Bleak Devotion Page 4

  Jessica closed her eyes and resisted the call of her fingernail's need to be chewed on.

  “Sorry, Deborah.” The bed rustled as Julie sat up. “We're going.”

  “You've both got good excuses. We had a late night. I'll give you two a few minutes to finish waking up and get dressed. Then I'll be back to take Jessica on her tour.”

  “'Kay,” Julie said through a yawn.

  Deborah nodded and left. Julie leaned over to the dresser and pulled some clothes out of the bottom drawer. “I'm going to go shower and then get to my chores. Are you okay waiting for Deborah by yourself?”

  Jessica held back a relieved sigh. “Yeah. I'll be fine.”

  “All right.” Julie stood and wandered over to the door with a yawn. “Catch you later.”

  Jessica stared at the closed door for a minute, waiting for it to open again. Realizing she was alone, at least for the moment, she pulled a fresh pair of clothes from the dresser. She put the sweats under her pillow to use as pajamas later and threw on the new clothes. She had to work to pull the jeans all the way up and get them zipped, and the shirt hung loose against her skin. At least they were new and clean.

  She pulled the tags off of both items of clothing and stuck them on the top of the dresser next to the seed packets. Remembering what Julie said about the seeds last night, Jessica gathered them together and stuck them in her backpack. Shouldering the bag, she stood in front of the door wondering if she should wait for Deborah.

  Her stomach growled. Months of being independent sent her through the door and down the hall. She kept glancing behind, expecting to see Cindy. The empty hall was cold without her friend trailing behind. Cold and lonely.

  Low voices stopped her. She retreated several paces, taking care to keep as quiet as possible. She strained to hear the sound, preparing herself if it should head her way. Something was missing. She halted her retreat and cocked her ear toward the noise. There was no airy, whistling sound. Whoever was speaking was human. Of course they were.

  Her shoulders fell. It would be a while before being around humans was normal again. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but the sound of chatter made her nervous. Telling herself they were coming from humans just like her, she pressed on. The wood floor creaked under her weight before she rounded the corner.

  “Get out of here,” Deborah commanded.

  A flurry of footsteps pounded up the stairs as the woman came into view.

  “Morning!” Deborah sent a cheery smile her direction. “Are you hungry?”

  Jessica nodded, staring up the empty staircase.

  “We'll start the tour in the kitchen then.” Deborah took several steps forward and looked back pointedly at her. Jessica's cheeks heated. She scampered after the woman without looking back at the staircase.

  When they entered the kitchen, Jessica noted how nice it was. She must have really been out of it last night, or maybe not used to taking the time to notice. A multitude of dark oak cabinets contrasted with a white tile floor. A black stove nestled itself in the granite counter tops with a matching fridge. On an island in the middle of the kitchen sat a couple pancakes, an odd-looking flat bread, and some cooked green peppers and onions.

  “Ben hasn't cleaned up breakfast yet. Feel free to pick whatever you want.”

  Jessica grabbed a piece of flat bread. She nibbled on it, finding her hunger disappeared at the mention of other people in the cabin. She was grateful to be among humans again, but didn't know how to act around them. Forcing the bread down, she tried not to think about it. She heaved her backpack onto the counter, grateful the contents would allow her to contribute something to her new home.

  “Julie said you might like this stuff.”

  Deborah's thin eyebrows bunched together as she opened the bag. Her face lit up as she pulled out the packets of seeds. “This is wonderful, Jessica. We'll be able to put these to a lot of good use. And look at this food! Canned fruit, chili, trail mix? We haven't had anything like this in a while. And a can opener! This is wonderful. Our current one is on its last legs. You are a wonder.”

  A pleasant feeling filled Jessica, but she couldn't bring herself to show it. Deborah continued to empty the backpack, putting the food in the pantry while praising Jessica for the items she had brought. When the backpack was empty, Deborah handed it back to Jessica.

  “Thank you. These will make some nice treats for everyone.”

