Absolute Darkness - A CME Survival Thriller Read online

  It was like that itchy, tickling feeling of an insect crawling on your skin. Or the tingling chill at the back of your neck when you were being followed. It was back. All the feelings of being stalked were back. It was hitting me in the stomach so hard I ran to the bathroom.

  I crouched over the toilet, breathing in and out. Nothing came out because there was nothing in my stomach.

  “It’s not possible,” Sam said. “You know it’s not.”

  “My things. My things were taken,” I said. “This has happened before.”

  Sam came into the bathroom and rubbed my back. “Erik is right, though. We should get out of here.”

  “My medicine is wearing off,” I said, holding up my hand. “I feel sick and shaky. Lightheaded… dizzy. Weak.”

  “You’ll be okay.” Sam helped me to my feet. “I’ll take care of you. You just need something to eat and drink. Maybe more rest.”

  “I slept just fine last night,” I said, letting her help me out of the bathroom.

  “One night of sleep isn’t going to make up for everything we’ve gone through,” Sam said, offering me a sympathetic smile. “I’ve had twice as much rest as you have, and I’m still exhausted. This is mentally and physically draining.”

  Even though we hadn’t done much, she wasn’t wrong. And even though Erik’s home wasn’t mine, I felt safer locked in the upstairs bedroom. I could look down on the world. From the bedroom window, it didn’t seem like much had changed.

  I wasn’t entirely sure what to pack up since my things were gone. I checked my old bedroom to see if there was anything I’d left behind that would still fit.

  There wasn’t much. I packed some t-shirts, underwear, and an old jacket into a paper bag. In a second bag, I packed up the canned goods, but Erik stopped me.

  “We can get that later,” he said. “I have more than enough. There is no rush to take this.”

  “I’d rather we have it than whoever is sneaking around my mom’s house,” I said firmly.

  Erik nodded and helped me pack a few more cans. He picked up the bag and carried it, knowing I’d put too much inside.

  I showed him the water and the rest of the food in the cabinets before we left. Erik peeked out of the door, making sure he didn’t see anyone waiting outside to ambush us.

  A bunny dashed across the driveway, and he pulled the gun. Sam snickered loudly.

  Erik walked at my side back to his house. “When things calm down a bit, we can check the town again. Maybe we can find some clothes for you.”

  “There are probably lots of I heart Door County shirts in every shop,” I said with a smile. “Oh! Maybe we can stop and get some fudge too.”

  “It’s probably still good,” Erik said. “Unlike the fresh squeaky cheese.”

  “Oh, yeah!” I said. “That would be really good right now.”

  Erik grinned. “We’ll need to find a cow to get started.”

  “I think we could find a cow pretty easily,” I said.

  “Bring it back to the house on a leash?” Erik said, shaking his head. “How are we going to feed a cow?”

  I frowned. “You make it sound like cows will go extinct.”

  Erik’s face turned serious. “I guess that probably won’t happen, but I bet a lot of them will starve.”

  “Everything is going to change,” Dorian added as he stepped between us.

  “It already has,” Sam muttered from behind.

  “That’s why we need to make sure we have ourselves taken care of,” Erik said.

  Sam’s voice was soft, but I didn’t have trouble hearing her. “You’ll have even more stuff once I’m gone.”

  “Gone?” Dorian asked.

  “I have to get back to my daughter,” she said exasperatedly.

  “Where is she?” Dorian asked.

  “Massachusetts,” Sam said.

  Dorian didn’t say anything. None of us did.

  We carried everything into the house. Dorian and Erik took a wheelbarrow from the garage back down the street to collect the rest of the supplies.

  Sam and I waited in the quiet house for them to return. I went to the front window a hundred times, watching for them to return.

  “Shouldn’t they be back by now?” I asked.

  Sam was curled up on one end of the couch, reading a book. “It’s been like ten minutes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Hmm,” I said, biting a nail. “It feels like it’s been a lot more.”

  Sam set the book down and popped up. “We should get something to eat.”

