Sickness

by Kellee L. Greene

  Before I even stepped into the living room, I could see that I wouldn’t be waking him. He was still sitting at the window in nearly the exact same position he’d been in most of the day.

  He glanced at me over his shoulder. “You should be sleeping.”

  “So should you.” I sighed and looked around the dimly lit room. It still felt strange to be in Blake’s house when mine was just across the street. “I never was a very good sleeper. At least not since I’ve been a teen.”

  “Me either. At least you can blame parenting.”

  “I wish that were why,” I mumbled. “Anything going on out there?”

  Blake shook his head. “Nothing. It’s been rather quiet.”

  “Good,” I said even though it didn’t really make me feel any better. Things might be quiet here but that didn’t mean they were in Chicago… or in New York.

  I sat down on the edge of the couch and stared at my feet. It was strange that my entire life that the whole time I’d been with Freddie, I craved being alone but now that I was truly alone, I felt scared. It was in a much different way, though. Being in the same room as Blake helped, of course, it could have been anyone, it didn’t have to be Blake.

  “I’m sorry,” I said placing my hand on the armrest. “You probably want to lie down. I didn’t mean to intrude on your space. The light was on.”

  “No, no, you’re fine,” Blake said waving his hand at me to stay seated.

  “Are you sure? I can try to—”

  “It’s fine.”

  I chewed my fingernail for a long moment. “Want me to take a turn at the window so you could get some sleep?”

  “That’s unnecessary.” He turned back to the crack in the boards where he looked out of the window. “Just relax. Read a book if you’d like, might help you fall asleep.”

  “Sure, okay,” I said grabbing the top book on the coffee table. I didn’t even look at the title before cracking it open to the first page.

  The words were a jumbled mess that made no sense. I couldn’t concentrate. On the bright side, it was making me tired.

  My eyes were closed. The soft sounds of voices and forks clanking against plates caused me to stir.

  I sat up and the blanket rolled down off my body. Even though I couldn’t see the others, I knew that they were having an early breakfast and they hadn’t bothered to wake me.

  I soundlessly got to my feet and walked over the window looking out the small crack that Blake had monitored nearly every second of the day. The neighborhood was empty and still quite dark. I tapped my phone… it was four-thirty in the morning.

  “Good,” Blake said stepping into the room. “You’re up.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “You were finally asleep,” Blake said with a shrug. “Go help yourself to some eggs and bacon.”

  I swallowed down the sour taste in my mouth. “I don’t usually eat this early.”

  “Guess it’s your choice,” Blake said. His words took me back a bit. If I’d said that to Freddie, he would have made me eat something… stood over me until I took a bite. It was hard to comprehend that the choice was my own. “Dax and I are going to head out soon. I’m going to need you to tell me where your supplies are.”

  “What?” I said crossing my arms as Dax entered the living room. “I’m going with you. I’ll just show you where everything is.”

  Blake laughed. “No, you’re not.”

  That was more like it. That was what I was used to… someone telling me how it was going to be but it didn’t have to be that way anymore. Blake wasn’t Freddie. Not even close.

  “I’m going. It’s my house and my things,” I said with deep wrinkles in my forehead. “It’ll go quicker and easier if I show you where everything is.”

  “I don’t want to stay here alone,” Whitney whined.

  “You’ll be fine but Kit’s not coming,” Blake said.

  I placed my hands on my hips. “Maybe I should just go alone. It is my house, after all.”

  Blake stared at me for a long moment before groaning. He held out a mask.

  I held up my palm and pulled out the mask from my back pocket. “I never go anywhere without it.”

  No one laughed. The small smile I’d been wearing dropped off my face.

  “So, am I going too?” Whitney asked before biting her nails.

  “No,” Blake said sharply and Dax shook his head.

  “Stay here and keep watch,” Dax said.

  Blake grabbed what looked like heavy-duty walkie talkies down from the top of his bookshelf. He turned them on and handed one to Whitney.

  “We’ll be able to communicate with these,” Blake said clipping his to his belt.

  “What is it?” Whitney asked looking at it like she’d never seen one before.

  “It’s a two-way radio,” Blake said. He quickly showed her how to use it.

  Whitney nodded. “But what am I watching for exactly?”

  “Anything,” Dax answered. “Everything.”

  “If you see anyone out there sick or not sick, let us know,” Blake said.

  “Okay,” Whitney said with a small smile.

  Dax placed his hand on her shoulder. “You’ll do fine.”

  “Maybe you should stay with me,” Whitney said. “You’d do much better at this than I will.”

  “Whitney,” Dax said looking into her eyes. “You can do this. You’re safe inside the house. All you have to do is use your eyes.”

  “Okay, okay,” Whitney said shaking her head.

  Blake and Dax exchange a quick glance that Whitney hadn’t seemed to notice. But I did.

  Blake ran his fingers through his hair. “All right,” he said with a deep exhale. “Put your mask on. Let’s go.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Blake checked his pistol before shoving it into the back of his pants. He opened the front door and carefully checked in every possible direction multiple times.

  He curled his finger for Dax and me to follow him out of the house. We jogged across the street and quickly stepped into the house. All three of us were breathing heavily even though it hadn’t been that far of a run.