  Jessica shouldered the light bag with a smile. “I'm glad they will be of good use.”

  “Let's get your tour done, so I can get to my chores.” Deborah pointed past Jessica. “Over there is the living room. One of the chores around here is keeping the wood pile filled. We use it for cooking sometimes and like to always have some. Comes in handy. Keeping the fire going takes a lot less work than the generator. Also, we eat in there often, so don't feel bad about taking your food in there.”

  The fireplace was cold, but the room still looked inviting. Two black couches and a matching wide sofa chair circled around the stone fireplace. The light carpet was littered by a few muddy stains.

  “I always liked eating on the couch anyway. More comfortable.”

  Deborah smiled and then her lips fell. Jessica wondered what she had said wrong, but the woman regained her composure and walked to the hall. They went down an adjoining hall and down a flight of stairs into an unfinished basement. Cold cement walls were rough and uneven. Someone had went to a lot of work fixing up the rest of the cabin, but the basement looked neglected.

  Deborah stopped in front of one of the cement walls. “This is the most important thing I will show you. This is where we hide if an alien comes.”

  “Those monsters are aliens? I thought the invasion was some sort of disease or mutation. There were never any spaceships. How can you know that?”

  Deborah brushed the underside of her coffee-colored hair. “We've been doing more than just hiding from them.”

  Aliens. Those monsters were aliens. Jessica shivered. “Have they come here before?”

  “They haven't and I really don't think it's likely to happen. But we're ready in case they do.”

  “What will happen if they do come?”

  Deborah placed a hand on Jessica's arm. “Don't stress about it, hon. We'll hide from them and be safe from their rampage.”

  “There really isn't anywhere to hide down here. If any of them were to come down here, we'd be found.”

  Deborah smiled and held up one finger. “All they will see is an empty basement.”

  Jessica watched as Deborah brushed her foot where the wall and floor meet, then pushed on the wall. The once solid-looking cement wall fell open like a door.

  Jessica stifled a gasp. “A secret room.”

  “Yes, well stocked and ready to go. Would you like to take a look?”

  She peered at the dark room and squirmed. “Maybe just a peek.”

  Stepping forward, Jessica looked in. Deborah flipped a light on, just inside the door, revealing a small room. The walls had been dry walled and painted cream. The floor was the same cement as the rest of the basement, but in here a rug covered the entire area. The only furniture was two chests of drawers, a refrigerator, and a small square table. A single naked bulb in the middle of the ceiling lit the room. She snaked her way back out of the hidden entryway. Deborah turned off the light and closed the door.

  “That's done. Let me show you the rest of the cabin. Not as important, but good to know.”

  Jessica hesitated, not ready for any more surprises. The fact that the monsters were aliens was enough for one day. She wondered how Deborah knew they were aliens, but shoved the thought aside, not eager to dwell on any reminder of the creatures. “Okay.”

  They headed upstairs. When they reached the top, Deborah pointed to the nearby entryway. “The door out. I'd recommend staying in right now though. It's awfully cold and snowy. If you do want to go out, be sure to let someone know. Even better if you can find someone to go with you.”

&n
bsp; Jessica nodded, wondering if she could talk Julie into going with her on a nice day. “Sure.”

  “There's also a front room just off the side. It's rather chilly in there so we won't be using it much during the coming winter.”

  Deborah turned around, heading back the way they came. She walked past the kitchen, away from the stairs going up and the bathroom Jessica had used. A door was at the end of the hall. Deborah pushed it open and a blast of heat assaulted Jessica. As she stepped in, muggy air blanketed her. It was a greenhouse. Plants were thriving in different stages of growth all around the room. Several women glanced at them as they walked in.

  “This is where we get most of our food. We expect you to help with it and other chores. We all have to work together here.”

  “Not a problem.”

  Jessica trailed after Deborah as she walked over to the group. The women all smiled warmly at Jessica, but her stomach clenched until she spotted a familiar face. “Hi, Julie.”

  “Hey. How's the tour going?”

