The Red Sky Series Box Set Books 1-4: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Series Page 25

  “How did you make your way back?” Bronx asked.

  Jamie rubbed his wrists. “Luck. Pure luck. When that one, Monica, fell, I took my chance. I made a one-eighty and ran.”

  “They’re still out there?” Bronx asked, twisting his neck to look toward the window.

  “I… I couldn’t see them, but I’m sure they were somewhere,” Jamie said exhaling loudly. “Monica was screaming and screaming about her feet. She’s probably still screaming.”

  Jamie rubbed his ears as if he could still hear her and was trying to wipe it away.

  “Shit,” Bronx said as he started to pace.

  “They could come back,” Jamie said as if he’d only first realized it at that moment. “They have Nick’s gun.”

  Nick chuckled groggily. “Not my pistol.”

  None of us were happy about the fact that we were down to one gun. Not that it really mattered considering the cloud that was holding us hostage.

  “Maybe they’ll just keep going,” I said trying to sound hopeful. “Why did they take you anyway?”

  Jamie looked away. “Those women were insane. They wanted to replace Danger. Turns out my hair color matches his.”

  “Jesus,” Bronx said running his hands through his hair.

  Something slapped hard into the window causing it to rattle. I gasped and took a step back when I noticed the bloody hand pressed against the window.

  The hand pounded again and again before Shannon pushed her face against the glass. Her eye caught mine, and I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t.

  “Let me in!” she shouted.

  I looked at Bronx over my shoulder. Jamie took several steps toward the storage room, but he stopped when he was next to Nick.

  “Help me! I was wrong!” Shannon shouted, pounding her palm against the window again.

  I noticed the veins in her hand were protruding and blackened.

  “What do we do?” Blair asked as she stood. “We can’t just leave her out there, can we?”

  Jamie moved abruptly and quickly, grabbing something off of Nick. When he straightened, I saw the gun in his hand.

  “Jamie,” I said softly with my palms out. “What are you doing?”

  Jamie marched forward. “I’m getting rid of our guest.”

  Chapter 16

  I looked at Bronx over my shoulder wondering why he wasn’t doing anything to stop Jamie. Then, I wondered why I wasn’t doing more.

  But it didn’t take long for me to realize why I wasn’t. I didn’t want to let the woman that kidnapped Jamie back into our gas station either.

  She’d stole from us and put Jamie in danger, Shannon didn’t deserve to get saved from the cloud.

  Jamie's shoulders were pulled back, and his grip on the gun was so tight that I could see his white knuckles even in the darkness of the barely lit room. Jamie held the gun like he knew what he was doing, but I was pretty sure he had no idea.

  “Let me take care of her,” Nick said nearly tipping over again, as he worked to get back onto his feet. Blair’s fingertips held onto him tightly, working to help keep him balanced.

  Jamie ignored him. He stopped several inches from the door and raised the gun to Shannon’s eye level.

  “Go away,” Jamie shouted.

  Shannon frowned. After a moment, her frown turned into a grin as she reached behind her displaying the gun she’d stolen while Nick had been passed out.

  “Get in the back,” Jamie said over his shoulder. It sounded as though his lips were barely moving.

  I shook my head, refusing to leave him, but instantly felt Bronx’s hands on my shoulders. He slowly guided me toward the back room.

  Shannon’s eyes were on us as we moved, they almost seemed to glow orange as her anger grew. She slammed her palm into the window again leaving behind a blood print.

  “Let me inside!” she screamed.

  And Jamie shook his head. He wasn’t even a little afraid of her bigger gun.

  “You wanted to go out there,” Jamie said.

  “I didn’t know,” she said her voice fading into nothing. She lowered her head, her shoulders bobbing as if she were sobbing. “Please! Help me.”

  Jamie stared for a moment before slowly shaking his head.

  Bronx pushed me back into the storage room, but when he stepped back out to help Blair and Danny drag Nick backward, I took a step forward.

  “Get back!” Bronx said as Shannon raised her gun. She aimed the barrel right at Jamie’s head.

