The Renegade

by Amy Dunne

  As soon as she entered the medical room she sensed the tension. Without greeting her, Evelyn hurriedly locked the door.

  “Hello, wifey,” Murphy said with a wink, but he didn’t seem his usual relaxed self.

  “Don’t push it, smartarse,” Alex said.

  “Speaking of push it, watch this,” Murphy hung both legs off the bed and slowly got to his feet. He tottered a bit, then walked a few unaided steps before sitting back down.

  “Not bad going,” Alex said, pleased with his progress.

  “I’ll be carrying you up the stairs to our marriage bed in no time.”

  Evelyn brushed past and stood in the middle of the room. She looked jittery and far from amused by Murphy’s jokes.

  “What’s happened?” Alex asked, glancing from Evelyn to Murphy.

  “David’s back. Joe overheard him asking Phil if Murphy was awake yet.”

  “Okay,” Alex said, at a loss as to why that was so important.

  “Whatever he’s been up to has taken him away from camp, but that’s now over. And yet his first question on returning is about Murphy. Don’t you see?” Evelyn asked impatiently and sighed when Alex shrugged. “You’re still top of his list. He’s getting even more suspicious. We can’t hide Murphy anymore.”

  Alex felt embarrassed at being so slow on the uptake. “Okay. So what do we do?”

  “Murphy’s going to come around before lunch. I’ll send someone to come and fetch you. Then it’s David’s show.”

  “Are you up for it?” Alex asked, walking over to Murphy.

  “Aye. At least, I think so.” He didn’t look wholly confident at the prospect of being interrogated. She couldn’t blame him.

  “You’ve had enough time to revise. And you’ve got a good brain under those luscious locks.” She hugged him tightly, trying to instil some confidence. “Plus you’ve been moaning about cabin fever.”

  “Yeah. I’m regretting that now,” he said. “I’m scared I’m going to say something wrong and get us in shit.”

  Alex forced a smile. “Since when have you ever said something wrong?” They both smiled, but it did little to relieve the tension. “Just stick with what we’ve said and you’ll probably get away with being a bit hazy. You did nearly die, after all.” She turned to Evelyn. “I bet you’ll be glad to get out of this place, too.” Alex felt gutted. She mourned that she wouldn’t have a reason to visit and spend time with Evelyn anymore. The medical room had been her haven and Evelyn her saviour. She was relieved Murphy was okay, but selfishly wanted to have Evelyn to herself.

  Evelyn perched on the table. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

  “Jeez. Come on, you two. You’re acting like it’s the end of the bleeding world. That’s been and gone. We’re all alive, and it gives us time to find a way to get out of here,” Murphy said, spreading his arms wide.

  “Yeah,” Alex said, trying to sound chipper. “It’s going to be okay.” But it didn’t feel okay. Not at all.

  “I know you’ve probably not considered this,” Evelyn said, sweeping a renegade curl behind her ear. “But you’re married. You need to be affectionate. As in, heterosexual married couple affectionate.”

  Alex opened her mouth to reply but struggled to form words. She glanced at Murphy; his horrified expression mirrored hers.

  Evelyn gave a weak snigger. “I know it’s a big ask, and looking at you both, you’re clearly not keen.” A frown creased her brow as she nibbled her bottom lip. “Everyone’s going to be watching you. David and Elijah especially. It’s not just what you say that could give you away. It’s how you act, even when you’re not thinking about it.”

  Murphy gulped. “So we hold hands and hug a lot?”

  Evelyn shook her head. “You need to be overly affectionate. Hugs, hand holding, kissing, basically being physically inseparable. You’re married. You know each other inside and out. Your bodies are overly familiar with one another. You nearly lost each other. Basically, you’ve got to be touching all the time. It’s the only way.”

  Alex felt a little queasy. She wasn’t a particularly touchy-feely person anyway, but Murphy was like her brother. The thought of kissing him, passionately, invoked disgust.

  “Start practising,” Evelyn said, folding her arms and hitching her chin.

