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The Mercy Series Box Set: The Mercy Series, #2.5
The Mercy Series Box Set: The Mercy Series, #2.5
The Mercy Series Box Set: The Mercy Series, #2.5
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The Mercy Series Box Set: The Mercy Series, #2.5

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Edge of Mercy

Charlie Little exists in a dangerous world. Her best chance of survival is to disguise herself as a boy and guard her secrets well. Yet just when it seems things can't possibly get worse, they spin completely out of control. 

In this new and deadly version of the world, where a friend might be an enemy and an enemy might be a friend, seventeen-year-old Charlie protects her baby sister and herself from the once-human Draghoul, as well as, the human survivors who might not be as benevolent as they appear.

 

Heart of Mercy

With Zeke and her sister Star by her side and the fresh memory of Thomas's kiss still on her lips, she narrowly escapes the horrid plans of Jonas Bannon, a monster of a human being. Forfeiting the safety of the community, they leave and begin the search for the city of Mercy, the one secure place Charlie knows. However, as she struggles to reach her sanctuary, doubts creep in that anywhere is truly safe. If the Draghoul don't get them, the human scavengers just might, and the assumption Mercy will be a place of protection could be the most dangerous risk of all.

 

"Range of Mercy"

Thomas's side of the story.

Saving the world on a daily basis didn't make you a hero. Thomas Morgan knew that much from experience. The hard decisions he was forced to make weren't pretty and not all that heroic. He was the one who did whatever it took to maintain security. Each day he climbed into the guard tower and kept the microcosm that was the community safe from Draghoul, the once-human monsters that attacked every night. More importantly, he watched out for the vulnerable, especially Charlie and her sister Star.

Charlie disguised herself as a boy, but Thomas knew the truth, and though she wasn't aware, and though it put them all in danger, he kept her secret from the others. Reality was harsh in this unmerciful world, and if Jonas Bannon ever figured out the truth, Charlie didn't stand a chance against the schemes of the self-appointed leader. Doing the right thing didn't make Thomas a hero. But it did keep him human, and it did put him in range of mercy.

Around 9400 words and 30 pages, this is a short story in The Mercy Series

LanguageEnglish
PublisherC. C. Marks
Release dateDec 18, 2013
ISBN9781386012962
The Mercy Series Box Set: The Mercy Series, #2.5
Author

C. C. Marks

It all started with an old-fashioned typewriter. When my family brought it home, for the first time, I knew what I wanted to do. All those stories rolling around in my head could finally get out. The press and click of the keys were satisfying in their own right, but when I pulled out a finished page, I knew this was for me. Since then, I've graduated to a laptop, but the stories still find a way out.  I'm a breast cancer survivor, a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a writer. I continue to strive for less procrastination and more tact. The battle wages on. Connect Online: Twitter: twitter.com/ccmarkswrites Facebook: facebook.com/ccmarkswrites   

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    The Mercy Series Box Set - C. C. Marks

    Mercy Series Box Set 1

    Books 1 & 2 and a Mercy Series Short Story

    By

    C. C. Marks

    This is a work of fiction. names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

    Mercy Series Box Set 1

    COPYRIGHT© 2013 by C. C. Marks

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

    Cover art by LFD Designs For Authors

    GMC Sierra® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation

    Hershey Kisses® is a registered trademark of Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corporation

    SpaghettiO’s® is a registered trademark of Campbell’s® Soup Company

    Contact Information: c.c.markswrites@gmail.com

    For more interesting reads, visit the author at http://www.ccmarkswrites.blogspot.com

    Published in the United States of America

    by C. C. Marks

    Thank you for purchasing this e-book set. These books are the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this set of books, please put a review at your favorite online book retailer and encourage your friends to download their own copy. Thank you for your support.

