When they got through this, she would start exercising on a daily basis. Running up and down the stairs or doing push-ups—whatever she could do to keep healthy.
She almost didn’t notice when Nathan hit the brakes. Pulling on the hand gears, she stopped hard, almost flipping herself right over the front tire.
“What’s going on?” Joy whispered.
“Over there,” Nathan said.
They all looked at once.
A block ahead, a group of people moved down the street. The darkness made it impossible to see any faces, but there were too many of them to take a chance on finding out.
“This way,” Nathan said. Turning his bike to the left, he jumped the sidewalk and headed straight into a courtyard. Aries and Joy followed.
“Do you think they saw us?” Joy asked. They were moving slower now. The cobblestone was slippery and the tires wobbled side to side on the uneven surface.
“Not sure,” Nathan said.
They passed through the courtyard and into the next street over. They continued in the direction of the store, but Aries knew something was wrong. It was too quiet.
They were waiting for them at the intersection. Two dozen people or so emerged from the shadows. They came from all directions at once, running, closing the gap.
“Split up!” Nathan screamed.
Aries turned her bike left, toward the closest group. She took the direct approach, straight through the crowd. Someone grabbed hold of her shirt, almost yanking her backward. She managed to stay on her bike by delivering a blind kick. She heard a loud grunt as her foot struck home, and the hand on her shirt loosened.
She didn’t look back to see how the others were doing. There wasn’t enough time. Hitting her brakes, she swerved to avoid a greasy-haired attacker, turned sharp toward the right again, and pushed all her weight onto the pedals, picking up speed but going in the wrong direction.
The street ahead was clear. Behind her, shoes slapped the pavement, and people screamed and swore, but the sounds began to decrease as she gained speed. She kept up the pace for a few blocks and then turned again. There was a path she knew would take her back in the right direction. There were no more sounds behind her, but she was too spooked to turn around and look. Up ahead she could see the road she needed to take. Increasing her speed, she pumped her legs with everything she had.
She hit the corner too sharp and felt the tires slide out from underneath her. Her jaw clamped down as she hit the pavement, cutting off the scream that should have come from her lips. Her jeans tore as she sailed across the ground; gravel and dirt bit through her skin, blazing a trail of white-hot fire against her leg.
When she opened her eyes, she expected to see a group of people staring down at her. But the streets were empty. She listened, but there were no more footfalls. No screams. Nothing. All she could see was the night sky glaring down at her. Pulling herself up, her entire body resisted, screaming at her. Everything hurt—even her eyelids complained.
But she couldn’t afford to listen.
Legs shaky, she picked up her bicycle from where it lay spread out beside an abandoned car. The forks were a little bent and the handlebars were scuffed, but the chain was still on and the tires looked like they’d turn. Limping, she pushed the bike a few feet to make sure it wasn’t broken. Climbing back on, she ignored the pain and started pedaling. When she got to the store, she’d take the time to check out her damage. Until then she’d grit her teeth and fight the throbbing mess that used to be her body.
It took her a few blocks before she got back on track. She wasn’t overly familiar with the area, and it was even harder at night with the shadows mixing up her sense of direction. But eventually she found the path that led along the inlet and farther into the city. She moved silently, aching, her heart beating rapidly against her chest.
She almost cried out in relief when she saw the store. It stood out against the night, the bright white building with miles of empty parking spots. It didn’t appear damaged. Even the windows were intact as she pedaled up to the front. She tried the doors, but they were locked. Cupping her hands against the glass, she peered inside but couldn’t see much. The store was dark, the aisles empty. Nothing seemed out of order.
It was a miracle that it had lasted this long without being looted. But they chose it because it was farther out in the industrial area and hopefully there’d be fewer people. Maybe this had saved it. The Costco was much closer, but it was in the middle of downtown, and they’d all agreed it was more of a risk.
She decided to head around to the back and see if the others were there. A small voice in her head spoke to her, asking her what she’d do if Nathan and Joy didn’t show up. She tried to ignore it, but it was strong.
She’d have to be stronger.
Behind the building, she climbed off her bicycle and pushed it as she walked the length of the store. The loading docks were at the other end. The big double doors were pulled down and locked tightly. She stepped up to the side entrance and tried the handle. If it was locked she’d have to try and find another way in. She didn’t know the first thing about breaking into buildings.
It opened.
Stale air hit her face. It was pitch-black inside. She stood at the door for a few minutes, listening to the emptiness of the building. If someone was inside they might not have heard her open the door. But if someone was inside hiding, wouldn’t they have locked the door to begin with? It would have been the first thing she’d do. She pulled out the flashlight Jack found back at the apartment block and turned it on, shining it inside the massive room. There wasn’t much there, lots of boxes, a receiving desk, and two hallways that led off in different directions.
There was no indication that anything had been disturbed recently. None of the boxes were opened, and the receiving desk had a thin layer of dust on it. She tried shining the flashlight on the floor, looking for fresh footprints in the dust. She couldn’t see anything.
Pushing her way through the back doors, she moved onto the sales floor, carefully scanning the area to make sure it was clear.
