CHAPTER EIGHT

 

CHAPTER EIGHT: REVELETION

 

 

            The anger Ian had after he heard about my mishap in the lake couldn’t even compare to the rage he had when he stumbled upon my name on the “Raids” sign up sheet. There was cold shoulders and heated glares for a few days until it was my first night on the job.

            “Sam” Ian’s voice was exhausted, probably from yelling and pleading with me the past couple days.

“Huh?” I looked away from the window, Ian staring at me intently with strained composure. It looked like he had lost some sleep the past couple days and hadn’t bothered to shave or take a shower.

“We’re almost there. Any questions?” I shook my head, not sure what questions there would be to ask. Shaun had explained it perfectly well while I signed up. I would be assigned a car, destination, items, and time limit and as long as I followed these conditions, there would be no problems. It wasn’t like I was protruding out into an alien’s neighborhood or sneaking into underground base (thought I was slightly inclined to). Why was Ian getting so stressed over this?

“You’ll be careful, right?” my chest tightened as I imagined an ambush of aliens surrounding him, not feeling so confident anymore with the weight of Ian’s safety upon my shoulders. Ian roared in laugher, making a tight turn and beginning to slow down.

“I’ve been doing this for years. What do you think?” he pulled into a parking lot near “The Village” shopping center. Cars were crammed tightly on the small area but there was a giant barn built beside it, a few cars parked inside. People were weaving between the cars holding cups of coffee and backpacks. Ian parked on the street, outside the parking lot. The car hardly stopped when Ian jumped out of the car, racing to my side to open the door and take my arm to help me out.

“Umm…thanks?” it was nice and cool outside, letting the crisp air hit my face and slid beneath my baggy new clothes: gray cargo pants, a white tank, and a thin sport jacket. Ian grabbed my hand, squeezing it to a pulp as he powered walked and darted between the cars to the barn. His breathing was hard and he kept his eyes straight. “Are you okay, Ian?” he flipped his head back in a flash, tugging me harder towards the barn.

“Yes, why?” it was hard to get excited for the expedition or keep up him when he seemed so uptight. The barn was stuffy and there were hardly anyone in there. Ian pulled me to cabinet with a clipboard attached to it. He scribbled on it for a good five minutes, then began pulling things out of the cabinets. It was a mass of buckles and metal. Ian’s breathing was unbearable, he was frantic, untangling one of the straps. “Okay, listen to me” his mouth was on my ear, and his hands were scrambling over my waist, hearing a click “You are going to be careful, for me. Don’t do anything stupid” he grabbed something metal, it was a gun “Don’t do anything stupid” he pushed it in the back of my pants.

“Ian, what are you doing?”

“Don’t talk” his breath was erratic, grabbing my thigh “Promise me I’ll see you tomorrow” I groaned when he tightened a loop around my thigh, looking down to see a blade was attached to it.

“Am I going into battle or something” I kidded, trying to loosen the strap.

“Sam” he grabbed my shoulders, giving me a gentle shake and pressing his forehead to mine. “Promise me, please?”

“I’ll be fine. Just worry about you” I pushed him away, walking out of the barn, following everyone else to the side of the barn where a giant bulletin board was attached to. It had a list of assigned cars, destination, etc. I struggled to see, jumping for a glimpse.

“Here” I yelped, Ian’s hands lifting me onto his shoulders “Find me, too”

“Okay” my fingers where digging into his hair and my thighs were squeezing against his head as I searched for our names. “You have vehicle thirty three, Brea, and uhh… canned goods” Ian’s head nodded between my thighs.

“What’s yours? Ouch, lessen on the grip will ya?”

“Sorry. I got four, Ontario, canned goods”

“Oh. Totally out of my direction”

“Yeah, bummer. Well, we better get going” maybe he would get the gist.

“You’re right” he slid me off his shoulders, his hand still remaining on my hand “Hey, I’ll walk you to your car. Do you know how to get to Ontario?”

“Yes” he pulled me through the rows of cars with skittish footsteps until he pinned me to a black pickup. The car keys were already in the lock,  Ian swinging the door open for me when he knew I hated that.

“Okay, there are maps and a walkie-talkie in the glove compartment. There are bags in the back seat. And that’s it”

“Okay, thanks. Oh, take this” I held out the gun, he stared blankly with a laugh. I frowned, harshly.

“No, you’re taking it”

“If I have to use it, won’t it be too late anyways?” he grimaced, his hands clutching my hands and pressing them against the gun.

