Broken Dreams (47 page)

She held on tight to the steering wheel, and her arms were shaking. Finally, she said, “Should we pull over?”

“I think that might be a good idea. We can’t keep fighting through this fog just to risk crashing.” Sophie did her best not to say “I told you so”. “We’re close to the on-ramp. Let’s pull over near it and wait for the fog to lift some.” Claire nodded and carefully pulled the truck over, even though she was unable to see the side of the road. She was trying to hold it together. Not knowing what could be five feet or less in front of them terrified her.

Claire turned the truck off to conserve gas. “I’ll take first watch. I’m too jacked-up to rest.”

“Alright then. Thomas, hand me one of those blankets, please.” Sophie curled up against the passenger door, shutting her heavy eyelids.

“I’ll stay awake wit’ you.” That was the first thing Thomas had said for a while.

“Thank you, Thomas.” Claire was quiet for a few minutes. “You know, when we first met you, I wanted to knock you out, but you have turned out to be an amazing person.”

“Thank you,” he said with a bashful smile.

“What do you miss the most? Besides your family, of course.” Claire was trying to make conversation and get to know him better.

“Hmm…music. I really loved it. Music was my escape.”

“Once we get the iPod to Henry, he’ll have music in his truck. We probably should have grabbed the car charger from his truck before we left. Did you play an instrument?”

“No. We couldn’t afford that.” He looked sad.

“Well, Thomas, if it makes you feel any better, I tried and failed miserably.” They both laughed a little.

“So Nick can play the guitar?” He ran his fingers over the strings.

“Yes. I can’t wait until we can give it to him. Over the years, I heard him playing so many times. He’s amazing. And he can sing with the best of them. He has a real gift for it.”

A rush of warmth ran through Claire. She knew she was making the right decision to fall into Nick’s arms. It just felt like it should be that way. Like it always should have been that way.

Claire and Thomas talked for hours while Sophie slept. Claire hoped that she would sleep off her bitchyness.

***

The morning sun began to burn off the fog. When the warm rays broke through and settled on Claire’s face, she woke with a start, not realizing that she had fallen asleep. She looked at the passenger side, and Sophie wasn’t there. She whipped her head around, and saw that Thomas was asleep, lying across the backseat.

“Thomas! Wake up!” He jumped up, nearly knocking himself out on the back of the driver’s seat.

“Wha’?” he mumbled.

“Where’s Sophie?”

“Huh?” Thomas rubbed his eyes. He looked in front and saw she was gone.

“Oh, my god! Henry is going to kill me if we lose her!” Panic had taken over. “We have to find her!” She opened the truck door and jumped out. The fog was still lingering, but it wasn’t nearly as dense as it had been overnight. She wasn’t sure if she should call out to her.

Thomas got out, gun at the ready. Claire’s breathing was rapid and loud, and he held his finger to his lips. They both stood still and were as quiet as possible. Suddenly, Thomas held up his hand, signaling that he heard something. He slowly crept away in the direction of the noise. She was worried he would run into something he couldn’t handle. The sounds became louder and closer. Thomas held up his gun, ready to shoot. Then Sophie appeared out of the fog, and let out a short scream.

“What the fuck, Thomas? Are you trying to kill me?”

“No. You shoulda told us you left!” He was angry, only because he was scared that something had happened to her.

“You were both sleeping.” Claire just stood there looking at her. “I had to pee, okay? Geez. A girl can’t piss in these mad times without nearly getting shot. Bunch of bloody mentals.” Sophie continued to mumble unintelligibly as she walked to the driver’s door. Thomas and Claire exchanged shrugs, getting back into the truck.

“If either of you care, there are a shit load of cars about fifty yards back that way. Somehow, we missed them. Oh, and I found these.” She pulled out a pocketful of mini chocolate bars. Claire’s eyes lit up. “Should we share them, and not tell?” Sophie had a devious look on her face.

“Divide ‘em up!” Thomas said enthusiastically. Sophie passed them out, and they sat back, enjoying them. Their tension lifted.

“Mmm… Oh, you know what this makes me think of? S’mores.” Claire was thinking about camping when she was a child, making the sweet treat over the campfire.

“What’s a s’more?” Shocked, Thomas and Claire looked at Sophie. “What? Sorry! I don’t know what that is. I ate rubbish food most of my life, and the stuff back at the complex was bland and nasty.”

“You roast a marshmallow over a fire, then put it in between a chocolate bar and graham cracker. It’s an ooey, gooey, super sweet treat.”

