by Maira Dawn
He gave her a small nod.
After swallowing, Skye asked him what his plans for the day were. Still circumventing her gaze, he said," I'm gonna go holler at Joe and see how he is doing."
The idea of getting out of this cabin for a while appealed to her and perhaps getting to know each other better would ease some of the tension. “Please, take me with you.”
Dylan sat back and at last, looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
“I need out,” she continued with earnest, “some air. We've all have been cooped up in here, and we're all on edge, and we need a change of scenery.”
Dylan grunted his agreement. He stared at his plate as he shoveled in another mouthful. “I got some places to check out, and I wouldn’t mind finding game out there. Can you be quiet in the woods?”
“As in not talking so much, sure I can do that.” Does he actually think I talk that often?
"As in not talkin at all." His expression showed it was doubtful.
Apparently, he assumes I do. Skye lowered her head so Dylan wouldn't see her frown. Two arguments in twenty-four hours were enough.
"I can't say a single word?" Skye flashed a wry peek back up at him.
"In the woods, you only talk if you have to. No scaring off the game. 'Sides, there's still a few Sick out there."
Skye nodded. "Yes, believe it or not, I can not talk at all."
He gave a quick nod, "Okay, we leave at 6:30."
Ugh. "What time is it now?"
"Four."
With longing, Skye looked over at her bed, piled high with pillows and blankets. "I'm going to go back to bed. Is the sun even up at 6:30?" she whined.
"Yeah, it is." Dylan shook his head as if in disbelief. "What kinda world did you live in before?"
"A pretty cushy one," she sent back over her shoulder as she started toward the bed.
Dylan snorted. “I can’t even imagine your life. You gonna come then?”
"Yeah, of course, I am."
Once everyone was ready, they decided Wade would take Jesse fishing at a nearby creek while Skye and Dylan went on the run for supplies and checked on neighbors. Jesse was so excited by the prospect that Skye couldn’t say no even though she would rather Jesse stay with her. So, she put her apprehension on simmer and helped Jesse get ready.
Wade was patiently as he stood and listened to Skye’s almost unending list of instructions for Jesse before blowing out a huge breath. “Is that all? And here I thought you’d be worried or somethin.”
Dylan snorted, and Jesse stifled his laughter behind a fist he shoved against his lips.
“Hey,” Wade said giving Skye a pat on the arm. “I get it. The boy is priority one. I’ll keep him safe, and I’ll even be nice to him. Well, as nice as I know how.”
When Skye’s eyes narrowed, Wade held up his hands in surrender.
There was no more Skye could ask, but she sent one warning as they parted. "I can't believe I am saying this to you and not the 10-year-old, but I better not hear you were acting up!"
"What you don't know..."
"Wade!"
“I'll be good, I promise! Or the boy can have at me when we get back.”
Skye gave Jesse a quick hug, smoothed his messy morning hair and hopped into the passenger side of Dylan's truck. As they drove down the driveway, Skye twisted to look out the back window searching for Jesse.
Dylan glanced at her. “You want to go with them?”
"Goodness, no! I hate fishing. It's so boring!" Skye’s confession earned her a rather disappointed stare. "I mean, I would fish to survive, if I need to. But not for enjoyment. I used to—oh wait. Am I allowed to be talking now?" Skye gave Dylan a mischievous smile.
Dylan scoffed and uttered a quiet chuckle before drawing out his answer. "Yes, you can talk now."
"Okay, just checking. I used to fish with my dad, to spend time with him. We would talk, or I would read to him, that was fun. But worms and waiting, um, no. Not really me."
Dylan gave a low laugh, then sheepishly glanced at her. "You ain't still mad at me?"
Skye puffed out a short breath and looked out the side window before replying, “Perhaps a little, but we all had a bad day yesterday, I wasn't proud of myself either. I don't like how I yelled at you and Wade.”
She saw his confused expression and continued, “I get it, you don't consider it anything, but it's something to me, and I don't like that I did it. It doesn't create harmony.” For the first time since meeting him, Skye heard Dylan utter a full laugh.