  “Maybe we should wait until they get back,” I mumbled.

  “Let’s prepared something for them,” Sam said. “They are always making our food.”

  “They wouldn’t like us going outside to grill without one of them here,” I said.

  Sam’s eyes flicked toward the ceiling briefly. “Too bad. I never agreed to their terms. We’ll see someone coming and just run inside.”

  “I don’t know,” I grumbled.

  “Come on, Mel,” Sam said, pulling on my arm. “It’ll help take our minds off everything. I read the same page thirty times because all I can think about is Dott.”

  “Fine,” I said, letting her drag me away from the window. “But if Erik’s mad about it, you’re taking all the blame.”

  “Deal,” Sam said. “I’m not afraid of Erik.”

  We grabbed items from the basement, but by the time we got upstairs, Erik and Dorian were back. Dorian was at the window peering out, and Erik’s back was against the door. His shoulders were rising and falling with his quick breaths.

  “What’s going on?” Sam said, setting an armful of food on the table.

  Erik looked up, placing his finger over his lips. His voice was soft. “Someone’s coming.”

  21

  Dorian looked over at Erik. His eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

  “What are we going to do?” Dorian asked.

  “Do we hide?” Sam whispered.

  Erik’s head moved side to side. “They saw us. They know we’re here.”

  “Did you recognize them?” I asked.

  Erik shook his head.

  “I don’t think so,” Dorian said. “But I don’t know everyone.”

  “How many of them are there?” I asked, looking at the gun in Erik’s hand.

  “Four,” Dorian said, seemingly looking at them through the crack in the curtains. “They’re definitely coming this way.”

  Erik sucked in a sharp breath. “I have a shotgun in the basement.”

  “Where?” Sam asked.

  “Under the bar,” Erik said.

  “On it,” Sam said, darting toward the basement.

  Erik looked at me. “Does she know how to use a gun?”

  “I don’t think so,” I said.

  “I don’t,” Dorian said.

  “Me either,” I said, swallowing hard. “I did use a pellet gun once. Why do you think we need guns at all?”

  “Because they have them,” Erik said.

  My hands started to shake. “Are they all dressed the same? Is it the people Sam and I saw?”

  “They’re not dressed the same, but it could still be them,” Erik said.

  “Oh, wait!” Dorian said. “I do know one of them. It’s Bobby Bennett. I went to school with him. Remember him, Mel?”

  I shook my head. “Doesn’t sound familiar.”

  “They’re probably all locals,” Dorian said.

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing,” Sam asked, walking past me with the gun in hand.

  She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Pretty badass, right?”

  I couldn’t help but smile, even though I was worried. Sam was good at making me smile.

  “Do you know how to use that?” I asked.

  “How hard can it be?” she asked. “I’ve seen movies.”

  “Just hold it,” Erik said.

  Sam scrunched up her nose. “What else did you think I w
as going to do with it?”

  “Accidentally shoot yourself in the foot,” Erik said.

  “Is this thing loaded?” Sam asked. Her lip curled at the end. “I wish I had my sunglasses.”

  “It’s not loaded,” Erik said. “And this isn’t a costume party.”

  Dorian slowly backed away from the window. “They’re almost here.”

  “Stay back… out of sight,” Erik said. “I’ll do the talking.”

  I shuddered at the knock at the door. Dorian stood next to me, and Sam stepped in front of us.

  “Who is it?” Erik called out with his hand on the doorknob.

  “Your neighbors from down the road,” one of the voices replied.

  “Got a name, neighbor?” Erik asked. As if giving a name would somehow help our situation.

  “Sure thing,” he said. “Mark Bennett. It’s easier to talk face to face.”

  Erik exhaled and opened the door, keeping his foot placed firmly behind it, lodging it in place. “What can I do for you, Mr. Bennett?”

  “Call me Mark,” he said.

  “You got it, Mark,” Erik said. “How can I help you?”

