“You’re going to be okay. You have all of us, and we’re going to find your sister.” I grabbed her hands and held them in mine, locking my eyes with hers.
“Do you promise?”
“We’re going to do everything we can to find her. I swear to you.” I glanced around and noticed Kev’s body had been removed. The guys had dispersed while I dealt with Scarlet.
“Do you think Jim hates me?” she asked in a small voice.
“Why would he hate you?”
“Because I attacked him, kind of.”
“I think we all understand what you’re going through. You and Kev got close. It’s hard losing people. You have every right to be upset, Scar. And I’m really sorry that you had to go through this.” Her eyes filled with tears again and slowly started falling down her face.
“I just thought we could’ve had a future. After my husband passed, I didn’t think I’d meet someone I could relate to. Someone who understood me. And Kev did. And now…” she said as she reached forward and hugged me.
Biting my tongue was easier than telling her what I knew. None of us had a future. We were living by the day, or hour, or minute. We could all be wiped out at any moment.
Silence hung in the air as we all packed our tents. Jim said that we only had about two hours left of daylight and that we just needed to find a cleared house to squat for the night.
“I’ll get it,” Jim said as he took the backpack from my arms and threw it over his back. Since Jim didn’t have a tent anymore, I guessed he decided to carry ours. I took his smaller bag filled mostly with clothes and strapped it over my back.
“Are we ready to go?” Jim asked as the group of us congregated around the fire. Scarlet sat on one of the stumps. She stared into the fading embers with no emotion on her face.
Margaret had her arms crossed over her chest. The kids were on either side of her, both with plastic bags. She caught me looking and scowled. She made a display of turning away from me and hugging Marcus to her side. Mike had both bags and their tent over his back, listening while Jim spoke.
“Where’s Gabe?” I asked.
“I’m not sure.” Jim rummaged around the fire, stomping it out and covering the embers. It was like he looked for something. He gathered dirt in his hands and piled it by the rocks.
“I’ll go look,” I said as I set my bag on the ground. I walked a few feet out in the woods near our camp. “What the hell?” I muttered when I saw him. I ran the final distance to Gabriel as he looked over his shoulder, noticing me.
“Lana, be quiet.” He crouched down in front of Kev’s dead body. Kev’s shirt had been cut off his body, most of the lower part of his pants gone. Gabe fucking dissected him, an array of tools laid near his feet.
“Why are you doing that to him? What is wrong with you?” I covered my nose with my sleeve, the distinct smell of death engraining in my head. I’d never forget it now.
“Don’t you want to know what happened to him?”
“I do, but…” My thought died because Gabe was right. But I knew this wouldn’t fly with the others. They would lose their shit. Probably Jim, too. “You have to hurry. They’re all ready to leave.”
Gabe pulled out a syringe from his plastic bag and stabbed it into Kev’s neck. With one hand, he pulled the plunger back, the clear glass filling with blood. I gasped but quickly slapped my hand over my mouth so nobody could hear. I checked our backs to make sure nobody followed.
“We can’t experiment here. But who knows, it may be useful later,” Gabe grumbled to himself. “We’ll need electricity to look at anything. But we’ve discovered a lot by watching Kev. You know, it took three days for him to become fully infected from his bite.”
“What’s that mean?”
Gabe took a scalpel in his hand and began skimming the skin on Kev’s calf off. He shoved a strip that looked like hairy bacon into a plastic bag and tied the handles so it wouldn’t fall out. I turned away and resisted gagging.
“Well, the strain took three days to kill him and change him. So, that’s the good news.”
“Good news?” I huffed, because if that was our good news, we were in serious trouble. He scraped bone, like a handsaw to rock.
“At least there’s time to say goodbye. Although, poor Scarlet couldn’t come to terms with it. Anyway, it has me wondering if that’s a blanket time or if it was just Kev. Nothing we can do now.” He shrugged as he gathered all his tools and tied the plastic bag shut. He hooked it around his elbow.
“Are you going to tell everyone what you found out?” I asked him as we walked back towards the fire. He didn’t answer me, just stomped ahead towards the group.
