“Sure,” I said. “You remember the way I assume.”
“This place isn’t that big,” Henry smirked.
After they were gone and the living room was empty, I sat with Gage and Shawn. Gage’s fingers were weaved together, his elbows resting on his knees.
“You’re sure about this?” Gage asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“I don’t know,” Gage said. “I’m getting a weird vibe about all of this.”
Shawn’s head bobbed.
“Winter and Becki carried away in a river but both Henry and Clara survive. It just seems bizarre,” Gage said.
I wasn’t sure if it was or not. It wasn’t that long ago that Brooklyn had suffered in much the same way. Of course, I wasn’t going to mention that to Gage. I knew the event still weighed on him.
“It just seems like the best option,” I said. “If I know where they’re going, maybe it’ll help. Maybe I’ll be able to help.”
“Just know, it makes me uneasy,” Gage said.
“Stevie can take care of herself,” Shawn said. “You know that.”
Gage chuckled. “Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m not putting up a bigger fight.”
He pressed his palm against his mouth and leaned back with a heavy sigh.
“It’ll be fine,” I said as I stood. I took a step closer and placed my hand on Gage’s shoulder. “And I know you’ll do a great job taking care of everyone.”
“I’ll do my best,” Gage said.
“I’m going to pack a few things and get some extra rest,” I said. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to get me.”
Gage smiled. “We’ll be fine.”
Morning came quickly. Before I knew I was hugging Gage good bye.
It felt like I was still asleep… inside my dream. Even with Shawn at my side, it felt insane to be walking away from our home.
I turned and Gage waved. Everyone was out there watching us leave. Even Kieran had left her post to say good bye.
It was absolutely awful to be walking in the rain and mud again. There were several times I wondered what the hell I was thinking.
We had it good. Would all this really be worth it?
My calves ached before we stopped for the night. We were tucked inside a small shed with metal walls and a door that creaked with even the slightest breeze.
The night got cold. Each of us sat with our back against one of the sides as if we were holding the shed together.
“We have all these little locations where we know it’s safe to stop,” Henry said rubbing his hands together.
“How do you know it’s safe?” I asked. “There are others out there.”
“Of course,” Henry said. “But they’ll want to be saved too. We all want the same thing.”
I huffed. “Are you sure about that? I mean, sure we all want to survive but some might want things to go a different way.”
“Are you saying you don’t want to follow the laws laid out by the Government of the United States?” Henry asked.
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’m saying others out there may not want to. What makes you think you’ll be able to convince them to come with you before they blow our brains out?” I asked.
“Gruesome,” Henry said. He pulled out two pistols. “This is how I know.”
My eyes narrowed. Not because they hadn’t bothered to tell us they were armed but because Henry thought that somehow that would protect him from others.
“I’m quite skilled with these little things,” Henry said gazing at the guns with a nearly lustful look. “Clara too. Although she’s not as good as me.”
“I guess that’s why they picked you two to go out and find survivors,” I said.
Henry grinned proudly. “That’s right. Much better to have a position you actually want rather than one you're forced into. Makes everything so much easier.”
“You two should get some rest,” Clara said. “Traveling is so much easier when you’re not exhausted.”
Henry cleared his throat as his eyes moved from Clara to me. “My dear friend, Clara, is one hundred percent correct. Go on, get some rest.”
There was no way I was going to be able to close my eyes. It was a good thing I was used to getting very little sleep because I probably wouldn’t get much over the next few days.
I drifted off for a few moments here and there throughout the night. Every time I peeked between my eyelids, I saw Henry with his eyes open, staring at the slightly cracked doorway.
I wished I would have made me feel safe to have him watching but it didn’t. When morning came, I was relieved even though I knew I’d have to step back out into the rain.
We walked for several miles. Henry’s feet moved quickly as he led the way. It was odd but I didn’t feel as though we could have been more than five miles from the compound.
“Where is the river that swept the girls away?” I asked.
“There is no river,” Henry said.
My ears started to ring. My stomach felt heavy.
“Sorry?” I said swallowing hard as I glanced at Shawn. “What do you mean?”
“There was no river,” Henry said stopping and turning to face me. He was ten feet away from me but he suddenly felt very close. “People are gullible. You’re gullible.”
I narrowed my eyes. Shawn took a step closer to me as both Henry and Clara put their hands behind their backs.
Henry smirked and raised a brow. “We’re going to take your place.”
19
Joss
Robby smiled at me. “Let’s go into town. Check out some of the shops.”
“Why?” I asked shaking my head.
“Because we can,” Robby said. “I have the day off… we might as well enjoy it. We don’t