“Huh. That sounds like it would be good. Maybe we can find the ingredients at some point and make it.”

“Yes! That would be amazing.” Claire popped the last piece of chocolate in her mouth, moaning as she chewed it.

“Christ, Claire, no need to carry on over there. It’s only chocolate, not dick.” Claire gasped. She decided to ignore her.

“But it’s been so long since I have had anything like this. I was dieting like crazy so I didn’t look like a chunk for Elaina’s wedding.”

Sophie looked her up and down. “I find it hard to believe that you could possibly look like…a chunk, did you say?” Sophie was very skeptical.

“I had a small pooch. I’ve just lost a bunch of weight since…well, you know.”

“Yeah, I was two hun’red pounds before this whole thin’ happened.” Both Sophie and Claire looked at Thomas and laughed. He smiled as he popped the last piece of chocolate into his mouth.

“Thomas, you wouldn’t reach two hundred pounds if you were carrying me on your back!” All three of them laughed, enjoying a normal conversation for a change.

“Well, it looks like the fog is lifting enough for us to drive on,” Sophie said.

“Onward, captain! I’m ready to get back to Nick!”

“Alright then.” Sophie started the truck and began navigating to the on-ramp. Claire could feel a prickle running through her whole body. Her excitement was endless, running from her head to her toes. She was beaming, thinking of the ways Nick would react to her getting his guitar for him.

Chapter 28

ophie, Claire, and Thomas still hadn’t returned. I was trying to keep myself busy by reading a few of the books that were once my mother’s. Lightweight, written in a box, soft core romance novels…barf. Nothing erotic about these kissy-kissy, lovey-dovey things. I wanted something with a shifter or vampire and some rather interesting scenes. I tossed the book aside.

Nick was driving me crazy, pacing the floor and constantly looking out the windows. He still hadn’t admitted to me that he had a thing going on with Claire, but I could see that he was worried about her. He was crushed when Jenna became true dead. He loved her so much, but he was always one to quickly move on.

I hoped that he and Claire were becoming a couple. She had carried a torch for him for ages. Even though she loved Marc, Nick was always in the back of her mind. I thought she would be good for him.

Henry stared out the windows toward the street like a dog waiting for his owner to come home, as well. I had a feeling he was working out travel plans.

“Winter will be rolling in soon. We need to figure this out.” And there it was. He sat down next to me, rubbing his eyes. I could tell he was ready to move on. I know he wanted to get to Gunther, but it also sounded like he wanted us out of the danger of the winter weather.

“There’s a little wood stacked out in the garage. I saw it when I was looking for something to tie Kellan up with.” Just hearing Nick say his name made me shiver all over.

“Just a little?” The worry was written on Henry’s face.

“Yeah. Probably a week’s worth if we had a fire 24/7.” Henry stood up with more ease than I had seen since his brutal beating.

“Well, let’s go cut down a couple trees.” I watched him roll his neck back and forth.

“Henry, are you okay?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Are you hurting?”

“I’m fine,” he snapped, and I left it at that. I knew he needed a fix. He forgot that I knew the signs, and “Angry Henry” was about to break through. I would give him a vial, but I didn’t understand why he wouldn’t ask. He had to know that I would do anything for him, like I knew he would do anything for me.

It was brisk and still early. According to the tacky bird-themed thermometer my mom had on the window to the front porch, the needle was hovering around the mid-forties. The ground was nearly covered in yellow, amber, and red leaves. It was actually quite stunning. Henry and Nick both grabbed a couple of dad’s old flannel shirts, and went outside to gather wood.

***

As soon as Nick closed the door behind him, he questioned Henry, “Why didn’t you tell her you were in need?”

“I don’t want her to think she has to provide for me every time.” He sounded gruff and angry.

“There’s no one else around.”

“I know. Just let me deal with it. If it gets too bad…”

“I understand. I really don’t want to take any from her…or anyone else, for that matter,” Nick mumbled. Henry just looked at him and didn’t say a word. They continued to the back yard. Henry was frustrated and he felt terribly guilty.

“I don’t know what else to do for you. I apologized a dozen times. There’s no way I can make it right, but I do regret what I did.”

“I know. But, to be honest, I don’t think I will ever forgive you for this.” He pointed at his arm.

Henry looked down. “I understand. Again, I apologize. I hope you never get as crazed as I did in that moment because there is no way to stop yourself.”

They stopped abruptly when they saw Kellan’s rotting corpse lying in a twisted pile on the ground, still bound to the dining room chair. “Do you think that we should bury him?” asked Nick. He stood over him, with his hands on his hips.