  “We’re in,” Blake said into the radio before clipping it back into place. Whitney mumbled something back that I couldn’t understand. Perhaps Blake hadn’t understood either because turned to me instead of responding to her. “Where is the stuff?”

  They followed me through the house as I pointed to every place I’d put the food. “Oh, and there is a bunch in the basement too.”

  “This is already a lot,” Blake said. “We’re going to need to take multiple trips.”

  “I need to pack up a few things from my room, okay?” I asked.

  “Not a problem,” Blake said. “We’ll stack stuff by the front door.”

  I spun on my heel and stopped at the front closet to grab a backpack. It was buried under a pair of Freddie’s old work boots. I hesitated as I moved them to the side and picked up the backpack.

  There was a bit of mud crusted to the side of the bag that fell to the floor when I gave it a gentle shake. I was tempted to sweep away the dirt but then I remember Freddie wouldn’t be coming home to complain about it.

  Blake and Dax glanced in my direction as they set the first few items by the door.

  “Do you have any plastic bags or anything?” Blake asked.

  “Yeah, under the sink,” I said walking backward toward my bedroom. “I’ll just be a second, sorry.”

  “Take your time,” Blake said but then froze in place. “Within reason. We want to get back as soon as possible.”

  I smiled at him. “Of course.”

  I dashed down the hall and into my bedroom. It felt strange to be in my bedroom with all my stuff exactly where I’d left it. Of course, it would be but still, it felt like someone else’s things.

  I grabbed a couple pairs of jeans, underwear, and a few t-shirts and shoved them into my backpack. There were probably other things I should have taken but I
couldn’t think of anything. I wanted to make sure I had enough space for a few of Maddie’s things. She was probably desperate for a change of clothes too.

  I stopped in Maddie’s room and smiled when I saw her favorite t-shirt from her drawer. It made me miss her so much I couldn’t hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I refolded the shirt and put it in my backpack along with a few of her other things.

  I sat down on the edge of the bed and hugged the full backpack to my chest. It had been awkward to be in my bedroom but it was depressing to be in Maddie’s. There was so much of her in the room.

  “Kit,” Blake said gently knocking at the door.

  I quickly wiped away the tears and cleared my throat as I looked up at him. “Yeah? I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize,” Blake said. “I just wanted to let you know we have everything ready to go. At least I think we do.”

  “Okay,” I said sniffing so hard it made me wince. I pressed at my temples. “Dammit.”

  Blake scratched the back of your neck. “Well, whenever you’re ready.”

  “Yeah, I’m ready,” I said. “Sorry I wasn’t more help.”

  “You apologize a lot,” Blake said.

  “Force of habit.”

  “Sounds like a bad habit you need to drop.”

  I stood and swung the backpack over my shoulder. “Yeah, I really do but I’ve been doing it so long I probably won’t ever be able to stop.”

  “Why?” Blake asked. It looked as though he’d stopped himself from saying more. “It’s none of my business. Anyway, I didn’t mean to interrupt... I just wanted to let you know we were ready.”

  I lowered my head and the tears started to roll down my cheeks again. It was so hard to make my feet move out of Maddie’s room. I felt close to her, even though I knew she wasn’t here. She was miles away in Chicago, waiting for me.

  “Okay,” I said frantically wiping my cheeks dry. “Sorry about this.”

  “You’re doing it again,” Blake said stepping into the room. He put his hand on my shoulder and guided me toward the door. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.”

  “Shit,” I said trying to overcome the weak feeling in my knees.

  Blake stopped. “If you need longer, just say so.”

  “No, no, I’m good. It’s just hard.”

  “You’ll get to her,” Blake said looking into my eyes. “I’ll help you.”

  I wanted to tell him that I wouldn’t allow him to put himself in danger but I couldn’t find the words. Getting to Maddie was something I was going to do on my own.

  I started walking but my steps were small. Blake walked with me, stepping to the side to let me out of Maddie’s room first.

  “Whitney said she thought she heard gunshots,” Blake informed me when we were out of the room.

  We didn’t even make it to the living room when Dax held up his palm. He was standing behind the curtain looking out of the window tapping his index finger to his lips.

  “Shit. Wait here,” Blake whispered as he pressed down on my shoulders as if sticking me in place before walking over to the window.

  I didn’t wait. I followed close behind him, staying away from the windows.

  Over Dax’s shoulder, I could see a small group of people walking down the road. It wasn’t like how it was when the people with the sickness came through, these people were definitely not sick but they were armed.

  “I know that girl,” I said.

  Dax looked over his shoulder. It was as though he hadn’t even known I’d been there.

  “She works at the grocery store,” I said with a shrug. “She actually checked me out when I bought all this stuff.”

  “Well, cashier girl is with a bunch of guys with weapons,” Dax said.

  “We probably don’t need to worry about them though, right?” I asked.

  Blake shook his head. “Let’s hope not but they’re not wearing masks.”

  There were four men in the group and two younger women. One of them looked to be as young as nineteen. They were laughing and smiling as they made their way down the road.

  The group didn’t stop at any of the houses. They walked as if they were going somewhere.