Skye giggled, more at seeing Dylan so amused than his reaction to what she was saying. “Go ahead and laugh. But there's so much conflict in the world now, and we aren’t certain it will get better.” She grimaced when Dylan gave her a look that said it would not. “We need to make peace where we can. Home shouldn't be a place of conflict. It should be a source of comfort, especially now.”
Dylan quieted. This was what he wanted, and Skye was the one that could teach him how. He wasn’t happy with his behavior the other day either. Even as Dylan was yelling, he was aware he shouldn’t have been. The fact was that shouting had been so much a part of his life he considered it normal conversation, and it was rare for him to recognize when he crossed over into it.
But yesterday, he'd known from her reaction. Skye had been angry but also scared and hurt. And when Dylan had looked at the boy, he had been frightened too. I don't want that. I don't want to be that.
Dylan agreed Skye had a point, a home should be a safe place. He and Wade had not had that growing up, but he needed to make this a good place for the boy. Dylan didn't want Jesse to think all men were like his dad.
"You need to just try, Dylan." Skye's words were gentle.
"I am tryin."
Skye nodded. “I’m aware it's difficult but try harder. Cause we’re all trying too.”
Dylan agreed and gave a small smile. "Okay, I agree to try harder to try."
Skye seemed happy with that and smiled back.
A few miles further and Dylan surprised himself when he said, "My dad." He hadn't intended to share his thoughts, they darted out before he could shove them away.
Skye said nothing, just waited patient as can be, as she often did when she wanted someone to "share". Dylan scowled, irritated at himself because now he needed to say something, or he would seem like an idiot. "Wade said he told you about my dad. Well, I called him yesterday."
Skye settled her hands on her lap and looked at Dylan with an interested expression. "Oh, did you?"
Oh, she's good. Just calm as ya please over there. Well, that's that. That’s all your gettin. Dylan straightened his shoulders and stared out the front window. Skye waited without a word. He remained silent for a while as his mind stewed, then let out an annoyed breath. "I called him. His other son answered. He wouldn't let me talk to him."
"Your brother?"
"Uh? Yeah, my brother, I guess."
Looking over at Dylan, Skye asked, "Did he say why he wouldn't let him talk to you?"
"He said Dad was out," Dylan said and huffed a sharp breath, "but I'm thinkin he just didn't want me to."
"Why?"
"There's been," Dylan hesitated, "difficulties before."
"But with everything going on, would he really refuse to let you talk to your dad?"
“I don’t know.”
"So, you're worried."
Dylan stiffened. "I ain't worried. Dad's tough, he can take care of himself."
"What's your brother's name?"
"John."
"So you called, and John answered the phone. He said you couldn't talk to your father and gave a vague answer why."
"Yep." The more Dylan stewed about it, the angrier he got.
"You're worried."
“I said I ain’t,” Dylan shot back. I ain‘t a worrier. Women worry, men act.
“It may feel like just anger, but it’s coming from concern you have about your father’s situation.”
When Dylan didn't respond, Skye cont
inued. “It's a time of crisis. Anyone would feel the same way.”
Maybe she's right. I’m concerned.
“It’s a normal emotion.” Skye said. “It’s not a weakness to worry about people you care about."
Dylan shot her a glance and nodded.
"Sometimes it's hard for us to recognize our emotions." Skye’s gaze was warm and soothing. "He's probably fine. Try again tomorrow."
Perhaps it was the drive, or the easy way Skye had about her, but for reasons he didn't understand, Dylan told Skye about his dad.
Dylan told her how he tried to get custody of him once he was aware of Dylan’s existence, how even though that didn't work, his mom had let Dylan go off with his dad for a time. He also told her where his dad lived, all the things his father had taught him and what his other family was like. Dylan wasn’t sure what Skye thought, but it lightened him to talk about it.
He rolled his shoulders. “It was... I can't even describe what it was like, gettin away from this house. Like a whole different life. It made me angry, so angry I had to live here at all. Then one day, Dad said I was old enough to choose who I wanted to live with. I thought it'd be no decision at all.”
