Edge of Mercy (Young Adult Dystopian)(Volume 1) (The Mercy Series) (11 page)

Thomas laughed. “He might be right.”

I carefully rose from the floor, working not to drop the journal. I’d had several opportunities to dump it into one of the dark hallways, but so far, my curiosity about the community’s history outweighed my fear of getting caught. There were too many unanswered mysteries no one willingly revealed, and every time I opened the book, I learned a little more about the past. I’d found a large metal cabinet with just enough room between it and the wall to slip the book behind. The cabinet was at the top of the stairs, and right now, I ached to get it back to its hiding spot.

“I’m surprised you have extra time with your laundry duty and a couple more nights of nightwatch. Are you keeping up with everything?”

Things were growing awkward between Thomas and me. “You don’t have to worry about me, Thomas. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

There had always been tension between us before, but since our moment in the tower a few nights ago, he seemed to show up everywhere I went, like he was watching out for me. Although I kind of liked the idea of someone I could trust knowing my secret, his extra attention was becoming unwanted, and I still didn’t trust him completely. What if someone else noticed and began to work out why he was always watching out for me? Not everyone was as unobservant as Zeke. Someone would notice.

“About that. I don’t doubt you can take care of yourself, but what if I helped you take it a step further?”

“What do you mean? Like you’ll be my own personal bodyguard? Pick out my clothes? Do my hair? If you help me anymore than you already do, people will begin to talk. I’m fine.”

I tried to sweep past him, but he caught my elbow and held me. With a hard pull, I yanked at his grip, but his hold didn’t break. I thanked my shaky good luck that the book was tucked under my other arm.

“Look, I’d rather have people talking than taking advantage of you. Just let me show you a few moves to protect yourself. It would take less time than you think and then I wouldn’t feel a need to check on you.”

His intense dark-eyed stare sent shivers down my spine. I’d never noticed how smooth his skin was or how his brown hair curled in perfect waves to his collar. When he wasn’t glaring at me for putting the community in danger, Thomas was cute.

Ugh!
As soon as the thought entered my brain, I wanted to scrub it free.

This was Thomas I was thinking about, and even if he were the best-looking boy I’d ever laid eyes on, I’d be a complete idiot to think of him as anything more than…not quite a friend…more like a non-enemy. He was someone on my side, but certainly no one I’d call a friend. Yet, something about our relationship had changed.

Maybe it was how he’d put the woman out of her misery before she could be torn to shreds or maybe it was how he’d made it clear he would protect me against the community, but I did feel something for him now. He
could
be a friend. For whatever reason, he felt a need to protect me. Maybe I should just let him. What could it hurt? Really, it could only ultimately help me. Whether against the community members or a horde of Draghoul, to be able to defend myself would be a plus.

“Okay. Let’s meet here this time tomorrow. You can show me how to throw a punch and then answer a few questions for me.”

“Questions? What kind of questions?”

“About the community and how it survived here in the Dead Forest so long.”

His nostrils flared and his head jerked back like he’d been struck. He stayed quiet for a moment before releasing a heavy breath. “There are things you’d rather not know.”

“Like the women and children didn’t go willingly into the forest, did they?”

His silence spoke loudly. “We fought…literally, to keep them here, but in the end, they went willingly. In the last moments what was best for the community won. No one dared question the decision, even those going out to the monsters.”

“That’s crazy. How could you let that happen?”

His head lowered, and I could feel shame roll off him in waves. “I was a child. I begged my mother to stay or take me with her, but she knew my odds of survival favored staying here with my father. Not a day goes by I don’t wish I’d disobeyed and ran through the gates after her. Some did. I stayed, like a coward.”

My heart squeezed for him in that moment. My thoughts hadn’t always been kind to Thomas, but I’d never thought him a coward, and I still didn’t. “You’re the bravest person I know, Thomas. What you did in the tower a couple nights ago, I will never forget, and I’ll always think of it as one of the noblest things I’ve ever witnessed.”