  At the end of the road, they stopped. Two of the men raised their guns and pointed them at something down the street.

  My body shook with each pop of their guns.

  “They’re shooting the sick,” Blake announced.

  “Are we sure they are sick?” I asked. I couldn’t see what they were shooting at from where I was standing.

  Blake opened his mouth to answer but quickly closed it. He turned back toward the window and squinted.

  “Why aren’t they wearing masks?” I asked. My eyes widened. “What if they’re immune?”

  Blake shook his head. “Maybe. I doubt it though. Either way, they’re stupid. Really stupid.”

  Neither Blake nor Dax took their eyes off of the group and after they left, they continued to stare in the direction they’d gone off in. Whitney’s shaking voice cracked through across the radio.

  “Are they gone?” she sniffed. “Are you coming back? Come back, please! I’m so scared here alone. I think I heard someone at the back door.”

  “Did you hear someone?” Dax asked rolling his eyes. It seemed as though he didn’t believe her.

  “I heard a noise,” Whitney said.

  Blake sighed before pushing the button the radio. “We’re on our way back.”

  “Thank God,” she said.

  Blake shook his head before turning to Dax. “Carry as much as you can so we can limit our trips.” He turned to me. “Is there anything else you need while you’re here?”

  I shook my head. There was probably more I would have liked to have but my mind was blank.

  Dax and Blake threaded their arms through four bags on each side. I was only able to take four but I was able to open the door.

  “Let’s go,” Blake said. “Move quickly.”

  Blake’s house seemed as though it was much further away than it had been when we’d left. We moved quickly across the street. Whitney pulled the door open when we were several feet away.

  She stepped to the side and Blake and Dax made it to the living room before setting the bags down in the middle of the room. Dax rubbed at his forearms.

  “I think we can get the rest in two trips,” Blake said.

  Whitney frowned and grabbed Blake’s hand. “Can’t you take turns so someone can stay with me?”

  “It’ll be quicker this way,” Blake said.

  “I don’t want to be alone,” Whitney whimpered. “And someone should check the back to make sure someone isn’t out there.”

  Blake patted her hand before pulling away. “I’ll check.”

  “Maybe you should wait here,” Dax said glancing at Whitney.

  She was looking around nervously and her eyes were red. Not because she’d caught the sickness but because she’d been crying.

  “Yeah, okay, but I’d rather help,” I said listening to the sounds of Blake at the back of the house.

  “He boarded up the back door,” Dax informed me. “You probably noticed that, though.”

  I nodded.

  “Just keep her company,” Dax said before joining Blake at the front door.

  Whitney whispered something to him as she shot me a look. He smiled at her but she didn’t return it.

  She locked the door as they left and walked over to the window where Blake usually sat. The windows had been boarded so well, I couldn’t see anything.

  “Can you see them?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she replied. “They’re already on your lawn. They move fast without you, I guess.”

  “Oh, sorry,” I said gripping the straps of the backpack tighter.

  Whitney didn’t need to know I’d grabbed a few things before having a breakdown in my daughter’s bedroom. She wouldn’t have even cared if she had known.

  “Here they come,” she said flapping her hand
at the door. “Let them in when I say so.”

  It wasn’t even thirty seconds when she told me to open the door. I followed her orders and Blake and Dax rushed inside and set down several more bags.

  “Done?” Whitney asked.

  Blake leaned forward, taking in several slow breaths. “Not yet.”

  “How much is there?” Whitney asked.

  “Another trip?” Dax said.

  “Maybe two,” Blake corrected. “This is hard on the old arms.”

  Whitney smiled. “You’re not old.”

  “Thirty-eight isn’t young,” Dax teased.

  “I don’t think it matters how old you are when you carry bags on your forearms,” I said.

  Whitney turned to me and blinked slowly. It was like she’d just remembered I was there.

  “Well,” Blake said with a cough, clearly noticing the tension. “Let’s get the rest of the stuff.”

  Dax nodded and they left the house without uttering another word. Whitney went back to the window, doing her best to ignore me.

  “What is it about me you don’t like?” I asked. As she turned slowly and looked me up and down, I wished I could take back my words.

  “I just don’t know you. I don’t trust you,” Whitney said.

  “I don’t know you either,” I said but that didn’t help matters. Whitney turned back to the window. “I’m just a mom waiting to go get her daughter.”

  Whitney snorted. “If it were me, I’d already be on the road. Nothing would stop me. But I don’t have a daughter and probably never will.”

  I opened my mouth but for several seconds nothing came out. “I wanted to leave. Blake convinced me to wait until it was safe.”

  “Maybe he’s right.” Whitney shrugged. “It’s just that if it were me, I’d be gone.” She waved her hand at me. “Open the door.”

  “Huh?”

  “Open the door for them?” she said narrowing her eyes at me. “Hurry!”

  I opened the door and they both stumbled inside carrying even more than they had been the last time. Dax dropped his bags at the door and looked up at me.

  “We didn’t want to make another trip,” he said.

  “Thank God,” Whitney said stepping over the bags and locking the door. Her eyes connected with mine for a brief moment. “Always keep it locked.”