Dylan stared at the passing scenery. “Til I realized Wade would be left behind, in that house, alone. Couldn't do it, I wouldn’t leave him.”
Dylan rubbed his face. "At least together we stood a chance. But alone..."
"I understand," Skye reached out a hand and laid it on his forearm. Dylan startled, then allowed it, but kept his face turned so she wouldn't see his pained expression.
It was hard for Skye to imagine what it had cost for young Dylan to give up the opportunity to remain with his father, to leave the place that caused him so much torment it still haunted him. To this day, he was unable express how wonderful it had been to be away from Virgil's house and with his own father.
Dylan had relinquished a sanctuary, and instead, stayed in a dangerous place. He had done this for his brother. Skye wondered if Dylan ever regretted that decision.
Five
Random Acts of Kindness
Skye leaned her head back on the passenger seat as she crossed her feet and put them on the dashboard. She watched the stands of trees go by as they drove down the stone and dirt country roads. Wind from the partially lowered window played with her hair. With a slow breath, Skye drew in the deep woodsy scent that held a hint of pine. I love that smell. There's nothing better.
Dylan laid out his plan for her. It was normal for him to do a country block around his cabin. While his friend, Joe, was on the route, so were other neighbors he liked to check on.
Curious, she turned toward Dylan, taking in his rugged profile, his eyes narrowed as he squinted at the sunlight. "How often have you been doing this?"
"Every few days I see if they need anything, and call someone to haul 'em off if they're sick. Hate to see them getting bad and wandering around."
Skye’s heart melted a bit at this rough man’s concern over his neighbors. Given the circumstances, she wasn't certain how many others would do what he was doing, and yet, that was the very reason Dylan was doing it.
“That is considerate of you, I am sure they appreciate it.”
Dylan grimaced and gave her a small shrug with his right shoulder. “There's not really a lot of people, way up here. If I don’t do it, I can’t think who could,” he said as if to excuse himself from any random acts of kindness.
"Hmm," Skye mumbled smiling.
As they reached the first neighbor, Dylan told her it had been a while since he'd seen them. The last time no one had come out to talk to him, so he had called the clinic to check on them. He wasn't sure what happened after that.
When they pulled into the driveway, Dylan sounded the horn and waited. In a short time, a young blond man that looked to be in his early twenties, and still healthy, came to the door. Dylan opened his truck door and stepped out but stayed close to the pickup. The men conversed from this distance.
"Hey, Dylan! Good to see ya! Looks like your doin good. Who ya got there?" said the young man.
Dylan introduced him as Bobby, but when he saw Skye pull the truck door handle to get out, he barked for her to stay in the car.
“Dylan!” Seriously? Bossy much?
Dylan didn’t even throw her a look, but said, “We don’t get out.”
“You’re out.”
“Don’t leave this truck, Skye.”
Okay, sure, I can do that. Skye popped out the open passenger window, sat on the door and waved. Technically, part of me is still in the vehicle.
"Hey, nice to meet you," she shouted over.
Dylan's head whipped toward her, and she gave him a sweet smile. Dylan shook his head before returning to his conversation.
“The whole family ended up sick,” Bobby said. “I gotta thank you, Dylan, for getting the clinic to send people out to get them. Tears rolled down his face as he continued, “Just Sis and me made it. Everyone’s gone or on their way to bein gone. It's been hard, real hard to lose so many.”
Sis came up beside Bobby, and linked her arm through his, patting him.
“At least some of us got through it, Sis is still pretty weak though,” Bobby said.
"Same thing happened to me," Skye said.
Sis lifted her head and yelled over to Skye, “You stayin around here?”
"I'm staying with the Coles until I can head home to Ohio,” Skye answered. “It's where my family is."
Dylan asked if they needed anything before they left. When they answered no, he raised his hand in goodbye and got back into the truck. Skye waved and hopped down onto the seat.
