Sanctum (The After Light Saga) (21 page)

My hunger doubled when the wonderful cheesy aroma hit my nose, making my mouth water and stomach rumble. But I knew the boys were much bigger and needed more calories, especially since they would be taking turns pulling the sled on the way back. I’d just have two bites.

Finn ha
nded me the spoon. “You first.”

“Thank you,” I said. I’d lose if I argued, so I took
a spoonful. Their eyes were locked onto me, watching my every move. Pike’s mouth opened, mimicking mine. It made me laugh.

“
Sorry, I won’t look. Can you tell I’m hungry?” he said, getting pink in the cheeks.

I quickly took a bite
. It was hot and I had to inhale and exhale through my mouth a few times to cool it down. The taste was wonderful. The cheese was thick, and there were little bits of meat mixed in, which didn’t have much flavor. But overall, to a hungry person, the food was amazing.

I handed
the spoon to Finn. “No, when you’re done,” he said.

“Yes, you first,” Pike agreed.

I took one more bite, and then handed the spoon to Finn.

“Y
ou done?” he asked.

“Mmm-hmm,” I nodded, savoring the flavors of the soft cheesy noodles.

Finn handed the spoon to Pike. “You first man. Go for it.”

“You sure?”

“If I wasn’t, I’d
already be taking a bite,” he laughed.

Pike
grinned and took the spoon. He scooped up a big mound of cheesy noodles. As soon as it hit his mouth he exhaled, “Oh my God. This is so good.” He cradled it in his mouth, sucking in deep breaths to cool it off. He closed his eyes and moaned as he swallowed. He took a few more bites, which emptied half of the pot, then handed the spoon over to Finn. “It’s all yours.”

Finn
took the spoon and dug in. The heat didn’t affect him, because he liked everything extra hot. I don’t think he even breathed in between bites. In less than a minute, it was all gone.

“
Man. That was amazing,” he said, scraping the remnants. “It’ll fuel the tank for a while, but I could have eaten at least three of those packets.”

Pike chuckled.
“Yeah, as a pre-dinner
snack.
”

“
Let’s digest and rest up for the long journey. We should reach there around sunrise, since we’ll be traveling much slower now that we have the fuel.”

“
Good,” Pike huffed. “I almost lost a lung trying to keep up with you two.”

“I’ll take the sled first,” Finn offered. You just keep watch and make sure we
aren’t being followed.

“Deal,” Pike answered.

Finn put out the fire, instantly making the area dark.

“
Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ve got your back.”

“I know you do,” he said coming awfully
close, wrapping his arms around me. I could see the stars shining brilliantly behind him, but they were dulled by the sparkle he had in his eyes.

“Get a room,” Pike teased. “Good Lord, the
chopper is just over there.”

Finn and I laughed.

“One day, we will have a house of our own, and we’ll have Pike and Tina over to our place for some cheesy beefy macaroni. He’ll love that,” he winked, then leaned over and gave me a quick kiss.

“
Yes, I will. And I’m totally going to hold you to it,” Pike said. “I really
do
like that cheesy crap. It kind of makes me want to do this,” he said, flailing his arms and kicking his legs about in every direction.

We all burst into laughter at his silly dance.

“It’ll be our first double date,” I said excitedly.

“
I know Tina would love that,” Pike said. “But first, we have to do some major extermination.”

“Well then, we should
get moving so you can get back to her,” I said.

I helped
attach the straps from the sled onto Finn and made sure everything was secure. Ten gallons of fuel was a heavy load, but I knew he could handle it. He took off in a quick powerwalk. Pike took front, and I stayed behind.

T
he sky was clear, except for dead ahead. About fifteen miles away, there was a blemish in the sky, a haze from the smoke. I could almost catch a hint of it on the breeze, and also the faint hints of gas fumes from the containers.

Being on the topside wasn’t all we thought it would be. Aside from the
Arvies, it was dead silent. I could barely remember what it was like before we went into the hive, but we did have an abundance of National Geographic videos and books to watch while underground. Those had given us a glimpse of what the world used to look like. Lush, green, and filled with life. I’d dreamt of what kind of wildlife we’d see when we came to the topside.