She stopped in electronics first to grab some batteries. They were a much-needed asset for the flashlights. At the Duracell section something caught her attention and she moved farther down the aisle. In front of her were dozens of handheld receivers. Walkie-talkies, her father used to call them. He had given her a pair when she was younger. They used to take them camping and talk to each other, pretending they were survivors in the wilderness. She pulled down two of the most expensive packages she could find.
She was about to move on when someone coughed.
She ignored the pain in her leg and spun around. The aisle was empty. Cold shivers ran along her spine. She’d definitely heard something. But from where? And who? It couldn’t be Nathan and Joy. They would have said something.
Cautiously she moved along the row, stepping quietly, preparing herself for the moment when something jumped out at her. But nothing happened. She turned the corner, holding the flashlight ahead of her body, ready to use it as a weapon if need be. But the main aisle was empty too.
Maybe she was hearing things. But then something caught her eye over by the bedding displays, a pink futon with purple pillows.
A shadow moved. She heard the click of another flashlight as the bright light shone straight into her eyes, blinding her. She squinted, trying to see.
The light fell away from her face as the person in front of her dropped to their knees. A man wearing a black hoodie and torn jeans rocked back and forth several times before toppling over on his side, the flashlight falling from his fingers. He didn’t make a sound as he landed on his stomach, his face away from her. Black hair spread out across his cheeks. She moved toward him, wondering if she should say something. She wished she had a proper weapon. She should have gone into the sporting-goods section and grabbed a baseball bat. Why didn’t she think of that before?
Aries moved closer until she could see the man’s face.
The breath caught in her throat.
It was Daniel.
CLEMENTINE
Her sneakers had a hole in them. She couldn’t remember ever wearing a hole through a pair of shoes before. Not like this. Not from walking.
She was tired. Her legs ached in a way they’d never hurt before. Her feet were on constant fire. There was a permanent knot in her lower back, and her shoulders hurt from carrying the backpack. She knew she should be taking breaks but was afraid she’d be unable to get up again once she sat down. For two days she’d continued down the road. Two days without seeing a single person. The latter she wasn’t complaining about, although in this new world she missed having people to talk to.
Dear Heath, I talk to you a lot these days. It’s kinda nice, although I wish you could actually talk back. I miss you. I don’t think I ever thought about it before. You were always there, even if it was just a phone call. But did we ever have full conversations? You’re my brother. Shouldn’t we have said more?
I really hope you’re alive and waiting for me. It’ll justify all this talking in my head. I’ll know that I really am reaching you and not a ghost.
She thought about the last sentence and repeated it a few times over in her mind. She didn’t want to believe but secretly accepted that there was a good possibility her brother no longer existed in this world. She tried not to think about it. She wanted to continue being the optimist. She needed that destination; if Heath was dead, then her journey was pointless. Where else would she go?
If you are dead and in heaven or whatever sort of afterlife you’ve discovered, tell Mom and Dad I’m doing fine and that they don’t need to worry about me. They raised one tough cheerleader daughter. Go team!
She stopped, reached back, and grabbed her water bottle, which had been filled at the last stream she’d passed. Taking a long drink, she barely even noticed the cool liquid slide across her tongue. Nothing tasted right anymore. Even her taste buds were exhausted. When was the last time she ate? She couldn’t remember. Food no longer held any interest.
Night came, but she barely noticed. Her feet continued to slap the pavement, one step at a time. Right, left, right, and again left. One and two and three and four, one and two and three and four, two-four-six-eight who do we appreciate? Yay, Glenmore Goblins! Football seasons and forgotten cheers haunted her mind. A repetition of rhymes echoed with each step. A few times she almost walked right off the road, only noticing when her shoes stumbled over grassy hills instead of pavement.
When she finally fell, it didn’t register in her brain until she was tumbling through the air. Surprised, she didn’t even have time to put out her arms to brace herself. She hit the grass sideways and rolled down the embankment and into the ditch. Landing on her back, she blinked several times before realizing she was staring up at the night sky.
It was glorious. Millions of stars glittered down at her, the moon full and bright, a perfect circle. She could see the craters etched on its surface. She reached out her hand and tried to touch it, but it was just beyond her reach.
“The Big Dipper,” she spoke out loud. “Cassiopeia. Orion’s Belt.”
These stars would always be here. Hundreds of millions of years in the future, when mankind was gone from this earth, they’d still exist.
How long till she was gone?
I’m going crazy, Heath. I’ve heard of that happening before. Lack of sleep can do strange things to people. I just need to rest, but I can’t sleep. I’m so afraid. I don’t know what to do. Help me.
There were no answers. Heath wasn’t taking her calls.
It was peaceful lying there in the ditch. She knew she should get up and continue on. But she couldn’t. Her legs finally decided they’d had enough.
I’m paralyzed.
The fear left her. Nothing she could do. Nothing except close her eyes. It would be so wonderful to do that.
So she did.
She woke with a start. Confused, she sat up abruptly, immediately scanning the area for clues. Her clothing was damp and covered in evening dew. She couldn’t remember why she was there.