    Table of Contents

    Edge of Mercy

    Heart of Mercy

    Range of Mercy

    About the Author

    Books by C. C. Marks

    A logo with a circle in the middle of a city Description automatically generated

    Charlie hides her identity, but her very presence places everyone around her in danger. With no other choice but to remain where she is, she stays with a community that might not be as benevolent as it appears. In this new and dangerous version of the world, where a friend might be an enemy and an enemy might be a friend, seventeen-year-old Charlie protects her baby sister and herself from grotesque monsters outside the community as well as human ones inside. Will the truth she discovers about her protectors save her or ultimately doom her to a fate worse than death?

    Edge of Mercy

    By

    C. C. Marks

    This is a work of fiction. names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

    Edge of Mercy

    COPYRIGHT© 2012 by C. C. Marks

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

    GMC Sierra® is a registered trademark of General Motors Corporation

    Hershey Kisses® is a registered trademark of Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corporation

    Contact Information: c.c.markswrites@gmail.com

    For more interesting reads, visit the author at http://www.ccmarkswrites.blogspot.com

    Published in the United States of America

    by C. C. Marks

    Thank you for purchasing this e-book. This book is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please put a review at your favorite online book retailer and encourage your friends to download their own copy. Thank you for your support.

    Dedication

    For my husband whose endless optimism and drive push me to achieve more than I ever dreamed possible. I love you always.

    Acknowledgements

    So many people generously devoted their time and energy to helping me make this possible. A big thanks to my mother, whose devotion to her children never ceases to amaze me. Thank you to my sister Becky and my daughter Cammie for being my sounding boards and for not getting too frustrated with my gentle (and not so gentle) urgings to please read this. Thank you to Granny for just-jelly sandwiches and back rubs, which meant way more than a delay in bedtime. And thank you, Dad, for being a great father. It’s made all the difference.

    Chapter 1

    My life wasn’t a freaking animated fairy tale like the ones in movies or on television long ago. I knew that very well, thank you very much . Movies and television were gone now. No more radio, no more Internet, no more tests of the emergency broadcast system. All gone, and we were back to basics, back to primal earth in a never-ending game of predator versus prey, and we were no longer the predators. Trust me, it was no fun being the prey.

    In the community, I’d had bad days. I’d had days where I questioned if I really had an advantage inside the protected walls. But tonight took it to an extreme level. Night in the compound terrified me, what with undeniable death constantly clawing to get inside. Yet, this night eclipsed them all.

    I covered my ears, gritted my teeth, a bubbled scream trapped in my chest. A tight hold on my emotions kept my fear from popping free in a loud, long wail. But just barely.

    Others around me didn’t possess my level of control, especially Zeke, who sat beside me. His breaths came labored and loud to my ears. Part of me itched to reach a hand out, to reassure him that this night would pass like the ones before with all still safe inside, the sun rising on a new day. But I didn’t currently do girly, and I was no longer Charlotte Baker. Here, I was Charlie Little, the boy the community took in, along with a baby sister and a dying mother, a little over eight months ago. If they ever thought differently, I wouldn’t last the night.

    Screeches and clangs bombarded the combination wood and chain link metal fence surrounding the brick structure. We cowered in windowless cells inside. My hands firmly planted over the sides of my head, I couldn’t make myself pull them free. Sure, our security protected us well. The fence was electric and the building reinforced from the inside, but tonight, something was different. The creatures never attacked with this much intensity, and a wish to crawl into the deepest, darkest hole and hide there until it all ended crept over me.

    It would end. It always ended.

    Zeke’s muffled voice penetrated my flimsy hand armor, and I shifted my gaze to meet his. His dark-brown eyes were wide and expectant.

    Right, Charlie?

    Right? I hadn’t heard a question, wasn’t sure I could focus on anything he wanted to know now. My response—a shake of my head.

    He pulled one of my hands free from my ear and asked, It’s worse than before, right?

    Before? Before what? Before tonight? Before I stumbled through the community gate? Before the world turned to blood, survival, and hiding at night, always hiding at night?

    I don’t know, Zeke. Is it? The panic in my voice was buried by the jarring crashes outside.

    Yeah. It’s worse. Something’s changed.

    I looked at my lap. The truth would show in my eyes, so I didn’t dare look at Zeke. They’re becoming more aggressive.