  “Here? Now?” Murphy asked, voicing Alex’s embarrassment.

  “You’ve got a fifteen-minute window of opportunity to get over your issues.”

  “With you watching?” Murphy asked, his cheeks blushing.

  Evelyn nodded. “You’re going to have to get used to it. Privacy is a luxury you don’t get here.”

  They stood facing one another. It was like an awful game of spin the bottle at a party, with someone you didn’t fancy, and being nowhere near drunk enough. They couldn’t have looked or felt any more uncomfortable if they’d tried. But this was a matter of life and death. They needed to step up to the challenge and make it convincing.

  “It’s just acting,” Alex said.

  “Yeah. And I got an A in drama at school,” Murphy said weakly.

  Alex bridged the gab and slowly raised her mouth to Murphy’s. Their lips met and his wiry beard scratched her lips and chin. They pulled apart quickly. She wished with all her heart she could be kissing Evelyn instead.

  “That was pathetic,” Evelyn said harshly. “If you do it like that, they’re going to see straight through your lies. You’ll be in danger. Don’t fuck up everything we’ve done now because you’re both prudes.”

  “Hey. It’s not easy having to kiss someone you don’t want to kiss. No offence,” Murphy said to Alex, before turning back to Evelyn. “I don’t think you appreciate how hard this is.”

  Evelyn stood and marched forward. “Really? Because I’ve had to do a hell of a lot more degrading and humiliating things than give a pathetic kiss to Elijah. And I hate him more than anything. So don’t give me that bullshit. Kiss. And for all our sakes, make it count this time.”

  *

  Alex was washing up the pans used to prepare lunch. Her stomach twisted with nerves. She had to stop herself jumping and gawping whenever the door opened and someone came in. Fortunately only Tanya seemed to sense she wasn’t herself. She’d asked twice if Alex was okay, and Alex had said she was fine.

  Jamie burst into the kitchen. “Alex. My mum needs you.”

  “What’s happened? Is everything okay?” Alex asked, a little taken aback by Jamie’s urgency. She knew he wasn’t acting. They’d tried to keep their plan hidden from him just in case he let anything slip.

  “Murphy’s awake!” he said, grinning. “Come on.”

  A few gasps and whispers echoed around the kitchen.

  “I’m sorry, Claire,” Alex said, wiping her suds covered hands on her trousers. Not giving time for Claire to speak, she rushed for the door with Jamie at her side. They ran to the medical room and rushed inside, coming to a stop behind Elijah and David.

  “Murphy?” Alex asked, pushing past the men to his bedside. He certainly looked like he’d just come around. His eyes were a little puffy and hazy. His hair was ruffled and he looked pale, which probably had something to do with fear.

  He reached out weakly to her. “Alex. Where are we? What happened?” he asked with a croak.

  Alex took his hand and without flinching, kissed him passionately. “I nearly lost you. You got shot. Don’t you remember?”

  He shook his head and winced. “Shot?”

  Alex stroked his face and nodded. “Yeah. You tried to save a girl called Gemma’s life. How are you feeling?”

  Murphy coughed dramatically, making Alex wince with embarrassment. He was laying it on too thick. “Not great,” he said pathetically.

  “Well, you look like shit,” Alex said, giving his hand a painful squeeze and bending to kiss him again. Kissing him wasn’t entirely comfortable, but mostly she didn’t really feel anything. It was akin to shaking his hand or giving a hug. Their eyes held one another’s gaze. “I thought you were going to di
e,” she said, a genuine lump sticking in her throat. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She swiped at a trickling tear. The truth of the statement brought everything back to the surface. She had nearly lost him. And if they didn’t pull this off, she still might.

  “Don’t cry,” he said hoarsely, reaching to wipe more tears away. “I’ll never leave you. We’re partners for life. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” They kissed again, and a loud clearing of David’s throat interrupted them.

  “It’s nice to officially meet you, Murphy. I’m Elijah and this is David,” Elijah said, walking up to the bed. “We’re very happy to have you here in Rapture’s Haven.”

