Cities of Rust

by Ariel Bonin

  "I think she may have hit her head when she fell. I'm gonna get Robert," Dean said, a hint of a rasp in his voice.

  Andrew nodded, not looking away from Lindsey. He was beginning to feel bad about what he had just done to the other man. He'd let his anger get the best of him and jumped to conclusions.

  Zoey wasn't the only person that needed to make an apology now.

  Lindsey's lashes fluttered and slowly revealed her warm brown eyes. She seemed to be having a hard time focusing on one spot. Her eyes closed again as she sucked in a lungful of air.

  "Hey, look at me," he said softly.

  She once again opened her eyes. "Andrew?"

  If she did hit her head, it was a good sign that she recognized his voice.

  "I'm right here. Do you remember what happened?"

  "I—" She stopped, and appeared to be thinking. "Ugh, I'm so stupid," she slurred.

  Andrew gave her a gentle smile. "You're not stupid."

  Robert rushed into the room and he moved back to make room for the former EMT. He was relieved when Dean remained at the doorway. Maybe the man was finally learning his place.

  "Lindsey, do you know why you passed out?" Robert asked as he shined a small flashlight into her eyes.

  Her voice was heavy with embarrassment when she answered, "I haven't eaten since yesterday and, other than the unexpected nap I just had, I haven't slept either." She seemed tentative to meet Andrew's weary gaze.

  "Lindsey, you need to take better care of yourself," Robert said.

  Andrew wasn't oblivious to the keen look Dean threw in her direction.

  "Between the sleep deprivation, low blood sugar and, most likely, dehydration, it's no wonder you lost consciousness. I know you've been under a lot of stress, so I'm sure that didn't help things. Do you mind if I check the back of your head? Dean said you may have bumped it."

  She nodded once and turned her head to the side. Robert carefully felt along her skull and she flinched.

  "Well, you've got a pretty good bump there. We'll just have to keep an eye on you. Once you eat and get some sleep, you should be good as new."

  Lindsey offered him a weak smile. "Thanks, Robert."

  He nodded and proceeded to stand up. Andrew thanked him before he left. Lindsey covered her face with a shaky hand as Andrew sat on the edge of her cot.

  "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

  "Hey," he whispered, and pulled her hand away from her face. "I should be the one saying sorry. I left you to fend for yourself without thinking about the consequences." His daughter's hurtful words echoed in his memory. "I love you, Linds. You mean so much to me. Please, don't scare me like that again," he pleaded.

  Lindsey caressed his cheek, her gaze warm with affection. "I love you, too. I really am glad that you're back. I'm sorry I walked away from you earlier."

  Andrew was about to tell her that all was forgiven, but someone behind him cleared their throat. He glanced over his shoulder and had completely forgotten that Dean was standing there.

  "Andrew, could you and I speak in private for a minute?" Dean asked.

  Andrew heaved out a sigh. After dropping a kiss onto Lindsey's forehead, he got to his feet and followed Dean into the hallway. He'd already had enough discussions for one day and could not imagine how this one was going to go. When Dean turned to face Andrew, he half-expected the man to tear into him, throw a punch, or something equally as volatile. Much to his surprise, Dean's expression didn't reflect any of those things. His eyes were calm, with a hint of sadness. He opened his mouth to speak, but Andrew held up a hand.

  "Before you say whatever it is that you need to say to me, I want to apologize for what just happened back there. I misread the situation—you were only trying to help. I'm sorry," Andrew said, even though it pained him to admit he'd been wrong.

  Dean nodded and cleared his throat. "With that being said, I wanted to tell you that I'm backing off."

  Andrew eyed him in disbelief.

  "Yeah, you heard me right. Honestly, I didn't feel this way until about a minute ago. I was perfectly happy to keep fighting you for her, but the way she just looked at you, man. I'd give anything to have someone look at me like that again..."

  Andrew wondered what Dean meant by "again." He guessed that there was someone special in Dean's past, but since she wasn't with him now, something had gone wrong.

  "You're a lucky guy," Dean added.

