by Marina Epley
Somebody’s voice awakens me before dawn. I see Wreck kneeling on the floor a few feet away. He’s holding an open switchblade, his eyes glazed and scary-looking. The knife is pointed at me.
CHAPTER 32
“Wreck,” I whisper. “What are you doing?”
He abruptly turns to face me, wild-eyed. I shuffle backward, remembering the switchblade under my pillow, the very one he gave me. But then I realize how a knife wouldn’t be of much use against him.
“Kris,” I whisper.
He lunges at me. I scream. He wraps one arm around me, pinning both arms to my sides. He pushes me back down to the floor and gets on top, covering my mouth. I freeze, my heart pounding heavily. I don’t understand what’s happening. I don’t recognize this guy. He’s not the same one who helped me kill a chimera, or who soothed me the night before. This is a vicious and dangerous stranger, one who may easily hurt me.
“No screaming,” he whispers, and I feel his hot breath on my neck. “If you scream, you’re dead.”
He holds me tightly, his weight pinning me against the floor. I know he’s too strong for me to fight off. Feeling helpless, I let out a small whimper.
“Please,” he says, breathing heavily. “Be quiet. They can hear us.”
Who can hear us? I want to ask, but his hand presses against my lips, silencing me.
Wreck flinches, turning his face toward the doorway.
“They’re here,” he whispers. “Please be quiet, Violet.”
I nod, realizing that he doesn’t recognize me. He picks up his knife, scrambles to his feet and creeps over toward the doorway. I sit up, watching him in shock, feeling as if I’m still dreaming. He lets out a startled yell, turns around and takes off running. He smacks into a wall, knocking himself flat on his back, and quickly crawls off into a corner. I cover my mouth to suppress a scream.
“Stay back!” he shouts, brandishing the knife in front of him. “Don’t come any closer. I’ll kill you!”
He isn’t looking at me, his unfocused gaze directed toward the doorway. I stare into the darkness, and for an instant I can see something there, some dark shadow, but then realize it’s just my imagination. We’re completely alone in the room. Wreck gasps, shaking as if being cold.
He’s mentally sick, I realize. I’m alone in the same room with a crazed lunatic. He didn’t mean to attack me, but tried to protect me from something only he could see. I feel terrified. There’s nothing scarier than a crazy person. They’re unpredictable, no telling what one might do. But part of me feels sorry for him and wants to comfort him, because I can certainly empathize with someone mentally impaired. Considering my persistent suicidal thoughts, I’m at least borderline myself.
So I crawl toward Wreck on my hands and knees. He stares at me, his eyes wide and glossy.
“It’s me, Kora,” I say shakily. “You’re safe. It’s all in your head.”
He sits unmoving, his expression frantic. He still holds the switchblade in front of him.
“They’ve killed everyone,” he says in a hollow voice.
“There’s nobody there. Just calm down, please.”
I move closer, wondering what the hell I’m doing. I know he’s in some sort of blackout and could easily cut me. I fight the urge to run outside, which is probably the most sensible action I could take in this situation. But I can’t leave him, can’t turn my back on him after his spending hours soothing me in my grief.
“It’s all right,” I whisper, reaching for his hand. “Easy now, you’re safe.”
I slowly remove his fingers wrapped around the knife handle and set it aside. I kneel beside him, carefully touching his shoulder. Wreck holds his head in his hands, shuddering and whispering something incoherent. My heart aches for him. I feel tears stinging my eyes, but can’t allow myself to fall apart right now. At least one of us must remain stable.
“Let’s go outside,” I say in a steady voice. “Some fresh air might help.”
I try to pull him to his feet, but he roughly grabs my wrists, stopping me. “No! They’re out there waiting for us.”
“Kris, we’re completely alone here.”
He shakes his head, “I can see them.”
“You’re hallucinating. Come with me. You’re safe.”
“No!” He shivers, shuffling away. “I can’t go outside. Please don’t make me.”
“All right. We’re staying right here then. Just relax.”