As she pulled herself up, her knees popped, and her legs were stiff. Stretching, she walked back up to the road and looked around. She was in the middle of nowhere, on a road she couldn’t remember. Bits and pieces came back to her: tripping and falling into the ditch, staring up at the stars.
The sun was in the west. She looked down at her watch and saw it was a little past four. That meant she’d been asleep for over sixteen hours. She didn’t remember a single thing. There were no dreams, just blissful, obviously well-needed, deep sleep.
So that was the big secret, huh, Heath. All I had to do was walk myself to the brink of death before I finally managed to get some shut-eye. I guess in a way it was a good thing. I didn’t die. They didn’t find me. Maybe now my brain won’t start to freak out every time I try to sleep.
She took a long drink of water and started walking.
She found the main highway around six. She followed the sun and turned right. The road was completely empty, not even a single parked car that she could borrow. By seven the sun was beginning to set, turning the sky a brilliant reddish pink.
She didn’t exactly know where she was anymore. Maybe Montana. The countryside was changing. No mountains yet, but they were coming. She could see them just beyond the horizon, small, bumpy breasts on the landscape. Soon she’d be right in the middle of the Rockies. Hopefully she’d have a car again by then.
Dusk was completely upon her when she turned the corner of the road and saw the beginning of a town. Stretched out in between the trees was a gas station with a large parking lot filled with empty cars. She could see a sign up ahead but couldn’t read it from where she stood.
“Finally,” she muttered.
She would tread carefully. She stepped off the road and into the woods, determined to walk around to the back of the building first to make sure it was empty. But it was easier said than done. She was a prairie girl, used to wheat fields and flat open skies; going through the underbrush was alien territory. Branches snagged at her hair. Her arms collected scratches, and twice her feet got stuck in the millions of roots that seemed to have no purpose except to trip her up.
Ahead she could see a clearing in the fading twilight. Excited, she pushed herself along, climbing over some rocks and navigating a monstrous tree stump. The terrain spread out before her, a strange puzzle that required full concentration. Her focus was so intense, she almost walked face-first into the legs. A small yelp poured from her throat when she looked up and saw the body attached to them.
Scrambling sideways, she hit another one. The body jolted, spinning around lazily from her touch.
They were everywhere. Dozens of bodies hung from the trees. Some of them had their hands tied behind their backs. They swayed in the breeze. The ropes around their necks continued up into the high branches above. She moved forward into the clearing until she was surrounded. The smell hit her, assaulting her stomach, forcing the water she’d drunk earlier to rise into her throat. Pulling her shirt up over her nose and mouth, she held her breath.
She studied the clearing until she found a path that led her from the death site without her having to touch any more of the bodies. Running along the trail, she couldn’t get away fast enough. She didn’t stop until she came out at the side of the gas station.
She would go in and get what she needed. Find the keys to one of the parked cars and get the hell out. She didn’t want to linger. Not while all those bodies were so close.
The front doors of the gas station were busted. Glass covered the ground, and she carefully stepped over it, trying to make as little noise as possible. Inside, the place was trashed. The aisles were littered with chocolate bars, chips, and all other sorts of roadside goodies. Motor oil bottles had been opened and thrown against the walls, leaving a slippery pattern on the floor. Footprints led behind the counter, where the cash register lay opened and emptied. Cigarette pac
kages were strewed across the surface.
The glass doors to the cooler were shattered. Most of the items were gone, but she managed to grab a few bottles of water and a can of Pepsi that had a big dent in it.
Just beyond the counter were doors that led into the truck-stop restaurant. She decided to try her luck over there. More than anything else in the world she wanted to find food that didn’t come from a can. Stepping past a toppled gum machine, she carefully avoided the colorful marble-sized balls. The last thing in the world she needed was a broken ankle.
The restaurant was gloomy. The sun was almost completely set, nothing left but a bit of reddish glow. The blinds had been pulled down, the coffeepots smashed; the remains of month-old key lime pie stuck to the walls.
She wouldn’t have even seen the guy in the corner except he moved. Instantly she froze, debating how many steps to the door and whether or not she could get there before he grabbed her.
“You can relax,” he said. “I’m cool.”
He sat in the back booth, his hand cupping a mug, spinning it around casually as if he was simply waiting for the waitress to bring him a refill. He was young, around her age, his long brown hair combed back from his face and tucked behind his ears. She couldn’t make out his eyes in the fading light, but the look on his face was gentle. Sad. But everyone looked sad these days.
“Are you?” she asked. “Why are you sitting there in the dark?”
“No place else to go.”
She nodded. She completely understood that.
“But you can get what you want. I won’t move.” The guy held up his hands and placed them on the table. “I’d leave, but I just don’t think I have the energy.”
She moved closer to him. The voices inside her head didn’t scream to run. There was so much sorrow in his voice. If he was tricking her, then he was the best actor she’d ever met.
“You’re not going to run?” He sounded surprised.
She shrugged. “Should I?”
The guy chuckled. “I said I was safe, didn’t I? Maybe I need to be more cautious of you. But you strike me as normal. Though, what is normal these days? I don’t think I know anymore.”