Corn, Cows, and the Apocalypse (Part 1) (23 page)

-Walk of Fame-

             
“Haden how long have you been shooting?”  One reporter asked.

             
“Since I was nine.”  Haden responded tersely.

             
This was news to me.  Haden never shared much of her past with me, but then again none of us did.  I had never told anyone that I had my appendix removed before kindergarten, or that I was adopted, but it had never come up.  The past was in the past, wasn’t just a cliché in the new world, it was an epitaph for your memories so they didn’t drive you insane. 

             
“Will you be competing in the finale?”  Another asked.

             
“Of course,” she snarled at the stupid question.

             
“Are you Devin Reed?”  A reporter shoved a microphone at his mouth nearly punching me in the face as he did. 

             
“Yes,” Devin said quietly with menace in his eyes.  “Now get your arm out of my friends face.”

             
The reporter looked at me as if he hadn’t seen me.  I expected him to pay no heed to the request, but upon looking at me he turned sheepish and lowered his hand. 

             
“Are you and Mr. Reed a couple?”  One reporter asked, but neither Devin or Haden answered.  Haden rolled her eyes and strode ahead of us taking the brunt of the crowd with her like a momma duck. 

             
With my view cleared I started to look around.  Devin took my hand as if he was concerned I might run off.  “He’s probably already signed in.”

             
“I know.”  I shrugged dismissing that as the reason I was looking around.  “What do you make of all this?”  He gave me a noncommittal grunt.  “Why would people from out of state want to know what’s going on here?”

             
“The central states have the highest percentage of grim, but the lowest overall population.  People in the populous areas are dealing with the human factor more than the grim.  Most of the biggest cities are just burning to the ground, with the chaos.  That’s why we came here, to get away from the people.”

             
“People are worse than grim?”

             
“Most days,” he looked like he was going to say more but didn’t.

             
“And that’s why you left Chicago?” I stopped walking and waited for confirmation.  He stopped with me and waited for me to explain why I was giving the question so much presentation.  “August made it sound like she was seeking me out.  She wasn’t though, right?  I mean, you guys just took pity on me by taking me in.”

             
He frowned crossing his arms.  “What exactly do you want me to reassure you of?”

             
“I know August wants me to be all that I can be.  I get that, and I’m starting to see what exactly that means, but…”  I looked at the trail of reporters that were no longer in ear shot.  “She makes it sound like I’m special.” 

             
“Hey,” Devin brought my hand up to kiss it.  I hadn’t realized I was trembling until then.  “Are you asking me to tell you that you aren’t special?”

             
“Yes.”  I pulled my hand from him to wipe away the goose bumps I was developing on my arms.  “Devin I can’t be the hero, and it scares me to death that she thinks I can.  I think she’s making a terrible mistake, and I don’t want any of you to get hurt because of me.”

             
“Why are you bringing this up now?  Why the sudden change of heart?”
              “  This isn’t a new emotion, Devin.  I’m not a reluctant hero because I’m scared.  I’m reluctant because I know she’s wrong.”

             
“Why are you telling me now?  Why not yesterday, or a week ago?” 

             
I furrowed my brow at the irrelevant questions.  Why can’t I be heard?  Doesn’t anyone get this? I’M NOT THE HERO YOU SEEK!

             
“I’m not sure what to tell you, Lenore.”  He shifted drawing away from me.  He was mad and not hiding it well.  “We left Chicago because August said it was time to go.  I never questioned it.  I know you doubt her, because you doubt yourself, but August’s instincts are
never
wrong.”

             
Devin stalked on leaving me to trail behind him.  Judging by the speed of his flee I realized that I had wounded him.  I just wasn’t sure if it was the judgment on August or myself that had bothered him so much. 

-
Box Seats-

             
Haden was situated in her box seat with Jimmy the Card sitting right beside her.  He must have been a very talented man, because he was not only getting her to smile, but also to laugh.  Devin was sulking behind her with his foot propped on the back of her seat. 

             
I slipped into the walled in box and knelt beside him.  He looked at me with a combination of anger, sadness, and disappointment.  I couldn’t bare it, not from him. 

             
“I’m sorry.”  I hugged his stomach and for a moment I thought he might not offer me the forgiveness I desperately wanted and needed.  He sighed and pet my hair.  When I looked back up at him, the emotions were the same, but less searing.  “I’m sorry.”

             
“You have to stop fighting this, Lenore.”  He caressed my cheek.  “Stop thinking about yourself.  It has very little to do with you.  Just follow your instincts.”  I lowered my eyes knowing full well that my instincts weren’t telling me anything different than what I just told him. 

             
“Whoever you were before the apocalypse.”  He continued.  “Whoever you thought you were…none of that matters anymore.”

             
I nodded feeling the irony of Devin using those words on me.  I said those words to Priest to make him understand that he was under no obligation to continue being a priest in the new world.  By that rationale, even though I was a nobody before the apocalypse, I could still be somebody now.

             
“The person you were, died that day.”  He whispered just barely loud enough to be heard over the increasing party chatter of the event.  “Let her go.” 

             
My eyes danced over his face and for the first time I understood what August wanted.  I understood what they all wanted.  Three month of cuts and bruises, didn’t enlighten me.  Three more months of August’s intense tutelage didn’t dawn the understanding that Devin had in three words.

