Not much else ends in rows of decomposed bodies, perfectly lined up with head wounds.
“Can you imagine being that deep in someone else’s bullshit you let ‘em do this? They didn’t even fight. Just laid there and took it.”
“I can imagine it. We’ve seen it with Silas and his men. They were just as brainwashed. Wouldn’t have taken much to go a little further and end up like this.”
She ain’t wrong there. He’s just never seen the end result laid out so plainly before. A shiver runs up his spine as the silence turns creepy.
“At least they knew to get the brain,” she says, matter-of-factly. “Maybe it was easier this way. They didn’t suffer through everything that came after.”
He doesn’t like how that sounds. She’s always had reckless moments, but never overtly offered a hint that she’d consideropting out to be easier. Especially not after her father made that choice and left her alone in the foster system.
The end of the world seems to have shifted her opinion a fraction.
Now isn’t the time to talk about it. Unlike the other ghosts he’s afraid to bring up, this time, he promises himself he’ll address it again. Eventually. For now, she’s safe with him and doesn’t appear to have any desire to leave. It can wait, but if they can’t talk about anything truly important, then what are they even doing out here?
He needs to start honing his skills at pushing just a little bit. After all, he has a captive audience.
* * *
There’s a sign for a canopy lodge a couple of hours down the road. They’ve got no idea what that is, but they’re taking the long way and he’s ready to find out. Everything is exciting now. He wants to explore and discover because he can share that with her. Kara seems just as eager to take every detour they come across, as if trying her best to delay this trip as long as possible.
They haven’t discussed what they’ll actually do once they get to Arizona. Probably should have laid out plans and gotten their ducks in a row. The concept was all they needed before hitting the road, and now they’re making it up as they go.
“We can do whatever you want once we get there,”he wants to tell her.“Find a house in the desert and live there until we’re old or get back on the bike and see the rest of the country. None of this has to end.”
He absolutely does not say that because it’s just about the neediest thing he’s ever thought in his head. May as well beg herto stay with him forever in plain English, get down on one knee and propose with a paper ring.
A cluster of tree houses high above the forest floor, connected by a series of bridges, greets them when he pulls the bike up.
“If this isn’t the best apocalypse hideout, I dunno what is.” He points to a clear pond a few feet away. “Even got a water source.”
“It’s so pretty. Like something out of a fairy tale.”
It looks abandoned, but they’re still careful. A place like this might be taken already. Just because they aren’t greeted at the door doesn’t mean it’s not.
Quickly, they gather water in their filtered bottles, a perk of having been outfitted so well after looting a camping store earlier. Then, it’s up a rope ladder to the first swinging bridge.
Kara pales when the lack of maintenance and exposure to the elements culminates in a swaying, rocking groan under their feet. He’s not a fan either, keeps waiting for the ropes to snap, but eventually they make it across. She looks less like she’s about to lose her lunch once they’re on solid ground again.
He guzzles a few swallows of the water he just collected, taking the lead inside with his weapon ready, only to find nothing and no one. The next two are the same, and it soon becomes clear that this place wasn’t high on anyone’s list for a hideout. It’s been sitting here just waiting for them.
“I could get used to this.” She bounces lightly on the edge of the bed in the cabin they’ve chosen.
Something about thatdoes things to him. Seeing her like this, carefree and happy, he wonders how she’d look bouncing on that mattress in other ways. Has to make an effort not to think about that too hard, or he’ll be in the same situation he was at the lake. He never peeked, not even once, but there’s a reason he let her get out of the water first. He needed the extra time to recover.
Wade may have told her that he loves her, but that is not the same as admitting he wants more from her, and they seem to have stalled when it comes to any progress in that area. He is not as brave anymore as he was when he wrote that note.
They’ll be sharing a bedroom tonight. It’s always safer to stick together on the road. He’s not letting her out of his sight now that he’s got her.
“Are you okay? You look like I did out on the bridge,” she asks curiously.
He winces as his stomach flips. “Mhmm. Fine.”
It’s the truth until it’s not. Ten minutes later, he’s retching over the edge of the balcony. Every roll of his stomach contracts so hard he’s certain the whole thing will come up his throat. Eventually, the will to stand fails, and he slumps down, sticking his head between the wide railing to vomit onto the forest floor.
At first, he doesn’t want her near him. He’s embarrassed and hurting, doesn’t want her seeing him like this. He’s never been the type to want attention when miserable.
Wade is used to handling his pain alone.