  “We’re just going door to door to make sure everyone is doing okay. There have been some rumors that we have some trouble to the north, and we’re just checking on everyone.”

  “All is well here,” Erik said.

  “You wouldn’t be out there causing any trouble now, would you?” Mark Bennett asked. “Can’t say I recognize you. Is this your home?”

  I couldn’t see Erik’s expression, but I could see his knuckles whiten around the grip of his gun. “This is my home. Come several times a year to fish.”

  “We know everyone in the area,” Mark Bennett said. “Saw you weren’t alone. Is your friend with you?”

  “Dorian!” Erik called.

  “Shit,” Dorian muttered before stepping around Sam.

  He looked at the gun for a split second before bouncing up beside Erik. Dorian clasped his hands behind his back.

  “What’s up?” Dorian asked cheerfully. “Hey, Bobby. How you doing?”

  “Aren’t you Frank Bell’s kid?” Mark Bennett asked.

  “That’s right,” Dorian said. “Your son, Bobby, and I went to school together.”

  Mark Bennett didn’t care to talk about it. If Bobby had said anything, I hadn’t heard him.

  “So, it’s just the two of you here?” Mark Bennett asked. I took a step further back, afraid they were trying to look inside.

  “Just us,” Erik replied.

  “Interesting,” Mark Bennett said. “And how do you two know each other?”

  Dorian scratched the back of his neck. “We go fishing together.”

  “Weird,” Mark Bennett said.

  “How so?” Erik asked.

  One of them laughed. “It’s like that one movie.”

  “Never seen you before, yet you have a fishing buddy,” Mark Bennett said. “I’ll see your dad around, I’m sure.”

  “Tell him I said hi,” Dorian said.

  “Will do.” Mark Bennett shifted to the side slightly. I couldn’t see more than his shoulder. “Well, if you need anything, a group of us have banded together to survive this shit. We help those we can. Us locals have to stick together.”

  Erik’s head bobbed. “Thanks. You don’t happen to know what’s going on exactly, do you?”

  The group chuckled in unison.

  “Shit has hit the fan, man,” Mark Bennett said. “Ain’t no one coming to help us anytime soon. According to my radio, this shit is worldwide. We’ve been sent back in time.”

  Sam lowered the gun slightly. I knew she was thinking about Dott.

  “How sure are you?” Erik asked.

  “Very,” Mark Bennett replied. “Anyway, we’re going to hit the last house before heading back. You sure you’re good? My buddy Don here, is a prepper. Got all that shit. Freeze-dried food, jugs of water, vitamins, even an underground shelter. He’s set for life.”

  “Shut up, Mark,” the man I assumed was Don said. “You don’t tell people that.”

  Erik drummed his fingers on the wall. “We don’t want your stuff.”

  “You say that now,” Don said.

  “Anyway, you two have a good day now, and don’t be strangers, okay?” Mark Bennett said.

  “Okay,” Erik said. He almost had the door closed when he hesitated. “Just one question.”

  “What’s that?” Mark Bennett asked.

  Erik hesitated for a moment. “You know that Wanda Carter passed away, right?”

  “Yeah,” Mark Bennett said. “We were at her funeral.”

  “Then why are you going to her house?” Erik asked.

  “Just check it out. Word is someone was there,” Mark Bennett said. “Like I said, we’re going to keep our neighborhood safe.”

  Erik nodded and closed the door. He tucked the gun into his waistband and placed his palms on the door frame.

  I watched as his hands slid down, and he turned toward us. “Well, that was awkward. How well do you know those guys?”

  “Not well,” Dorian said. “His kid didn’t hang in the same groups as I did. He was more into sports.”

  “What were you into?” Sam asked.

  “Waiting for school to end so I could get home and hide in my room,” Dorian said, his hands dropping heavily to his sides. “Oh, shit.”

  Erik turned to him. “What?”

  “They’re going to tell my dad I’m here,” Dorian said. “This isn’t good.”

  “Maybe he won’t care,” Sam said.

