“What do we do now?”
“We move on.”
Mason nodded. It sounded like the right thing to do.
ARIES
“Daniel?”
The figure on the floor rocked back and forth, but his eyes remained closed. Aries moved around to the side, trying to get a better look at his face. Daniel’s eyelashes were fluttering, but he didn’t wake up.
From behind her she heard the sounds of people. Nathan hissed her name. She could see their flashlights from across the store.
“I’m over here,” she half whispered, half shouted.
Aries turned her attention back to Daniel, still sprawled out across the ground beside her. She couldn’t believe it was him. She’d spent countless hours remembering their brief conversations, playing his words over and over in her head like a broken record. She never thought she’d see him again.
But here he was.
Serendipity?
There was a deep cut on his forehead. He was no longer bleeding, but his hair was matted from where the blood had drained out while he slept. A small red stain spread out like an inkblot on the yellow tiling. His face was pale with the exception of a bruise on his cheekbone.
She picked up the flashlight he’d been holding. It was small and blue. The same one she’d given him. He’d kept it. Not just kept it; he’d been holding it. Did that mean he thought about her, too? This was an entire store filled with better flashlights—why did he still have this one?
She smiled, even though she knew it probably wasn’t anything worth getting excited over. But still, it might be a sign. A good one.
The black jacket covering his body didn’t look very warm. The corner of the sleeve was torn. Something shiny stuck halfway out of the pocket. Without thinking, she reached over to touch it. The object was metal and cold to the touch. She pulled it out, a small switchblade with blood on the blade. Shuddering, she dropped the knife on the floor.
He moaned and his eyes fluttered again. She was worried that he might be sick, so she placed her palm against his forehead. His skin was boiling.
“Aries?”
She jerked back in surprise. Daniel’s eyes stared up at her, dark brown and piercing but still rather dazed. He looked past her as if she wasn’t really there.
“You remember me,” she said. Her stomach gave a little leap, as if she’d just gotten on the roller coaster at Playland.
“Aries, but you’re a Gemini.”
She nodded.
“I’m happy you’re alive. I thought you might be dead.” He tried to hoist himself up on his elbows but winced instead, his head resting back on the cold ground. All his strength seemed to drain out over the tiles.
Yes, she was alive. Anger flared through her, if for only a moment. He’d left her after making a promise. For the past several weeks she’d thought about all the things she’d say to him if they crossed paths. Why did he help her and then disappear? How come he knew so much? He’d told her this would happen—he knew people were attacking and that the world was ending. How did he know? How come she knew? She remembered her conversation with Ms. Darcy before she left.
Something bad is about to happen. It’s already started. I know you’re feeling it too. It’s like an electric charge. I can’t explain it. I’ve been sensing it for weeks.
She had been feeling it. At the time she didn’t know what it was. It started small, a strange sensation in the back of her brain that swept across her nervous system, like receiving dozens of small static shocks. She’d thought she was coming down with something. When the earthquake happened, she’d been too distracted with Sara to fully understand it. But afterward, trapped in the abandoned apartment, she’d had plenty of time to work through the details. Her thoughts always returned to Daniel. He was the key. He knew something that she didn’t.
But now, with him lying on the floor, looking so wilted, she couldn’t bring herself to verbally attack him. Her concerns and fears changed to whether or not he was dangerously ill.
“Looks like I’m doing better than you,” she said, reaching out to touch his forehead again. “You’ve got a fever. How long have you been sick?”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. Comes and goes.”
“Do you think you can be alone for a few minutes? I’m going to get you some Tylenol from the pharmacy section. I should get you up on one of the bed displays. It’ll be warmer.”
He smirked and started coughing violently. She waited for him to finish.
“I’ve been alone for a long time. I can handle a few more minutes.”
“That’s right. You don’t care much for company.”
“Aries?” Joy appeared with Nathan by her side, staring down at the unconscious boy in surprise.
“This is Daniel,” Aries said. “Remember? I told you about him.”
“The guy who helped you after the bus crash,” Joy said. Her eyes lit up immediately. “I’m Joy. This is Nathan.”
Daniel blinked a few times, trying to hold back the pain. “I’d shake your hand but I’m not sure I have the strength.”
“Are you okay?” Nathan asked.
“He’s got a fever. Maybe you can help me get him onto one of the beds.”
Ignoring Daniel’s protests, the three of them managed to get him over to one of the displays, where Aries helped him lie back on a bright pink bedspread. She grabbed a blanket off the shelf and covered him.
“We should check the pharmacy,” Aries said. “Maybe we can find something that’ll help.”
Joy nodded. Nathan looked a little uncertain. Aries grabbed his sleeve, pulling him along whether he liked it or not. “We’ll be right back.”
Daniel didn’t say anything. Closing his eyes, he relaxed into the pillow. It wasn’t like he’d be going anywhere soon.
“Sorry we’re late,” Nathan said once they were out of earshot. “Had a little bit of trouble. Took us a while to shake them. Man, those psychos can run.”
“I lost my bike,” Joy said. She was bleeding from a cut on her arm, but aside from that they seemed fine. “Nathan had to double with me. Not fun.”
