Isolation (Book 3): Starting Anew, page 25
part #3 of Isolation Series
The Mayor seemed to genuinely think that over, and since he was giving her argument fair weight the radio fell silent, everyone waiting. Finally he answered reluctantly. “No, Ms. Feldman. Jay is too unstable, too obviously intent on retribution. Unless he was willing to come to us, alone and unarmed, to talk things out, I'm afraid I wouldn't feel comfortable meeting him face to face.”
“Not to mention the SOB burned down our houses!” another Council member chimed in. “That was completely uncalled for . . . I'm with Darrel's idea about meeting them with guns the next time they come creeping around to cause trouble.”
“Weren't you ready to shoot us this time?” a new voice drawled lazily over the radio.
Ellie froze in shock, recognizing Jay as the speaker. Hal's arm around her tensed and he looked around sharply, as if he expected the man to be lurking somewhere within view.
She wasn't the only one who was shocked, because there was a long silence before Darrel, voice shaking with rage, answered. “My wife and son were in my house with me when you set it on fire, you psycho! You could've killed them!”
“Is that . . . Darrel Folsom I hear?” Jay said in a tone of mock perplexity. “The same guy who threatened to gun us all down? Men, women, and children barely strong enough to stand?”
The leader of Stanberry's patrols filled the airwaves with blistering curses and threats, at least until Darby screamed him into silence. And over it all Jay transmitted mocking laughter, until finally it was the only thing left coming over the radio.
Finally the Mayor, obviously straining for calm, spoke into that laughter. “You've been listening in on us, Mr. Corey?”
“You think you're the only ones with radios, Mr. Mayor?” the Wensbrook leader replied with a sort of vicious amusement. “You're not even using secure ones, assuming you even had any capable of scrambling or anything like that.”
Hal whistled grimly. “Holy cow. Talk about a bombshell.”
No kidding. It meant everything they'd been saying, probably ever since Jay and his people showed up, could've been overheard. No wonder the arsonists had been able to sneak right past the patrols as if they weren't there. They probably knew the exact routes and everyone's current locations from the regular check-ins Darrel insisted on.
What other secrets had been compromised? What undiplomatic insults hurled at the Wensbrook survivors in what had been assumed to be private conversations, further alienating them?
The fact that Jay could listen in on their radio communications was a disaster. Not only did he know far more than they could afford him to, but now they couldn't use the radios for fear he'd overhear, except for in instances where it didn't matter. Which would have to be carefully considered to be sure it actually didn't.
Darrel's people would be severely hampered by this, even more than they already had been with their fear of exposure to Zolos. It was yet another advantage for the few dozen people determined to be Stanberry's enemies.
And Jay had already shown he was dangerously adept at exploiting advantages.
The man continued in a note of vicious commiseration, something Ellie would've thought was impossible and was jarring to hear. “It's a terrible thing to have neighbors come and screw with the peace and safety of your homes. Disrupt the places you've built your lives around, put your lives into. Isn't it?”
“Jay-” Darby began, trying for placating but coming out too sharp.
The Wensbrook leader spoke over him. “I bet you never thought it would happen when you sent your lackeys to ransack our houses. That you'd sit safe and happy in your peaceful little town, shielded from the consequences of your actions.”
His voice rose, taking on an edge that made Ellie's hackles rise. “So enjoy the fires you don't have the stones to put out, city leaders. Break out some marshmallows to roast, I'm sure you stole plenty from my town. And in the morning you can give us back what you took, in full, and issue us a formal apology. Then we'll call it even.
“Jay out, but rest assured I'm always listening.”
Chapter Thirteen
Darkest Hour
The only spot in their camp where Nick and his scavengers could catch even a glimpse of the fires was on the sentry post, crowding atop the small hill of dirt they'd piled up from digging the outhouse.
Everyone else in camp was doing the same atop any vantage they could find, further obstructing their view, so eventually Nick gave up. “Chet, wake me up for my shift,” he said, yawning and stretching. “And don't get so distracted by the excitement that you forget to keep an eye out for trouble.”
“Sure thing, boss,” the young man said, guiltily whipping his head back around to look eastwards.
Nick made his way to his tent on the other side of camp, not bothering with his flashlight since there was enough residual light from other sources in the camp to pick his way along. The place was filled with the hubbub of everyone talking even after almost an hour since the fires started. He didn't think it would bother his sleep since nobody was shouting, and the background sound was almost like the rustle of wind in the trees.
In fact, the background noise was loud enough that he couldn't even hear his friends over by the sentry post, so their talking wouldn't keep him up either.
Although he should've guessed that someone else might.
As he was unzipping the door to his tent a soft hand rested on his arm, making him jump slightly. Then he bit back a groan as he recognized Val's slender form in the dim light.