  Andrew nodded once in agreement. "I am. I intend to do whatever it takes to keep it that way."

  "I know. I saw it ten minutes ago, and that day out by the garden." Dean stopped and looked around to see if anyone was nearby. The corridor was vacant, but he lowered his voice anyway. "Listen, Andrew…not if, but when this place falls, your luck may run out."

  Andrew narrowed his eyes in confusion. He wasn't sure what the man meant—it almost sounded like a threat.

  Dean shook his head. "Things are different on the outside of these walls. You've been in here a while. Before you took me in, I had been out there since the beginning. People are ruthless, man. They've turned into fucking animals." He paused and glanced at Lindsey's room. "There are men out there that wouldn't hesitate to kill you just for five minutes with her."

  A foreboding chill deluged Andrew's veins. This wasn't the first time he had thought about what—and who—could be on the outside of the school. It was the truth in Dean's eyes that scared him the most. He imagined that the man had seen some of those unmentionable horrors himself, and Andrew felt for him.

  "I know it's harsh, but you have to understand me when I say that once you're out there, I'll be the least of your worries," Dean finished with a shrug.

  "I hear you," Andrew said as he shifted his stance. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to Lindsey."

  Dean nodded. "Of course. Thanks for taking the time to listen to what I had to say. I know it probably wasn't easy for you."

  Andrew smirked at the slight jab. Dean held out his hand, and Andrew shook it briefly. After that, Dean strolled back to his room.

  _____

  "What was that about?" Lindsey asked as Andrew reentered her room. She hadn't heard any yelling, so she took that as a good sign.

  He appeared to be deep in thought, but snapped out of it at the sound of her voice. His lips quirked up at the corner.

  "Just clearing up a misunderstanding. Dean is…" Andrew paused, almost as if he was unsure about making the following statement out loud. "He's not such a bad guy," he said simply.

  Lindsey was stunned by Andrew's remark. Obviously, Dean had chosen the right things to say to him. She was glad that the two men were getting along now, but she still wondered if Dean had been totally honest with Andrew. She didn't know what words had been exchanged, so it was hard to say.

  "I'm glad to hear that," she said as she attempted to sit up. The room shifted violently, causing her to fall back onto the pillow with a groan.

  "Easy," Andrew murmured, crossing the small space to sit next to her. "You need to eat."

  "I have crackers in my bag." She pointed to the corner and continued to keep her eyes shut. She felt his weight lift off the mattress and heard the opening of a zipper.

  "What about some peanut butter? You need the protein," he said as he rifled through her bag.

  "Nope, sorry," she mumbled, and turned her head to look at him. From the side, she admired his strong jaw and the crinkles at the corner of his eye—he was so handsome it took her breath away.

  "Well, I think there may be some in the kitchen," he began to say, but stopped when he discovered her watching him. Under her feverish gaze, a tinge of pink spread across his cheekbones.

  Lindsey gave him a sly grin. Maybe it was the bump on her head that was triggering her unexpected deviousness, but she desired to turn that blush into something more. He was always so damn composed. She wanted to get deep under his skin, shake him up. Her dark gaze locked with his striking blue eyes as she said, "Just the sight of you turns me on."

  Andrew
's amused expression became serious in an instant, his breath audibly rushing from his chest. He swallowed hard, and she could have sworn that she saw his eyes dilate. She'd never said such a thing in broad daylight, away from the intimacy of a dark bedroom. It was thrilling for her—and the look on Andrew's face made it completely worth it.

  He moved over her so quickly that she barely had time to register what was happening. Slipping his hand between her legs, he rubbed against the jean material that was the only barrier between them. Lindsey gasped as his lips closed over hers roughly.

  "Prove it," he bit off, his warm breath invading her hungry mouth.

  The sound of approaching footsteps didn't register through their erotic haze.

  "I knew I should have gone with you," Nadie was saying as she swooped into Lindsey's room. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, and backed out with her hand over her eyes.

  Andrew launched himself away from Lindsey, his hands up, as if her skin had suddenly burned him. Lindsey bit her lip and tried her best not to start giggling. She didn't care that Nadie had walked in on them. Her pleasure was at Andrew's expense—their highly-regarded, always-rational leader had been caught in the act.