  Murphy looked in turn at both men. “Thank you for looking after Alex.”

  “And saving your life,” Elijah said with a loud chortle. “Let’s not forget that. Our Lord God has plans for you. But we’ll discuss that in time. There are, however, still a few things David would like to discuss with you.”

  “Elijah.” Evelyn stepped forward. “He’s only just come around. He’s weak, disorientated, and still at risk. I must insist he’s given a few days to recover—”

  “Of course,” Elijah said, his smile twitching ever so slightly. He didn’t even turn to address her. “David will speak to you tomorrow.”

  Evelyn shook her head. “He—”

  “Let’s leave Murphy to rest now,” Elijah said to no one in particular. Brandishing his arms wide, he said, “David will return tomorrow. In the meantime, may our Lord God protect and keep you.” He turned and left the building, followed closely by David.

  “What now?” Alex asked.

  “We have our own little practice interrogation,” Evelyn said. “I didn’t think they’d grant a reprieve.”

  “Me neither,” Alex said, taking a seat.

  “They’re definitely up to something,” Evelyn said, folding her arms. “They’re distracted and very nearly didn’t come in here. Joe told them just as David was preparing to leave camp with Elijah.” She wrung her hands. “Let’s make the most of our time and brace ourselves. Something’s coming.”

  Alex nodded. Her foreboding peaked and she, too, sensed trouble brewing on the horizon. “And whatever it is isn’t good.”

  *

  Alex woke up beside Murphy’s bed. She sat up and stretched. Murphy rolled over and peered down at her. “What time is it?” she asked in a whisper, so as not to wake Evelyn, who was asleep on the other bed. They’d argued about who would use the bed, but Alex had downright refused to accept ownership. She was more than happy lying on the floor.

  Murphy shrugged. “I’m not sure, but there’s noise outside.”

  “They’ll be coming for you soon.”

  “I know. I’m not completely stupid. It wasn’t my head that took a bullet.”

  Alex was taken aback by the snap. It wasn’t in his nature. But she knew him well enough to see that beneath the grumpy exterior, he was terrified by what was coming.

  “You’ll be fine. Just stick with what we’ve discussed.”

  “For the love of sweet baby Jesus, I know. We’ve been over and over it. Now, can I have a little privacy please?” He sat up and flung his legs over the side of the bed and reached for his crutches. Tentatively, he stood and, although wobbly, managed to hold his weight.

  “Privacy for what?” Alex asked concerned.

  “I need to use the little boy’s room.” He tried to mask his embarrassment.

  “Are you okay by yourself?” she asked, worried by how much he was swaying.

  “Do you want to wipe my arse?” he asked bitterly.

  “Hey. I get that you’re worried. But that’s not a good enough reason to be a complete dick.” She got up, pulled her hoodie on, and slipped her shoes on.

  “Where are you going?” Murphy asked sulkily.

  “I’m going to stretch my legs and try to get you something to eat. I’ll be back later. Don’t go doing something stupid.” She heard him mumble something under his breath and as she brushed past him she added, “like getting shot.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Evelyn wiped her sweaty brow and looked around the room. It was clean, tidy, and empty. Murphy had his third day of interrogation and had been deemed well enough to move into Alex’s room. With no patient to look after, Evelyn and Jamie had returned to their room. She hadn’t been called to Elijah’s chambers in nearly two weeks, which was the longest break since their forced marriage. Other than the odd morning sermon and a glimpse of him secretly leaving camp with David, he’d hidden himself away. She was grateful but also unnerved. Whatever he was up to had become an obsession, and from past experiences, that wasn’t a good thing.

  The medical room had desperately needed a deep clean. The hard physical work was a relief from her repetitive thoughts and worries about Murphy. He was a great guy, but lying didn’t seem to be his forte. There was nothing more she could do to help him. She, like everyone else, had to wait for the outcome.