  “You heard him. He’ll find me so he can kill me. He’s probably dreamed of this moment his entire life. He hates me. I was never good enough,” Dorian said. “He’ll come to kill me and get away with it. Can I stay at your place, Mel?”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so, but wouldn’t you feel safer staying here? I mean, someone was clearly in my mom’s house.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” Dorian said, dragging his fingertips through his hair, turning it into a wild bird’s nest on top of his head.

  “You’ll be safe here,” Erik said. “If your dad comes poking around, we won’t let him in.”

  Dorian covered a nervous laugh. “He’ll just knock the door down laughing the whole time.”

  “Then he can meet the end of my shotgun,” Sam said.

  “Who are you?” Dorian said, turning to her.

  “Maybe I should show you guys how to actually use that,” Erik said.

  I crossed my arms. “Knowing how to use it and using it on a person are two different things.”

  “If you need to, you will,” Erik said.

  Sam cleared her throat. “Bet you wish you would have had one when Elijah—”

  “Do we need to bring up Elijah every two hours?” I asked sharply. “Like I just want to forget all about him and forget that people like him even exist.”

  “My dad locked me in a closet when I was ten,” Dorian blurted out.

  Sam cocked her head to the side. “You wanna talk about it?”

  “I guess not,” Dorian said, his forehead wrinkling. “I did steal ten bucks from him.”

  I cleared my throat. “So, do you think we need to worry about these guys?”

  “Maybe,” Dorian said.

  “We need to worry about everyone,” Erik replied at the same time.

  I slumped down on the couch, flopping my head back against the cushion. “When do we get a break?”

  Sam sat down next to me. “It’s probably going to be even worse on the road.”

  I nodded. If there was one thing I knew for sure, it was that I wouldn’t make it on the road.

  “You plan to leave soon?” Erik asked, mostly looking at me.

  Sam rubbed her hands together. “Soon. We’ll have to pack up and try to find a vehicle, but yeah, we can’t just sit here forever waiting for help that isn’t coming.”

  “I really think the both of you should stay as long as possible,” Eri
k said. “Safer for all involved.”

  Sam stood, placing her hands on her hips. I couldn’t see her scowl, but I knew it was there.

  “You clearly don’t have children. Or even someone you love,” Sam threw her hands in the air and charged up the stairs, shaking her head.

  Erik pressed his palm over his mouth and rubbed the stubble that had grown over the last day. “I never say the right thing with her.”

  “She misses her daughter,” I said, unable to stop frowning.

  “Yeah, but she isn’t going to do her daughter any good if she’s dead.” Erik looked at the coffee table where the knife Sam had taken from my house still rested. “I can’t give you my guns.”

  I waved my hands. “Oh, no! Never! We wouldn’t have ever asked for such a favor.”

  Erik grimaced. “I know. But I don’t know how I can let either of you leave with a knife and a bat.”

  “Maybe you should tell her what you said.” I crossed my arms.

  Erik’s eyes narrowed.

  Dorian walked over to the window and looked out between the curtains. He didn’t want to have any part of the conversation.

  “Tell her what you think about us not surviving the trip. Because you’re absolutely right. I won’t make it without my medicine, and Sam is everything to Dott.” I sniffed so hard my brain hurt.

  My shoulders started shaking. I covered my face to hide the tears I couldn’t stop from falling out of the corners of my eyes.

  I was exhausted. Frustrated. Overwhelmed.

  “Dorian?” Erik said.

  “Yeah?” Dorian didn’t look away from the window.

  Erik slicked his hair back. The long pieces messily flopped back to the front.

  He looked into my eyes. “Could you give Mel and me a minute? I need to talk to her.”

  22

  Dorian left the room. I could hear his feet pounding against the stairs as he descended into the basement.

  Erik gestured to the couch. “Let’s sit.”

  “Am I in trouble?” I asked with an awkward smile. I wanted to lighten the seemingly tense mood.

  “No,” he said, squinting his eyes at me. He was clearly missing the humor. “I know we don’t know each other well—”