got…mac and cheese, meatloaf, chicken and gravy.” He went on to name just about everything in his freezer, while she wondered at his lack of reaction to her sleep arrangements.
“Tandy…” She paused, waiting for him to look at her. He turned around, arms full of meals, and regarded her curiously. “Aren’t you angry with me? For sleeping in the car, I mean?” His brow creased as he watched her cringe, waiting for his reply.
“Now why in the world would I be angry over somethin’ like that?” he asked in true confusion.
“Well.” She paused, unsure how to continue. “I don’t know. It’s your son’s car, and I really had no right to be in there. Not to mention you were worried about where I disappeared to. I didn’t even ask,” she blurted out. He shuffled the boxes around in his arms.
“Honey, if it makes ya comfortable to sleep in there, y’all be my guest. Ain’t no reason for me to get mad at ya over somethin’ as small as that. I was worried about ya when I woke to find ya missin’, sure. But now I know where you was, and I know where to look for ya from now on.” He shrugged, as though that answered everything. And she was finding for Tandy, it probably did answer everything. He was nothing like her mother, and that fact alone increased her reasons to trust him. Smiling brightly she walked to his side and pulled a potatoes, gravy and turkey meal from the pile in his arms. He smiled jovially in return and tossed the rest of the boxes back into his freezer.
“I knew I liked ya. Meat and taters, a girl after my own heart.” With a wink, he popped her food in the microwave while she went to the bathroom to freshen up a bit.
Chapter 5
Amiel
The next few days went by in a flurry. That first day, he had her try out her gun and was pleased when she managed to hit the targets and not him. After a few rounds, he reloaded it and had her holster it. That was all the practicing they could afford, not being able to waste any more ammunition. From that moment on, the days were spent on the dirt track, trying to get her comfortable enough on her bike that she could ride it without killing herself. Tandy stood nearby, shotgun always in hand, just in case of a rogue Rabid attack. Every night she tiredly crawled into the back of Harley’s car, locked up, and slept solidly through the night with her nose pressed to the leather. And every morning Tandy would wake her, never saying a word about her choice of sleeping arrangements. She thought often about Jaron’s journal entry, unfortunately. At one point she even asked Tandy if he knew anything about Raiders. He’d looked at her strangely, but gruffly replied that he’d never heard of them. She wasn’t sure if she should be pleased, or disappointed with that answer.
She’d also made a disconcerting discovery about Jaron’s tags. When the Rabes drew near at night, the tags would warm against her skin. The wilder her heart beat in reaction to them, the warmer the tags grew. The more afraid she became, the angrier she became. As close as she could figure, the tags served as a sort of warning device against Rabids, probably issued on a daily basis in the military. Soldiers needed all the help they could get in this war, after all. Whether her anger was a natural reaction to her fear and still tender mourning, or from the tags interference, she had no idea. But she had a feeling she’d be finding out a lot more about these tags while on her journey across the Vasts.
Either way, she now understood what Jaron had meant about them being his last way to help protect her after his death. The punk could have explained things a little better though, instead of making her figure it out on her own. She smiled at the one-sided sarcastic banter, though she knew she didn’t mean a word of it, nor did she blame Jaron for not telling her more. He’d been on his death bed, wracked with pain and had been doing his best to protect her. She would just have to figure things out as she went, and appreciate the gift he’d given her.
By the end of the third day, Amiel was beginning to feel more confident on the bike, and her hopes of survival were rising. Tandy seemed surprised by her swift adaptation to the art of riding a motorcycle, and she often caught him staring at her with a strange expression she couldn’t name. At the end of each day he’d gruffly compliment her on her job well done, they’d eat, he’d pat her on the head, then shuffle off to the isolation of his office to sleep. In the few short days she’d joined him on this crazy quest of hers, she’d grown rather fond of Biker Man. He was slightly awkward and rough around the edges, but had a sweet temperament and gentlemanly side to him that made her think of what she imagined a kindly uncle would be like. It was easy for her to lose herself in the daily routine with his easygoing manner, and pretend that she wasn’t about to likely sign her own death sentence.
Then while eating her mac and cheese in the dusk of the third evening, her cell phone chirped. She stared at it in surprise, knowing only one person had her number. Hesitantly she flipped it open to find a text message waiting from Jeller.
“Don’t reply. Harpy is headed home early. The search is on. Hope you are safe…and long gone. J.”
“Gosh,” she said, hands shaking. Her time was up. And now, she had to face the Rabes, or face her mother. She could turn around, mark this up as nothing more than a daring adventure and return to the relative safety of her house. It had to say something for her home life, that Amiel found she would rather face the Rabes.
“What’s wrong, Amiel? You’ve gone pale,” Tandy asked, concerned.
“I was so close.” She looked up with a slightly crazed expression splayed across her features. “My mother is coming home. I’ve run out of time.” Tandy shook his head.