“Hey,” Jim said as I stopped next to him. I smiled and wrapped my arm around his midsection. “We’re going to go up the highway another exit or two and then find shelter,” Jim announced to everyone. “Follow me.” He reached down, grabbed my hand, and then led the way.
The cracks between my toes ached. My lower back burned, and my knees felt like they’d been whipped with a crowbar. I figured my discomfort came from more than just the walking. Emotional baggage weighed on my shoulders.
“Feeling okay?” Jim asked, his hand squeezing mine. I nodded, not trusting my voice. I knew he’d hear the pain. Jim didn’t want to walk too far off the highway, so we stayed on a two-lane street that connected to a smaller neighborhood of townhouses.
Someone cried from beside me and I glanced towards the sound. Scarlet’s arms wrapped around herself, her face shadowed by the setting sun. I walked over and hugged her, pressing her head against my shoulder.
“Just think of your sister,” I told her, hoping that would fix her broken heart. She clutched me harder as we paused. My legs straddled the two yellow lines of the road as we waited for the men to find a safe house. Margaret and the kids stopped with us, Margaret’s back to me.
A strange sense of de-ja-vu washed over me as I remembered how Jim found me in the first place. How many girls before me did they steal? How many did they rape or kill? I swallowed the lump in my throat, pushing the thoughts out of my head. I knew the more I thought about it, the more upset it would make me. And dwelling on the past did no good to anyone.
Gabe ran down the steps of a yellow house and waved us over.
“We’ve got a cleared house. Nothing in the middle floor or top, not much food, but it’s safe. Let’s move,” Gabe said. We walked up to the steps. Gabe reached forward and took Scarlet’s hand. I pushed the small of her back forward a bit and let Gabe help her up since she was so lost in her own head.
Margaret passed by me, her shoulder nudging mine. I lowered my chin and stared at her, surprised she had the balls to do that. Marcus and Maggie fought over a chocolate bar behind her. As Marcus walked by, he raised his hand and high-fived me.
“Marcus!” Margaret yelled from the top of the porch. He rolled his eyes and trudged forward, leaving me in the dust. Jim and the guys stood at the porch and opened the door to the house.
I made sure my footsteps were quiet as I tiptoed up the four stairs. Everyone filed in as Jim held the door open. I paused at the entryway, looking up at Jim. The others scattered, footsteps retreating and stomping up the stairwell.
His dark eyes inspected me. I blushed as I crossed my arms, covering myself. I was naked beneath his gaze. Something tickled my face as I stepped into the house. I batted the cobweb away.
“Shit!” one of the guys yelled. A loud bang followed, the ground vibrating beneath me. My heart leapt into my throat, and I stumbled forward, my feet catching the old wood floorboards.
“Stay here,” Jim commanded, grabbing onto my shoulders to steady me. His eyes pierced me, and then he was off, running into the depths of the house. I didn’t want to go against what he said, but I was alone in the hallway, with all of my sides vulnerable.
I slowly began to walk forward, one foot in front of the other, making sure the old wood floors didn’t creak. The outside of the house deceived me. It was much larger than it
appeared. The foyer extended to a meeting place with plenty of options—a set of stairs and four doors, all begging to be explored. Footsteps rang out above me sounding like the children running around.
“Jim?” I whispered. I didn’t know why he ran off, whether it was an actual threat or something trivial. Either way, my heart thumped, my fingers trembling in fear.
I put my hand on one of the brass knobs, its cool, smooth surface comforting. I turned it slow, hesitant to make noise. The small ticking of the gears sounded like explosions.
But the door yanked open before I could open it, and I was pulled into a room by rough hands. I screamed, but it was muffled as a hand clamped over my mouth. The person pulled me against his chest so I couldn’t see him, one hand at my mouth, the other around my mid-section.
I wasn’t going to be captured again. Panic tore through me, but I used it to my advantage instead of letting it hinder me. I kicked my legs and tried to open my mouth just enough that I could bite the hand, but he had me good. As I wriggled in this man’s grasp, I tried to feel his body. It wasn’t buff, or really muscular, so I guessed that was good.
