Waterproof (5 page)

While the boys filled up the bottles, I continued to patrol the area. Something wasn’t sitting right with me. Zach barely made it out of her
e alive a day ago, and now we waltzed into their camp without so much as a shout.

“Vee, give me your bottles,” Zach whispered over to me. Without taking my eyes off the interior of the camp, I unhooked each strap and tossed them in his direction. When they crashed to the ground, he sighed loud enough for me to know he disapproved. I didn’t care. I n
eeded to figure out where all the deserters were.

Moving around the
front of the truck, I spotted one of their dwellings. A tarp hung between two minivan frames with clothes strewn out on lines and sleeping bags nestled underneath. The breeze forced the tarp to snap, and I worried someone would find me. But as I moved closer, I realized there was no one here to discover our intrusion.

Lying in front of the vans
were two bodies. Females. Both had been shot several times, and one looked like she’d recently given birth. In the days post war, malnourishment surpassed incidences of obesity in this country. Her swollen abdomen and puffy face had most likely only been caused by carrying a child.

As if confirming my suspicions, a small bottle rolled past my feet in another gust of wind. Where was the baby? Panic surged inside when I realized someone had either killed or kidnapped a newborn. Who would do such a
thing?

“Mercenaries,” Max said, answering my unspoken question. I looked up at him and he nodded. “There’s more over there. Fresh kills, but more blood than bodies.”

“They’ve been collected?” I asked.

“Looks that way.
We should get going.” Max handed me the full bottles and I slung the strap over my head and across the shoulder. The weight of the water felt good even though it would impede my fighting abilities.

“Maybe we should see what supplies they left behind,” Zach said, joining us with Jackson at his side.

We all looked to Max and I watched the dilemma pass across his face. We got what we came for, but there could be more valuable commodities inside. “Zach and I will go. You and Jackson take the water and wait for us in the woods.”

I wanted to protest, but at the same time it wouldn’t be prudent to argue with Max. A second later, my arms were filled with bottles and Zach and Max disappeared into the scrap yard.

“Come on,” Jackson said, adjusting the weight of our bounty and putting his crossbow away. “Let’s get out of here in case they find us.”

“I don’t think there’s anyone left.”

“Just in case,” he said. We both knew that once the mercenaries came through, no one survived.

Without sp
eaking again, we hustled across the open space and squeezed through the narrow exit. We didn’t stop until reaching the safety of the trees. Dropping the water to the ground, we knelt down and waited for our friends to return.

“So, you and Zach are together now?”

Startled with the question and the fact that it came from Jackson, I tried to hide my blushing cheeks. “It’s not like that.”

“That’s not what Hunter told me.” Hunter had apparently seen more than we thought. Jackson laughed. “It’s okay. You two should be together.”

He surprised me with that comment. I always knew Jackson had an interest in me, but I guess it didn’t go beyond friendship. “What’s going on with you and Carrie?” I asked, changing the subject.

Jackson shook his head.
“Same old thing. She’s a tease.” Again, surprised with Jackson’s astute observations, I found myself laughing.

“Yes she is. But you’re a good catch.”

He shrugged. “It’s too hard to think about caring for someone in this world.”

Jackson had never been one to carry on a long conversation, let alone such a serious one. “I don’t know,” I said. “It might be nice to have someone by your side no matter what.”

“Don’t we already have that?” He turned his head to look at me. “I mean, in our group.”

“I guess we do,” I smiled.
Before I could say anything more, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Zach and Max ran toward us, arms full and backpacks loaded down with supplies.

“Must have been a success,
” Jackson said. He stood to greet them, ending our brief but insightful conversation.

Was i
t worth having a relationship? I already loved the members of my group like my family. Even Trevor, if I had the guts to admit it. If Zach and I gave in to our feelings, would I protect him over the others? Over Hunter?

I joined the rest of the guys with
a false smile and confused heart, determined to set these thoughts far away in the back of my mind.

FIVE

Zach

Two days hiking through the rain were enough to frustrate even me. I doubted Sasha knew where we were headed, but decided to keep my opinion to myself. Morale among the group had been at an all-time low after we lost Alicia and Daric.

Normally rain would feel refreshing.
Back when the world was a different place, it would be a chance to cool off, collect water, or marvel at the way the element seemed to clean even the dirtiest of places. But this rain had changed. What was once nature’s savior was now too acidic to drink and slightly painful on bare skin. I wondered if I’d ever again be able to enjoy those days like my childhood.

Pulling the hood tighter around my face, I tried to block out the burning liquid and daydreams of times past. Thinking about that only made it worse. With no one left from my family and my group of deserters now down to eight, it felt as if it was only a matter of time before I lost it all.

Vee turned around and smiled at me. It had always been like she had a sixth sense about my feelings. Every time my mind drifted to unpleasant things, she’d inevitably say something to cheer me up. I returned her smile and hoped she would walk with me. For the last two days, we’d barely spoken to each other. She chose to sleep next to Hunter last night, leaving me cold and alone. I feared my lapse in self-control had tarnished the friendship, even though I knew she’d returned every bit of my affection. But I decided it necessary to give her some time and space. For now.