Things like birds flying
, crickets chirping, the buzz of bees, or barking dogs. Anything would have been better than dead silence.

My grandfather said there would probably be cockroaches which survived the fallout.
That’s all we needed, another pest to rid from the planet. But I still hadn’t seen one yet. So, he could have been wrong, or we just weren’t looking hard enough.

All those National Geographic videos would be documentation of what the earth used to be like. It would never be the s
ame.

We were lucky there were sti
ll a few areas on the globe that could support life. Like Rhett’s town.

My mind ke
pt spinning on what the future would be like, but I couldn’t get my hopes up. Reality had a way of crushing dreams. But I knew, as long as I had Finn by my side, everything would be alright.

I followed behind, and watched his strong figure leaning forward, pulling with little effort. His strides were long and quick, sweat on his muscular arms
glistened. Sometimes it was hard to take my eyes off of him, but I had to make sure we were safe.

The soft glow of the fires ahead gave us a visual, a pinpoint of
exactly where we needed to go. We stopped a few times to take sips of water, and catch our breath, but not for long. Pike took the sled for about a half hour, and then gave it right back to Finn.

“Man, I don’t know how the hell you can pull that sled. I can barely breathe. My heart rate has quadrupled, and my l
egs feel like freaking jelly,” Pike huffed.

I laughed. “Don’t wor
ry Pike, Finn is not your average human being.”

“
No kidding. Hey Finn, were
you
injected with some kind of special serum?” Pike asked.

“No man, it’s all genetics,” Finn said, flexing his biceps.

“Don’t…just don’t,” Pike exhaled, still trying to catch his breath. Finn and I laughed.

It made me wonder if Finn’s dad
really looked like him. He’d never met his father; never even had a picture. His mom didn’t bring him up much in conversation, because he’d abandoned them. I knew it bothered Finn to not know anything about his father, especially when we celebrated special occasions in the hive, like Father’s Day. But he never let it show outwardly. He was tough inside and out.

I
t was apparent that all the best parts of the men in our hive rubbed off on him. In a sense, he never lacked fatherly affection. Maybe his father survived? Who knew? Crazier things have happened. Like Pike and Tina finally getting to spend some quality time together.

Almost five hours later, as the sun began to wake and its rays stretched over the horizon, we finally made it back to town. We were exhausted, and ready to drop. My legs were heavy, and felt like hundred pound weights.

Every building
, except Sanctum, had been reduced to large heaps of charcoaled wood and ash. The thick smell of smoke lingered in the air, permeating the town and burning my nostrils. I had mixed feelings as we made our way down the street. The town had been totally devastated, but its inhabitants were hopeful. The little patch of green grass we’d spotted upon first arrival was a sign the ground could nurture and support new life. They would be just fine.

As we walked down the street,
we saw how Rhett’s team had attached hoses to a few of the spigots around the town, trying to douse the remaining flames and snuff out the smoke.

“It’s going to take a lot to rebuild this town,”
Pike murmured.

“Well, it’ll give them something to do, something to work towards
,” Finn replied. “I think they’ll look forward to it.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait until we all get a chance to be set free, and start lives of our own. I’d like to build a
house, and maybe settle down,” Pike admitted.

“S
ettle?” I asked.

“Yeah. Set
tling would be nice. I’d like to eventually be with Tina, but her father is my biggest obstacle,” he said.

“Well, like Tina always says,
‘love will find a way,’” I winked.

“I suppose,” he sighed
. “You and Finn are lucky to have found love, and the support that goes along with it.”

“Yeah, we are really lucky,” I agreed.
Finn glanced back at me and winked.

I
was the lucky one.

As we neared
Sanctum, the rest of the members, except for the injured and Dr. Lee, were all gathered outside. Bodies hunched over, looking tired, covered in black soot. Peggy Sue and Laura had the hoses and were shooting down the remaining fires, while the rest of the women looked on. The men were dragging the lifeless bodies of the Arvies into one massive heap. It looked like there were nearly seventy. How the hell could so many of them have dwelled here?

