Afflicted

Psyching myself up to go head to head with a load of high school kids moaning about things being unfair, I gathered the guns and ammo together. I wasn't too concerned about what the other kids would do but my main issue was with Katy and Reese. If they wouldn't agree to going on to the city without checking on their friends’ families then I might be in for an argument.

I shook my head to clear it. If it came to it, I'd just tie them up and throw them in the back of my truck. Their parents had given me a sanctuary when I'd needed it and I'd get their children to safety whether they liked it or not.

I jogged to the cupboard under the stairs and retrieved my pack. I gathered the rest of my things together while I was there, stuffing clothes into my bag and dropping my dad’s weapons on top.

I headed for the door and had to force the smile off of my face as I stood outside. I doubted I'd be back again any time soon and the pressure of those four walls lifted away from me as I left them behind. I wished I'd be able to build a better relationship with my mom but the truth was that I couldn't. She stayed by his side, covered and lied for him and even if I could have understood all tha

t, she chose him too.

I'd called her a few years ago, offering to take her away from him to live with me. Stupidly believing she wanted rescuing. But she'd thrown it back in my face, not even claiming fear as her reason. She told me she loved him. The man who'd beat her son black and blue every time he had too much beer or not enough.

If I never came back it would be too soon.

I headed round the side of the house to my truck and tossed my bag in the back. As I settled into the front seat, I realised I felt much more at home in it than I had in the house I grew up in.

I checked my watch; it was nine fifteen. With a bit of luck we could get to the city by ten and I'd be able to see them safely inside before lunch. Then I could leave Reese and Katy Lewis in the past with the rest of this place and get back to my life. A knot tightened in my stomach as I thought of saying goodbye and I resolutely ignored it.

I pulled my car around to their drive and parked up.

I checked the satphone again just in case Kai had found out anything else. I was tempted to put a call in to Hawker too, she was always quick with ideas but I really wasn't sure what we should be planning yet. If the city really did close their gates then I'd have a whole load of civilians to deal with.

A sharp tap on my window made me look up. One of the cheerleaders gave me a bright smile before slinking around the hood of my truck and opening the passenger door. She looked like she'd spent some time styling her platinum blonde hair and redoing her makeup. I wondered why she would have thought something so pointless was worth doing with everything that was going on.

“Kaitlyn’s just rounding everyone up,” she said as she slid onto the seat and closed the door behind her. I raised an eyebrow questioningly and she leant towards me conspiratorially. Not so subtly offering a view down her shirt. “I called shotgun.”

“Right. So what about Toby?” I asked.

“Who?” She fluttered her eyelashes at me.

“Your friend who was shot,” I explained. I could have sworn he was called Toby. Maybe it was Tony or-

“Tommy?” she offered.

“Knew it was something like that,” I sighed. Names weren't my strong suit. It was so much easier when everyone had them printed on their uniforms.

“I dunno. That was totally gross. I mean you're a complete hero and everything but I sure as hell wouldn't have been able to pull those bullets out of him.”

“Shotguns don't really have bullets like other-“

“And I haven't seen him since you finished fixing him up. But as far as I know he's okay.”

“Okay enough to get himself out here?” I pressed, wondering if she was being intentionally vague or just didn't care about him very much.

“Oh umm, probably…” She shrugged unhelpfully and I bit my tongue as I opened my door.

“Thanks Debbie.” I shut the door as she shouted something at me which sounded like she was repeating her name. Strange girl.

I jogged up the drive and pushed the front door open. A few of the kids were lurking in the corridor and a blonde girl with fading sunburn let out a scream as she spotted me.

“Sorry, Lincoln,” the brunette muttered as she shushed her friend. “He's helping us, remember Tara?”

The blonde stared at me with wide eyes and I flashed her a kind smile. Some people just weren't cut out for dealing with situations like this. Hell I wasn't even sure if anyone was cut out for dealing with this.

“You can head out if you're ready. We need to get going.”

“Is there anything outside that we should be concerned about?” the brunette asked. Chloe maybe? Or Zoe? Trust my luck to get caught up with such a big group of new faces. I'd probably do best to just avoid using names all together.

“It's all clear as far as I can tell but if you're worried then just wait for me. I'm just gunna get Tommy out in the truck. Have you seen Katy?”