I was so wrapped up in my
nonsense that I ran into the back of Trevor before I could stop myself. “Hey!” I said.

“Watch where you’re going, ass,” Trevor spat back.

“Shut up!” Sasha shushed us and when I looked at her, she motioned us down to the ground.

Without saying another word, she ran ahead and disappeared
over the crest of a small hill. Sasha liked to be in control, and I’d accepted that a long time ago. Plus, Max would stop me if I tried to go after her.

A few moments later, her head appeared and she motioned us to follow her. The damp forest sent a chill th
rough my bones and I hoped she finally found a place for us to settle down for a while. We hadn’t heard the growling of mercenary engines in days. Perhaps it was time to take another break.

I let everyone walk ahead of me, checking behind us just in case we were followed. Never in a million years had I expected to be a protector. Now my watchful eye and skills with knives were what helped keep me and the others alive.
Once the crunching of leaves from my companions disappeared, I listened to the silence, straining my ears to hear what wasn’t there. The mercenaries.

“You
coming?” Hunter asked. He’d trudged back up the hill looking for me.

“Right behind you,” I said.

“Do you hear them?” Hunter’s voice squeaked at the end, either from puberty or fear. I suspected the latter.

“Not a peep.” I flung my arm over his shoulders
and started moving down the slope. “They won’t find us out here anyway.”

He didn’t speak and I knew
Hunter was now too aware of his situation to accept my optimism as truth anymore. I ruffled his hair and he jumped away, smoothing it back into place.

“Stop messing with my hair,” he said, still making sure each strand had a home.

“Why? You have a hot date?” Hunter’s face reddened and I laughed. “With who?”

“Shut up,” he grumbled and ran away
from me to join the others. Hunter had a crush on someone, and considering there were limited females in our group, it wouldn’t be hard to narrow down. I’d pick on him later tonight.

When I finally focused on where Hunter had run off too, I stopped walking.
In the middle of the forest sat a deserter’s dream. An abandoned cabin, an outhouse, and a fire pit worthy of a king. We’d found gold.

“Come on!” Hunter waved me down to join the rest of the group. Max and Sasha explored the
wood cabin while Vee and Jackson began unpacking the bags. Carrie laughed at Hunter who was making a fool out of himself dancing around the stone fire pit like he’d channeled a Native American spirit. The more he flailed about, the more she giggled. He did his best to impress her and I quickly realized who he secretly admired.

“I’m going hunting,” Jackson said, shoving his pack into my hand.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” I asked, annoyed with his pushiness.

“Just claim a spot for me somewhere.” He nodded toward the cabin. “Perhaps we’ll each get a room.”

“I’m going with him,” Vee said, dropping her bag by my feet.

“What?” I really hoped to spend some time with her once we took a break. “Why?” I knew I sounded slightly desperate, but I didn’t care. She couldn’t avoid me forever.

“It looks like we can stay here for a few days. The more food we gather, the more willing Sasha will be to let us rest a while.”

I knew Vee was right, but something evil stirred inside of me at the thought of her spending quality time with Jackson instead of me. “I’ll come too,” I said. But just as I set Jack
son’s bag on the ground, the troll shoved something hard into my hand.

“Nope,
loverboy. You get to dig holes.” Trevor’s ridiculous smirk boiled my skin.

I looked at the shovel he’d pushed at me, and then up at the cabin where Sasha and Max stood on the porch.
Small tree trunks made up the railings, perfectly blending into the surrounding environment. I wanted to hide like them, too.

“There’s an outhouse,” I said, tossing the shovel to the ground.

Trevor smiled again and pointed toward Sasha. “Her orders, not mine. Besides, the outhouse is out of commission.” He laughed at his own stupid joke.

Vee’s
hand lightly brushed my shoulder. “We’ll be back before you’re done.” I watched her force a smile that masked whatever war her conscience now brewed. Our fragile friendship was on the edge of the cliff. I desperately wanted to speak with her, to tell her that I could forget our kiss and go back to the way we were.

But could I? As I watched her disappear over the hill with Jackson by her side, I knew things had changed inside of me. Being that close to Vee filled a void I didn’t know I harbored.
Hormones be damned, our life of survival usually provided me with enough of a thrill to suppress all other emotions. But now she’d unleashed a beast. It killed me not to be hunting next to her.

“You better get digging. Time to impress Vee with your latrine abilities before Jackson has a chance to swoop in and steal her away,” Trevor laughed.

“Don’t you have something better to do?” I muttered, forcing a calming breath through my clenched fists. I really wanted to punch him again.

“Yes, I think I do,” he said boldly and sauntered over to Carrie and Hunter. I didn’t bother watching what Trevor did next. I’m sure it would have only pissed me off more. Instead, I walked around the back of the cabin and searched for a private place to put our own, homemade outhouse.

Slamming the spade of the shovel in the dirt didn’t calm me like usual. Thoughts buzzed through my brain about Vee, Jackson, Vee and Jackson hunting together, Vee and Jackson kissing. What was wrong with me? I knew Vee had boyfriends before the war, but I never remember seeing red this bad.

