by Maira Dawn
"But Tricia,” Skye entreated, “You should come to Cole's Mountain. It's so nice there. You can almost forget about all this. There are empty cabins right next to ours. I'm sure that Wade and Dylan could use more help, to do all the—you know—man stuff."
Tricia laughed as she rose to take out a batch of cookies and put another one in the oven. "I thought you were learning all the man stuff."
"Pfft, I'm not stupid. I'm still gonna let them make use of their own skills. And before you get all snooty about that, you better believe they are using my skills too. I've never baked so many cookies in all my life. I, admittedly, have few skills they actually need." Skye laughed. "Hence, the lessons."
Tricia eyed Skye. "I'm sure you're helpin them more'n you realize."
“Yes, I have to say my therapist skills are coming in handy.”
Tricia laughed. “I bet!”
Skye walked to the counter, pinched a bit of cookie dough and popped it in her mouth. “Oh, yum!" The sweet smell of warm cookies filled the air as she washed her hands in the sink.
“Tricia, please think about coming up to the mountain.”
Emotion played over Tricia’s face as she glanced around her house. It would be hard for her to leave her house unprotected.
Skye saw Wade bristle and stare at the other men. None of them seemed at ease. “Tricia, what's going on between them?"
Tricia looked down and shook her head. “History.”
Skye tilted her head. "What can you tell me?"
Tricia sighed and threw a glance at Tom before lowering her voice. "Look, if they say anythin, I didn't say a word." She peeked again into the living room then told Skye, "They all grew up together, great friends, inseparable. But it wasn't three boys then. It was four.”
Tricia choked up for a moment, then cleared her throat. “There was also a boy named Mark. Great guy, the kind of guy us other kids kinda looked up to. Of the four, Dylan and he was the closest. Once they hit their early teens, they started cuttin up. Not anything real bad, but drinkin when they got their hands on it, pranks. Boy stuff."
Tricia looked away and sighed. "One day, they were drinkin while they were cleaning their guns. Wade and Dylan got into a fight over the weapon. They weren’t aware, but the gun was still loaded. It went off. Mark caught it, right in the chest."
Skye paled as she raised her hand to her mouth.
Tears shone in Tricia's eyes. "Mark didn't die right away. 'Course they weren't all that close to Doc's, but they drug him all the way there. I saw them come into town. Mark still gasping his last ragged breaths. His blood soaking their clothes. I don't know how he lasted as long as he did.”
Tricia ran a hand along her cheek. “I’ll never forget the raspy sound of his breathing. The sheer confusion and panic on Dylan, Wade and Tom’s faces as they watched their friend die. We all felt so useless—there was nothing to be done. Those boys laid him right on the sidewalk and fell down beside him.”
Tears flooded Skye’s eyes as she listened to Tricia’s story.
"They lay there, gasping and crying. Their arms around him and each other. They stayed like that for a long time, like if no one moved, then no one died, and life would go on as it did before. Tom's dad and some deputies had to drag 'em away from Mark, kickin and screamin, especially Dylan.”
A tear fell from Skye’s face splashing on her arm. Skye remembered what Dylan had said yesterday. This is what he meant. He did understood what it was to kill someone. He’d killed his best friend.
Tricia went on. ”For a long spell, the boys weren't themselves. Tom and Wade were devastated, but Dylan blamed himself. He was like a ghost, here but not here. Soon after that, the Cole's mom died. Dylan just seemed so broken.”
Skye’s friend shook her head. ”Wade and Dylan got pretty wild after that, and Tom wasn't allowed to hang out with them anymore. By then they’d started livin in the woods. They came to school enough to pass, but they became wild in a different way."
Skye slowly closed her eyes. As if their abuse hadn't been enough. Had these men gotten one break in life? Ever? Her eyes sought Jesse. If she hadn't rescued him, his life would have turned out the same. Her eyes drifted to Dylan. "And the shooting? They weren't charged?"
