Revenants Series (Book 2): Remnants

by Elisabeth, Lee

  I watch her walk away. I feel torn...lost, even. A part of me wants to make good on my promise to help my Chloe find our parents, but another weaker part of me wants to focus my energy on sustaining the little bit of life we have left.

  And that doesn't involve going to Asheville.

  * * *

  Meredith

  His movements are erratic.

  They make no sense.

  He should be walking in a straight line toward the elusive endpoint Nelson always bragged about. Instead, he's moving in jagged circles with no evident rhyme or reason. Each time I attempt to cut him off on his left or right flank, he pivots and heads back toward me, forcing me to change my direction yet again.

  It's so frustrating.

  And I'm out of water…going on nearly two hours now. That's not good. I'll have to find some soon. Luckily, the mountains have an abundance of fresh water sources; unluckily, I no longer have access to a purifier or a fire (most days), so sometimes the water I find gives me stomach cramps, other times, diarrhea. But I’m forced to take chances...drink what I can, when I can. Otherwise, I'll be too weak to follow him.

  Or, I'll die, which wouldn't be the worst thing, I suppose.

  My thoughts circle back to Daniel and the others, like they always seem to do after I promise myself that I’ll never think of them again. I wonder where they are now. Did they ever reach Asheville? If so, did Daniel and Chloe find their parents? Or, has Erek finally convinced Chloe that a trip to Asheville is a waste of time and extremely dangerous?

  Are they alive?

  The abrupt ache in my chest reminds me (as if I needed reminding) how much I love and miss them. They were the closest thing to a family I had after the dead rose in May; maybe even before the dead rose, if I’m being honest. I think they loved me, too.

  Daniel, especially. But would he still love me if he knew?

  Probably not, but maybe.

  Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

  Maybe if I follow him a little longer, I can set things right. Then, I could find Daniel and explain everything...make him understand I didn't have a choice. Maybe he would forgive me if I explained everything in just the right way, with well-placed emotion and dramatic pauses, and all the other bits and pieces that create a great excuse. Maybe he would still love me…after he listened to everything I had to say, and all the fault I deserve was finally piled thick around me like a tomb.

  Maybe.

  Or, he might kill me…which again, wouldn't be the worst thing.

  A twig snaps behind me, then another...then everything goes black.

  * * *

  Chloe

  "Kate?"

  The young girl is sitting in front of the fire; her brother is beside her. She looks up at me with eyes puffy from lack of sleep. I sit down beside her, so that we’re face to face.

  "Kate, I want you to know that you and Jax are safe here,” I say.

  She nods.

  I smile. "And we're going to do our best to take care of you both for as long as you want to stay with us, okay?"

  She nods again. There's no good or delicate way to bring up Jax's condition, so I just say, "Kate, we know Jax is deaf."

  Her eyes widen slightly. "H-How?" she asks in her small, clear voice.

  "Erek saw you signing to him."

  She lowers her head. "I knew that was a mistake. I’m so stupid."

  I reach out and take her small hand in mine. "No, it's fine, Kate. Honestly. You're safe with us.” I give her hand a soft squeeze. “And, you're not stupid."

  Her lower lip trembles. She glances at her brother, quickly, then turns her attention back to me. "Just before Mama died, she told me not to show weakness. She told Jax to pretend he's just quiet. Shy." She wipes a tear away. "She said others might not take care of us if they thought we would be extra trouble. Or they might hurt us."

  "Did your mom get sick?"

  She nods. "She got bit. It was just a small bite…but it was too big for her." Jax is watching us, but I'm not sure how much he understands. Kate gives him a reassuring smile before continuing her story. "She made us promise we'd run as fast as we could when she died. She also made us pray each night that we'd find a nice family to take care of us...you know, after," she adds, trailing off.

  I pull the young girl into a tight hug and rub my palm across her back, trying to soothe an impossible pain. I feel tears forming in my own eyes. "You did, Kate. You and Jax found good people."

  She pulls away and wipes her nose on her sleeve. "Do you pray at night, too? Before you go to bed?"

  She wants me to say yes...to say I'm like her mom...a good and faithful Christian, but I can't say it. I'm a broken vessel, at best; a skeptic, at worst. I sigh. "I don’t pray as much as I used to, Kate." I stand. "I want you to tell Jax he doesn't have to pretend anymore. You're both welcome to sign any time you need to, okay?"

  She nods and smiles. The profound relief on her face makes me feel guilty for not noticing their need for acceptance and reassurance sooner. I watch as she signs excitedly to her young brother. For the first time since they stepped out of the truck and into my life, they're smiling...really smiling…like kids used to smile before the world ended.

  Chapter Twenty

  Meredith

  He's on top of me.

  I can't push him off. He's too heavy and I'm too dazed from whatever head injury I sustained before everything went dark. His breath is wretched. I’m pushing against him so hard that it feels like my hands are sinking into his fleshy chest, but I can't free myself.

  If I don’t get off my back soon, I'm dead.

  This shouldn't be happening. He shouldn't have been able to get behind me, but he turned abruptly earlier, and I was so busy thinking about Daniel I missed it. I look into his eyes, hoping for some small spark of recognition in them, but they're opaque and clouded. Emptied of everything that made him who he used to be, and I'm just another soon-to-be-victim.