“Shh.” His breath slid down my neck, making goose bumps prickle along my arms that were pinned to my sides. The man walked backwards with me being dragged like a limp doll. He shoved me forward, and I collided face-first with a wall. I raised my hands in fists, prepared to fight this man.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” the man said through heavy breathing. I didn’t get out of my attack position but heard some rustling in front of me, and then a yellow light popped on. I widened my eyes in shock.
The man before me had to be in his sixties or seventies. His entire head of hair was gray, his skin loose and wrinkled, especially his neck. He smiled at me and sat down at a wooden kitchen table. I glanced to my left and saw a stove and sink and white painted cabinets.
“What do you want?” I asked him. I pressed my back against the wall, the window sill digging into my spine. But I didn’t want to have any vulnerable side. The man pointed to a chair across from him, but I shook my head.
“You and your friends came into my house.”
“Lana!” I heard Jim yell from outside of the kitchen.
“You won’t hurt us?” I asked through narrowed eyes.
“Look at me and look at all of you. I heard all the footsteps exploring my upstairs. I just want to live in peace. You’re the third group of looters to come through here. I have nothing left to give.” He shook his head, his eyes downturned in a frown.
“We’re not looters,” I told him, my arms coming down, my guard dropping. “We just need a place to stay for the night.”
“Lana!” Jim yelled again.
“I’m in the kitchen!” I yelled back. I never let my eyes leave this old man’s. I didn’t trust him, yet at the same time, I knew he wasn’t a threat to us. He was right, after all. What could an old man like him do to a group of six younger people? Nothing.
“What the fuck?” Jim said as he stormed into the room. He caught sight of the stranger and immediately lunged forward in front of me, his knife out and pointing towards the man’s neck.
“Jim, stop. It’s okay.” I placed my hand on Jim’s back, bunching his shirt and pulling him backwards so he was still in front of me.
“Who are you?” Jim asked the man, his voice full of grit.
“My name is Gavin. This is my home.”
“What do you want from us?”
“Nothing,” the man said, laughing. “I feel as though I should be asking you all the same question.” He folded his hands on top of the table and sat back. He didn’t appear afraid or defensive.
“I told you. We just need a place to stay for the night,” I said, peeking out from behind Jim’s large frame.
“You can stay tonight. But you bring any trouble, and you’re gone. All the rooms upstairs are open. I sleep in the basement, through that door.” He pointed next to the refrigerator where a door stood. “Leave me be, and I leave you be. But just one night. I don’t trust anyone more than short term.”
“Agreed. Thank you, sir.” Jim leaned forward over the kitchen table and shook the man’s hand. He sheathed his knife in his pocket and visibly relaxed, his shoulders dropping. Jim nodded and then reached back and put his arms around my waist, tugging me towards him.
“I’ll be down there if you need me.” The man stood, lifted the lantern, and then retreated through the door. Jim and I were left in the dark room alone.
“I told you to stay put.” His hands found my face and rested on either side, his gaze connecting with mine. His warmth flooded me, filling me, rejuvenating me. I leaned against his palm like a needy cat.
“I didn’t listen. I can help if you trust me.”
“Let’s go find a room.” I was blind as Jim led me into the hallway and up the stairs by holding my hand. I stumbled at the top lip, thinking there was another stair. Jim righted me, lifting me by the elbow while he chuckled. I glared up at him.
“Where’d you go?” I asked.
“Gabe dropped a lamp. The thing shattered all over the ground. Don’t tell the old man. He’d probably kick us out.” Great, I got paranoid over a broken lamp. The idiots didn’t even know about Gavin.
“Are we staying together?” I asked him as I heard the children stomping behind the first door.
“There are three rooms. Mike and his family are in the master bedroom. Scarlet and Gabe are in the children’s room that has two twin beds. There’s one more room with a full bed. You can go wherever you want.”
“I see I have many, many options.” I rolled my eyes even though I knew he couldn’t see me.