    Like last winter. Last winter, I came face-to-face with a Draghoul. Then I fought through a horde of them to get here. My fear wasn’t from ignorance. I’d seen them up close, and they were beyond frightening. Their exteriors weren’t that much different from when they were once human. And they were once human, as unbelievable as it was. But the transformation into a monster was permanent and dreadful. The pale sallow skin, the glazed, souless eyes, the malicious teeth were a vision I would never forget. The fact they used to be people we knew, some we loved, made the sight of them all the more devastating.

    He continued, But why? They’ve always lurked just outside. They’ve never tried to get inside before. It’s like...they’d claw through the metal and concrete to get inside, I mean, more than ever before.

    An explosive bang vibrated the walls and I jumped. God, I hated the night. It was too real, a reminder that humans no longer ruled the planet, a reminder that we were no longer the dominant species. My hands shook, and I lowered and squeezed them between my thighs to keep them out of sight.

    Zeke’s whispered words carried across the room to his cousin sitting on the opposite wall. What do you think, Thomas? You’re the smart one. Is it worse?

    I chanced a look in Thomas’s direction and felt more than saw his intense dark-eyed gaze burn into me. So often, he just stared, and questions lingered behind his intelligent eyes. Sometimes I wondered if he knew or at least suspected the truth. Life could always get worse for Star and me if he worked out my real identity. We wouldn’t survive in the forest again, and we had nowhere else to go.

    His gaze turned to Zeke’s. No doubt, it’s worse. It was only this bad once before, last year, in September and October.

    Zeke pressed, What’s bringing them so close?

    I don’t know, but the Council will figure it out and fix it.

    You’re right. The Council will fix it.

    The Council! My mouth tightened to a thin line as they mentioned the Council. A bunch of old men who liked to argue. That described the Council. The only thing they fixed was a schedule that included an afternoon nap while the rest of the community worked in the fields. They fixed it so their meals included what little canned meat was left and were delivered to them in the most protected room inside the lowest levels of the compound while the rest of us hunkered side-by-side in small beds, stacked one-two-three, right on top of each other in several above-ground cells. True, all the rooms had metal bars on the interior of the windows and boards tacked over the exterior. But in reality, if any were breached, the Council would remain protected in their inner sanctuary far below the rest of us. I was thankful for one thing though. Star, my almost seven-month-old sister, also stayed in the inner sanctuary and would be secure through any attack.

    The silence was broken again by several thumps over my head. Had one of the monsters breached the fence? Were they in the building? With knees raised to my chest, I sunk into myself, lifting my hands to my ears again. Fear pooled in my abdomen, but I couldn’t give in. When I was younger, my mother held me tightly when I was afraid, but my father pushed me to face those same fears. Now I was alone and understood my father’s lessons. Except for Star, I was completely alone.

    A picture of my father materialized in my head, and my mind drifted to happier times. He never smiled toward the end, but early on, his laughter boomed deep in his round belly, and his face split under his dark beard into wide, wide grins. He hugged me close and told me of places he’d been, and I vaguely remembered visiting some of them. Three years ago when I was fourteen, before we climbed into our fortified ground bunker, we’d visited family in a few places close by. Of course, we hadn’t traveled anywhere like the places he described.

    He painted pictures of cities so large that buildings stretched into the sky and became necessary in order to house all the people. Just the sound of a building that huge amazed me. Sometimes, I wished the opportunity to see a city like that still existed, but traveling outside a safe structure at night bordered on insane.

    My father spoke on and on about cars too. If you wanted to go anywhere, you drove a car, and my dad loved his truck. A GMC Sierra. A man’s vehicle, he’d say, whatever that meant. I’d give just about anything for a car right now. Cars traveled along hardened pavement that still existed, but I knew from personal experience cars could drive off a road, too. They required a strong-smelling liquid to power them. Lost power without it. It hadn’t been that long ago we stopped at stations to fill up with the strong chemical smell. I remembered my dad calling it gas or fuel, like what we used now to burn our lanterns. It was weird to me at times what stuck in my memory and what didn’t.