  “No!” I shouted, and Shannon started to chuckle.

  Jamie raised his gun. I couldn’t see it, but I knew his finger was on the trigger.

  Bronx pushed us all back into the storage room. His back was toward the window.

  I could see over Bronx’s shoulder, just barely. Time had seemed to slow down.

  “Why isn’t he shooting her?” Nick asked between his teeth. “She’d be on the ground by now if he would have just given me the gun.”

  “He doesn’t want to break the glass,” Bronx said.

  “It won’t come inside,” Nick said. “You saw it… it like needs to be invited or something.”

  I eyed Nick as I shook my head. “It’s not a vampire, Nick. It’s a cloud of poison.”

  “He needs to do something before she kills us all,” Nick said as he pushed Blair and me behind him.

  Shannon stared into the room, her eyes shifting around frantically. The blood-shot whites of her eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, reflecting the blueness of the clouds.

  She bared her teeth like a wild animal, but only for a second before lowering her gun.

  “Jamie,” I whispered, pressing my hand down on Nick’s shoulder attempting to see into the other room better. “Come back.”

  “Not until she’s gone,” Jamie said, his tone hard as stone.

  “Open the door,” Nick urged. “Kill her before she kills us.”

  Jamie’s head lowered. I wasn’t sure if he was considering it, but before he could make a decision, Shannon raised the back end of her gun and slammed it into the glass once.

  The glass weakened. Spiderweb-like cracks spread throughout the glass. She hit again, and it shattered. Bits of glass shot forward toward Jamie and rained down all over the floor at his feet.

  The woman looked like a rabid animal as she stuck her head inside.

  “Shoot her!” Nick said loud enough for her to hear.

  “Shoot me?” Shannon looked shocked by his words. “Shoot him! He killed her!”

  “I didn’t kill anyone!” Jamie said shaking his head.

  “I saw you! You pushed her!” Shannon howled.

  “Bullshit! You couldn’t see anything.” The veins in Jamie’s hand bulged. “I just tried to get away… she tripped and fell. At least that’s what I think happened.”

  “Liar and a murderer!” Shannon howled.

  Nick somehow managed to push through Bronx and toward Jamie. The cloud stayed outside just like it had when the door had been opened earlier.

  “I am not!” Jamie insisted. “I was tied up! How could I have killed anyone?”

  “You cracked her skull,” Shannon screeched. “You need to pay for what you’ve done! All of you do!”

  She raised her gun, and Bronx pushed us all further back into the storage room.

  “Get back!” Bronx growled.

  Less than a second later, gunshots rang out.

  We all ducked.

  “Shit!” Nick said as he dashed forward tackling Jamie down to the floor and out of the line of fire. Blair was screaming somewhere behind me.

  Shannon’s aim was terrible. She looked frustrated.

  “Is she drunk?” I asked.

  “Looks like it,” Bronx said before looking into my eyes. “Stay here, no matter what, do not leave this room.”

  I nodded, but it was an empty gesture. I wasn’t making any promises when Jamie and Nick were out there. Bronx turned, and crouched down, sneaking out of the doorway into the main room.

  �
�Bronx!” I whispered, but there was no way he could have heard me over the noises of the gun.

  He moved quickly around the room, hiding behind shelves. I watched as he inched up next to the door and grabbed the gun, twisting it and attempting to pull Shannon forward through the window.

  Her body was about halfway through when she seemed to get stuck. Bronx yanked the gun out of her hands and took a step back, aiming the weapon at her.

  “Leave!” Bronx shouted. “Go on, get out of here!”

  Her head shot up, and she pushed her way through what was left of the door and dove at Bronx. He didn’t shoot as she landed on top of him. They both tumbled to the ground fighting for control of the gun.

  Nick grabbed his gun from Jamie and tried to line up a shot, but before he could, the other gun started going off and he dove across the floor.

  All of a sudden, the room was silent. I stared at Shannon and Bronx, laying on the floor. Neither of them moved.