  I'm so angry. All this time...all the hours, days, nights, and breaking heart...spent chasing him, only to let him get the best of me.

  To kill me like someone who didn’t know any better.

  Now I'll never be able to make things right. I'll die, and he'll just keep walking these hills until he finally reaches the endpoint. Only, I won't be around to see it happen, or who it was.

  I look into his eyes one last time. He leans closer, until our faces are nearly touching. I yell as loud as I can, but it doesn’t lessen the frustration coursing through my veins. It’s dangerous to be so loud in the middle of the woods, when there could be Meths nearby, but I don't care. Soon, it won't matter, anyway.

  Just then I hear a whoosh in the air and thick blood sprays my face, blinding me.

  No.

  No, no, no.

  No!

  He rolls off me, slowly, and falls to the cold ground…dead, like he should have been the first time he died. No. It can’t be. How? No. It didn’t happen. It couldn’t have happened. I didn’t follow him this far for it to be over so suddenly. I begin weeping…sobbing blindly and deeply…because it’s the only thing left to do.

  It's all lost.

  Everything.

  Someone kicks my foot and says, "Get up, or you're next."

  I can't get up. The grief is too heavy, and it has me pinned to the cold ground with its unforgiving arms.

  Let them kill me.

  I turn my head and look at him one last time. His face is inches from my own, and what little light remained in those clouded eyes has been forever extinguished by a stranger's hand.

  His blue and white pin-striped pajamas are stained red with blood.

  * * *

  Allyson

  "I hope you know how to use than canon," Wayne says.

  I hold it in the air. "Do you point it like this, and then pull this?" I ask, placing my finger over the trigger.

  He slips his pack over his shoulders. "Ever had to use it on somebody?" he asks, ignoring my remark.

  I slip the gun into my
waistband. "No. I wanted to, but I never had a clear shot."

  "Smart."

  "What's that?" I ask.

  He shrugs. "Knowin' when to shoot and when not to. It's smart."

  I sigh. "Yeah, well, if I had taken the shot, I probably wouldn't be so worried about going back to the farm."

  "Or, you might have missed, and you'd be dead."

  I try to unhook the hammock from the tree, but my fingers are stiff from the cold, and I have trouble loosening the latch. Wayne comes over to help me.

  "You ever gonna tell me about that place?" he asks. "Or, what I'm walkin' into?"

  "I tried to, but you wouldn't listen."

  "No, Daniel wouldn't listen. I just said I was gonna get them in if they decided to go," he reminds me.

  I roll my eyes. "Details."

  "That's where the Devil's usually waitin'," he says, and moves to unhook the other side of the hammock.

  "No, the Devil's waiting at the farm. And he's impatient."

  He doesn't respond. He just nods and hands me the hammock. I fold it carefully and place it into my suitcase. When I'm finished, I look at him. "Ready?" I ask.

  He nods. "Yep. Best not keep the Devil waitin' too long."

  He thinks I'm joking...that I'm exaggerating...that we'll get to the farm and sit around a campfire with the others, singing kumbaya until we fall into comfy beds just before dawn breaks.

  He'll see how serious I am, and soon.

  Aiden will be more than ready to introduce himself.

  * * *

  Daniel

  "You ready to go?"

  Emily is kneeling at the edge of the pond, washing her hands. She looks over her shoulder and nods. "I think so. My hands got dirty taking down the tent," she says, drying her wet hands on an old towel. "Why can't we just leave them here?" she asks.

  "The people at the farm may not let us stay," I explain. "You'll want shelter tonight, right?"

  She stands and walks closer to me. We haven't stood this close, or talked this long, since we slept together. Being this close reminds me of the way she felt. The way she made me feel. She smells good, like late spring or early summer…honeysuckles, maybe, or some other sweet-smelling flower. She leans closer. "I want you to know I appreciate what you did for me the other night,” she says quietly.

  "What I did for you?"

  A blush creeps across her cheeks. "You know what I mean, Daniel."

  "I didn't do it just for you," I say.

  "Well, I know I haven't been the nicest, or most appreciative person since I got here, but I just...I've never been good at..." She throws her hands up, frustrated. "I don't know what I'm trying to say."

  "You don't like being vulnerable?" I suggest.

  She laughs softly. "Yes, I suppose that's it."

  I smile and motion toward the camp. "Come on. The others are almost ready."

  "Almost?"

  I nod.

  She comes closer. "But not quite?"

  I shake my head.

  She takes a final step toward me. "You know," she says, fingering the buttons on my shirt, "I'm not sorry about the other night. It was amazing. You were amazing."

  Her lips find mine. I return her kiss, enjoying the taste of her mouth, and the way it makes the emptiness inside of me feel a little fuller. The way it helps me forget my broken heart for as long as it lasts.

  After a few minutes, she pulls back and smiles. "I think I'm ready now," she says.

  "They might need a little more time."

  She laughs. "Let's not start something we can't finish."

  "Too late for that," I tease. "But you're right, we need to get a move on." I reach for her hand. "Come on, let's go."