    My dad told me, if the infection had never happened, when I turned sixteen, he would’ve taught me to drive a car for myself, but I was a year past that momentous birthday and none of that mattered now. It was all just memory—his and mine.

    As the chaos continued around me, I imagined climbing into an impossibly big car and floating away high above the danger on the ground. My father never said the cars flew, but I remembered the droning sound of airplanes behind clouds, at such high elevations, even though I’d never actually flown in one. In my mind, I combined the known with the unknown and escaped, away from the community and away from the Draghoul forever. If only it were that simple.

    As far as I knew, the whole world struggled to survive just like we did, but there were rumors...well...one rumor, by someone who’d been there and come back...a rumor of a city that was safe. The city stood free of the Draghoul plague and offered its citizens food and shelter and a place where going out at night wasn’t a death sentence. Even the name of the city filled me with longing—Mercy.

    Just one problem. The distance from the community was impossible to reach in a day. Last year’s Chosen had shouted that fact during his mostly incoherent rants. He’d returned, but not with a whole mind. In a lucid moment though, he’d explained, in order to make it to Mercy, at dawn a fast runner would have to sprint at full speed the entire day and would still barely make it to the city’s gates before sundown. It was unmanageable for the most athletic members of the community. With Star, my chances were nil. For me, a more suckish thought never existed. Essentially, I was stuck between the danger of probable death in the community and almost certain death on the way to Mercy. Not a good place to be.

    Even with the cacophony of noise, I drifted to sleep eventually, with my head resting on Zeke’s shoulder. When I woke, silence filled the air, and I was curled up on the ground with only a few men lying similarly around me. The beds were occupied by some of the older men and family members of the council. Pushing myself upright, I stretched my tense muscles and glanced around. A few feet down the corridor, Thomas stood, legs braced apart, light behind him, casting him in silhouette. I knew it was him by the intense gaze I felt more than saw. How long had he been watching me?

    Come on. They’re gone, and we need to get out to the fields.

    Using the wall, I pulled myself to a standing position and stepped around the other sleeping bodies until I traipsed behind his retreating figure. I took a deep breath of the stale air and struggled to keep up with his quick strides toward the cafeteria. My exhausted body protested the hurried pace, but I didn’t slow down or complain. I needed to fill my belly with a little food and check on Star before a day of work consumed me.

    Are you still working in the fields? Zeke said you start guard duty this week.

    He turned and gave me a quick once over, his eyes scrutinizing in a way that made me uncomfortable. Shivers ran up and down my arms, but the chill in the air wasn’t the reason. He made me feel like I’d stolen the community’s last bean. But he looked away, and I breathed a relieved sigh.

    I start tomorrow.

    Is it true, you’ve been chosen as a council candidate?

    He nodded.

    Why would you want to do that? The Council is so self-absorbed, self-important, and makes decisions to protect only themselves.

    His hands clenched at his sides and his brow furrowed. That had been the wrong thing to say.

    "The Council protects the community. Their decisions are for the benefit of all."

    Yeah, but, you know they get the best of everything pulled from the fields, and don’t tremble next to you or me each night in the community cells. Will you go to their sanctuary once you join them?

    He stopped and grabbed my shoulder, preventing me from moving forward. Red-faced, skin tight, a small scar on his forehead whitened in reaction. I wondered briefly how he’d gotten the scar.

    You don’t know what you’re talking about. You haven’t been here long enough to understand the decisions that had to be made, so just shut-up about things you know nothing of.

    He turned away and I watched him tread heavily toward the cafeteria, not another glance behind him. Same old, same old. From the moment the community took me in, Thomas and I were like crooked and straight—totally opposed. I don’t know what I did to deserve his animosity, but he clearly couldn’t stand the sight of me, which was fine because I wanted to stay far, far away from him, too.