"What do you think they're doing for food?"
“Same as we're doin. Scavenge the empty houses. Live off the land. If he needed anything, he woulda said," Dylan reassured her as he backed out of the drive and headed down the lane.
On their way to the next house, Dylan uttered a short groan in the back of his throat.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Skye asked as she glanced at him, then looked left and right.
Dylan tipped his head toward his side of the road. Skye leaned forward and scanned the woods before coming to a startling halt. Her stomach clenched when she noticed a woman sitting on the ground, leaning up against a tree.
Clothes torn, the small woman had also lost one of her tennis shoes, her bare foot peeking out from beneath a thigh as she sat on it. Deep, red scratches covered her exposed skin. Her dark blue hands rested in her lap as if she were seated at a religious meeting listening to a sermon. Her head seemed bowed in prayer.
"Oh, no," Skye whispered, "What is she doing out here?"
"I reckon she's gone," Dylan said in a resigned tone.
Tears came to her eyes. “Gone? You think she's dead? That's terrible!” Skye whispered, her voice breaking on the words. “How terrible.”
“I’m gonna make sure.” Dylan opened his door.
"What? No!" Skye grabbed his arm and pulled to hold him back. "That is dangerous. Isn't that dangerous?"
Dylan looked down at her hands gripping his bicep and said, "You just want to leave her here, then?"
"No, that would be... I don't know. You can't touch her, or get too close and breathe after her if she is alive. I don't know, what do we do?" she asked, confused between what was right and what was unsafe.
"I'll get out, walk a bit closer and see, that’ll tell us who to call," Dylan said pushing open his door. "You stay here. Inside the vehicle this time."
"Okay, but I can help, if you want me to...," Skye’s voice trailed off. She hoped he didn't want her aid in any way. "Please, please be careful."
“I will, Skye. I don’t plan on dying today.” Dylan’s calm voice reassured her, and after a quick look at her, he stepped out of the truck.
Dylan slammed the side of the truck bed with his hand causing a loud, metal bang. Skye jumped and eyed the woman. If she were alive, she should have stirred. The Sick didn’t like loud noises. But the woman didn�
�t move.
The closer Dylan got to the sick woman, the tenser Skye became. By the time Dylan made his way over to the woman, Skye was on her knees in the driver's seat. One of her hands clenched the steering wheel, and one gripped the back of the seat, to the point of numbness.
When Dylan crouched down in front of the woman, Skye sucked in a sharp breath and held it. When he leaned forward to peer into the woman’s face, Skye feared that breath would become a scream. Skye bit her lips closed.
Dylan stood and backed away. Skye blew out a long, ragged sigh.
Dylan walked back to the truck and yanked the driver's door open. He looked her up and down. "You're lookin a bit peaked."
“I was worried!” Skye’s glanced back at the woman. “Is she gone?”
"Yeah," he sighed. "Guess I'll try calling somebody. If not, me and Wade will need to do something."
“You can't! It could make you sick.” Even as Skye said it, she realized what a dilemma this was. It wasn't right to leave the dead woman here, nor was it healthy. On the other hand, it could make them sick to be near her. Her voice fluttered. “This is bad, so bad. Let's hope that someone answers.”
Dylan climbed in the truck and peered at an anxious Skye. His hands twisted on the steering wheel. “It’ll be okay. Like I said, I dealt with this before.” Skye acknowledged Dylan, and they continued on, but the discovery had marred the beautiful day for Skye. “Have you seen others when you’ve been out before?"
“Yeah. Some gone, some Sick and wandering. They can be anywhere, even walking the woods. Not much I can do but call someone. I give ‘em some food or water if they take it.”
"I haven't seen many up close. Are the Sick coherent enough to be aware they need help?"
"Some are. Some mutter about finding someone or trying to get to the doctor. Others," Dylan shook his head, "I don't think they know where they are. They just mumble around. But you got to be careful, lucid or no, some come after ya."
Skye's thoughts went to the video she had first seen on YouTube, she shivered. "Violent without provocation?"