  We walk back toward the camp...hand in hand...ready to begin another trek toward yet another uncertain future.

  * * *

  Chloe

  "How long do you think it'll take us to get there?"

  Erek loads the last of our belongings into the back of the truck. "As long as it takes, Princess."

  "And there's room for us to ride in the back of the truck?"

  He rolls his eyes. "For the fifth time, yes. Especially now since Landon flew the coup."

  "Erek!"

  He raises an eyebrow. "What?"

  I look around to make sure Emily isn't nearby. "What if Emily hears you say something like that?"

  He laughs. "I think Emily found a better replacement, don't you?"

  "Ugh. Don't remind me." I take a final, lingering look around the camp. "I'm gonna miss this place."

  "Why?"

  I shrug. "It's home." I look at him. "Won't you miss it? Even just a little?"

  He shakes his head. "I never allow myself to get used to things. Then I don't have to worry about missing them." He steps away from the truck. "Learned that the hard way...a long time ago."

  "Let me guess...in the desert?"

  He squints into the early afternoon sunlight. "Yeah, something like that."

  "At least the truck will get us there faster than walking," I say, changing the subject.

  "Well, it'll be easier, anyway. Especially if it's all uphill like Allyson says. I hope we can get there without running into a roadblock."

  "Don't jinx us, Erek."

  "Don't tell me you're getting superstitious, Princess." He motions for me to start walking. "Come on, let's get the others. We'll need time to scout the place out before we pull up in the driveway."

  I take a deep breath. I'm not superstitious, but I've learned a few things the hard way. Like the odds of surviving in a world filled with Revs are slimmer than winning the lottery ever was.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Meredith

  "What's your name?" the man asks for the fourth time.

  For the fourth time, I don't speak.

  I won't say a word until he unties me from this tree.

  He kicks my leg again. Hard. "I asked you a question."

  I grimace, but refuse to give him the satisfaction of tears, or any other recognizable emotion. I've been kicked before. Many times. He'll have to try harder than that to break me. The rubber in his boots yelps as he crouches down in front of me. Now we're on the same level; except he's free to stand, and I'm not.

  That doesn't make me feel any more cooperative.

  He runs a gloved hand over his mouth, then says, "I don't think you understand how dangerous your situation is." He glances over his shoulder at the group of men standing behind him. "My men haven't seen any action in a while." He turns back to me. "So, answer my question, or I'm going to give them the green light. Do you understand what I'm saying?" he asks slowly.

  I shrug. "Sure. You're going to let them rape me if I don't tell you my name. Charming."

  The corner of his mouth twitches. "That doesn't scare you?"

  I look past him at the group of men standing a few feet away. Most are older, but there are a few younger faces mixed in…not that they are in any better shape than the older ones. They all look worse for wear, nearly starved and in need of water. I turn my attention back to the man crouching in front of me.

  "Not really,” I say. “They look like a strong wind might blow them over. I could probably handle it."

  He laughs, but there's an untapped anger hiding just behind it, ready to explode at any moment. "Are you crazy? Is that what this is?" he asks.

  I shrug again. "I've been called crazy a few times, but I don't think I'd qualify as clinically insane. Not yet, anyway."

  He looks at me for a few minutes, not sure how to proceed. Not sure about this odd creature he managed to trap. I yawn, pretending to be bored. His eyes widen slightly. My ability to lie is incredibly helpful in a situation like this. Granted, I've never been tied up and threatened with rape before, but the concept is the same...make the other person unsteady. Make them question their ability to control the situation.

  Nelson taught me that lesson.

  "Why did you cry when I killed the Germ? Did you know him?" he asks.

  I
raise an eyebrow. "Germ?"

  "You know who I mean. The old man trying to kill you when we walked up."

  I rest my head against the trunk of the tree. The bark cuts into my head, but I leave it there. I need to appear relaxed, even though I'm in pain. "Germ," I repeat. "Let me guess. You think it's a virus, right?"

  "Seems like a logical explanation. What do you think it is?" he asks.

  "Untie me."

  "Tell me your name, and I'll consider it," he counters.

  I let out an exaggerated sigh. "My name is Jane," I say, giving him my middle name.

  He smirks. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

  "Untie me," I repeat.

  "And the tears?"

  I consider lying to him, but the thought of Harlan Downs lying dead on the ground instead of leading me to the cure brings a fresh wave of sadness crashing over me. Why lie? Nothing matters anymore, anyway. My throat tightens, and my chest hurts. I feel like a 100-pound weight is pinning me to this tree rather than this man’s zip ties. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I cried because you just murdered the only chance there was at finding a cure to this virus," I say.

  He seems to see me for the first time. I don't care. Let him see me. Let everyone see. I start laughing. It's one of those crazy, delirious laughs that probably scares me more than it scares him, because I'm not laughing to manipulate him. I'm laughing because this entire situation is so unbelievable, and futile, and so incredibly sad. The sound of my laughter echoes through the woods, pinging off trees, and stirring the few remaining birds that stuck around for the winter. They take flight into the gray sky. Maybe I am going crazy...it would certainly be understandable...maybe a long time coming, even.

  An odd expression passes over his face.