  "I'll just give you two a minute," Nadie called from beyond the doorway.

  Lindsey watched Andrew attempt to collect himself. One hand rested on his hip and the other smoothed over his hair, stopping to squeeze the tension out of the back of his neck. When he finally looked over at her, his breathing was almost normal again.

  "Will you take watch with me tomorrow night?" he whispered with a suggestive gleam in his eyes.

  "Andrew Flynn, are you asking me on a date?"

  He glanced at the floor and cracked a smile.

  "I'll go anywhere, as long as you're there," she said.

  Andrew leaned down to kiss her with calculated restraint. "I'm going to make a trip to the kitchen. Don't do anything crazy while I'm gone."

  Right after he exited her room, Nadie cautiously entered to stand before Lindsey. "I knew my matchmaking would catch up with me one of these days," she announced.

  Lindsey just laughed.

  Chapter 16

  The next day, Lindsey felt almost normal again. She'd eaten, slept, and drank more than her share of water. Andrew was back. Dean was being respectful of her relationship. Everything would have been perfect—if only Zoey would talk to her. The girl was blatantly ignoring her, and whenever she came around, Zoey would leave the room. Lindsey wasn't going to give up on her, because she valued the girl's friendship. But, unfortunately, she'd run out of ideas. She knew the best thing to do was to give Zoey space and she'd talk to her when she was ready.

  That moment came when she decided to stop by Jared's grave on her way to hang laundry. She set down the doubled-up baskets and crouched next to the handcrafted cross. Occasionally, she would do this as a healthy way to deal with her memories. She allowed herself the time to grieve and reminisce about good times from her old life.

  She was in the middle of thinking about their first date when she sensed someone behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to find that it was Zoey. The girl looked around and fiddled with something in her hand. Upon closer inspection, Lindsey realized it was a daisy.

  "I'm sorry," Zoey said quickly, and held out the flower.

  Lindsey gave her a soft smile as she accepted it. "Thank you."

  Zoey took a step closer and sat down on the grass next to her. "I know it's no excuse, but I was…I was just scared."

  Lindsey shrugged. "Me, too."

  Zoey didn't say anything for a beat. When she did speak, her voice was barely above a whisper. "Do you love my dad?"

  Lindsey nodded.

  "As much as you did Jared?"

  Lindsey cocked her head at the awkwardness of Zoey's question. She wasn't sure what the right answer was, but she decided to go with the truth.

  "If given the chance, someday I will."

  "I don't want him to forget about my mom…" Zoey trailed off as she caught a glimpse of her mother's grave marker.

  Lindsey frowned. "That's never going to happen. He loved your mother so much—he still does. I'll never forget about my husband, so I know for a fact that he'll never forget about her. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to compete with your mom. I'll be whatever you want me to be. As long as you understand how I feel about your dad, I think we can make this work."

  Zoey appeared to be processing it all, so Lindsey twirled the daisy between her fingers. She was surprised when Zoey plucked it out of her grasp and reached over to tuck it behind her ear. Lindsey struggled to hold back the dampness that threatened her vision. She wound an arm around the girl's shoulder and pulled her in for a hug.

  "All right, enough mushy stuff. This laundry isn't going to hang itself," Lindsey declared, standing up.

  They brushed themselves off and each took a basket. Zoey followed her to the clotheslines, where they began to work and chat, surrounded by linens that flapped in the fall breeze.

  _____

  The following morning, Charlie relieved Lindsey and Andrew from their watch shift and so-called "date" in the bell tower. She was disappointed that it had come to an end; they'd had a really enjoyable night together. She felt like they'd bonded and become even closer—and not just in a physical way. That intuition was confirmed as they made their way across the school roof. Andrew reached over to grasp her hand as they walked, and she was overwhelmed by the sensation of butterflies in her stomach.

  "So, what are your plans for the day?" Andrew asked.

  Lindsey loved hearing the casual tone of his voice. It meant they were still able to hold on to some kind of normalcy in this crazy world.