“Bastard doesn’t deserve a proper burial,” Henry growled.

“I agree, but what if one of the girls comes across it?”

“Hmm… How about a tarp? I don’t think I’m up to burying
and
chopping wood today,” Henry said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“More than likely, there’s a tarp somewhere in the shed.”

Nick rummaged through the shed and found a tarp, a chainsaw, a long-handled axe, and a splitting wedge. They covered Kellan and weighted the edges of the tarp down with landscaping bricks that they took out of his mother’s flower beds.

Afterward, they spotted a dead tree toward the back of the property that looked good for firewood. In silence, they walked over to it. Nick didn’t have much to say to Henry, and Henry wasn’t sure what to even say to Nick. It definitely was an awkward situation.

After they cut down the tree, they decided to drag sections of it toward the house and cut it into smaller pieces there. They got half-way back to the house, dragging the larger portion of the tree, when they heard a high-pitched scream. They looked at one another.

“Was that Elaina?”

“I think so.”

They dropped the trunk. Henry broke out into a full sprint, axe in hand. He grimaced the whole way since his ribs were still out of sorts. Nick followed right behind him. Henry ran past the back of the house, and when he made it to the side, he started yelling, “Elaina! Elaina!”

***

I was coming out of the house to meet Henry and Nick outside because I wanted to help them stack the wood. When I jogged down the front porch steps, I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings. Then I heard the familiar sound…the signature grumbling, snarling sound an undead makes.

There were four undeads clambering up the driveway and yard. After I expeditiously patted myself down, I realized I was unarmed. I didn’t even have a knife on me. I froze. I was thoroughly convinced that this was the end of me. Elaina Leigh Cooper, the unwed, newly-crowned necrophiliac, shacking up with a half-dead, crossbreed freak. Then I did what every other scared girl does and screamed like a banshee.

I fell to the ground as I was trying to run away. My legs decided to fail me completely, and they wouldn’t allow me to get up. They were just useless limbs, kicking up leaves, unable to find the stability to stand my ass up.

“Elaina! Elaina!” I heard Henry yelling for me as he was coming around the house. Then I felt a set of arms grab me and drag me to the side. I looked up and saw Nick. When I looked back toward Henry, I saw him wielding an axe. He started swinging it at the undeads.

“Help him, Nick!” He ran back into the house, coming back with the wrought iron fireplace poker. Henry already had two down, but they weren’t true dead yet.

“Crush their heads!” he yelled. Nick jammed the poker into the undead’s head and drove it right down through its brain, repeating this action several times until all four were true dead.

The axe made a dull thud when Henry dropped it on the ground. He fell to his knees, trying to catch his breath. Finally, I was able to summon enough strength to run over to him. “Henry! Are you okay?”

He held up his hand. He took a couple deep breaths, trying to gather himself. He stood up straight and rolled his neck and rubbed his temples. “I’ll be fine. Just still a bit sore in the chest.”

“Let’s just get inside before any more come staggering out of nowhere.” I put my arm around Henry’s waist, and helped support him on the way inside of the house. Nick grabbed both of the tools, put them by the door, and fiercely slammed it shut. Henry and I both spun around.

“What the fuck, Elaina? Don’t ever leave the house unarmed again! You could have gotten yourself killed!” Nick was livid. He was pulling at his hair and screaming at me like I was a child. “What the hell were you thinking?!”

“I thought I would come out and help you guys stack the wood since both of you are in need of a fix and
refuse
to ask me for a vial!” Standing with my hands on my hips, I wasn’t going to allow him to yell at me for what had happened.

“You shouldn’t have fucking left the house in the first place!”

“Go fuck yourself, Nick! I was trying to help you!”

Nick mumbled something under his breath. Henry quietly watched the exchange until he became fed up. “Alright! Alright!” Henry roared. “Stop fighting like two women at a shoe sale, grabbing for the same pair! Christ!” He was pissed. Both he and Nick were getting moodier by the second.

I stormed upstairs to the bathroom so I could get the supplies we needed to perform a draw. When I came back down, Henry was sitting in a chair, bent over and rubbing his neck and temples.

“Here.” I shoved the needle and vials in his face. He looked up at me, and before he could say anything, I said, “I insist. Both of you are bitchy. Before long, you’ll have major PMS, and I’m out of Midol! I can’t deal with it anymore.”

Reluctantly, Henry took the supplies, and he drew two vials from me. He handed one to Nick, and dumped one back himself. He sat back in the chair and enjoyed his short-lived mini high.