Seeing the bodies strewn
all over the ground instantly brought back horrifying memories of my nightmares, making my stomach twist and my body tingle. Then, I suddenly realized I hadn’t had the nightmares since I left the bunker. Maybe I’d been so wrapped in Finn’s arms and protection these past nights, my mind couldn’t be bothered to dream up new horrors.

“Hey Finn, you want me to pull
the sled the rest of the way?” Pike asked.

“
I think I’ve got it, man,” Finn answered.

“Thanks,” Pike grinned.

“Looks like someone is anxious to see you.” Finn nodded toward Tina.

As soon as Tina’s eyes spotted Pike, they popped open wide, and a huge smile rose on her lips. She looked like she’d helped them with the fires. Black ash was smeared all over her
body and her worn face; her hair was a matted mess. But she looked extremely happy to see him.

Pike laughed. “Yeah, she’s probably relieved to see me alive. Do you guys mind if I run up ahead?”

“Go ahead, Romeo,” Finn chuckled.

Pike’s sudden burst of energy made me laugh. With a smile embedded on his face, he quickly jogged forward.

I
ncapacitating pain thundered in my head. I cried out, buckling under the pressure.

“Abi,” Finn yelled
.

Something was
very wrong.

I pushed through the pain and
screamed, hoping someone would understand my words.

“They’re not all dead
!” I curled up in the fetal position, and tried to give myself to the pain. Focusing on it, everything became clear.

Die.

“No!” I screamed.

As I opened my eyes, an Arvy leapt from behind a pile of smoldering rubble, charging toward Pike. In a flash he was on him, tackling him to the ground. When they rose, the Arvy had him tightly in his grasp, a dagger to his throat.

My heart and breath stopped
. Dread washed over me.

The dagger
the Arvy was holding, was mine. It was the one I’d dropped the night we came out for the medicine.

This couldn’
t be happening.

Not Pike.

Not now.

I immediately
unholstered Hellfire and held her up, but the Arvy had pressed itself tightly behind Pike, using him as a shield. I had no clear shot.

Pike struggled,
but the blade started to cut into his flesh, so he froze. Any sudden movement could end his life.

“Pike!”
Tina wailed, running toward him.

“Tina,
don’t
. Stay back,” he ordered. Holding up his arm to stop her.

Rhett ran an
d grabbed Tina, restraining her.

“
Get your hands off me! Let go of me!” she screamed. But he held on, hugging her. “Abi, help him…
please
.”

“I’
m trying, Tina,” I yelled back. We had to be smart. We were now at the mercy of this one last Arvy.

“
Please. Please, don’t let him die,” she sobbed.

“Finn?”
I called. Every cell within me was trembling in terror.

“
Be careful, Abi,” he urged.

Rhett’s men had their weapons up and aimed
, but no one had a clear shot. Pike was too close, and they’d risk hitting him.

The
Arvy’s back was pressed against a large pile of rubble, protecting him from behind.

Smart bastard.

Déjà vu. I’d experienced this same scenario a few days ago. The look of complete horror in Pikes eyes reminded me of the look Steven had before he’d died.

Please. Please don’t do this
.
I pleaded.
I will take his place if you let him go.

I had
to try. I would try anything at this point.

Maybe
I could shoot through one of Pike’s extremities, tagging the Arvy and creating some space between the two.

Suddenly, t
he Arvy shifted the knife, removing it a fraction from his neck.

My breath ceased.
I stood frozen with hope, Hellfire aimed, waiting for its next move.

O
ne word instantly shattered my insides, and sent the world around me spiraling into complete chaos.

Kill.

“No!” I screamed it in my mind, and from my mouth.

It
all happened so fast—in a split second—and yet it played out in slow motion.

Tina was screaming, wrestling to free herself from Rhett’s grasp.
Her face was anguished, red. Tears and snot poured from her face. Finn turned back to grab his gun from the sled. Everyone else started yelling.