Tricia shook her head. "Ruled accidental. Tom's dad took care of the legal end. Everyone was aware of what happened but no one who'd seen the boys that day would've reckoned they could be punished any more than they already were.”
Tricia tipped her head toward the living room. ”Ya asked me what‘s between them? I don't think they blame each other, but I reckon they're not healed yet. It's like Mark is sittin there with them, reminding them of who they're missin."
Skye scanned the men in the other room and noticed Dylan nodding her way. She turned her head to wipe at the stray tears on her cheeks before stepping into the living room and raising an eyebrow at Dylan.
"Tom's gonna fill us in on what's been goin on around here,” he said. “Reckoned you'd want to hear it."
Skye’s shoulders tensed as she settled into a green overstuffed chair. She wasn't sure she did.
Thirty-One
So Much
When Tom launched into stories of fires, gangs, and attacks, Skye realized again just how sheltered she had been on the mountain. The stories seemed surreal to her. For a few minutes she listened intently taking in all the morbid tales but finally her brain refused any more.
Instead it drifted to the familiar, comforting sounds and smells that always meant safety. Tom’s voice melted into the background as Skye picked up the sound of a metal cookie pan scraping against an oven rack—another batch of cookies.
Tricia’s oven door made a slight squeak as she closed it, and Skye anticipated the taste of the warm cookies as the spatula brushed against the pan when Tricia moved the cookies to the counter.
This place, where a person was safe enough to make dessert, was one far from the scenes of violence that Tom was describing. This is where Skye wanted to stay.
But Tom wouldn’t let her. "Skye." She turned toward Tom. His brow wrinkled with concern, he walked to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. Skye winced at the flare of pain from her injury.
“I’m sorry. You’ve been through so much, but you need to be aware of what’s going on," Tom said.
Skye nodded and whispered, "Yes, of course."
Tom settled himself on the arm of Skye's chair before continuing. Skye had two reactions to something grim, and they both knew it. When someone needed her, someone she could help, she was all business, approaching the problem with doctor-like precision.
But when that didn't or couldn't work, she switched to avoidance mode. It wasn't something she intentionally did. It just happened, as if ignoring the problem would somehow make it all disappear.
Skye had tried to avoid problems before, during the tragic events at college, the worst of her marriage, and the beginning of this disease. The strategy had not worked in the past, and it wouldn't work now.
“This is a lot," Tom said. "Something you—we—never saw comin. Remember everything you’ve already survived, and you can survive this too. I know you need a break, but there won't be one. I wish it were different, but it is, what it is. You can do this."
Skye gave him a little smile as she slowly twirled her bracelets. “Don’t worry. I’m okay."
Tom nodded and continued his updating. "I dug a ham radio out of the back of a closet at the station and am using it to get what news I can. I reached police or residents in several towns and even in the city. What we're all tryin to find out now is if there is a government left.
"We still got a few working police stations. By that, I mean that someone is on the premises, anyway. But it's like here in most towns, pretty deserted. Everyone is just tryin to keep the healthy people safe from the sick.
“We started dividing people into three categories, Healthy, Infected and Sick. Most Healthy in this area are tryin to help out where they can. Course, I heard from others that isn't alw
ays the case. There's some like those guys you met on the road yesterday, so we are keepin alert for those type.
"The Sick are just that—sick. They can't help their actions but need rounded up when possible. They're spreading the disease and are a danger to others when they become enraged.”
Dylan agreed.
Tom went on. "The Infected. There, we've got our hands full and then some. The Infected realize they're diseased and some feel like they don't have anything to lose. Some are fine, family people tryin to get along with what time they have left. But others are forming large groups, and they are bent on destruction. Homes, towns, people, whatever, they don't care."
Wade’s face grew red, and he let out a string of curses. Jesse’s eyes rounded and he looked at Skye, who shook her head at Wade and nodded at Jesse. Wade threw an apology to Jesse and slouched down in his seat.