  I took a step into the room, but Jamie waved me back. My hand shot up to cover my mouth. Why wasn’t he moving?

  Jamie looked at Nick, and his eyes widened. He started crawling across the ground making his way closer to Nick.

  “Bronx!” I said my voice barely audible. Why was Jamie going toward Nick instead of Bronx?

  I turned back to Bronx and Shannon and noticed the blood pooling out of Shannon’s middle. A small gasp escaped from between my lips when Bronx pushed her off and wiggled out from underneath her limp body.

  He rolled her over onto her back, her body rocking back and forth slowly before settling to a stop. A huge shard of glass stuck out from her middle, and her empty eyes stared up toward the ceiling.

  Shannon was dead.

  Bronx pushed himself to his feet and glanced toward the storage room. Our eyes met for a second before he turned and looked at Nick. He cocked his head to the side before dashing across the room.

  “Holy shit,” Bronx said dropping to his knees.

  My blood ran cold as I took a step forward. “Nick?”

  “I’m fine,” Nick said, his words running together, but this time I wasn’t sure if it was because of the alcohol. He pushed Jamie and Bronx away as he worked to get to his feet. “I said I’m fine.”

  Nick stood there staring, his eyes glassed over as he looked in my direction. His skin was pale as he wobbled to the side.

  He took a step forward but his knee gave out, and Bronx caught him before he crashed to the ground. My eyes narrowed, it wasn’t like Nick could have gotten drunker. I blinked and noticed the blood that was soaking through the leg of his jeans.

  “Oh God,” I whispered as I ran out of the storage room and to Nick’s side. “You’re bleeding.”

  Nick tried to smile at me but his eyes rolled back, and he passed out. Jamie helped Bronx carry Nick into the office. They laid him down on the sofa, and I knelt down next to him.

  I tapped my palm against his cheek. He didn’t move. He didn’t respond. His breaths were shallow.

  Was I losing him?

  I swallowed hard and lowered my head. “Nick… oh God. Nick.”

  Chapter 17

  Bronx was digging around in the backpacks searching for the first aid kits. He mumbled random curse words as he moved the items around.

  When he pulled out a t-shirt and started ripping it into shreds with his hands, I figured he wasn’t finding anything to use to bandage Nick’s wound.

  I shook Nick again… or maybe I hadn’t stopped shaking him. “Come on, Nick answer me.”

  “What can I do?” Blair asked, but I had no idea who she was asking. If it were me, I had no answer. I had no idea what we could do for him.

  “We need to wake him,” Bronx said running his hand through his hair as he dropped down to his knees at my left. “At least I think that’s what we should do. I gotta look at this wound.”

  Blair crossed her arms and shook her head as if she didn’t understand.

  “Help me get his pants down,” Bronx said looking up at her.

  “Right,” she said unbuttoning his pants and helping Bronx wiggle them down his hips.

  I covered my gasp when I saw the blood bubble up out of the hole in his thigh. Bronx moved Nick’s leg, examining it as if he knew what he was doing.

  Nick leaned forward gasping for a breath of air. He clenched his teeth as sweat dripped down the sides of his face.

  “Hurts,” Nick said, barely managing to get the word out. His eyes blinked rapidly, and it looked as though he was unable to focus on anything

  “Nick, Nick,” I said turning his face trying to force him to see me.

  His eyes were on me, but it took several seconds for him to realize who I was. “Gwen! Aw, Gwen, man, I was hit by one of those stray bullets.”

  “Yeah,” I said smiling at him. “I know.”

  “Don’t look so worried,” Nick said. “I’m going to be fine. Really. All you ever do is worry.”

  I forced a smile, but I could see that he was losing so much blood. Bronx did what he could to clean the wound, but he needed to stop the bleeding. He wrapped the fabric strips tightly around his thigh.

  “That’s the best I can do,” Bronx said shaking his head. He turned to Blair. “See if you can get him to take some of the pain relievers.”

  Her head bobbed up and down quickly before she started moving around like a chicken with her head cut off. Jamie was just standing there staring at Nick.