    My pace dragged thanks to fatigue and lack of motivation. The thought of another day of veggie surprise for breakfast and field work until evening depressed me, but I trudged into the dining hall and ate without once glancing at my plate’s contents. It was for the best I didn’t examine the food. A stew of beans, carrots, cabbage, and various other vegetables over a mushy grain was the usual. I just shoveled it into my mouth and made my way down to the basement sanctuary to say good morning to Star.

    I carried a full tray with me for Quillen, her full-time caretaker. I didn’t know if Quillen was his first name, last name, or only name, but I liked him. He watched over Star like a doting grandfather and handed me books once a week, quizzing me on the subject when I returned them the next. He struck me as highly intelligent and reminded me of a middle school math teacher I dearly loved, back before the schools were closed to prevent the spread of infection.

    Along the way, I passed a few faces of people I recognized. I nodded and smiled, but didn’t stop to talk. Mostly I kept to myself in the community. A small circle of boys, a few guards, Quillen, and Star made up most of my socializations. I didn’t need any more. In the world as I knew it, it wasn’t like I was running for queen of the winter dance or anything. Those days were long gone, and a few loyal friends were all that were necessary.

    I turned another corner and made my way along the familiar path. The building we lived in was massive, and I’d been told it was once a mental institution, but they’d released the patients when the infection grew to uncontrollable levels. It kind of became every man for himself. So, there were closed off sections of the structure into which no one dared wander. They were sealed off, thick, locked metal doors with small windows blocking anyone from entering, not that anyone tried. There was probably a reason those areas were closed off—such as infected Draghoul lying in wait for some unsuspecting explorer. No thanks. I stuck to the accessible areas only.

    I opened a heavy, unlocked door, maneuvered down a stairwell, and glided into the underground sanctuary where only the most important were allowed on a regular basis. I didn’t get any ideas I ranked high enough to actually be allowed into the sanctuary. The only reason I had access was to visit Star.

    Honestly, no admittance didn’t bother me. It was dark and creepy down here with most hallways unlit to conserve the electricity needed for the shockwall each night. The shockwall was a massive amount of electric wiring wrapped around the top of the outer fence and a line of defense against attacks at night. It wasn’t needed during the day and only activated at night, once again to conserve electricity, but we all heard the dire warnings that someday the electricity would run out. So, we used as little as possible, and creep-factor wasn’t enough of a reason to fill the lower hallways with light.

    Fortunately, I had a remnant of the old days. I had a handheld light that when shook, glowed faintly. The harder and longer you shook it, the brighter it burned. Pocket-sized, I kept it with me always, just in case.

    I pulled it out now, gave it a good shake, and progressed down the hallway. As I made a right turn, two guards came into view. John Cane and Levi Wilson were the daytime guards for the Council chambers. Whether the Council was in session or not, they sat in front of the entrance, guarding the room itself. Supposedly, inside were documents and plans to which regular members couldn’t have access, so the guards kept the room clear of prying eyes.

    As I came upon them though, I could tell immediately the Council wasn’t in session. They burned a small fuel lantern, played cards, and talked low to each other.

    John was a friend of Zeke’s, so I considered him one of mine as well. He was a little on the short side, freckled with light brown hair. Most of the time, he had a joke or a funny story to tell, so when the guards traded out in the evenings, we anticipated John’s arrival to the dining hall. As for Levi, other than his name, I didn’t really know much about him. He had red hair, stood about a half a foot taller than John, and never smiled.

    I stopped briefly to see what game they were playing. Looked like a version of an old card game my dad and I used to play called war. Who’s winning?

    I am. John grinned.

    Bull. I am and you know it. True to form, his lips never moved, not even a twitch of a smile.

    John looked up at me, his grin widening. You want to play? We’ll deal you in.

    Nah, I’m more of a spectator than a player.

    Okay, suit yourself.

    Instead of sticking around to watch them though, I spun on my heel and continued down the corridor. Some of us have to work, you know. Not all of us can sit around playing cards all day.

    Levi spoke, his voice a growl, You try sitting in this hallway for hours and hours without a break. It’s not as fun as it looks.