  “Okay.” If nerve-wracking is okay, she thought.

  Deborah pointed to a leathery-looking woman. “This is Vivian. She has the privilege of being the eldest here.”

  Vivian snorted and then spoke with a raspy voice. “Oldest, but not the smartest. That goes to our little gem.”

  Vivian shifted her frail frame to reveal a young girl, not more than fifteen. She had smooth, ebony skin, with expressive eyes. The girl gave a timid smile.

  “I have to agree,” Deborah said. “This is Erin. The youngest and probably the smartest of our little clan. Next to her is Kimberly.”

  Jessica shifted her gaze to Kimberly. The woman looked older than her or Julie, but still young. A wide smile looked like it held a permanent residence on her face. One sure to get her killed in the real world.

  “Hey.” Kimberly's enthusiastic voice filled the greenhouse. “It's great to meet ya.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jessica replied. “All of you.”

  “I'll be out to help you ladies as soon as I finish Jessica's tour.” Deborah lead Jessica back through the rows of plants. “And Julie, you can start on lunch in a bit so it's ready to go. I'll send Jessica in to help when we're through.”

  Jessica cringed. She hoped they wouldn't be expecting too much of her cooking skills.

  “Sure. I'll head there in a while.”

  Deborah nodded and continued on. “We have a few animals outside. They're sheltered from the storm and take some tending. Do you have any experience with animals?”

  “None.”

  Deborah patted her back. “You'll learn.”

  Jessica wrinkled her nose, thinking of when she had passed farms before and the smell that accompanied them. As soon as she realized what she was doing, she relaxed her muscles, smoothing the expression.

  Deborah pointed to a door next to the greenhouse. “There's the garage and a door in there leading to the barn. I'll get someone to show you later. Ben's working there now and, well, he's a good guy. Just a little sour around the edges.”

  “Sour?”

  “Yeah. Let's go meet Zach. He's more easygoing than Ben. About your same age too, so you should get along.”

  A guy? They used to mess with her emotions more than anything else. Being around one now was a bad idea, even if there were only other humans around. Who's to say when that would change? Hopefully he was ugly and uninteresting.

  Jessica followed Deborah as they wandered back through the hall toward the rooms, grateful the game of follow-the-leader was almost at an end. When they retreated to where the hall split off to the women's quarters, Jessica saw a man standing at the end of the main hall. Not what she'd hoped for. He had a cute baby face with green eyes. She felt drawn to him already. Way too drawn. She stifled the feelings.

  Deborah stopped in front of the man. “Hi, Zach. This is Jessica.”

  “It's nice to meet you,” Zach said in a pleasant tenor. He gazed at her, making her feel extra aware of her movements.

  “Same to you.”

  “Well, that's settled,” Deborah stated and then headed back toward the kitchen. “I've got work to do and so does everyone else. Zach, you can help Jessica and Julie prepare lunch if you'd like.”

  “Okay,” Zach agreed heartily. “You know how to cook, Jessica?”

  Being stuck with him was a really bad idea. But they'd taken her in, so she needed to make the best of it. “Not at all.”

  “Don't worry about it. Most of us have needed a little direction here or there.”

  Jessica was skeptical, but kept quiet. Though her old self wasn't ready to emerge, talking to them was getting easier. The process woke memories in her, distant and untainted. They passed the staircase leading to the second floor. Jessica paused, wondering why it hadn't been included in the tour.

  “What's upstairs?”

  Zach shifted his weight and glanced over at Deborah. She stopped and turned back toward them.

  Her face drew into grim lines. “Might as well get this over with.”

  Jessica steadied her breathing as her chest tightened. “Get what over with?”

  “Maybe you should wait,” Zach said.

  “Nah.” A middle-aged man she assumed must be Ben came up behind Deborah. “She should be told now.”

  Jessica's stomach twisted. What should she be told? Whatever they were hiding couldn't be good.

  “We need you to be very open and understanding with what I'm about to tell you,” Deborah implored, drawing Jessica's attention back to her. “Remember that we've all been through similar things as you.”