His dark gaze met mine and a crackle of electricity filled the air between us. I felt suddenly small and needy in the moment, like I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and squeeze me tightly. Maybe he felt it too because he shuffled a little closer until I could feel the warmth of his body melding with mine.

I took a step backwards and shook my head. My thoughts needed redirection as soon as possible. I needed to get away from him because my mind had taken on a life of its own, thinking impossible things, like what it would be like if Thomas kissed me.

Without looking back, I turned toward the stairs and ran. “I’ll meet you here again tomorrow. See you then.”

Once at the top, I chanced a look behind me, but he hadn’t followed, and I breathed a sigh of relief. What was wrong with me? One merciful deed and suddenly I saw Thomas as a bigger-than-life hero? Surely nothing had changed. It couldn’t have that quickly. He was still the same cynical, soon-to-be council member I found so reprehensible.

I quickly tucked the book behind the cabinet and tried without success to push thoughts of Thomas out of my mind.

I’d realized standing in front of him under the stairs, whether I wanted it to or not, something had changed, and it scared me almost as much as facing off a Draghoul with venom dripping from its fangs. It certainly seemed just as dangerous.

“Charlie, I’ve been looking for you.”

My relief grew at the sound of the jovial tone in Zeke’s voice. I turned toward him and thoughts of Thomas evaporated. “I’m ready. Couple more rounds of nightwatch, and we’ll have served our week.”

“Yeah, well, you’re lucky you’ve had me running the watch with you. I’m pretty sure you’d have been dragged off for Draghoul dinner by now if I hadn’t been by your side.”

“Ha! You’ve slowed me down. I’ve been holding back, so you wouldn’t get left behind.” The tension from my interaction with Thomas faded, and I slipped into the playful relationship I had with Zeke.

We started toward the front entrance, smirking all the way. “Bring it on tonight then, hotshot. If you’ve got it, let’s see it.”

“Alright, but I hope you’re hungry because I’m going to feed you my dust.”

Things felt normal again, balanced. If I were going to feel anything for anyone, it should be Zeke. He made me laugh and never made me feel weak, like a burden on the community, or even worse, a naïve fool who’d be easy prey for predators inside the walls as well as those outside.

Zeke was clearly good-looking, with a muscular build, laughing eyes, and dimples revealed with every smile. I’d never doubted his looks, and he already liked me. As a friend, of course, but if I revealed my secret to him, maybe he could think of me as something more.

We made it to the wide, echoing foyer right inside the front entrance. I glanced over and caught the competitive determination in Zeke’s eyes. He would take the challenge seriously, and probably out-distance me before we even reached the first tower, but I didn’t really care. A small part of me wished I could win, but the reality was, he was bigger and stronger, and much more athletic. I’d still give it my best.

We stepped out into the dusk of the day and turned toward the left, sprinting in the direction of the first tower about seventy-five yards away. Just as I predicted, he easily beat me there by several seconds, scrambled up and flipped the first switch. Rather than wait for him like I usually did though, I ran for the next tower, which stood another seventy five yards away, at a ninety-degree angle to the first one.

The moment I reached the ladder, I climbed at a reckless pace, barely hanging on as I slipped off two rungs. The minute I breached the doorway and threw myself toward the second switch, I caught a glimpse through a slit in the wall of Zeke running for the third tower.

The third tower was about a hundred yards on the opposite side of the quad through a small glade of apple trees behind the building. Though I couldn’t catch him, I was pretty sure, if I bypassed the third, I’d be first to the final tower, which completed the even rectangle made around the outside of the building. The towers created an elevated view over the outer wall and stood about half-way between the building and the perimeter of the shockwall. They were another level of needed security in a dangerous world.

Laughter rose in my chest, and I hurried down to the ground to make my way to the fourth tower. Just as I rounded the corner though, I slowed to a walk. I knew something was wrong. Zeke was nowhere to be seen, and a low keening noise sounded from the shadows to my right. Was it darker than usual? Did the air feel heavier than normal, like a massive storm was closing in? Or was my mind playing tricks?

In front of me, a silhouette emerged from behind the final tower. The stooped, limping gate told me everything I needed to know. At least one Draghoul had made it over the wall, and it was now heading in my direction.