“Good thing you’re light as a feather,” Nathan said. “Otherwise we might not have gotten out.”
“They brought me down,” Joy said. “Pulled me right off my bike. One of them tried to bite me. Can you believe it? Just like a bloody zombie movie. I would have been toast if it hadn’t been for Nathan. He’s my new hero.”
“We were lucky,” he said. “I managed to knock one of them out. It felt amazing. I haven’t been in a fight since I was a little kid. What happened to you?” He’d noticed Aries’s torn jeans leg.
“Took a spill,” she said. “Cornered too fast. My own fault. Luckily I’d already lost them.”
“We’d better find something for you, too,” Joy said. “That might get infected. Does it hurt?”
“Yeah, it stings but I’ll live.”
“We’d still better be careful,” Nathan said. “Do you think you can trust that guy? I mean, how well do you really know him?”
“I can’t believe you found him,” Joy said. “What are the odds?”
“It’s weird,” Nathan said. “Why is this guy here of all places? And he’s just sleeping in the store when the back door was unlocked? Does he have a death wish?”
“He’s sick. Maybe he just got desperate. And he doesn’t like groups,” Aries said. “He’s got this idea that people are safer being alone.”
“Not me,” Joy said. “I don’t think I ever could have gotten this far by myself. But aren’t you mad at him? He left you, right?”
“It’s not important,” she said. “He’s here now, and he needs help.”
In the pharmacy department, they found the fever medications, but there were a lot to pick from and she was momentarily overwhelmed.
“This one’s good.” Nathan handed her a bottle filled with burgundy liquid.
“How do you know?”
“My mother was a nurse. She always kept this stuff on hand. It
tastes disgusting. But it works.”
“Okay.” She opened the box and slipped the small bottle into her pocket. “Anything else? I mean, what if he needs more?”
“Give him some Tylenol.”
Joy grabbed the closest red-and-white bottle from the shelf. “Got it.”
“And you’re going to need this,” Nathan said, pressing a bottle of saline solution and some gauze bandages into her hand. “For your leg. You’re bleeding.”
She’d forgotten about her own problems. They seemed so unimportant compared to everything else. But Nathan was right. She’d have to clean herself up or she might find herself with a nasty infection. Such things could be fatal in this new world. A clean pair of jeans would help too.
“Look.” Aries glanced back toward the housewares section, but of course she couldn’t see anything from where they were. “We’ve got to change our plans. I can’t leave him, and I doubt he’s strong enough to travel. I think you guys should get the stuff we need and head back without me for now.”
Nathan looked at her in disbelief. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“I’m not leaving him. He saved my life.”
“It’s not safe.”
“It’s as safe as anywhere else,” Aries said.
“But we need you,” Joy said. “Who’s going to carry your stuff? We promised the others.”
“Look,” Aries said, taking both Joy and Nathan by the arms and leading them away from the pharmacy. “You can take my bicycle. There’s a whole bunch of them in the sporting-goods section. I can always grab another. We can get one of those baby carriages that attaches to the back of the bike. You guys can carry more stuff that way without being slowed down. And I got some handheld receivers from electronics. We can keep in touch now. You’ll be able to reach me whenever you want. I’ll be back as soon as he’s well enough to travel. One day, two tops.”
“I don’t like it,” Nathan said. “And I don’t think the others will either.”
“I owe him my life,” she said. “I have to return the favor.”
An hour later they were ready to go. Both Joy and Nathan were loaded up with the goods, but not enough to slow them down if they got in trouble. Aries made sure of that. It was still dark outside, but in the east, the sky was beginning to lighten. If they were going to leave, it had to be now.
“We’ll call you when we get back,” Joy said. The handheld receiver was strapped to her backpack, making her look like an overburdened bicycle courier.
“Be careful,” she said.
“You too.”
Joy turned and unlocked the door. She pushed her bicycle through the opening, a tough job considering she now had a baby trailer attached to the back. Aries helped her navigate the stairs. Outside the air was cool and fresh. She could smell the salty scent of the ocean, along with faint traces of smoke. Because of the earthquake, then the looting and killing, a lot of buildings were still on fire. She couldn’t remember the last time the sky didn’t look like a giant smoke screen. Everyone’s clothes constantly smelled acrid.
“Lock the door behind us,” Nathan said. “If they break the window, go into the office. You’ll be safe there.”
While searching the store, they’d found a small office with no windows and a nice lock on the inside. If something were to happen, she’d be able to get Daniel in there without much effort. They’d be trapped, but at least they would be out of harm’s way.
“Will do,” she said.
Joy gave her a quick hug before climbing on her bike. Aries watched them ride off, wondering if she was doing the right thing.
Sighing, she turned and headed back into the building to wait for Daniel’s fever to break.
He hadn’t moved since she’d last seen him. She sat at the edge of the bed for a bit and watched his chest as he breathed. People always looked beautiful when they slept, vulnerable and innocent. She wanted to gather him in her arms and hold him tightly until he woke up. Reaching out carefully, she brushed a bit of hair away from his eyes. He didn’t move. Running her finger along his face, she was amazed at how soft his skin was. Her heart began to beat faster; she could feel it pounding in her chest. His mouth was parted slightly, straight white teeth barely showing. She touched his lips and then drew her hand away quickly.