I gently touch his face and run my fingers through his short hair. He gazes into my eyes, his expression tortured.
“It’s not real,” I say. “It’s all in your mind.”
“What’s real and what’s not?” he whispers.
“I’m real, Kris. And I’m here to help you.”
He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer, pressing me into his chest. His hold is so strong that it almost hurts. I feel his body trembling.
“Please, don’t leave me,” he pleads. “They’re out there.”
“I’m not leaving,” I say, patting his back. “I’ll protect you.”
He pulls me down to the floor, still holding me tightly. We lie motionless, looking into each other’s eyes, and I realize how dangerous this situation really is. I know I can’t break his hold, can’t fight him off and there’s no clue what he has on his mind. He’s a mental case right now. Yet somehow, I don’t feel frightened. I feel sorry for him instead.
“Just relax,” I whisper. “Morning is coming. It’ll all be over soon.”
“Don’t leave me, Violet. They’ll kill us both if you go outside.”
I caress his face, letting my fingertips linger for a moment on his scar. “Just sleep. I’ll watch over you. Nobody will hurt you. I promise.”
Wreck closes his eyes, and I feel his body start to relax. His breathing normalizes and he soon drifts off to sleep. I remain still for several minutes more, just watching him, then slowly remove his arms from around me. I stand and walk over to my pillow. I pick up my switchblade, shoving it into my pocket and walk outside, mind racing.
What’s wrong with him? What caused his sickness? Who is Violet? Is she the girl he lost? What was he talking about?
Outside, I extract Gabriel’s knife from the tree trunk and turn it in my hand. I’m too wired to sleep so I head toward the river. A few rangers stagger toward me, carrying flasks, and I can immediately tell they’re drunk. I tense up, slowing my pace and readying myself. They walk past, minding their own business, and only nod slightly upon seeing me. I nod back.
I approach the river and plop down on the wet sand, watching the dark water. I can’t stop thinking about Wreck. I don’t know where my obsession came from, but realize I must learn the truth about him. I must find out what he’s been hiding from me. What’s his secret? Why did he once try to kill himself? Why is he helping me?
The scratches on my arm begin to hurt and my head grows dizzy. I stay at the river until sunrise.
***
“Hey Kora, want to throw knives?” Wreck asks when I approach him in the morning. He’s outside, tossing knives into a tree in front of his shack, his expression carefree.
“Wreck, may I talk to you?”
He grins, turning to face me. “What’s on your mind?”
I look him over, my eyes lingering on the switchblade in his hand. My mind is foggy. The scratches on my arm burn and my throat feels sore.
“Do you remember last night?” I ask carefully.
“What are you talking about?”
“You know what I mean.”
His grin widens. “You mean, something happened between us last night?” He laughs, giving me a dirty look. “Well… did you enjoy it? Was I good?”
“Stop it!” I frown, folding my arms across my chest. “Don’t even act like you don’t remember. You had some sort of panic attack last night. You scared the hell out of me. I know you remember.”
“Oh c’mon. Do I really look like somebody who would have a panic attack? You must have had a bad dream.”
“No, I didn’t! Stop denying it!”
His smile vanishes. “Don’t yell at me, Kora. I’m not gonna put up with that.”
“What’s wrong with you? Who is Violet?”
He doesn’t answer, his eyes dark and angry.
“Talk to me!” I exclaim. “Is she the girl you lost? What happened?”
“It’s none of your damn business.”
My hands start trembling. I want to grab his shirt and shake him, demanding he tell me the truth.
“Then how can I trust you?” I ask. “I know nothing about you. You’re some sort of lunatic. You scare me, Wreck.”
“That’s ridiculous,” he snorts.
“It’s not ridiculous!” I shout, my head spinning. “What do you want from me?! What are you planning?! Who are you, Kris?”
He glares at me, offering no answer. His mere presence feels intimidating. There’s something creepy and unwell about him. I take a few steps back, gazing at his knife. Drops of sweat pop out on my forehead. My legs feel weak.