My heart thumped so hard and fast, it felt like a fist trying to break free of my chest. The erratic sound of it reverberated loudly through my head. The image of the creature that scratched my mother as she slammed our bunker door shut with all her might, saving us from the monster I’d nearly let inside, crashed into my mind. I’d been so stupid, but I’d seen the face through the small porthole, and it had been the face of my cousin Claire. I thought she’d made it back to us. She’d be here to help me when my mother went into labor. But the minute I opened the door, she’d revealed a mouthful of vicious, pointed teeth. If my mother hadn’t been close behind me, I would be one of them now, but she’d saved me and lost her life in the process.

A high-pitched screech from the other side of the wall brought me back to the present. Faintly, a hint of a putrid odor floated on the breeze then dissipated quickly. I mashed myself against the side of the building, and the rough brick bit into my back. One thought became clear in my mind. I was going to die if I didn’t do something fast.

To my left was the front of the building and the main entrance. Though I could run to it before the creature reached me, the doors would be locked and barred, and no one would open them for me. It was an unbreakable rule.

The fourth tower loomed above me, but if I ran toward it, I’d run right into the claws of the monster. My eyes searched the wall behind me. As far as I knew, there were no hidden entrances or trapdoors here.

My only possible shelter was the third tower. Though I would be safe there for a short amount of time, once I was there, my options were limited. It would only be a short while until the tower was surrounded by a mass of Draghoul, but I didn’t have any other choice. Maybe Zeke was there, and together, we could figure out what to do.

Finally decided, I pushed off the wall and threw myself into a sprint for my life. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the figure change direction, moving ever closer to me. The tower still seemed so far away. My lungs burned and my legs ached, but I pumped my arms faster and pushed on. I couldn’t stop now. At this pace, I’d reach the tower with plenty of time to clamber up to safety.

Then the unthinkable happened. One minute I was going to make it, and the next I was sprawled on the ground. For a couple heartbeats, I couldn’t catch my breath, but when I finally did, the pain set in. Somehow, I’d hurt my knee, and it was throbbing already.

I flipped onto my back and lifted it to see the damage. My pants were torn at the knee. Blood oozed from a deep cut. I’d gashed it on something sharp, and the wound was bad, but one look at the speed with which the monster was closing the distance, and I knew a bleeding knee was the least of my worries.

With all my might, I pushed to a standing position and hurriedly limped in the direction of the tower. Each time I put pressure on the injured leg, I couldn’t repress my cries of pain.

Someone shouted my name, but I pushed on, not wanting to look back and see how close the creature really was. I could feel it getting closer. I had to make it to the tower.

Focused completely on the ladder in front of me, I cried out as I went down again. I wasn’t going to make it. The realization brought on sobs as I patted the ground for any kind of weapon. It would be useless, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

My shaky hands brushed a few small stones, and I gathered them as quickly as I could. I rose to my good knee and reared back my arm. Something about the creature seemed familiar the closer it got. It was no longer moving with the stooped, dragging pace from a few moments ago.

As soon as the monster was in range, I let fly three rocks, right at its head. Though two missed completely, one connected right on its forehead.

It cried out in a familiar voice as its hand flew up to cover the small wound. I reached to the ground to find more projectiles. Maybe it would rip me to shreds, but it wouldn’t walk away uninjured if I had anything to do with it.

“Charlie, dammit! It’s me. Stop throwing rocks.”

I stopped mid-throw and stared at the shadowed figure just feet from me. Zeke had a distinctively deep voice. It was Zeke. The whole time I’d been scared out of my mind, Zeke had been the monstrous figure. I sagged in relief and dropped to the ground, working hard to slow my sawing breaths.

Zeke, only Zeke. The idea became clear in my confusion, and anger washed over me in waves. “What the frack were you doing? I thought I was going to die?”

A low chuckle sounded from his direction. “Did you piss your pants, buddy boy?”

Though my clothes felt wet from gobs of sweat, I hadn’t urinated on myself thankfully. “No! I didn’t pee myself, no thanks to you. I got hurt though.”