  "I am going straight to bed. No more mishaps for me," she replied, chuckling.

  Andrew smiled. "Got room for one more?"

  Lindsey took in the adorable expression on his face, including the brightness in his eyes. She was entranced by him—she'd do anything for him.

  Before she could respond, a whistle came from the bell tower, and then a shout cut across the rooftop.

  "Hey, Andy!" Charlie barked.

  Both Lindsey and Andrew glanced up at the man as he waved his arm at something past the fences. Their gazes dropped to peer beyond the gates, into the overgrown area around the school. At first glance it seemed like the trees were moving. Lindsey squinted, trying to better understand what she was seeing. The swaying tree trunks turned into bodies—hundreds of them, all stumbling toward the fences.

  Lindsey exhaled an unsteady breath. "I thought you led them away."

  "I did. This must be a different horde," Andrew said, the lightness completely gone from his voice.

  "Can the fences handle that many turners?" Lindsey asked, doubtful.

  Andrew stared at her, his face saying everything he couldn't. He muscles in his jaw jumped as he looked straight into her eyes.

  "You need to get the others. Charlie and I will do what we can, but this is gonna take everybody. If things go south…find Zoey and Jacob. Take whatever supplies you have in your bag and get to one of the cars. I'll try to meet you there, but under no circumstances do I want my children's lives in danger at my expense. If time's up and I'm not there, you take them and get far away from here. Promise me, Linds."

  She gazed at him through eyes filled with unshed tears. This was one of her nightmare scenarios. Somehow she was able to say, "You have my word."

  Lindsey watched Andrew jog toward the roof door, a sinking feeling in her gut. Charlie met him there and they took off down the stairs. After managing a deep breath, she concentrated on what she needed to do. She couldn't worry about Andrew. If she got distracted, she'd only get herself, or others, killed. Besides, the faster she moved to get help, the faster she would get to Andrew.

  She ran through the school and, as she entered the first hallway, caught sight of Darius talking with Eric and Dean. The men were in the middle of laughing about something when they noticed Lindsey and her troubled expression.<
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  "Everything okay?" Darius asked, turning serious.

  Lindsey crossed the corridor and stood in front of the three men. Her heart was racing so fast, she was having trouble speaking without sounding breathless.

  "There's another horde at the fences. It's big. Andrew and Charlie are out there right now, but we need all hands on deck."

  "You got it," Darius said, pulling his favorite weapon, an ax, from where it lay strapped across his back.

  "I'll spread the word if you want to go ahead with Darius and Dean," Eric suggested.

  Lindsey was in the process of checking to make sure her knife was still on her belt. She released the magazine from her Glock to see how many rounds she had left. She still had the assault rifle from her watch shift. Quickly, she lifted the strap over her head and passed the gun to Dean. "You're better with this than I am."

  Dean nodded his thanks.

  Lindsey glanced at Eric. "Get every person that can handle a weapon. The horde is impacting the left side of the school, so send people that way."

  "Will do!"

  Lindsey, Darius, and Dean marched out of the school, into the bright morning sunshine. Lindsey squinted to fight off the glare. As they crossed the schoolyard, Zoey appeared from the direction of the basketball court.

  "Hey! What the heck is going on?" she asked as she noticed all of their weapons.

  Darius gestured to the fences. "Horde's movin' in. Your dad and Charlie are holding them off—" he said, until a shrill scraping noise got their attention.

  Lindsey and the others watched in horror as a section of fence toppled over, followed by another, and another. Andrew and Charlie's distant forms were suddenly indistinguishable in the surge of turners that were flowing into the schoolyard.

  "Oh, shit!" Dean yelled, picking up his feet and running, not away, but toward the wrecked fences.

  Lindsey was about to ask him what he was doing when Zoey interrupted her.

  "Dad!" she cried, and took off in the same direction as Dean.

  "Zoey, no!"

  Lindsey tried to grab the girl, but Darius stopped her. "I'll get her! The school's done for, Lindsey. I know Andrew would want you to get Jacob—that's where you need to be."