Skye caught Tom’s eye. “I met some of them in Fenton. They came after me.”
Jesse walked over to Skye and stood beside her. “Were you scared?”
Skye wrapped her arms around the boy. “Very.”
Dylan glanced at Skye and reassured Jesse. "That's why we stick to the hills, Jesse."
The boy quickly nodded. "And why no one's gonna go anywhere anymore."
"That's right." Both Dylan and Tom replied in unison then shot each other a determined look.
Tom continued. "The Infected are the most dangerous in my opinion. They can hide their symptoms of the sickness and can have a bad attitude. They sweep through the towns, making them virtual ghost towns, taking supplies and leaving behind disease, death and destruction.
“They burned a town entirely to the ground and left nothing standing. Some large towns are okay and have a lot of healthy people, but they still battle the Infected and Sick. The National Guard cordoned some towns, but they aren’t holding. And one Sick person can infect everyone so being inside one can be more dangerous than being on one’s own, especially since the cordons often become a magnet for criminals.”
"Like the night I left here. Is that when everything changed here in Colton?" Skye asked.
"Yeah, hasn't been the same since. We ran that group off, but people got spooked and headed off to relatives’ homes in other areas. Some got sick." Tom lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose as the memories came back to him. "Many had quick deaths, others I moved to the Clinic at Weirstown since it was still open at the time."
Tricia moved to stand by Tom, taking his hand.
"You know what happened to our Doc?" Wade asked.
"Seen him right before he headed to Fenton," Tom said. "Someone in charge told him he was needed there, to help with the Sick. Packed up his whole family. He thought it would be safer with all the government help and medicines there. I don't think it worked out so well for him though."
"Why?" Skye asked.
"They're sayin the Infected rule the city now, and hordes of Sick walk through it day and night. Fires burn out of control and large portions of Fenton are gone."
"What about the Fenton hospital?" Skye's throat tightened. The conditions there were so unstable.
Tom shook his head. "AgFlu raged through the building. No one survived."
Skye leaned forward, her head sinking to her hands. Tom laid a light hand on her back and gave her a minute.
Her heart ached at the terror and despair those poor people must have felt, the older lady, the young man, and the pregnant woman. She thought of Anna Lynn trying so hard to keep everyone alive. Skye hadn't held out a lot of hope for them, but she wished she'd been wrong.
"The good news is the Healthy continue to be rescued in Fenton and some outlying towns,” Tom said. "Once we get enough people together, we will have a community, and then we can have some law and order around here."
Tom tried to reassure them, but it would take more than a community to stop all the bad that was happening. Skye nodded as if in agreement, because she understood Tom's orderly mind needed to believe there would be an end to the chaos so he could wade through the bad he dealt with every day.
Skye was beginning to see exactly what would be required. When evil takes over your existence, it isn't as simple as saying you want your life back. You have to fight for it.
As her mind swirled with the daunting future she saw ahead of her, but Tom uttered the words he knew would ground her, words that cut through her churning thoughts with crystal clarity.
"They're finding kids, Skye, a lot of kids. They're gonna need you."
Thirty-Two
The Good
As Tom moved from the bad news to the good, Skye felt a warm glow. This is what she needed to hear, how she would help. Unfortunately, broken children had always been part of the world, but it made her feel good to help put them back together.
The others nodded and smiled as Tom named all the friends that were alive and well as of the last check in with the other towns. More survived than she expected given the desolate condition of Colton. They’d left, gone higher into the hills or crossed state lines to get closer to relatives.
The few families remaining in town pooled their resources together, keeping watch as a group with each person able taking a turn.
Skye nodded. Smart. Kinda like a Neighborhood Watch 2.0.
But Trisha's shoulders sagged. "Who would've ever thought we‘d be in this situation?"
"Lots of people did, you just didn't listen to 'em," Wade said as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat.
The group exchanged looks. The man had a point. There had been no lack of end of the world scenarios.