“Stay away from me,” I mutter when he tries to approach.
“Dang, Kora! Have I ever given you a single reason not to trust me?”
“For sure,” I breathe out. “Lots of reasons. You’ve attacked me, put a knife to my throat. And you also kidnapped me and forced me to join your gang and…” I gasp, feeling suffocated. “You’re really strange. One moment you’re funny and kind, and then the next… you become violent… and…”
“Kora, are you all right?”
He takes a step toward me and I hold out my arms, motioning for him to stop. “Don’t touch me!”
“Kora, you’re pale and sweating. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
My legs give and I sit down hard on the ground. It feels like being underwater. Sounds become muffled and a blurry fog envelops me. I plop over onto my back. Wreck kneels beside me, feeling my forehead. I’m too weak to push him away.
“Oh shoot, you’re burning up!” he exclaims, his eyes widening.
“I’m just tired,” I mutter.
“Nah, something is not right.” He touches my neck. “Your pulse is too slow. Are you nauseous? Have a headache?”
“A little…”
“Open your mouth.”
I do as he directs. Wreck squints, tilting my head back and looking into my mouth.
“You have a sore throat,” he states.
He unzips my jacket, pulling it off, and examines the scratches on my arm. The skin around them is dark purple.
“I’ll be…” he breathes out. “Your scratches are infected. Why didn’t you tell me? This is no joke!”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s bad… It’s real bad. I think you’ve caught chimera fever. Hold on. We’ll fix you up.”
Wreck quickly scoops me from the ground and carries me effortlessly, as if I’m weightless. I sag limply in his arms. My eyes roll back inside my head.
“Stay with me, Kora!” Wreck commands. “Don’t you dare die on me.”
He starts running. I will myself to remain awake, but my mind drifts away. When I next come to, we’re at the edge of the village. There are several trucks parked along the street, and three rangers stand in front of us.
“Move out of my way!” Wreck barks.
“You’re not authorized to use one of these vehicles.”
Wreck bares his teeth, carefully places me onto the ground and lunges forward. I hear sounds of fighting, somebody’s cursing and then everything becomes quiet. Wreck returns and picks me up, carrying me toward the nearest truck. I catch a glance of the three rangers stretched out across the road.
I black out.
“Stay awake, Kora! We’re almost there!”
I open my eyes. I’m inside a moving truck, half lying in the seat. Wreck is driving.
“Where are we going?” I manage to wheeze.
“To my mentor. I got no idea how to treat chimera fever. It’s a rare infectious disease. I’ve never had to deal with it before. Just stay awake. Fight, Kora! Can you hear me?!”
Darkness.
***
I awaken in a soft warm bed. A few candles illuminate the small room. I feel sore and my head heavy. An old thin woman sits on the edge of the bed, mixing something in a steaming cup.
“Hi Kora,” she says in a soft voice. “How you feeling, sweetie?”
“I’m okay,” I mutter. “Where am I?”
“You’re in my home. Don’t worry. You’re safe here.”
“What happened?”
“You caught chimera fever from the infection. It’s very dangerous. Kris brought you here yesterday. You were unconscious. If you arrived an hour later, you could easily be dead by now. But don’t worry. You’ll feel better very soon. The fever hits hard, but goes just as quickly with the right treatment.”
I nod, too weak to speak. The woman smiles, watching me. She has short gray hair and kind, intelligent eyes.
“I’m Jin by the way,” she says. “And I’m very happy to finally get to meet you. Kris has told me a lot of things about you. You’re a very brave girl.”
I manage a small smile.
“Drink this tea.” She puts a cup to my lips, raising my head a little. “It will break your fever and help you sleep.”
I take a long sip of the sweet warm liquid, thinking of my mother. I close my eyes and pass out again.
CHAPTER 33
A soft hand gently caresses my face.
“You found her,” Amy whispers in my ear. “I’m so proud of you.”