It was the middle of the night and he was tired, so he really didn't want to stay up for hours talking to her because she couldn't sleep. But she was his friend, and tired or not he wasn't about to leave her alone. “How are you?” he whispered, patting her hand.
“If I'm being honest?” she sounded morose. “It just seems like one thing after another, Nick. Even though we're in the middle of thousands of people, I feel alone and I don't feel safe at all.”
“Well you are safe,” he said firmly. “We've always got someone keeping watch. And we're all here with you, your friends.”
“I know.” Val shifted, sounding hesitant as she continued. “I've been keeping you up too much, and I know you're tired.”
“It's okay.” Nick patted her hand again. “I'm happy to be here for you.”
“I know, but I don't want to be such a needy, emotional mess all the time.” She hesitated again, then said in a rush, “So I was, um, wondering if I could sleep in your tent from now on.”
Oh. It was his turn to shift uncomfortably. “That, I mean . . .” He took a deep breath. “I don't think sharing a tent, even platonically, is a good idea.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Val abruptly took a step forward, too close, dropping her voice to a husky whisper. “Then what about romantically?”
Before Nick could process that she leaned in to press her lips to his, melting against him without an ounce of reticence.
He stood frozen in shock. He wanted to say that it was just the surprise that caused him to hesitate for a few moments, engulfed in the pleasant sensation of her warmth and softness. Then he snapped out of it and stumbled backwards, twisting free of her embrace.
“Val,” he gasped, voice coming out strangled.
She pressed herself to him again, trapping him against his tent and nearly sending him toppling backwards to collapse it. “Don't pretend you don't long for this, Nick,” she whispered. “Zolos has kept us isolated for so long. In a lot of ways society encouraged us to stay alone even before the virus, wallowing in frustration and bitterness, but nothing like things are now. Before you let me spend time with Tallie, then with you, I'd almost forgotten what human contact felt like. That feeling of warmth and belonging after you've been alone for so long. Someone who cares for you, who wants you, who can help you forget everything horrible that's going on and bring you some peace and happiness.”
Nick could understand that. After his relationship with Ellie had gotten so bad that intimacy had pretty much disappeared, he'd sometimes felt like he wasn't even part of society. Without his children to keep him grounded in the world he might've found himself closed up in his apartment, only emerging for work or to purchase necessities.
Then with the Zolos crisis he had locked himself away from the world. Aside from a few exceptions, few of them pleasant, he'd had no contact with anyone else. And certainly not any physical contact, even so much as a handshake.
He couldn't deny any of what Val was saying. As his marriage had crumbled, and even more so when he'd been alone after the divorce, that sort of intimacy, the feeling of being valued and desired, had been all he wanted.
The idea of this beautiful, kind woman loving him, the idea of having someone he could hold through all this, like Ellie had Hal, was very hard to resist.
Even so, he gently but firmly took her by the shoulders, guiding her back a few steps. “Val,” he said again, more sharply.
Val continued hastily before he could say anything else, sounding almost desperate. “I never slept better than that night in your tent, Nick. Not since my family was hit by Zolos. You're a good man, a man who makes me feel safe and valued.” She lifted her hand to rest soft fingers gently against his cheek. “And I think you feel the same for me. I could tell how much you wanted, you needed, that kiss.” Her voice turned almost pleading. “Just like I did.”
Nick shook his head and sidestepped so the tent wasn't blocking his retreat from any further advances. “You're a good friend, Val,” he said as gently as he could. “But I'm with Gen. I won't betray her.”
“You have a right to do what makes you happy,” she insisted, although thankfully she didn't try to approach again. “You don't have to stay with her just because you were with her first.”
He thought of watching the stars with Gen, and back before the world went insane sitting on a park bench with her watching their kids play. The peace and contentment he felt with her, his longing to be done with this isolation so he could be with her.
Besides, some part of him wondered if Val's sudden behavior had less to do with her wanting to be with him romantically and more to do with just wanting to be with him, period. To escape whatever emotions and thoughts troubled her lonely nights.
No doubt her feelings were genuine, but she still seemed to be looking more for comfort than for love. That wasn't a good way to start a relationship, even if he was inclined to pick her over Gen.
Nick shook his head again. “Being with Gen is what makes me happy,” he said quietly. “I'm sorry.”
Val didn't respond. It was impossible to tell her expression in the darkness, but he hated to think of how she must be feeling after she'd opened up like this with him, only to have it end this way.
But what else could he have done? Had he betrayed Gen just by letting the kiss go on for as long as it had? Enjoying it as much as he had? Had he turned Val down just to lose Gen anyway, when he told her what had happened here?
Well, whatever the future held he'd done what he thought was right, as best he could.