             
Let her go.
  Let myself go.  Stop trying to hang onto a person that only exists in my memories.  The world had been rebirthed in the rapture.  I needed to be reborn as well.

-Attempted Enlightenment and Champagne-

             
Two glasses of champagne later, the sudden realization that I had been wearing the life of a dead woman the last year and a half was starting to sound less dramatic.  If the champagne wasn’t enough to tame my thoughts, my first glimpse of Garrett was.

             
He was in fine form mock fighting his human opponents with a wooden sword.  He easily bested everyone they paired him with.  I couldn’t help but feel pride in each of his wins.  I applauded a little too loudly after each one. 

             
He caught my eye after one win, and I smiled the smallest smile I could.  I wanted to grin and wave, like an idiot, but I knew he wouldn’t respond well to that.  He didn’t smile back which was no surprise, but he did offer a curt nod.  It was enough, enough to keep me from throwing my champagne glass at him in jilted frustration.     

             
“So,” Jimmy’s elbow slipped over the back of his chair and looked at me.  “What are you going to be competing in?  Your friend is obviously going to place tonight.”  Jimmy nodded to August who had also bested her last three opponents.  I felt a tinge of guilt for watching Garrett instead of her.  “That will be three out of four.  What about you?”

             
I opened my mouth to say that I had no intention of competing, but Devin put his arm around me and squeezed my shoulder.  Rather painfully, in fact.  “Lenore is going to compete in the archery tournament.” 

             
“Oh, really?”  Jimmy said with genuine surprise, though I wasn’t sure why.  Perhaps my cleavage was making my brain look small.  I smiled and nodded shyly about the admission.  “I look forward to it.”  Jimmy smiled glancing at my chest. 

             
I looked away uncomfortable by his gaze, innocent as it was.  That was the problem with dressing to please your man.  It also pleased other men. 

             
I caught the eye of Adrian Dorn in the mayor’s box to my left.  There was an entry point to the arena between us, but no other obstructions.  He nodded at me with a flirtatious smile.  He apparently approved of my outfit as well.  I nodded back, but couldn’t manage a smile.

             
He looked back at his company and nodded up the stadium.  He stood wiping down his bland sweater.  I looked back at Devin.  He was distracted by August and Garrett mock fighting.  Neither of them appeared to be letting up, but since they knew each other so well, the fight looked like a dance more than a match.

             
“I have to go do something.”  I said before stepping past him.  I thought that would be the end of it, but he pulled me back onto his lap. 

             
“Where?”  He said not taking his eyes off the fight.

             
“I’ll be within eyeshot.”  I didn’t let him continue his investigation and he seemed to know that I wasn’t interested in him joining me.  He let me go and I stepped out of the box. 

             
I met Adrian over the entry way between our two boxes.  He was taller then I remembered, but I was standing on stairs the last time I met him.  I did however remember how his touch made me feel.

             
This time his hands were tucked in the pockets on his pants.  The only physical movement he made toward me was a slight bow.  “Hello.”  He smiled and rocked back on his feet.  He at least appeared to be nervous. 

             
“Hi.”  I said trying even now to figure out why I had come to meet him.  Instincts were fine and dandy, but until I learned how to drive them, they were going to get me into some serious accidents. 

             
“You look nice.”  He said pointedly looking away after he said it.  This man was not shy, but he was pretending to be. 

             
“Thank you.  I was going for sexy, but I guess nice will do.”  I leaned my hip against the railing in front of us and crossed my arms.  I realized that it was only exasperating my cleavage and put my arms down again. 

             
“Your body is sexy,” he smirked leaning his elbows on the railing beside me, so he was facing the tournament.  “You’ve just decorated it nicely.” 

             
I couldn’t quite muster a smile for his efforts.  “I want to apologize for August’s behavior last time we were here.”  He looked out at August.  I followed his gaze and saw that she was watching us.  Garrett was taking interest in our meeting as well.  I didn’t have much time.  “She’s very protective.”

             
“I can see that,” he sounded annoyed. 

             
“She doesn’t usually like my friends.”  I huffed as if I too was frustrated. 

             
“I’m not sure we’ve known each other long enough to be friends, Lenore.”  He smirked at me. 

             
“What, haven’t you heard of friends at first sight?”  I asked finally finding a smile for him. 

             
“I believe the phrase is love at first sight.”

             
“A misnomer don’t you think?”  I flipped my hair back out of my face, even though it wasn’t really in my way.  “Love at first sight.  I mean let’s face it, two people drawn to each other across a room…they aren’t really thinking about touching each other’s hearts, are they?”

             
His smile brightened and he stood up.  I did the same licking my lips as I did.  “What do you suppose then, Lenore?  Should it be lust at first sight?”

             
“Definitely,” I winked.  I trailed my finger down his sleeve toward his hand.  He smiled glancing down at my innocuous flirtation.  Even without contact, his proximity made me uncomfortable.  I fought on and reached for his hand.  It took everything I had to grip his fingers.

             
At first I didn’t feel anything, but the warmth of his hand, but then it felt wrong.  So very, very wrong.

             
“What to hell are you doing?”  Devin ripped me away from Adrian. 

             
Shit, too soon.

             
“Excuse us, Mr. Dorn.”  Devin fumed before he yanked me along behind him.  I offered Adrian an apologetic shrug on the way.  He didn’t look happy at my sudden exit.  Neither was I, but for completely different reasons.