“We’ll leave first thing in the mornin’. It’s not over yet. ”
“How about now?” She stood quickly, heading for the car. “My bag is packed, we can leave right away.” Tandy strode toward her with his long legs, gripping her shoulders as her shaky fingers struggled to open the car door.
“We’ll get ya on the road, but not til mornin’. It’s dark now, we’ve got some time. No one leaves or enters the Outer Gates at night, no matter who ya are. Not even Malinda ‘high and mighty’ Hilden.” Her shoulders slumped, releasing a shuddery breath.
“Do you think I can do this Tandy? Without getting us both killed?” She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to hear his answer. Tandy grunted but smiled charmingly as he headed for his truck.
“Y’all are set on goin’, whether you’re ready or not?”
“Yes.” Her tone was quiet, but resolute. He nodded, turning toward his truck and climbing inside. He paused, door wide open, penetrating eyes latched on hers. She did her best not to fidget under his gaze.
“You’re still a bit wobbly, but you’ve taken to it like a fish in water. I reckon you’ll be just fine.” She beamed at the praise. The dogs were jumping up on the side of the truck, barking as though wanting to go for a ride. He shouted a stern order at them
to calm down, then turned back to Amiel.
“$32,000.”
“What?”
“That’s my final price; $12,000 for your bike,$10,000 before we go, and the other $10,000 when I get ya to Texas. That also figures in the cost of the clothes.” She flushed, realizing she hadn’t paid him for the clothes yet, much less his helping to train her.
“Is that the price you make everyone pay?”
“Sure.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably and she had the distinct impression that he was taking it easy on her price wise.
“It doesn’t seem like enough, considering the risk you are taking in bringing me along.”
“Well, I ain’t too worried ‘bout it. I’m completely prepared for Rabes, Cutthroats, flat tires, PMS, you name it.” He paused. “Well, maybe not so much the PMS…but I’ll do the best I can.” He winked, drawing a nervous laugh from her gut as she did a quick mental calculation. That was all she needed, being on her period during this crazy trip. Luckily she still had another couple weeks before she was due.
“Do you have a debit card reader here? Let me at least pay $10,000 now and the other half when we get there. You are taking a big risk on me.”
“Y’all sure ya got the funds for that, honey?”
“Are you secretly hoping I won’t?” she asked with a sly grin.
“It’d save ya an awful lotta danger, honey,” he said, concern plainly etched his face. That was a big chunk of her savings, but she doubted she would ever find a better deal. And she had no doubt that she would be dead before she even got half way there without Tandy. If he wanted $32,000, he’d get $32,000.
“Well, as long as you’re still willing to go along with my crazy little stunt, I am not backing out either. And if I die along the way, feel free to take all of your belongings back.”
“Stop that. You’ll jinx us.” Amiel’s brow rose as she regarded Tandy’s uncomfortable stance.
“Are you a superstitious guy, Biker Man?”
“Too much unexplained in the world to say either way, but I sure ain’t gonna take my chances, neither.” With a smile, Tandy slammed the truck door, shutting himself in. Eyes wide, she ran up to the door, standing on the step to reach the window.
“Wait. Where are you going? I thought we weren’t going anywhere until morning?” She fought the hiccup of panic lodging itself deep in her gut. She was being ridiculous. He was probably just moving the truck for some reason. The window rolled down and he smiled reassuringly.
“I have to drive back into town and prepare the garage and dogs for my leavin’. I was planin’ on doin’ it tomorrow durin’ the day, but with your mama showin’ up early, my schedule’s moved up.”
“But…it’s almost dark,” she whispered, suddenly feeling entirely terrified.
“I know but there’s no helpin’ it.” He handed her his shotgun. “Keep this here. You’ve got your pistol too, and the dogs. Stay in the garage, don’t open the doors for anythin’.” He paused, eying her carefully. “I won’t come back before light of day. If I show up before then…shoot me.” Her eyes just about popped out of their sockets.
“Shoot you!”
“If I come back before then…” He looked her deep in the eye. “It means I’ve been infected, and I’m comin’ to kill ya, honey.”
“Gosh,” she stuttered, feeling faint. She grasped his arm, eyes wild. “Then don’t go. We’ll wait. Wait until tomorrow, and we’ll leave when you get back.” He shook his head, gently prying her fingers loose.
“Y’all know it can’t happen that way. The Inner Gates lock up at night, won’t open till an hour after sunrise. We have to be out of them Outer Gates tomorrow before your mama gets back. There’s enough daylight left that I can make it to town if I leave now.” She nodded, understanding his logic but wishing there was another way. He pointed to the wall above the metal catwalks. A blue button glowed next to a red lever, both right next to a window that would give a clear view of the gateway.
