Fear (Gone 5)

Sam looked out at the lake with some satisfaction. They had planned for this day, and amazingly enough, the plan had worked. All his people were on the water. The water they were on was drinkable, so there was no question of thirst. The lake provided a reasonable amount of fish, and all their stores of food were likewise in the boats.

And the kids could quite easily survive out there on the boats for a good week, maybe even two, without much problem.

If you ignored the fact that accidents would happen. And stupidity would happen.

And if you ignored the fact that the whole world might be dark very soon.

And that something was scrambling kids and coyotes together like they were making an omelet.

The only boat that didn’t pull out was the White Houseboat. Sam, Astrid, Dekka, Brianna, Toto, and Edilio met on deck, out where anxious kids peering from the surrounding mismatched watercraft could see them. (Sinder, Jezzie, and Mohamed had been packed off to other boats.) It was important to send the signal that they had things under control. Sam wondered how long that illusion would last.

“Okay, first things first,” Sam said looking at Brianna.

“I got it,” she said. She had her runner’s backpack. The one with a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun sticking through the bottom, turning the pack into a holster.

“Wait!” Sam yelled before she could disappear. “Find. Look.” He pointed his finger at her and leaned forward, making sure she heard. “And come back.”

Brianna made a fake wounded expression and said, “What, you think I would go and pick a fight? Me?”

That earned a laugh from everyone but Dekka, and the sound of that laugh was reassuring to the scared kids in the boats.

Brianna blurred out and Sam heard a cheer go up from multiple boats.

“Go, Breeze!”

“Yeah, the Breeze!”

“Breeze versus Whip Hand!”

Sam looked at Edilio and said, “Just what Brianna needs: a boost for her ego.” Then he said, “Anyone have any idea who was killed? Who’s missing?”

Edilio shrugged. He stood up, went to the side, and yelled to the boats. “Hey! Listen up. Is anyone missing?”

For a while no one had any suggestions. Then Orc, on the bow of a sailboat, and so heavy that the entire boat was two feet lower in the water at the front than at the back, said, “I haven’t seen Howard. But he’s always … you know … going off by himself.”

Sam met Edilio’s gaze. Both of them had already guessed it was Howard.

Sam saw Orc stand up, shifting the entire boat and in the process scaring Roger, Justin, and Diana, who were out there with him. He went below.

“It’s good you’re back,” Sam said to Astrid. “Orc trusts you. Maybe later…”

“I don’t think Orc and I—” she began.

“I don’t care. I may need Orc. So you may have to talk to him,” Sam snapped.

“Yes, sir,” she said with only a trace of sarcasm.

“Where’s Jack?” Edilio asked, looking peevish. “He’s supposed to check in.”

“On his way,” Dekka answered, and pointed with her chin. “I see him. He’s just dawdling.”

“Jack!” Sam bellowed.

Jack was a hundred yards away. His head jerked up. Sam stuck his fists on his waist and glared impatience. Jack started running in his powerful, bounding way.

As soon as he reached the dock Edilio demanded to know what he thought he was doing. “You’re supposed to be armed and you’re supposed to be at the Pit.”

“What’s going on?” Jack asked sheepishly. “I was asleep.”