The Decaying World Saga (Book 1): Tribes of Decay (17 page)

17

Mia’s eyes parted slightly then slammed shut. The morning light was unexpected. She shook off the haze of her dream and sat up. Most of the tribe was still asleep. Jacob gave her a wave as he brushed his teeth with his finger and a small cup of water.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to sleep,” he said.

Mia stretched and got to her feet.

“I’m surprised I did.” She felt rested and better than she thought she should under the circumstances. “What about you?”

He shrugged.

“I did all right.”

Mia’s attention was pulled toward Connor as he approached her from the soldier’s group. The rest of his men began spreading out around the area.

“You feeling better?” he asked.

“Much,” she said. “I haven’t slept through the night in a while.” Mia watched him hesitate, looking around at the other soldiers before his shoulders relaxed.

“It looks like you’ve all gone through a difficult time.”

His change in approach surprised her. She felt a hint of empathy. “We’ve lost a lot,” she said and flashed a sorrowful smile. “Life was pretty normal a few days ago.” She laughed at herself and tried not to tear up.

Connor nodded, noticeably unsure of what to say.

“It would mean a lot to us if you could let us know where we’re going,” she said.

“It’s hard to explain.”

Mia saw Jacob slide in next to her from the corner of her eye.

“Give it a shot,” he said.

Connor took a deep breath then swept his eyes around the group before coming back to Mia.

“I’m not supposed to talk about Canaan—”

“Is that where we’re going?” Jacob cut in. “Never heard of it.”

“You wouldn’t,” Connor said as his demeanor hardened. “No one gets inside Canaan unless they’re invited.”

“Is that where you live?” Mia asked. Connor nodded. “Is it like Cheyenne?”

“No,” he said, bluntly. “It was originally a military base. It’s been there since the beginning.”

“Since the beginning of what?” Jacob asked.

“The infection.”

“Wait, what?” Jacob tripped over his words. “You’ve been there since before this all started?”

Connor backed away.

“I’ve already said too much. Let’s get going.”

He started to turn when Mia tried to put his mind at ease.

“Will my tribe be safe there?”

Connor stopped. He looked at her for a long time with something brewing behind his eyes. He finally nodded and then spun around and walked away. Jacob cleared his throat.

“Well, I guess that’s the best we’re going to get.” He picked his gear up off the ground. “Come on, let’s get everyone up and moving.”

The heat came early, bringing with it an uncomfortable humidity. The wind from the past few days was nowhere to be found. The rising temperature made the morning trek difficult. Supplies were low and the much-needed water had to be rationed.

Mia spent her time moving between the survivors, trying to ensure them that their destination wasn’t that far away. Connor made no more attempts to talk to her. Something in his parting nod stuck in her mind. He appeared to want to help them, but he was hiding something. Mia wasn’t certain although Jacob’s growing distrust heightened her suspicions.

The soldiers stopped near mid-day. The food portions were a pitiful sight, but the survivors thanked their saviors for every morsel. They started again at a painfully slow pace. The soldiers’ facial expressions hinted at their patience wearing thin. It was late afternoon when Connor left his forward position and came back to the group.

“You’re going to have to wait here.”

Mia sent a cautious glance to Jacob. “Why?” she asked.

“No one gets across the approaching field without permission,” Connor explained. “We’ll set up on that hill and you can wait there.” Jacob tried to cut in, but Connor continued to talk over him. “We’ll leave the rest of our supplies with you. I don’t know how long it will take.”

He didn’t wait for questions. They pushed up the final hill and the view beyond brought everyone to a complete stop. Canaan was a compound of sorts, protected on all four sides by high walls. Towers set in over watch positions along the perimeter, each one housing figures looking out over the approach. Mia’s attention fell to the wide-open field leading up to the compound or more specifically the countless bodies littering the grass. It was difficult to tell from the distance if the bodies were zombies, infected, or survivors that hadn’t obeyed the strict approaching rules. She did her best to pull everyone’s attention from the field to her.

“All right everyone, we’re going to hold up here.” She put on a well-placed smile for the soldier who handed her a bag containing the rest of the rations. “Try and find somewhere to get comfortable and we’ll give you some food.” She gave the bag to Sara then glanced at the soldiers as they started down the other side of the hill.

She was relieved when Connor looked back.

“I’ll be back for you.”

Mia smiled.

“Don’t get too attached.”

She heard Jacob, but she kept her eyes on Connor.

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me you don’t feel it,” he said.

She looked over the survivors and discovered that Sara had enlisted two of the children as helpers. Mia was surprised to find a number of smiles mixed among the group as they sat down and started to eat.

“Feel what?” she asked.

“Don’t be a fool.” Jacob grabbed her wrist and forced her to turn around and face the compound. “Something’s going on in there.”

“You don’t know that,” she said and jerked her arm away. “You don’t know anything.” She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth. “Jacob…I didn’t—”

He held his hand up. “You don’t owe me anything.” He coughed for the first time in a while. Mia studied his face as he stared down at the vast field below them. His skin was pale and his breathing shallow. He wiped something from his mouth with the rag he kept in his pocket.

“Did their medic look at you?”

Jacob brushed her concern away with a dismissive exhale.

“Nothing they can do for me.”

Mia bit her lip.

“I do feel it,” she admitted. “I’m not sure why or what it is, but I think Connor’s hiding something.”

“No one does something for nothing.”

“What am I supposed to do then?” she asked. “We need to find somewhere safe to go. Do we just keep walking?” She sat down facing Canaan and laid her sword on the ground beside her. “I can’t let these people down, they’re all I have left.”