    I really didn’t think it looked fun at all, but I gave a nod of my head and continued on. At the end of the hall, the path branched off two ways, like a T. I threw a nervous glance over my shoulder as I turned left. I’d never turned right, had no reason to, but I was curious about what was down that way. It wasn’t closed off like all the restricted sections, so if I wanted to, I could explore the area, but truth be told, as interested as I was, my fear outweighed my curiosity. Hard to say what I’d find, so better to stay with the paths I knew.

    I continued down and turned right, spotting two more guards stationed outside another locked door that led to a hallway from which the Council’s living quarters were accessed. Though they greeted me with the usual hellos and unlocked the door without argument, I responded with a nod, moved past them without stopping, and plodded to the door at the end of the hallway.

    At the end of the left side of the hallway, I knocked on the door. Though a small lantern burned at the guards’ feet down the corridor, no light shown around me until the door opened and a soft glow spilled out. Once I was inside the room, the guards closed the outer door with a thud.

    Charlie’s here, Star.

    I handed the tray to the lean, gray-haired man, who was older than my forty-ish father had been last time I saw him, and strode into the room. My sister was sitting on the floor, her curly mop of white-blonde hair stuck out in various directions. The color was the same as mine, but unlike my cropped do, hers was a mass of adorable ringlets on top of her chubby little cheeks. Her hair could never be tamed, no matter how hard I tried each morning.

    She bounced on her bottom and reached for me the minute her dual-colored eyes registered I was in the room. I rarely thought about her eyes nowadays, but when I’d first noticed her left eye was ice-blue and her right eye was brown, to be honest, I thought something was wrong with her. But Quillen had been there too, and he’d assured me it was normal for her and meant she was unique, special even. Now, I only wondered about the oddity occasionally.

    I see you’re no worse for wear after last night, huh? Quillen spoke around bites and crossed the room to sit at a small round table in the corner.

    I slept even...a little bit. Could you hear it down here?

    He shook his head, chewed, and swallowed. Noah came by to speak with me about it this morning. He wanted my opinion as to why the attacks were more intense lately.

    Noah was a member of the Council and Thomas’s father. Thomas looked like a younger version of him, and both seemed more pensive than most of the men here. Yet, unlike the other members of the Council, Noah often sought out advice from those in the community before making decisions. I liked him.

    I scooped up my sister and danced around the room with her.

    Be careful. She just drank her milk, and I can’t guarantee it won’t end up all over you.

    Recently, Quillen introduced Star to some of the daily veggie special, but she still got her belly filled with goat’s milk every meal. It didn’t smell pleasant if she spit it up, so I didn’t perform any more twirls as I moved.

    The goats had the life, if you asked me. They got to hang out in the sunshine all day, grazing and playing. Then at night, they were brought down to the sanctuary for safe keeping. There were only four remaining, so they’d never become the night’s dinner. The milk they produced was much more valuable than their meat, and currently, they were the only livestock in the community. They were treated better than the human members here.

    Why do you think the attacks are worse?

    He cocked his head to the side and chewed slowly, as if in deep thought. I told Noah I thought it was the time of year, and the infected are running out of random victims. Most of the healthy people have either left the Dead Forest or been turned.

    I hung my head and rubbed my thumb over Star’s chubby knee. It was not pleasant to think about all the lost people. If not for the community bringing me in, I would be one of them.

    Is there anything we can do about it?

    He shook his head but stared at me out of the corner of his eye. Nothing right now, but I suggested Noah might want to move everyone down to the sanctuary.

    What did he say to that?

    What do you think? He said Jonas would never go for it. Too much work involved clearing out space, and we couldn’t spend the electricity to light all the rooms down here.

    I did not like Jonas. Besides the fact he considered himself the leader of the Council, and most people just accepted it as fact, he often made decisions that though might be the right ones for the community, often benefited him in the end. I wasn’t exactly clear on why, but no one dared oppose him most of the time, and his son Peter took full advantage of his father’s position, treating the rest of us like the dirt we tilled and the weeds we pulled. I really didn’t like Jonas.

    Figures.