“Well, we're in it now, anyway.” Tom stood and waved toward the door. “I usually take a drive through town before dinner. See if there's anything that needs taken care of."
"Yes, please, you boys, go with him," Trish said. "I worry so about him out there alone. He corrals up any Sick he sees all by himself."
"It can't be helped, Tricia." Tom ran a hand down his wife's arm. "Someone's got to do it, and I'm the one with the badge. That is the job, and I'm gonna do it until I'm told not to."
"I know." Tricia sighed.
"Better than them showing up here lookin for dinner, and us, when they smell it cooking."
Goosebumps trailed down Skye. Was this something she should watch for? She turned her rounded eyes to Dylan, and he nodded in agreement. Had the Sick shown up at Cole’s place when she was cooking? How many times had she fired up the stove without a thought, and all the while one of them were on the lookout? This was yet another way Wade and Dylan had helped Jesse and her. Every time I have this figured out there's another thing I don't know.
Jesse grabbed Tom’s attention before he left. “When you been out there, have you seen my dad? And do you know anything about Grandma and Sue Ellen?"
Skye's heart dropped at his question. His family had been on his mind, and Skye had only been able to give him small reassurances.
Dylan reached out and laid a comforting hand on Jesse's shoulder, and Jesse leaned into him.
"Well, I haven't seen your dad, Jesse." Tom was gentle but candid. "But that can be a good thing. Many of the Sick end up roamin through town at some point. I haven't been going out as far as your house, but as soon as there's a good day, I’ll check it. That sound good?”
Jesse nodded.
"Now your grandmother and Sue Ellen, a guy in their town on the radio gave me a list of survivors. Let me go get it." Tom walked to the other room and came back with a sheet of paper. "This is from two days ago, and Sue Ellen was okay." He leaned down to Jesse showing him Sue Ellen's name on the list. Jesse solemnly stared at it for a moment before looking back up at Tom, a smile breaking out on his face.
"I'm sorry to say your grandmother isn't on the list."
"That's okay." Jesse’s quick reply told everyone what they needed to know about that relationship.
“Who is she with?" Dylan asked.
“They didn’t tell me that,” Tom said.
"Any way to get her her
e?” Dylan asked. “She's Jesse's family. We take care of our own; it's what we do.”
Tom smiled. “Of course, I’ll see what can be arranged."
Tricia waved everyone to the kitchen. “Before ya’ll take off, have a snack. Dessert is ready.”
Skye sighed as she bit into the soft, chewy cookie. “As always, these are delicious.”
Tricia had to accept the grunts of the men, and that each grabbed a second one before the first had left their mouths as signs of approval.
Jesse couldn't be stopped from swiping a steaming hot cookie right off the pan.
Tricia glowed. "It's so nice to have ya'll here. Why don't you stay over? Just for the night?"
Tom agreed. “I could use the help with a couple of heavy chores I need to get to, if you can spare the time.”
“Everything's covered at the cabin," Dylan said as Wade nodded, "Any reason you can think of that we can't, Skye?"
Her lips curved in a smile. "Nope, everything is fine for me."
"Seems we're good then," Dylan said, while Skye, Tricia, and Jesse playfully danced around the kitchen. This time together meant a lot more than it ever would have before.
Dylan looked around the room. “You need me to go out and get somethin?”
“No hunting required,” Tricia said. “but some gathering. The neighbor’s freezer built-up a frost, half covering a big ham. You could chip that outta there. I’ve been hopin to have an occasion to use it.”
Dylan gave a sharp nod. “Easiest huntin I ever did."
Quickly, Tricia figured out the menu. "That ham, some sweet potatoes, greens-"
"Oh, I forgot. We brought you some squash!" Skye said. “and some other stuff.”
Wade clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Sounds like we're gonna be eatin good tonight!"
Later that night, Skye stared at the ceiling as she lay on the guest room’s bed. Tricia had made Dylan, Wade and Jesse comfortable in the living room.