Jacob chuckled to himself and then winced as he sat down next to her.

“What’s so funny?”

“You remind me of her,” he said his eyes staring off at something no one else could see. “My sister.”

Mia’s head shot up.

“She always had this crazy belief that everything would go back to normal,” Jacob continued. “She felt it was her duty to help as many people as she could, no matter what.”

Mia’s voice cracked when she spoke.

“She sounds like someone I’d like.”

Jacob smiled again, but there was a sadness in his eyes Mia couldn’t stand to see.

“That was a long time ago.”

They sat in silence looking out over the field while the rest of the tribe ate. Mia couldn’t bear to ask any more questions. She understood Jacob’s concerns. It wasn’t anything she wasn’t already feeling. The silence let her mind drift and it wasn’t long before painful memories resurfaced. Mia thought of her father, she thought of her brother, and she thought of Rowan. She pleaded with herself to turn it off, but she saw their faces every time she closed her eyes.

♦

“Well, here we go.”

Jacob’s announcement pulled Mia back to the present. She was happy to have a distraction although she couldn’t figure out how long they’d been sitting on the hilltop. It was cooler than she remembered and for a moment she thought she might be dreaming. A beautiful display of billowing clouds filled the sky. A breeze swept up the hill to greet them from down in the valley. Mia followed Jacob’s stare to the parting gates on the side of Canaan.

A single figure stepped out through the opening and started the long walk back. Connor reached the midway point before Mia could make him out. She was surprised by how excited she was to see him. Mia felt Jacob’s eyes on her.

“I know,” she said without looking. “I’m going to get everyone gathered up.”

Mia spoke with Sara and her husband Errol first. The trio moved from one small group to the next urging them to gather their things and prepare to move. There was a noticeable cautious enthusiasm among the tribe and Mia realized they were basing their feelings, at least partly, on her assurances. The weight of her newly garnered responsibilities felt heavier by the moment. Jacob met Connor at the crest of the hill and the two had a private conversation before he addressed the tribe.

“Sorry it took so long,” Connor said.

Mia grinned despite herself. It took her a moment to gather what caught her off guard. Connor had traded in his soldier’s gear and clothing for clean pants and a shirt. He was strong across the chest and shoulders, more physically built than she’d realized. His jet-black hair was short on the sides and his face cleanly shaven.

“There’s a process,” he continued. “I debriefed my superiors and they brought your case to Dr. Olric.”

“Is that who leads Canaan?” Jacob asked.

“It’s more complicated than that,” Connor replied, “but he has an important voice. They will allow your people access to Canaan if you agree to certain terms.”

Mia’s eyes narrowed.

“What terms?”

“You’ll all be quarantined until a proper medical evaluation can be made.” Connor glanced at Jacob as the old man grumbled something under his breath. “This is not debatable.”

Mia tried to keep them on course.

“Anything else?”

“Blood tests,” Connor said. “Everyone must be tested.”

Mia didn’t completely understand his point. Her medical knowledge was limited. She was beginning to realize Connor and apparently the rest of Canaan had a strong connection with the old world, one that she wouldn’t be able to comprehend. Mia hoped she’d be able to lean on Jacob for any guidance she might need. 

“Will it hurt?” she asked.

Connor’s brow wrinkled slightly.

“A little.”

She looked over the remains of her tribe. All of them were watching her. They’d heard the exchange. It took Mia a moment to understand that they were waiting for her to tell them what to do. She took a deep breath to clear her head then leaned down to pick up her sword.

“Everyone, we’re going to Canaan.”

♦

The first sight of the interior of Canaan provided fewer answers than Mia had hoped. The entire facility consisted of a half dozen cylindrical structures, each no bigger than a small house. The otherwise nondescript cylinders provided no clues as to their use. The lofty wall surrounding the compound was several feet wide, lined with a series of ladders leading down to the interior floor space. Rows of dark, perfectly squared glass dotted the wall near the base of each ladder. Mia was drawn to blinking, multicolored lights below each section of glass.

“Where are all the people?” she asked.

“We’re built on a layered system, like a beehive.” Connor said. “Generally, only members of the security force come to the surface.”

“You live underground?” Jacob asked.

“It’s not what you think,” Connor said, grinning. “The colony has built a true life for us here.”

Jacob’s eyes shot up at him, but he didn’t say anything right away. He found his tongue and pushed past whatever was pulling at his memory.

“You have electricity.”

Mia wasn’t sure if Jacob was asking a question or making a statement. Either way, Connor didn’t respond. She was fixated on the other soldiers along the walled perimeter walkways. There was an apparent relief effort underway as pairs of men and women exchanged positions in several of the towers. Mia found another set of lights below the walled-walkway, these connected by thick, black lines running the entire length of the perimeter.

“What are those for?” She sped up until she could see Connor’s face and then pointed. “It goes all the way around.”

Connor hesitated before stammering through his answer.

“It’s part of our defense system,” he thought about what he was saying, “in case we ever lose the compound. It’s a last resort, we wouldn’t survive it.”

The answer brought up other questions, but they reached the closest of the cylindrical buildings before Mia could ask. One side of the cylinder spilt open to reveal a cramped space and Mia forgot her enquiries. Connor stepped out of the way and motioned for her and Jacob to pass through.

“We’ll have to go down in separate trips.”

Mia peered through the opening with bewildering curiosity. The perfectly smooth interior gave no hint to its purpose; it did however give her the first glance at artificial light she’d ever seen. She pointed up at the flat sections in the ceiling with a gleeful smile. Jacob laughed as he stepped in.