T
he Arvy removed the blade from Pike’s throat and thrust it deep into his chest.

D
espair shattered my heart, as I watched on in complete horror.

Becoming aware of what
happened, Pike’s fingers gently touched the handle of the blade sticking out from his chest. As blood soaked his shirt, his eyes widened, and he dropped to his knees.

“Bastard,” Finn yelled.

The Arvy growled and charged towards him. He pressed his trigger, but nothing happened.

Misfire.

In that
moment, I channeled every ounce of fear and hate, sending it into Hellfire. I fired over and over, hitting the Arvy in the chest, arm, and leg. Even then, I didn’t stop. I ran forward, shooting it, filling it with lead, but keeping the bullet away from its vital organs.

In
seconds, I was standing over it, watching as it gasped for air. Blood poured from its wounds, and I felt nothing but hatred for this monster. It didn’t have one ounce of humanity left. They were monsters, with not one ounce of remorse for us.

I aimed Hellfire
right between its milky eyes.

It coughed, spattering blood,
and then slowly lifted its hand up toward me.

Please,
it begged.

Please? Are you freaking kidding me? When I begged
, it mocked me, plunging my dagger into my friend’s chest. There was no way Pike would survive this. My heart was aching, and my body trembled to the point of passing out.

Pike moan
ed in pain behind me. I glanced back at him. He was lying on his back, my dagger stuck deep in his chest. Blood had completely saturated his clothes and began to seep into the earth beneath him. The sound of Tina wailing reverberated through my head.

I
turned back to the Arvy, and answered it with one word.

Die
.

Without remorse, I
pressed the trigger and shot it right between the eyes. It dropped its hand, and stopped breathing. But its death didn’t take away the pain. Rage took over. I screamed as I kept pulling the trigger, over and over, until I’d emptied my clip.

Click. Click. Click.

I was empty… in more ways than one. Eaten alive by terror and rage.

I
was just about to buckle, when Finn caught me and wrapped me in his arms.

Rhett
had set Tina free, and she sprinted toward us.

“Pike!” she cried. “Pike.”
When she reached him, she collapsed at his side.

Dr. B
anks followed behind her, but the look on his face confirmed my original belief. Pike would not get up, ever again.

We all knelt down around him. Tina
leaned over and kissed him, then gently took his hand in hers and stroked it.

“
I almost made it to you,” he breathed.

“Y
es. But I’m here now,” she cried.

Dr. Banks
quickly examined him, then with a pained expression, glanced over to me and Finn and discreetly shook his head.

“
It’s that bad, huh, doc?” Pike asked, with a weak grin. “At least I did my final good deed. We got the fuel.”

“Pike, you can’
t die. We’re supposed to start a new life together,” Tina wept.

“I’
m sorry, my love,” he breathed. His hand gently brushed against her face. “I know you’ll find someone. Someone who will make you just as happy.”

“I don’t want
anyone. I want you,” she sobbed.

“
I want you too,” he whispered. “I love you, Tina. I always have, and I always will.”

His
breaths were becoming sharp and shallow.

“P
ike, you can’t leave me. Please, I need you,” Tina cried.

“
I’ll never leave you, I’ll just be watching over you.”

I held on tight to Fi
nn. I couldn’t bear the pain. It ached to my core.

Pike and Tina weren’
t much different than us. The only difference was, they didn’t get to spend as much time together as Finn and I did. Out here, they were finally free. For the first, they were able to express their love for each other.

I couldn’t imag
ine what Tina was feeling. My heart was breaking and in so much pain for both of them. Pike and Tina had been there for Finn and me. In the few months we were at the new bunker, they were the ones who stuck by us.

Pike had proven himself
, over and over again. He volunteered to help me rescue Finn, and he also saved me from Titus. I was alive because of him. The only reason he was with us, was because he volunteered to take Titus’s spot. He fought for me, and I appreciated it much more than he would ever know. He was a hero.

Why was this world so cruel? Why
did it allow so much heartache and pain?

He had so much to offer, and h
e was too young to die.