    I brushed and ponytailed her short, curly hair and played with Star as long as I dared delay the inevitable. But I knew Zeke would be waiting for me, so I passed my sister to Quillen and turned toward the door.

    Charlie...

    I turned back, ready for his usual advice. It had become part of our routine.

    Trust no one and stay out of the forest.

    With a nod, I opened the door and swiveled to go. He’d said the same thing for months.

    You...you are in real danger now, Charlie, in ways you couldn’t even imagine in your evilest nightmares. It’s more important than ever that you be cautious.

    Confused, I stood in the dark hallway and stared at the closed door, my small handheld light pointed in the direction of Quillen’s room and the ominous words still hanging in the air. Huh. His last words—he’d never said that before.

    Chapter 2

    The air was cool, raising goose bumps on my skin as Zeke and I hiked to the fields. A glance at the sky showed clouds moving in, and the lack of sun brought on a shudder. To me, the sun was protection, and I hated the idea of a season where it only shined occasionally. Bad memories of last winter still haunted me.

    But for now, I had a bowl of morning grain and vegetable mush in my stomach and a shelter to go back to at the end of the day. I didn’t like to think about what had happened. Instead, I focused on the here and now, and when I allowed myself, what would happen tomorrow. I wondered if all our hard work tilling the soil and harvesting plants would be enough to get us through the coming winter, and what would keep us busy through long days stuck inside with only each other’s company? Maybe some of the community’s history would come out with the passing days. So much was still a mystery.

    I looked at Zeke’s broad back. Did I dare ask again? Every time I asked a question, the only answer anyone ever gave was the Council will tell us, or the Council already made a decision. Apparently, no one questioned the Council. I was learning to keep my questions to myself.

    There was one question though that I’d asked within the first few weeks of coming here and instead of a comment about how the amazing, wizened Council had already covered that particular tidbit, I was told never to ask that question. I shook my head at the memory because that question just wouldn’t die, not as long as my sister and I continued to shelter here.

    In the community, there were exactly thirty-three men between the ages of eighteen and sixty, fifteen boys between the ages of eight and seventeen. That count included me. To everyone here I was a boy. Star made one baby girl, but there were no women or other girls. Where were all the females?

    Zeke shifted a shovel and hoe to his other shoulder and continued to hum a tune as we walked together. I watched him out of the corner of my eye and noticed how all the hard work in the fields had filled him out in the past couple months. He’d been the first one to befriend me, and my impression of him then as a scrawny, simple boy made me feel safe enough to ask questions. Unless I was visiting my sister in the inner sanctuary or taking care of my personal needs, I rarely left his side.

    Should I ask the question again? Did I really want to know the answer? Would he even give me more than that first hushed whisper?

    Something told me whatever happened to the females was too painful for Zeke and the others to talk about. Once, I’d even overheard some of the boys discussing the toll it had taken on Zeke’s father. Apparently, he refused to leave his room since the incident, and he was mentally and physically ill as a result. For now, the Council tolerated his behavior, but I had to wonder what could cause such trauma. What happened here?

    I shook my head and glanced toward the copse of dark trees across the fields. Another time maybe. I pulled a deep breath into my lungs. The fear churning in my belly wasn’t enough to keep me from doing what I had to do.

    Yeah, I was a boy to all those around me, but that didn’t stop my body from reminding me just how female I really was. I’d volunteered for laundry duty, so I was able to gather scraps of fabric for the inevitable that happened each month. Although I still didn’t grasp why I had to hide my gender, my mother’s insistence when we moved into our own underground bunker years ago, and the fact no women were here kept me silent on the subject, and everyone seemed convinced that all was as it appeared, except maybe Thomas with his sharp, dark eyes.

    Zeke, I’ll catch up to you later. I forgot to take care of something.

    Forgot to drain the lizard, didn’t you?

    As if. One of the problems I encountered on a daily basis was the ease of vulgarity. Men didn’t censor themselves when women weren’t around. It was eye-opening and plain gross most of the time, but I just smiled and nodded as I headed off toward the forest. I’d lived here long enough to catch a few eyefuls and knew what a man looked like, but I had no idea how draining a lizard was anything like...it wasn’t even worth thinking about.