He sat with his eyes closed. I watched his face go from harsh angles to a softer look. His breathing went from rough to smooth. I saw the stiffness leave his body. Henry was back.

The wind started picking up, howling around the house. I was worried there was a storm rolling in. Henry looked at Nick. “Let’s get back out there and get some of that wood done. We need to bring it inside.” Nick agreed. I ran my fingers through Henry’s hair, and he put his hand on my waist.

“I’m worried,” I said.

“I know. I am, as well. If a storm blows in…”

“Please. Don’t say it.”

He kissed my forehead. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Anytime. You just have to let me know.” He kissed me on the forehead again, pulled me into one of his strong hugs, and then they walked out of the house to get the firewood.

I watched through the window this time, instead of running outside. They moved the true dead corpses off behind the fence, out of sight. When they finished that, they began to cut up wood. I was waiting by the window like a lost puppy dog.

Over the next couple hours, I paced back and forth, watching the sun lower in the sky, and the temperature dropping. I tried sitting and reading again. The distant sounds of an axe being pounded through wood was rhythmic, but then it stopped. I jumped up out of the chair and ran to the front window, only to see Nick approaching the front porch. He smiled at me as he came inside and headed to the family room. Then he opened the window and removed the screen so Henry could start passing the wood into the house.

“We’re going to stack the driest wood in here, and put the rest in the garage. Hopefully, it’ll dry out faster. Can you grab a basket or a box? We need something to put kindling in.”

“I’m on it,” I said, happily, because I had something to do to keep my mind off of Sophie, Claire, and Thomas.

I knew exactly what I was going to get. My mother had a large collection of baskets, all different shapes and sizes. I never understood why she kept buying them because she never used them. When I picked up the large empty basket from the living room, I whispered, “Thanks, Mom.” I ran back, and passed it out to Henry through the window.

“That’s perfect, love.” His smile was warm, and I blushed. Sometimes I felt like a teenager with a crush, not a woman in love with the most beautifully brilliant man who ever existed. Okay, that sounded pretty lame, but what could I say? I was in love with him, ass over tits. He laughed at me so I stuck my tongue out at him.

The familiar crunching sound of tires on the driveway caught our attention. I stuck my head out the window and saw Sophie’s truck pulling up. Henry dropped the basket. I grabbed Nick, and we ran out the front door. Claire immediately leapt toward Nick, and Henry hugged Sophie.

“Nick!” Claire squealed. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek. “Come. I have something for you.” She was so full of enthusiasm that she just about pulled his shoulder out of the socket. Thomas stood by the door of the truck.

“Glad you made it back,” I said to him.

“Me, too. There were a few moments when it was questionable, but we got loads of stuff.”

“Great! Thank you, Thomas!” I hugged him, which startled him. His poor body felt so thin and frail. I was afraid I would crush him.

“Let’s get this stuff unloaded before it gets really dark.” Henry walked to the back of the truck and opened the liftgate. He, Sophie, Thomas, and I began carrying in all the supplies into the house.

***

“Close your eyes…,” Claire said softly to Nick. She lifted his hands to cover his eyes.

“What are you doing?” He laughed.

“Just do what you are told.” She reached into the back seat and pulled out his guitar. She pulled the strap over her neck and shoulder. “Open up!” Claire was beyond excited.

He pulled his hands down. His jaw slacked, and his eyes looked to have grown to the size of baseballs. He stood there in shock, looking at Claire.

“Well? What do you think?”

“I…I…Claire…” Nick whispered. His eyes filled with tears. Claire took off the guitar and set it back in the truck.

“Nick…I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought that you would be happy to have your guitar back.”

It took him a minute to speak. “I can’t believe you would risk your life over a guitar. That wasn’t the best idea, Claire,” Nick scolded. It upset her because she thought he would be happy about it. Hot tears burned her cold cheeks.

“I just wanted to bring you a little happiness after all that you have gone through.”

“You could have gotten yourself and everyone with you killed!”

“Don’t you think I know that? I realized it was a mistake after we got there.” The situation with David Tasker popped into her head again. Chills ran down her spine. She looked down at her shoes. Nick knew what Claire had done was from her heart so he grabbed her shoulders.

“Listen. This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me. I can’t thank you enough. I’m just overwhelmed with emotion, and the idea that you could have been killed over something for me…” He could barely croak out the words before the tears poured down his cheeks, collecting in the stubble on his face.

Claire smiled at him. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his forehead against hers, and she was drawn into his bright emerald green eyes. They were so much more mesmerizing than his original baby blues.