  The air in the room was so tight I needed to back away to get oxygen or I was afraid I might choke. I turned to go, but Jamie reached out and grabbed my hand.

  His eyes were wide as he stared into mine. “He saved my life.”

  I pressed my lips together tightly into something that vaguely resembled a smile. He let go of my hand, and I stepped out of the room drawing in a deep breath before dropping down onto the blanket I’d been sleeping on.

  My leg shook as I wrapped my arms around them pulling them closer to my body. What would I do if I lost Nick? I may not have forgiven him, but that didn’t mean I wanted to lose him.

  I was one of the lucky ones… I wasn’t alone in the end of the world. Maybe Nick and I hadn’t been close over the last few years, but there was a time we had been. He was my brother. My brother. I wasn’t ready to lose him.

  “Hey,” Bronx said lightly tapping his foot into mine. “He’s going to be okay.”

  “You don’t know that,” I said biting my cheek.

  “I know he’s a fighter. He’s tough. If it would have been anyone else…,” Bronx said his voice fading before he was able to finish whatever he was going to say.

  I laid down, facing toward the office. Blair had pulled up a chair and was sitting next to Nick. She had his hand in hers, stroking the back with her thumb while she whispered to him. Occasionally his head bobbed, or he’d smile. She was keeping him awake.

  Bronx was pacing around the room. Danny was sitting near me with his fingers twisting together in his lap. Jamie appeared to still be in some kind of state of shock over what had happened. I wasn’t sure if it was from almost getting shot, or from having been brought out into the fog. Either way, I was worried about him. Really worried.

  And I was worried about Nick. I wasn’t sure how much room I had inside of me for any more worry.

  When morning came, Nick was a bit more awake. He was joking with the others that he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it through the night. At least, I was pretty sure it was an attempt at a joke.

  Nick’s color was back, but he hadn’t been able to put any weight on his leg. Bronx had checked the bandage he’d crafted, and the bleeding had slowed significantly.

  “Aw, Gwen,” Nick said raising his brow. “I’ll be back on my feet in no time.”

  My words got stuck in my throat, but I managed to flash him half of a smile. I sat down in the chair Blair had placed next to the sofa. She’d gone off when I woke to get some rest. Blair had stayed up with him the rest of the night.

  “We’ll be back on tra
ck before you know it,” Nick said tapping his fingertip on my knee.

  “Hmm?”

  “To grandma’s house.”

  I turned toward him and nodded. “We will? Seems you might be forgetting about that big cloud out there that’s keeping us locked up in here.”

  “Well, when it’s gone, we’ll be back on track, and my leg will be good to go by then,” Nick said.

  He was crazy thinking he’d heal that quickly, but before I could tell him as much, the wind picked up. With the front door broken, I could hear it whistling around in the main room.

  I looked out of the opened office door. Bronx’s eyes were wide as he stared at the closed door. His body was absolutely still, stiffened with worry.

  “Something wrong?” Danny asked stepping into view, stopping several feet behind Bronx.

  “I’m not sure,” Bronx said without turning. “I think I’m going to take a look.”

  Jamie was on his feet behind him shaking his head. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Why not?” Bronx said looking over his shoulder at Jamie. He looked him up and down before turning back toward the door.

  “I still don’t feel great since those women dragged me out there. I don’t want anything to happen to anyone else,” Jamie said. “It’s too risky.”

  “It probably didn’t come inside,” Bronx crossed his arms. “Just a quick peek.”

  Jamie’s head was still shaking as his fingers crawled up to his chest. I stepped up next to him, and he jumped back.

  “Sorry,” I said chewing my lip. Something was different about him since the ordeal, but maybe he was just trying to process it all. He’d been pretty lucky to find his way back through the thick fog.

  “It’s fine,” Jamie said.

  Bronx waved for us to move back. “I’m taking a peek, move back, you know, just in case.”

  “In case what?” Danny asked.

  “In case that fog tries to get in here, and I have to quickly close the door,” Bronx’s eyes narrowed.

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked without moving back to the others.