Deadlocked 5 (32 page)

I heard someone walking through the gravel behind me, but didn't bother to turn far enough to see. I wanted to hate the people of Vineyard for this, but I understood that this wasn't their fault. The conditions we'd been placed in weren't done to us out of spite, but rather out of pity. We were doomed, but the slight chance that some of us might be immune to the disease was enough to warrant this hellish journey. There was no other way for them to have compassionately brought us, and despite my rage over the conditions of the trip, I knew it would be misguided to blame the people that put me here.

The back gate squealed as the lock was loosened. One of the two doors opened and Hero stepped up to inspect the trailer.

"All right," he said as he looked around. "Do we have any survivors here?"

"Yes," I said and looked at Griffin. I was surprised to see that he didn't bother to answer. He just kept his head pressed against his knees. "There are at least two of us that are still alive."

Griffin kept his head down.

"Is that you, Cobra?" asked Hero.

"Yes. You can call me Celeste now." I kept my eyes on Griffin as I answered Hero. I was confused why my new friend wasn't speaking up for himself.

Hero walked through the center of the trailer, careful not to lean too close to the creatures that lined the sides. The zombies stretched out and bit at him, but he was out of their reach as he made his way to me.

"Hot damn, girl," said Hero. "I'd just about written you off."

"He's still alive too," I said and nodded at Griffin.

Finally, Griffin looked up. He shook his head at Hero.

"What?" I asked, confused. "You're fine. You're immune too. What's wrong with you?"

He avoided eye contact before setting his face down on his knees again.

"Griffin, what's the matter?"

Hero reached me and knelt down to unlock my chains. "Let him go, honey."

"What?" I was incensed. "No. He's alive. What the hell's going on? He's still alive."

"Give me a chance to talk to him," said Hero.

The chain around my neck was finally taken off, but the one that bound my hands was still in place. Hero reached around to unshackle me as I continued to yell at Griffin. "What's the matter? You made it, Griffin. Why are you just sitting there? What about Dexy?"

He turned to me and rested his cheek on his knee. He smiled, but it was a faint display. "I'm not immune."

"What are you talking about?" I was as heartbroken as I was angry.

"I've got the disease. I knew it was only a matter of time."

"You said we were going to make it. You said you were going to take me to see Juniper."

"You'll have to go without me."

Hero unlocked my hands and I swiftly pulled them free. I rushed to Griffin's side and Hero tried to stop me, but I pulled away from him. I crawled over to Griffin and pulled at the chain on his neck until the padlock swiveled into view. "Hero, give me the key."

"Honey," said Hero in sympathy as he knelt behind me. He pointed at black lesions that covered Griffin's neck. "He's not going to make it."

"What are you talking about? He's still alive. He's immune. We made it."

Griffin put his cheek against my hand and then kissed me. "I'll be okay, Celeste. I'm going to go be with Dexy now."

"What do you mean? You need to come with me to Juniper so that we can find her."

"Dexy's dead. Thanks for trying to hide it from me, but I know what happened. I know she died. I was there when Beach told everyone that Juniper had been hit with the disease. I lied to you, because you looked like you needed to be cheered up."

"Griffin," I was sobbing as I pressed my face into his shoulder. "Don't give up. You can still make it." I hardly knew the boy, but it felt like I was losing my only living friend.

"Honey," said Hero as he tried to pull me back. "We need to go."

"No." I jerked my shoulder out of Hero's grip and held onto Griffin tighter. "I'm staying here. I'm not going anywhere."

"Celeste," said Griffin. "I want you to go. I want you to find Juniper, and get up on that tower I was telling you about. Get up there and watch the sunrise. Trust me, it'll be worth it." He kissed my cheek.

"I don't want to leave you."

"I'm going to be with Dexy again. You don't have to worry about me."

Hero helped me stand up. I'd been crouched inside the trailer for so long that my legs wobbled beneath me. I was dripping with the sludge that soaked the floor and couldn't stop sobbing as I looked down at Griffin. Hero helped me walk away from him, and guided me to the back of the trailer where he held my hand as I stepped down. The undead monsters on either side of us mocked me as I passed, pulling at their restraints and snapping their jaws.

"Give me a minute," said Hero as he walked back towards Griffin.

The sun blazed above, and bugs zipped around, enticed by the smell of death that clung to me. I shook off some of the fluid and it struck the dry earth, causing dust to puff up with each drop. When I looked back into the trailer I could see Hero's back. He kneeled down beside Griffin and they were talking, but all I could hear was the distant murmur of their voices.

I turned away and stared out at the unforgiving, arid plains.

Then there was a gunshot, and I knew what had happened.

Griffin made it back to Dexy.