I was feeling that strange connection to him again now, and it was giving me an odd sense of security and warmth. I couldnt turn into a blathering idiot in front of him. I just couldnt. No matter how much I didnt want to stay in this cramped room by myself.
My hand fell back to my side, my lips pinched tight as I managed to give him a brisk nod. He studied me for a moment longer, but I kept my face impassive, tried to keep my fear hidden from him. I wasnt sure it was working though.
Finally he turned away from me and slipped silently out the door. It wasnt until I heard the soft lock click into place that I realized I did not know how to escape the small room if he didnt come back.
CHAPTER 3
I was shaking, damn close to tearing my hair out, and on the verge of screaming hysterically by the time that Cade returned. He had not been gone long, minutes only, but I was sweating so badly that my clothes were soaked and I was horrified by the realization that I was probably starting to smell worse than the dank room surrounding me. Though I tried to hide my distress and terror from him, tried to put on a brave front and prove that I wasnt a weak idiot, I knew I failed miserably. There was no hiding my fear anymore.
He closed the door silently behind him. The man? I managed to choke out.
Cade raised a dark eyebrow, his head cocked slightly to the side as he watched me. My shaking had eased now that he was back, but my throat was still clogged with terror. I was humiliated by the fact that I was on the verge of tears. When I needed to be at my strongest, I was close to completely falling apart, and all because of four stupid walls and a damn door.
In the basement. Hes fine, or as fine as he can be, considering. I managed a nod. My hand fluttered nervously up to push my dampened hair back. Are you ok?
Fine, I croaked. Just fine.
Are you claustrophobic?
I started to shake my head to deny it. I had never admitted it to anyone, even if there were times when I couldnt hide it. Hell I hadnt even truly admitted it to myself. I was too ashamed by the fact that tight spaces tended to upset and frighten me, too ashamed of the weakness. Though, my family knew about it as I went out of my way to avoid tight enclosures, including cars for extended periods of time. Maybe a little, I hedged.
I can open the door again if that will help, but we wont be able to talk.
My gaze darted longingly to the closed door. I was unreasonably certain the air out there was much fresher than the air in here. I found that I wanted to speak with him though, and the last thing I wanted was that hideous thing slithering into this room. No Im fine. It wasnt a complete lie, I did feel better with him here, and I was certain that my fear would only continue to ease the longer I was exposed to, and forced to acknowledge it. Though he didnt look as if he believed me, he didnt reopen the door. Will he be ok out there?
I think so. They seem to only be going for the people on the street right now.
Why?
His jaw clenched, a muscle in his cheek jumped. I think they are trying to clear it.
My stomach heaved and rolled. I wanted to vehemently deny his words, but the second I heard them I knew he was right. Those things were focusing on the streets because they needed to clear them, and the frozen people were obstacles right now. I hadnt been sick since I was a kid, but I was fairly certain that by the end of today I would end up losing my breakfast. If not my life.
A chill raced down my spine. The hair on my neck and arms stood on end. There was a very good chance that I, that we , would not survive this day. This attack was methodical, well planned, deliberate, and brutal. The aliens would not want survivors, they would not tolerate them, and that is exactly what Cade and I were.
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ease the numbness slipping through my body but I failed miserably. I cant stay here, I whispered. My family. I have to get to them.
Cade nodded. We have to wait a little bit.
My sister
Well get to them Bethany. I promise we will get to them.
I found that I believed him. I didnt know why I did, or why I felt that he would do whatever he could to help me, but I knew that he would. My head bowed, tears of frustration, anger, and misery burned my eyes. I would not shed them though; I had not cried in years, I would not cry now.
Why are we still moving while everyone else is, well
My question trailed off, I didnt know how to describe these people right now. Frozen? Mannequins? Corpses? The living dead? Whatever they were, and no matter what they were called, they were the freakiest things I had ever seen. I dont know. I imagine that somehow we were all given something, whether through food or water, medicine or surgery, or even simply the air we breathe. It seems that for some reason it did not work on us though.
Not yet.
Cades eyes were dark and hooded. I swallowed heavily, hating the words I had just uttered, but we both knew that they were true. Just because we were not statues now did not mean that we werent going to become them. At any moment we could freeze and become trapped within the confines of our own bodies. That thought did nothing to ease the constriction in my chest that being within this room had