“Please just take it. It will make me feel better”

“Fine” I threw it onto the passenger seat. I was growing frustrated with Ian’s suffocation but I still liked his company and this made this a contradiction. I had no one to be angry with but myself. “I’ll be back” putting on a huge smile didn’t ease the anxiety on Ian so the only way to reassure him was to return to him. He nodded, slamming the door and leaning through the window.

“Don’t break my heart again” my laugh was jittery, my insides stabbed and I felt insulted.

“Let’s save the drama” I said haughtily, stepping on the gas and speeding out of the parking lot like a maniac. I grimaced, looking in the side mirror to see Ian staring after me. How dare he say that to me! His pretending was annoying and ignoring the tension between us was immature. He was shredding me apart with his confusing gestures and his constant presence. What was I of importance? “Let it go” I murmured to myself as I tore away the straps from my body and flinging them on the passenger seat. The sun was dipping drastically, soon to touch the mountain’s jagged tip. Darkness and opportunity were aloof.

            Nightfall washed over the abandoned land and hung over every bump and crack on every building or road. Stars and the moon were my only light and company. I didn’t really follow directions. Instead of going to Ontario, like I was supposed, I went to Foothill Ranch. It burned a lot of my time because it wasn’t exactly at the bottom of the mountain. But it was highly inhabited by aliens so that meant there were plenty of supplies. It wouldn’t be hard finding things, I was familiar with the area since it was a half hour or so from my home… putting on glasses only made driving harder but it was safer in the residential area of the aliens. The walkie-talkie was growing warm in my lap even though I had clawed the batteries out after Ian had pestered me the entire way down the mountain, commenting on my speed, giving tips, and reminding me to be safe. Now that I was completely alone and situated in Foothill, I began to work. Most of the stores had been untouched so it was easy to break into them, just ramming the back end of my truck through the doors. Alarms had been disconnected or powered out so the only sounds I had to be aware of was the crunch of the truck through glass, my swift movements through dark, dusty aisles, the clank of cans falling to the bottom of my bag and the outside world. Canned goods weren’t the only things I grabbed. I stashed clothing and medical supplies as well. Cold medicine would be handy for the upcoming winter.

            As I loaded the last bag of cans into the truck, I realized this wasn’t as exciting as I imagined it being. In my head, I saw wild chases at the brink of the rising sun with blood gushing out of my arm from a bullet skidding over my skin as my heart thudded to keep up with the adrenaline pulsing through my veins. It was a quiet and too safe but I knew how to disrupt this. Though the sky was beginning to dull into a hazy blue, I took no heed of time and boldly drove through the parking lots. I was in the middle of a huge shopping center, finding an adapted alien shop. One could tell because the lighting marquee of the previous store had been stripped down and replaced with a three dimensional sign that looked like a bunch of green dots and dashes hovering in the air. “KEEPER OF DUST’S FOOD BANK” it read, squinting my eyes from looking at the sign to long. The car rolled slowly in front of it, wondering what kind of destruction I could do. Puttering my fingers on the dashboard as my head grew heavy and the sky got paler as I ran over scenarios. Anger boiled in my stomach, frustrated that I couldn’t find something to do to them when they had done so much to me. Seven years, my home, my world, my family…  I floored the truck, remembering my sister sparked my anger like a flame to gasoline. The car tore through the sliding doors and rammed into a counter with a funky looking, electronic box. I had forgotten to wear a seat, hitting the steering wheel and almost dinking my head on the window shield.

“Holy s**t” I panted, grabbing my side. “I broke a rib. I know it, I know it” cautiously, I fingered my ribs. My skin felt as though it was stretching to a painful rip. It was hard to breathe and the pain was clotting my mind. “I—“I began to laugh. The pain became ticklish and the situation I had gotten into seemed like a fairytale or a wonderful, deranged dream. Somewhere in me, I had wanted this. There were things more painful than this. Laughing chanted and called the pain deeper in till bending even slightly could have made anyone scream until they passed out. It was strange to like this feeling, dabbing my forehead to find a few blotches of blood sponged on them. I guess I had bumped the windshield or maybe I had skid it against the rearview mirror. The walkie-talkie had flown to the floor and the batteries were nowhere to be found, making calling for help impossible even though I wouldn’t have called for any anyways. I laughed harder at this realization, slowly backing out of the store, taking pride at the scattered glass and ripped panes flown over the ground and the tented counters that had been pushed aside by the force of the car. There was a strange feeling overwhelming my body and it felt good. It was living and breathing in my veins and had a mysterious mystic that empowered my limbs and sharpened my thoughts. I never felt this way before.