    A few of the boys I passed called out to me as I wandered toward the other side of the work area. Once I was inside the line of the forest, I continued to pick my way through the overgrown brush until no obvious openings appeared. I couldn’t chance someone coming across me while I tended to feminine needs.

    Two overgrown pines created a wall on one side, and a few, low bushes gave me some cover on the other. The cloudy day along with the cover of the canopy darkened the area around me, and a sense I was being watched came over me. Silence ruled the forest, but it had for a while now. Life was rare above ground.

    I stood still for several more moments, listening for any sounds and watching for any movement. After I felt assured there was no danger, I worked my way out of my large, bulky overcoat and began to work the leather belt free from my pants that were two-sizes too big. Once I’d removed and lowered my pants, my hands shook as I worked quickly, worried someone else would decide he needed to drain the lizard.

    I completed my business and discarded the used scraps and wrapped new ones in their place. I dug a shallow hole, buried the evidence as best I could, then dressed as fast as my fingers would fasten.

    Just as I turned to go, satisfied that I hadn’t left any trace, the sound of a branch snapping came from above me. My heart beat a furious pace as I whipped my head up and glanced through the cover of the leaves, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was nothing, no birds, no squirrels, no chipmunks. Nothing moved in the trees, but I hadn’t expected anything natural.

    I took a few silent steps forward, but kept my gaze on the long branches full of leaves slipping to golds, reds, and browns above me. With one last glance over my shoulder, I turned and began to run toward the open fields, feeling thin branches and thorns tear at my clothes and exposed skin, but before I broke the line of trees, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow moving silky fast among the trees.

    I broke through the forest’s edge and threw myself onto the ground right at the feet of Thomas. I reached out, and he grabbed my arms. I gripped him tightly and hugged at his legs, still on my knees. He looked me over for a moment before staring into the trees behind me.

    You’re all white, Charlie. Are you okay? Was something in there?

    I couldn’t catch my breath and sucked in great heaping gulps of air. My heart was racing, and I felt like I needed to run, get away, and never look back.

    Thomas pulled just free enough to meet my gaze. Hey man, you got a tight grip there. People are staring. You okay?

    My terror abated just enough that I realized what I was doing. I jerked my hands free in a sudden motion and nodded my head vigorously.

    Yeah, just got spooked. I didn’t really see anything, but just so we’re clear, it’s a good thing I emptied my bladder before that happened.

    Thomas made a strangled sound, and for a moment, I thought he might be laughing, but as I looked at him, his usual grim line planted itself where his mouth was. He grabbed me under my arms and lifted until my feet were under me and I could stand. He’d always been big, with a broad chest and long, spindly legs, but the ease with which he pulled me from the ground took me by surprise.

    I watched his eyes and for just a moment, I thought I caught an interest that wasn’t usually there. Instead of the midnight iciness that kept him so distant, an instant of warmth lit up, but before I could take it in and figure it out, it faded back to coldness.

    So stupid! You shouldn’t go into the forest alone.

    I’m a big...boy. I can handle a little spookiness.

    Then, don’t be such a girl next time.

    My heartbeat halted a moment and I cocked my head to the side. Did he know? Was he trying to make me admit it?

    I shoved a hand at his chest, getting no reaction.

    Whatever. I turned to walk away, but stopped when he touched my shoulder lightly before dropping his hand back to his side.

    Get me next time you need to go into the trees. I’ll stay a short distance away, but you won’t be alone.

    I didn’t turn around. You’re starting soldier responsibilities tomorrow. You won’t be here to ask.

    He blew out a frustrated breath. Then ask Zeke. Just don’t go back in by yourself.

    I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t have anyone else in the forest with me, but the thought of going into that creepy, soundless space again gave me serious heebie-jeebies. At some point, I would have to go back in, and maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take someone with me, if he stood out of eyesight.

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