Her excited laughter awakens me. It’s daytime and I realize I’m completely alone in the room. Bright sunshine pours through an open window. I don’t remember when I last saw sunshine.
Smiling, I sit up and look around. There are a couple of chairs beside the bed along with a small dresser and wooden table. Everything looks antique but clean and cozy. I feel relaxed. Using the side of the bed for balance, I get to my feet. I’m barefoot, dressed in a knee-length sleeveless nightgown, the type an old lady might wear. And it seems to me this nightgown is the only piece of clothing I have on. A quick glance underneath confirms my guess. I plop back down on the bed in a stupor. My memory is partially blank.
A moment later I notice a stack of clean clothes folded neatly on a chair along with my knives and bracelet. I pull on my underwear and socks, slip my feet into my hiking boots and exit the room. The house is quiet. Birds chirp cheerfully outside, providing another feeling of delight. I enter the living room where a long beautiful sword is placed on the wall above the fireplace. I cover my mouth, recalling what Maxine told me about the Amazons. I think of the old lady who gave me tea. What was her name? Jin? It can’t be her, can it?
“What’s real and what’s not?” I whisper.
I walk slowly outside and stop on the porch. Dense pine woods surround the house, and there’s a large vegetable garden out front. Whistling carelessly, Wreck carries a bucket of water, carefully watering various plants. His face is washed clean of paint and he’s wearing a gray t-shirt, casual shorts and his huge roamer boots. Dressed this way, he appears surprisingly normal.
“Looks like I saved you again,” he grins as I approach. “I believe the score is three to one now.”
I stop a few feet away, looking him over. “Well, thanks for saving me once again. What are you doing here?”
“Helping take care of the garden. All these herbs are for treating different illnesses. How are you feeling?”
“I guess I’m fine,” I shrug.
Wreck motions for me to follow, “Come with me. We gotta check you over.”
Back at the house, he leads me into the kitchen. There’s a table containing various bottles filled with unidentifiable liquids and jars full of dried herbs.
“Any headache? Nausea?” he asks in a businesslike voice, standing in front of me.
“No.”
“Open your mouth.”
I do as he says. Squinting, he takes a long look into my mouth.
“Much better,” he comments. “I need to check your pulse, all right?”
He stretches his hand toward my neck, causing me to flinch and take a step back. After Gabriel’s assault, I can’t stand for anybody to touch my neck. Wreck freezes, eyeing me over.
“Just give me your hand,” he directs.
He presses his fingers against my wrist for a few seconds, then touches my forehead. He takes a small bottle, pours something into a cup and hands it to me. “Drink this. It will help reduce your fever. And don’t worry, it won’t cause drowsiness.”
I obediently swallow the liquid, wincing from the bitter taste. Wreck unwraps the bandages on my arm. The skin around where I was scratched now has a normal color. He stuffs his mouth with some large leaves, chews them for a few moments and spits the green mass onto his palm.
“I know this is kinda gross,” he smiles, placing the chewed leaves over my scratches. “But it works really well. It’s a natural antibiotic.”
He quickly rewraps the bandage around my arm, his hands working confidently and fast.
“Thanks,” I say. “You’re really good at this.”
“Well, I’ve been assisting Jin since I was thirteen. So yeah, I guess I’ve picked up a few things.”
“You could become a real healer.”
“No, thanks. I enjoy hurting people much more than healing them.”
“Really? You truly enjoy hurting people?”
“What do you think?” he smirks.
I don’t know what to think about him. But I do remember how thrilled I became while I was punching and kicking Wreck. I recall furiously stabbing Gabriel. It felt good, releasing my pent up aggression. So maybe we are more similar than I thought. We’re both violent, messed up and just a little broken.
“Where’s Jin?” I ask.
“Jin and Maxie went to get us some supper. They left me behind to monitor your condition. But you looked stable, so I decided to water the plants.”
“Maxine is here too?”
“Sure. This is her home.”
“Oh,” I pause, remembering Maxine telling me that she lives in the woods with her mother. “Is Jin Maxine’s mother?”