  The room felt large, cold, and lonely without Murphy and Alex. Although she’d briefly seen Alex at breakfast, their conversation had amounted to mundane chitchat thanks to the many eavesdroppers. They had to be careful. It’d been frowned upon, but understandable, that they’d spend time together in the medical room when Murphy was ill, but now he was better, there were no excuses to be alone. Friendship wasn’t enough of a valid reason, especially as people were still wary of Alex. Seeming too friendly would only increase their suspicion. They needed to distance themselves, but that was the last thing she wanted to do. Every waking thought other than worrying about Murphy, Joe, and Jamie involved Alex. Without realising it, she’d find herself walking the corridors and rooms looking for a glimpse of her. Just one awkward smile or even a reciprocal look was enough to set endorphins flowing. If they were near one another, Evelyn’s body would seek to get closer. A harmless touch or a supposed accidental brush against Alex’s hand or leg. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. It was a dangerous and stupid infatuation.

  Hot and bothered, she went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face and neck. As she dried off with the green paper towels, a familiar knock sounded on the door. “Come in,” she said, excited and frustrated in equal measures.

  Alex came inside and smiled. “Hey.”

  “We discussed this. You can’t just keep coming in here to see me. People are going to talk.” Evelyn regretted sounding so harsh, but it was infuriating that Alex wasn’t heeding her warnings.

  “I know and I’m sorry. It’s just I cut my thumb and there aren’t any plasters in the kitchen.” Alex held up her hand with a wad of bloodied paper towels wrapped around her thumb.

  Evelyn patted the nearest bed. “Let’s have a look.” Alex sat and presented her hand. After removing the soiled paper towel Evelyn inspected the cut. It was tiny. “This doesn’t look good.”

  “Why?” Alex asked.

  “I think it may need stitches or possibly even an amputation.”

  “Ha ha. You’re hilarious.”

  “What happened?” Evelyn asked, applying two blue plasters.

  “I was opening a can of peas and my thumb got in the way.” She blushed and her gaze darted around the room.

  Evelyn smiled. The cut was superficial and didn’t really even warrant a plaster, let alone two. “You need to be careful.”

  “Claire’s already put me back on washing up,” Alex said sulkily.

  “I meant about coming here,” Evelyn said gently.

  Alex swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I just needed to see you.”

  “So you cut yourself on purpose?” Evelyn asked, already knowing the answer. Alex nodded but didn’t speak. “You can’t do it again.”

  “I won’t. I just wanted to be alone with you, even for a few minutes. I miss you,” Alex said, kicking her legs a few centimetres off the floor.

  “I miss you, too,” Evelyn said, heading to the sink to wash her hands. “But we’ve—”

  A
nother knock rattled the wooden door. “Come in,” Evelyn said, panicked with nonsensical guilt. “Gemma.”

  Gemma came inside and closed the door firmly behind her. “Hi.” She looked at both of them. “If you’re busy I can come back later.”

  “Not at all,” Evelyn said, rushing over to her and giving her a hug. “How are you?” She’d not seen her for a few days because of all of the drama.

  “Okay,” Gemma said with a weak smile. “I haven’t got long. Scott was guarding me, so I told him I’d got my period and needed to come and see you for painkillers and sanitary towels. I’ve never seen him move so fast.”

  Evelyn nodded. “Do you need—”

  “No,” Gemma said, “I’ve got everything I need. But I knew I probably wouldn’t get another chance for a while. I wanted to give you these. I don’t need them and I know you’re running out.” Gemma pulled a neatly folded parcel of toilet paper from her pocket and offered it to Evelyn.

  Evelyn carefully unwrapped it. A large mound of tablets, ninety or maybe even a hundred were cupped in the tissue. “Are these…?”

  “Yeah,” Gemma said, her cheeks burning. “I don’t need them. You can give them to the others. They’ll keep you going for a bit longer. And I’m scared David or someone’s going to find them.”

  “Gemma, you need to take these. Without them, you’ve no protection. You could get—you could already be pregnant,” Evelyn said, angry but also scared for her. She was young and vulnerable but also ridiculously naïve.