Mr. Beard grabbed me and pulled me to my feet. “We’ll start with this one. Let them all watch.”
“Maybe that will change their minds. They’ll see we are the future. That we can save them from the horrors of the world,” one of the men said.
My eyes darted around the room frantically. Looking for something that could save me. I kicked my legs and moved my shoulders side to side, trying to break free of Mr. Beard’s grip.
“Let her go!” Shawn shouted.
Muffled noises escaped from under the tape of the others sitting around. Squeak and squeals. Grunts and growls.
One of the men walked over to Shawn and slapped a piece of duct tape over his mouth. Shawn sneered. The others had wrinkled brows and the girls sobbed… even Kieran was upset.
Lucy was… missing.
She wasn’t there.
Had something happened to her?
Oh, dear God.
Anger burned my veins. I needed to do something to help the others.
Mr. Beard lifted me off the ground and I kicked my feet as hard as I could into the face of the guy next to him. His eyes rolled around. I managed to get in another kick before Mr. Beard pulled me away.
The guy dropped heavily to the ground. Mr. Beard wrapped his arms around my body tightly.
“Holy shit,” a guy said as he dropped to his knees next to his friend. “She knocked him right out.”
Four.
Shawn rolled to his side and kicked the guy who was checking on the guy on the ground. A heavy thud echoed inside the room.
Three.
I could feel Mr. Beard lean forward to look around me to see what had happened. I threw my head back as fast and as hard as I could.
Mr. Beard dropped me. I managed to land on my feet.
“Stop!” the guy they’d called Dave shouted. “Enough!”
Dave raised his gun but he couldn’t decide who to aim. He pulled the trigger, putting a bullet into the wall.
“Shit,” Dave said seconds before I saw a shadow.
I panicked and flopped down to the ground. I pulled the second gun from the back of my pants at the same moment the shadow came around the corner.
Dave hadn’t noticed Lucy. She crept up behind him and raised the heavy cutting board over her head. She howled as she bashed it down on top of his head with all of her strength.
Two.
Still on the ground, I aimed my gun at Mr. Beard. He clicked his tongue and wagged his finger. “Turn around.”
I didn’t want to but I knew something was wrong. The big guy had his gun pressed against the back of Shawn’s head.
28
Joss
Again, I waited to fall.
I didn’t.
I was still standing.
The guy in front of me started tipping. At first, slowly but then he fell down like a domino.
Confusion wrinkled my brow. I turned to the side and heaved but nothing came out.
Jenna grabbed my hand. She was still holding the gun in her shaking hand.
“We have to move,” Jenna said picking up Clover. “No time for puking.”
I followed her. It didn’t feel like I had a choice… or any control over my body.
There was a rattling sound across the street. Smoke billowed up around us. It was like we’d stepped into the clouds. Maybe I had been shot and was ascending to heaven.
“I can’t see anything,” Jenna said.
“This way, I think.” My voice cracked. It was hard to move my feet without Robby and Caleb at my sides. I questioned why I was doing it at all.
“Faster,” Jenna pleaded.
Explosions were erupting in every direction—gunshots slicing through the air close by and far away. Terrified screams echoed in the streets. The painful howls and cries, begging for help, were chilling.
We made it to the street where Marcus’s building was located. The windows were boarded up. Jenna hadn’t noticed the building.
“There,” I said pointing at the building down the street.
“Are you sure?” Jenna asked.
“As sure as I can be,” I said.
It was actually easier to see in the darkness. The fires that raged relentlessly, even with the rain pouring down, lit the entire town.
“Joss!” Robby called from across the street. He emerged from a bush clutching his stomach. “I knew you’d come this way.”
“Robby!” I squealed letting go of Jenna as I ran toward him.
His shirt was soaked in blood. He was hunched over but only made it several steps before dropping to his knees.
“We have to get inside,” Jenna said.
“You should,” Robby said.
“We should,” I corrected.
Robby shook his head. “Take this.”
“What is it,” I said as he pressed something against my palm.
I opened my hand and saw the blue stone sparkling in the light from the fires. It was the ring from the shop.
“We have to get him inside,” I said turning to Jenna. “Someone in there can help him.”
Robby slumped forward. He laid down on the road, half on his side. I watched as his glassy eyes attempted to focus on me.
“Help me lift him,” I begged Jenna.
She crouched down but we couldn’t budge him.
“Joss,” Robby said calmly. “It’s too late. No one can help me.”
“I’m not leaving you,” I said with tears stinging my cheeks.
“You have to,” Robby said with a smile. “You have to keep Jenna and her baby safe.”
I sniffed so hard it felt like something was stabbing my brain. “There is no way I’m leaving you. Go inside, Jenna.”
“I think they’re gone,” Robby said looking at Jenna. “Take anything you can find but it’s more important you leave. Head south. Get as far away from this place as you can. Okay?”
“Okay,” Jenna said.
“I’m sorry, Joss,” Robby said. “This wasn’t supposed to be our ending.”
My fingers were shaking as I touched his cheek.