“When I pull outta the gates, crank the red lever till the gates close. There’s a few monitors up there, they’ll help ya see what’s happenin’ outside the wall. I’ll bring down the field, but once I get past that blackened circle, you push the blue button to bring it back up. It’s a safe guard. I won’t be able to take down the field, or open the gates from my truck if they’ve been enabled from the inside. I’ll come back as soon as the sun rises, and honk the horn. Push the blue button to bring down the field long enough for me to pull in, then bring the field back up, got it? Once I’m in, crank the red lever. It’s touch sensitive. Harder you push, the more the gates open. Crank it just far enough to send them dogs out, then shut ‘em tight. If the dogs are alright with me, I ain’t infected and y’all can let me in. If not, they’ll fight me back until I’m bug juice on the field, or until y’all can shoot me. Don’t matter how much they love me now, if I get infected, they’ll kill me. Don’t let me in till ya see their reactions to me, and my reactions to them. Understand?” He reached out to gently lift her chin, which was now trembling.
“Come now, don’t fret, honey. You’re stronger than ya think. And you’ve got my boys to keep ya company. I’d take ya with me, but goin’ into town with your ma searchin’ for ya probably ain’t the best idea.”
“I understand.” She offered up a brave front though it wavered slightly as she glanced down at the Dobermans who sat quietly watching her. “Though I think they might be more inclined to eat me once you are out of sight.”
“Naw, they know y’all are good people by now. They’ll watch out for ya, not eat ya.” He winked. She swallowed hard, fighting against the sobs of fear threatening to choke her beneath the surface. With a stiff nod, she stepped away from the truck, and headed for the cat walk. He started the truck, heading out the garage doors. He stopped the truck, yelling up at her through the open window.
“Lock up them garage doors, too. Key’s on the hook by the fridge. And no matter who comes to that gate, no matter how normal they look, don’t open it.” She grimly nodded her understanding.
Once she had the gates shut and the field back up, she stood watching the dust trail of Tandy’s truck as he drove away in the surveillance monitors. She felt the most cowardly she ever had, in those moments. Because as much as she feared for Tandy’s life and safety as he ventured into the darkening terrain, the majority of her paralyzing fear was for herself.
Chapter 6
Amiel
Locking up the garage doors, and double checking them just to be sure, she decided she had better get as prepared for her trip the next day as possible. Taking her bag with her to the bathroom, she washed her head in the sink, and sponged down her upper body. She wasn’t about to take off the gun. As it was, she rushed through the cleaning, so that she could zip up her jacket again. Strange how the things that had seemed claustrophobic only days ago, were now the things that made her feel safe. Grabbing the bag in preparation to leave the bathroom, her eyes fell on Jaron’s book. A journal filled to the gills with information that could help her on her trip the next day. Yet while she could use all the help she could get, she couldn’t bring herself to touch the book again, not so soon after her last experience. She knew some of the entries were happier, at least she hoped they were. But the risk was far greater of reading another horror story, and being home alone so to speak, in this creepy garage was not the time to venture down that path.
With a silent promise to finish reading the journals when she got to Texas, she zipped it away into the concealed safety of the bag. She could practically hear Jaron laughing in her mind, saying ‘what good will it do you then?’ She ignored it and left the bathroom. Tossing the bag in Harley’s car, she made a frozen meal and stared at the garage doors with an almost morbid loyalty. The lights in the garage crackled to life, automatically turning on with the approach of night. Swallowing the food that had suddenly become a hard lump in her throat, Amiel’s eyes shifted to the cat walk where the surveillance screens flickered. Steeling herself
, she grabbed a folding chair and climbed the steps to finish her meal in front of the screens.
Goosebumps broke out across her skin as the sun’s warmth disappeared altogether, leaving her to feel as though the garage were trapped in an ebony snow globe. The surveillance screens had switched over to a greenish hue that she guessed amounted to some sort of low lighting night vision. She choked on a gulp of water as shadowed shapes began filtering out of the darkness, approaching the blacked circle. She could see their eyes glimmering in the dark, their sporadic and primal movements as they circled the edge of what could easily be their doom should they venture too close. The tags around her neck began heating, and she gripped them in a fist, reveling in their burn and anger that began to permeate her. It grounded her, strengthened her. With a shaky breath, she leaned closer to a screen.
She was shocked to see just how human they appeared. Aside from school discussions, Amiel had not been allowed to view anything to do with the infected. But her mother couldn’t stop her from listening to the gossip of those who were allowed to learn more. The stories were vivid and horrid; the acts of violence something only an animal could be capable of. In her mind’s eye she had pictured them as disgusting zombie creatures, falling apart at the seams, moaning and groaning and limping everywhere with dead eyes. Instead, she found them to look no different from the average person walking down the street. There were minor details that set the warning bells off in your head, like the wrinkled and dirty clothing, the movements that were too fast and too graceful for a normal human. They stopped just short of the field, pacing up and down as though looking for any minor chink in the shield that would allow them access.