In his sleep, he mumbled something she couldn’t understand. His lips curved into a slight smile. But at least he didn’t wake up. She wasn’t sure how she could have explained her sudden desire to touch him.
Embarrassed, she got up off the bed and pulled the covers over his chest, tucking him in gently to make sure he stayed comfortable.
Sitting down on the floor next to the bed, she removed her jeans and rubbed the saline solution over her wounds. It stung but not unbearably so. Gravel was stuck to her skin, and she picked out the pieces she couldn’t wash away. The process was painful, and it didn’t help that her muscles ached and trembled every time she jerked back in agony. Eventually she managed to clean herself enough to be satisfied, and she wrapped the gauze around her leg.
She threw her ruined pants aside and picked up the pair of sweatpants she’d found in the clothing aisle and put them on. At least they’d be more comfortable and less clingy than the jeans.
Yawning, she grabbed some pillows and a blanket from the shelf and made herself a little bed on the floor beside Daniel.
What would happen if the medication didn’t work and he got worse? It’s not like she could take him to the hospital. It was such a strange thought. There would be no help in this new world. Even simple things like fevers could kill.
“You’re not going to die,” she whispered in the dark. “I won’t let you.”
Covering herself up, she lay on her back, eyes opened, and waited for morning to come. It took a long time before her brain stopping working overtime with all the what-ifs and her eyelids grew heavy.
She didn’t mean to fall asleep.
She woke, disorientated, not understanding the sharp discomfort in her lower back and why she was lying on the hard floor. Sitting up quickly, heart pounding in her chest, she looked around wildly.
“Good morning.”
“Daniel?”
“Were you expecting someone else?”
Pushing her hair back from her face, she winced. Sleeping on a frozen floor was never a good choice.
“Bad dreams?”
She shook her head. “Nope, just forgot where I was for a second.”
“That happens to me sometimes too.”
“You sound a lot better.” She pulled the blanket aside and climbed to her feet. Stretched. Felt her joints pop in her legs and back.
“I am, thanks to you. I think the fever’s gone.”
“Really? Excellent.”
He did look better. Although his face was still pale, it didn’t look as pasty or sweaty. Last night she’d taken some baby wipes to his forehead and gotten rid of most of the blood. She’d covered the cut with white gauze and used nonstick tape to keep it in place. He looked like a wounded soldier straight off the battlefield. At least his eyes were no longer glassy and he focused on her without difficulty. Such an intense stare, as if he was drilling straight into her brain.
“You still have my flashlight,” she said.
He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “Of course. I knew if I kept it, you’d find a way to come back to me.”
“Um … I … ah.” Brilliant conversation at its best.
“But now that you know I’m healthy, you need to leave.”
“What?” She glared at him in disbelief. “No. It doesn’t work that way.”
“Yes, it does. I haven’t changed, Aries. I still don’t want to be in a crowd. You’re a nice girl and I like you a lot, but it’s not safe for you to be around me.”
“You said that before. I don’t believe you.”
“You’re still alive, aren’t you? Because of me. Because I took you to the school, even if I did leave you there.”
She couldn?
??t argue that. It was true. She decided to take a different approach. “Why are you against people? It’s worked for me. We need to stick together if we’re ever going to stand up for ourselves. You’re acting as if you’re one of those monsters.”
“Maybe I am.”
“You’re not. I’d know if you were.”
“Would you?”
“They’re crazy.”
“Not all of them.”
“They kill for no reason. That makes them crazy.”
A water bottle sat on its side where Aries left it last night. Daniel picked it up and took a long drink. “Some of them are crazy. I watched one of them break its own neck the other day. Got its head between two metal railings of all things. It tugged and yanked until the bones cracked. Took a long time to die. So yeah, some of them really are stupid. But not all. That same day, a group of them got together and burned a library to the ground because they knew people were hiding inside. They waited at the exits and pegged their victims off one by one as they tried to run. It was a calculated plan.”
“That doesn’t mean they’re not crazy.”
“Some of them could fool you,” he continued. “Some of them can talk normally. They can trick you into believing they’re innocent. That’s why you can’t trust anyone. Do you really know these friends of yours? Would you trust them fully with your life?”
“Yes.” She didn’t even have to think about the answer. Colin’s face, however, did flash into her thoughts, but only for a moment. He was too much of a coward to be a killer.
“You’re stupid, then.”
“And you’re nothing but an ass.”
“Because I’m trying to help keep you alive?”
“I don’t need your help.”
Daniel chuckled. “You know, I believe you’re right on that one. You’ve managed to do quite well. Very few people have made it this far. I’d ask you where you’re holing up, but I don’t want to know.”
“I want you to come back with me.” There. She said it. She had a million questions to ask him, especially how come he knew so much? But they’d have to wait until she got him somewhere safe.
“No.”
She wanted to grab him by the shirt and slap some sense into him. He infuriated her. What made him this stubborn? “Fine. Have it your way. But don’t expect me to come running the next time you can’t get off the bed.”