He pulled me down the hallway and cracked open a door at the end. Moonlight flooded into the room, lighting it in a gentle white glow. The walls were midnight blue, the floor wooden like the halls. A white fluffy comforter sat on top of a large bed.
I let go of Jim and jumped onto the bed, sinking into the feathers. Jim laughed, but I shut my eyes and let the luxury of a mattress dissolve into me. He rustled, cloth swishing nearby, and then the bed sunk, his warm body touching mine.
My heart skittered from our position and the fact that we were in a real bed. For a moment, it felt like life before the bombings. Like Jim and I had a future. My stomach fluttered at the thought.
“You think we can find a place like this and feel safe again?”
“I don’t even know the last time I felt safe.” His deep voice caressed me. I smiled to myself despite his startling words.
“Right now, don’t you feel safe?”
“No.” He chuckled to himself. “Safer than being in our tent, yeah. But completely safe? Not be a buzzkill, but I don’t know if I’ll ever feel it again.”
“You will.” I nodded to myself.
“Why are you so optimistic?”
I opened my eyes and turned my head to face Jim. He had his hands clasped over his stomach. It rose and fell with his steady breaths. His eyes squeezed shut, wrinkles extending past his temples. He certainly didn’t look relaxed.
“Why are you so negative?” I countered back. He turned and pierced me with his dark blue eyes. He rolled onto his side. With his head on his palm, he dug his elbow into the comforter. I smiled at him.
“I’m realistic, Lana. I know you don’t like it, but I’m not going to pretend that everything’s going to be okay. I won’t pump these people full of false hope. I don’t believe this will be better. This is it.”
“Can you pretend?” I reached forward and took his left hand in my right. I laced my fingers through his and squeezed. I needed him to pretend for me that everything was okay for just a second. I needed a break from the constant fear and edginess. “Just for tonight, can we pretend that this is three weeks ago?”
“I guess…”
I brought his hand to my mouth and kissed it.
“Thank you so much for taking me on such a great date. That steak was out of this world.” I leaned back on my elbow and grinned. Jim f
rowned. But then his eyes widened, his brows lifting. Recognition danced on him. I laughed into my hand.
“Well, thank you for agreeing to go out with me.”
“You only had to ask every day for the last two months. I was just putting you out of your misery.”
“So, I’m the desperate one?” He pointed to his chest, glaring at me.
I pursed my lips and shrugged. “But of course. Look at me.”
“What’s on the agenda for the remainder of this evening?”
I had to bite my tongue to stop the laughter that begged to be released. Jim talking all proper was like him going to a traditional ball wearing a tux and slicked-back hair. The two didn’t mix. But the fact that he tried made my insides squirm.
“It’s too cold for a stroll, and I’m so full from our meal. I guess we need to burn some calories.” I trailed my finger along his bicep up to the throbbing vein in his neck. He shut his eyes and groaned, intensity returning.
“Lana,” he pleaded as a warning, his hand covering mine at his neck. “This isn’t pretend anymore.”
“I need to feel something.” My words were enough persuasion. He let go of my hand and closed the small space between us. His arms wrapped around me as his mouth covered mine. I fell back against the pillow as his body hovered over me.
At first, it was just one agonizingly long kiss that I never wanted to end. But he pulled back. The coldness he left behind chilled me to my core. I circled my arms around his neck and pulled him back down as our hooded eyes connected. For the first time, his eyes were light and carefree, fear vanishing.
He moved fast and hard as he pressed his mouth against mine. His lips were soft against mine and moved in perfect rhythm with me. My breathing picked up, my stomach bubbling with want. I tried to keep up with him, but he was frenzied, unrelenting.
I reached between us as his tongue invaded me, twirling and swirling in my mouth, sending chills down my spine. I needed more of him. The kisses just weren’t enough. I had to explore him, wanted to see him. I grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged it up. His mouth left mine for a second as he sat back, pulling the shirt over his head.
The Last Legacy (Season 1): Episodes 1-10 Page 23