             The sky was changing rapidly, fighting with the mixture of yellow and pink. It would be soon when the night would lose to the day. My sport watch blinked six thirty two. I was supposed to drive back around four. “Oops” I gasped through the snappish pain pressing out of my chest. Perspiration had formed on my face, putting the window down as I drove away from the parking lot, finding a hotel nearby. “Ahh” I clutched my chest as I rolled out of the car that I had parked in some untrimmed bushes. Using a rock, I broke the door, reaching through the hole, letting the edges bite my skin, and unlocking it. It took awhile to find the hotel keys, picking a random one and hurrying to the room. The door was sticky, leaning with my hand on the doorknob before it cracked open to a two bedroom suite. The thin covers, with comforters to match the curtains, smelled of dust, sneezing a few times before I was able to lay on my back, whimpering from my stitched side that had felt like an explosion against my lung from the sneezing. Exhaustion sprinkled over my limbs like fresh dew, beginning to build up and drown me into sleep.

            It was humid and it startled me awake, stifling my scream into a pillow. The pain hadn’t wallowed away over night but had swelled and stiffened in a casket of soreness. Sunlight was seeping in through the edges of the curtain, taking a look at my watch as I rubbed the sore spot. It was one fifty three, a bit latter then I wanted to stay out but I had to adjust. If only the ice machine worked, it would have been nice to soothe my rib before I left. The light was sniveling, making the ground crackle as I sneaked to the bushes and the car radiate in heat. The seat burned my skin through my jacket and pants but felt good against my rib. I lied to myself to ease the pain, telling myself  I would go to the hospital where they would bandage and dope me up when, really, I wouldn’t even mention it. Last thing Ian needed was a reason to strip my job privileges and flip out because of a mere broken rib.

            The car looked banged up, formulating stories to cover it up as I drove through the city.

“Oh no” I gaped, aliens were walking all over the place and I was in a car. Aliens hardly used their vehicles let alone human ones. Ducking shoved a spear in my lung, difficulty breathing notched up on the scale. My fingers ran through the glove compartment, a few pairs of sunglasses tumbling out. I threw them on, jutting up and putting on a smile for a couple crossing the street. “Crud” they walked up to the window, holding hands. Their black eyes glimmered like stones of ink underneath clear water and their smiles were sharp and creepy.

“Hello. How are you” said the male, his blond hair streaked with highlights of green.

“Good, thank you. And you?” I was aware of alien decorum and calmly ran through it.

“Very well” blinked the female, her lips painted plump and shiny pink. Her lashes were curled, making her eyes look larger and more meticulous. “What is your name? I’m Sleeping Sun and this is my partner, Gazes At Moon” putting on a friendly smile, gritting my teeth as I moved my body, slightly, to face them more clearly.

“I’m” I paused, thinking of a stupid name and trying to translate it “Dancing Wind” they nodded, giving a few clicks that were supposed to be signs of interest or approval. “I must go. I have a party to cater to” I nudged my head to the back of my car.

“Oh. Well, nice meeting you” they gave a wave, but not an ordinary wave; they moved their hands across their chest into a triangle and walked away. I held my breath until they had crossed the street and rounded the corner.

“That was so close.” I laughed. There’s an adrenaline rush for you! Continuing on, I focused on avoiding any contact, feeling relaxed when I hit the empty freeway. Looking back in the rearview mirror in reminisce of my first raid, thinking how upset Ian was going to be when I arrived late, but I realized he had no logical reason to worry about me; I knew the language and cultural customs of the aliens, my body was scrawny but capable of being strong, seven years had tore me down but I was healing quickly and was already stronger mentally then anyone, and… I had absolutely had nothing to lose or return to. Yes, I had the advantage that slaughtered anyone else’s experience in the field or Ian’s unruly protection and It was quite clear now…I was indestructible.

           

Author's Note

Please ignore grammar problems. I know they're there and have countless times looked over and edited my work but still can't fix every single one. I would appreciate comments (good or bad) and would love ideas since I'm constantly on writer's block.

SONG OF THE CHAPTER: "Indestructible"- Disturbed

Reviews

[stinetran]

good use of dialogue . allows easy transitions .