Into the Mist (Into the Mist 1)

“Are you drunk?” Mercury asked.

“Not yet.”

“Well, then. If we were being nefarious, we would’ve waited until you actually were,” said Stella.

“Tell her,” said Imani.

Mercury sighed and reached back into the bin for a sprouted potato. “See this?”

Gemma nodded slowly. “You mean that old potato?”

“Yeah, only it’s not old,” Mercury said. “It was just like the other one until Imani’s blood got on it. Right here.” She put her finger on the base of the sprout where the skin of the potato was stained dark red.

“So, you’re telling me Imani’s blood made the potato grow?”

“Yeah. Her blood can do that. So can mine and Stella’s,” said Mercury.

“Mine doesn’t make anything grow.” Karen held up her bandaged finger. “But I tried.”

“Neither does mine,” said Jenny. “Which is actually kinda annoying—especially ’cause I have a master’s in botany.”

Gemma turned to the woman beside her. “Here, Karen, hold my glass.”

“No problemo,” said Karen.

Then Gemma reached out her hand. “Gimme the knife and the spud.”

Karen patted her knee again. “Good luck.”

Stella leaned into Mercury and whispered. “Who would’ve believed that Karen’s a happy drunk?”

“Right?” Mercury whispered back. “And she’s way more messed up than I thought.”

Stella snorted softly. “I think I might actually like her.”

“I’ve been thinking the same. Must be hell freezing over.”

“Or it’s an apocalypse,” said Stella.

“So, now what?” asked Gemma as she put down the knife and reclaimed her glass from Karen.

Stella lifted her goblet as if toasting the teenager. “Now we drink and wait.”

Gemma took another sip of wine and nodded. “Yep. I like this waiting to see if I’m a superhero party.” She held her bloody spud up to eye level.

Karen said, “Honey, don’t forget your Band-Aid.”

Gemma glanced down at her thumb. “Don’t need it. It’s already stopped bleeding.” She put the potato next to her on the trundle but continued to watch it, so when she spoke, it seemed she was talking to the spud more than the women who surrounded her. “Do you think we’re the last people left alive in the world?”

Stella answered without any hesitation. “No, but it’s not ever going to be like it was just this morning.”

Karen sighed. “Just this morning. It feels like it was only minutes ago.”

“No,” Imani’s voice was flat. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”

Gemma looked up from the potato. “You seem like a really good mom; the kind of mom any kid would be lucky to have. I just wanted you to know that.”

Imani nodded but couldn’t speak.