Jackson was a good guy. Smart, safe, handsome in some way
I suppose. He would take care of her and protect her. If she wanted to be with Jackson, I would approve. Eventually.

Shaking my head and jabbing the shovel deeper into the rocky soil, I realized
that was a lie. I would never want to watch Vee with someone else. She needed to be by my side. Fighting and laughing and hunting with me. I couldn’t let her go.

At twenty-two years old, I finally realized
how much I loved her.

Something clicked. N
ot out loud, but internally. I loved Vee. I loved her in a way I never truly allowed myself to love before. A calming wave of peace settled deep within my soul. Nothing could harm me. Nothing could take this feeling away. A realization like this probably only came once in a man’s life, so I vowed to soak up the warming glory as long as I could.

It wasn’t lon
g enough. Before I knew it, I’d created six holes and darkness encompassed our new camp. Laughing mixed with the crackling sound of splitting wood echoed around the cabin and called to me. A new noise broke through the din, causing a wide smile to break free from my face.

Music.

As I rounded the corner, the orange glow of the fire complemented the sweet sound of a fiddle drifting through the night. Max sat with his back facing the cabin and the small wooden instrument propped underneath his chin. With one foot tapping the ground, his body bounced in time to the fast beat and quick movements of his hands. The girls, including Sasha, danced wildly in front of him, trying to keep pace. Trevor and Hunter clapped their hands to the rhythm, laughing at the dancers and smiling like we hadn’t just lost two of our own.

Jackson split another log with an axe and tossed it on the fire. Embers flew up into the night sky, stirring a giggle from the girls, who acted like they were chasing fireflies. I’d never seen Sasha so relaxed, but when I watched her grab a bottle from the ground and throw back her head, I knew why.

They were drunk.

“Hey Zach!
Come join in the fun!” Carrie’s tinkling voice carried over the ever increasing pace of Max’s music. I had no idea what song he decided to play, but it started to grow on me and I found myself stepping in time with the beat.

“What’s going on with them?” I asked Jackson. He handed me
a piece of wood to start stacking near the fire.

“Max and Sasha raided the cabin and found the fiddle and some
very old moonshine.”

Taking a second to split another log, my eyes caught the light reflecting off
Vee’s hair. She’d let it down, and now nearly reaching her lower back, it mesmerized me like a mythical creature. Another log landed sharply in my hands.

“They’re acting like idiots,” Jackson grumbled when he saw what grabbed my attention.

“I think it’s good. We all need a break.”

Jackson’s grunt told me it was time to join the party. I’d let him wallow in…whatever was bugging him, on his own. I needed a break too.

“May I?” I asked Sasha with an outstretched hand. The alcohol hadn’t totally consumed her and she understood my question.

Passing the bottle to me, she smiled. “
There wasn’t much left, but enough for one night.” In the light of the fire, her cheekbones protruded from her face in a way that made her look sharp but pretty. I never realized that Sasha was an attractive female. Her fiery red hair, smooth face despite our hardships, and her ability to protect others put her on par with my Vee.

But not
quite at the same level. Max stopped playing and Vee and Carrie nearly tripped over each other in exhaustion. They laughed so hard I saw tears in their eyes. Hunter and Trevor stepped in quickly to scoop them up, and on cue, Max began to play a soothing melody. The foursome first danced together, then quickly partnered up - Trevor with Carrie, and Hunter holding on tight to Vee. The boy had grown, as he could almost look her in the eye. I suspected that in another year or two he’d reach his full height.

“Well, don’t just stand there
. Take a swig or give it back.” This new Sasha was entertainment enough for me tonight, but I decided to have a drink anyway. It had been a very long time since alcohol graced this mouth.

Holding the bottle up against the light from the fire, I noticed most of the liquid had disappeared.
Sasha shrugged when she saw me looking and I laughed. One sip would be enough for me. As I threw the liquid into my mouth, it took every ounce of control not to spit it back out. My tongue burned and my throat clenched with the blazing fire water. Before I could drop the bottle, Sasha scooped it back up.

“Looks like you’re good.” She smiled.

My face must have been contorted in pain because as soon as Vee saw me, she began to laugh too. Her smile stopped my heart despite the intense pain moving down my esophagus. Before the liquid reached my stomach, the tips of my fingers numbed and warmth settled around my chest.

And Vee looked more beautiful than ever.

“Can I have this dance?” I heard myself asking her without thinking. I couldn’t dance, but I’d do anything to touch her right now.

She giggled
and extended her arms. “You can.”

I grabbed her waist and
hand and proceeded to waltz her around the fire. We tripped over each other a dozen times before she finally let me lead. Dark hair flowed effortlessly around her face, and the intermittent flashes of light on her eyes sent shivers through my body. I gazed at her like she was the only girl in the world. And for me, she was.

“Why the serious look?” she asked, pushing her lips out into a pout. I tried
my best to focus elsewhere, since all I wanted to do was devour them.