  “Uh,” Jessica cleared her throat. She bit down on her nail and then forced it away. “Okay.”

  Deborah's eyes bore into her. “Blade lives upstairs.”

  Jessica shook her head. What was so bad about that? “Who's Blade?”

  “He's an alien.”

  Chapter Six

  “What?” Jessica straightened her back and clenched her fists. “What are all of you thinking? I refuse to live with one of those monsters.”

  Zach's forehead wrinkled. Next to him Ben folded his arms and smirked, but Deborah held her head high and spoke in a commanding voice. “I'm sorry you feel that way. Blade strives to help us in any way that he can. He isn't like others of his kind. We do have to watch how emotional we get around him, but he hasn't ever even come close to losing control around us. He's a benefit to this household. We will give you time to adjust, but if you can't handle him being here then I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”

  Jessica's jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. If you aren't willing to accept his presence and treat him with respect, you can leave.”

  Deborah's short stature did nothing to diminish her words; they hit Jessica full force. Her stomach tightened. A thick film of nausea crept up her throat. The thought of leaving the first safe place she had come across since her family had been destroyed was unbearable. But so was the thought of being around a monster that might tear her to shreds the first chance it got.

  “How can you possibly know that he won't do you harm?” Jessica tried to keep the hysteria from her voice. “You can't.”

  “Take a deep breath and calm down so we can talk through this rationally.”

  “I am being rational.” Jessica's voice was shrill. “These monsters change the moment they see emotion and slaughter everything in their path. There's no way you can live with one of them.”

  “Jessica,” Zach spoke softly, “it's okay. We know you how feel; we've seen what they do. We are on your side. We're just on his, too.”

  To Jessica, Zach's cute baby face suddenly morphed into an unfriendly mask, though it hadn't changed. When she spoke, she managed to keep her voice low, yet anger still seethed through her words. “You're all crazy.”

  Ben snorted.

  “Maybe,” Deborah said, “maybe not. Blade and I met soon after the invasion started. At the time he couldn't speak English, but he didn't harm me. I w
as surprised, of course, but accepted it. We worked toward communicating. He's had all this time to kill me or turn me and the rest of our group, but he hasn't. He protects us.”

  A vague image of someone standing in the shadows when she was first arrived and the movement on the stairs entered Jessica's mind. “Prove it. Let me meet him and I'll judge for myself.”

  Zach held up his hand, palm side out. “I don't think so. You're upset. He works hard to not react to emotion, but he still has limits. If you go in there yelling at him, it won't be long before he loses his temper. Nobody wants that.”

  Ben's aged face twisted

  into a sardonic grin. “Just let her go. If he loses it, it'd be a reason to kick him out.”

  Deborah turned an icy glare on him. “Shut your mouth, Ben. Your attitude isn't helping. You have the same option as everyone else. You know where the door is.”

  They stared each other down for a moment. Ben looked away first, muttering under his breath. Deborah's face softened, but his remained hardened like a marble statue, unable to be broken except by brute force. Jessica wanted to side with him as an ally, but his idea of forfeiting her life to make the point wasn't what she had in mind.

  Deborah placed a hand on Jessica's arm, dragging her attention away from Ben. “I think Zach's right, hon. Why don't you take some time to get used to the idea? There's no reason for you to make any decisions right now.”

  “No. I can't stay here knowing he's lurking in the house somewhere, wondering when he's going to attack. At least let me meet him and make the judgment for myself.” Jessica clamped her teeth together and took a deep breath. “I can stay calm if he can.”

  Zach shook his head. “I don't think—”

  “Let her speak with me.” A deep male voice resonated through the crowded hallway.

  Throwing on an emotionless mask, Jessica slowly shifted her body toward the noise. A tall male, whom she could only assume was Blade, had managed to sneak down the stairs and stood mere inches from her. If she reached out, she would be able to touch him. The thought disconcerted her and she struggled to maintain her composure.