Val finally whirled around, and he caught a glimmer of tears on her cheeks as she fled towards her tent. He expected her to disappear inside, and was fully intending to vanish inside his own to escape the awkwardness of what had just happened.
But to his consternation instead she dropped into a crouch to uproot one of the stakes, then pulled a tent pole out of its anchor to begin taking the temporary structure down.
At the sentry post across their camp everyone stopped to stare at her. Nick hesitated, debating, then cautiously approached. “Um, Val?” Their tents were already about as far apart as possible in the confined space of their boundary, so he wasn't sure where she meant to move to.
“Don't mind me,” she said with forced cheerfulness, “I think I'll go join Lila taking care of the Zolos survivors too weak to care for themselves. I was considering doing that when we first moved to camp, but . . .” She trailed off with a shrug.
Oh. A selfish part of Nick was kind of relieved that she was putting some distance between them. Less awkward that way, and less chance he'd have a moment of weakness and betray Gen. Still, the idea of his friend, the person who'd provided company and comfort on so many evenings, leaving so abruptly made him feel a pang of loss.
“What about your three weeks?” he asked lamely.
She turned, distant firelight highlighting the sharp sadness in her features. “It seems kind of pointless. You're all doing it to be with friends and family, but me?” She shrugged. “Lila's my closest friend.”
Was she saying she'd only been going through her 21 days to be with him? That just made him feel even worse about everything.
“What's going on?” Chet asked, staring down from his perch on the chair in consternation.
Val didn't answer, wrapping up the tent with all her possessions inside and stepping out of the camp's marked boundary, drawing surprised noises from the other scavengers. As she wove through the other boundaries towards the general survivors' camp everyone turned to stare at Nick.
He shifted uncomfortably. “You heard her. She's going to join Lila helping the sick.”
“Good for her,” Charlie said, tone suggesting he had a good idea what was really going on, and he was just trying to smooth things over.
Well, you'd have to be blind not to see how close Nick and Val had gotten.
“Some sort of lovers' spat?” Chase asked. “Had to be pretty bad if she's breaking isolation so there's no chance you two can get back together again anytime soon.”
“We weren't together in the first place,” Nick snapped, turning towards his tent. “We'll miss her, but she's made her choice. I'm going to bed.”
✽✽✽
It wasn't too much of a surprise that Ellie didn't get much sleep that night.
After settling down everyone in the quarantine camp and making sure the danger was past, then getting briefed by Darrel about new guidelines for using the radios so everyone was able to function efficiently without giving away potentially sensitive information to Jay, she stood with Hal watching the houses in Stanberry burn to the ground. The kids were with them for a while, but eventually they drifted back to sleep.
As for Cara, she shouted out to ask what was going on near the beginning, then said, “Who cares? Wake me up if they try to set fire to our camp,” and went back to sleep.
After that the hours passed interminably. The citizens of Stanberry were also there watching the buildings burn, dozens that Ellie could see and probably hundreds more throughout the town. Some dragged blankets out to sit on nearby lawns, and she wondered if this was the longest most of them had been outside since the Zolos crisis started.
She mostly spent the time in a daze, standing and eventually sitting with Hal, trying to figure out just what Stanberry was going to do about Jay. Considering everything that had happened, she almost wondered if it wouldn't be better to just give back all the scavenged stuff like that bald wacko was demanding.
Although at this point, there was a good chance that even that wouldn't make Jay back off. He almost seemed to be having fun terrorizing them.
Ellie had never really allowed herself to process the reality of her own home burning. It was an awful thing, but in this current crisis she was just grateful she and her kids hadn't been in it at the time. Even so, watching other people's houses burn, not set by people desperately flailing to prevent the spread of Zolos but by bitter strangers bent on revenge, made her reflect on her lost home.
Even once a vaccine was found for the virus and they were all able to go home and get on with their lives, there'd be no home for her family to go back to. And now a dozen poor families in Stanberry also had no homes to return to.
And Jay was only getting started.
She shivered and let herself enjoy the sensation of being engulfed in Hal's strong arms, temporarily shielding her from the reality of a world where she couldn't hold her daughter, most of her other loved ones were still vulnerable to a deadly disease, and her home was a pile of ashes along with the rest of her neighborhood.
“Hal?” she whispered.
“Hmm?” He rubbed her back gently.
“Hearing Nick talk about how he had to go through everything since the pandemic started by himself, with just the kids, really made me appreciate the fact that I had you with me through all this.” She shivered slightly and kissed his shoulder. “And then with all this trouble with the Wensbrook survivors, the uncertainty . . . I don't know what I would do without you.”
Her boyfriend hugged her a bit tighter for a moment. “I feel the same. I don't think I could have made it through all this alone. At least not without ending up a complete wreck. You've been a literal lifesaver, Ellie.”
She rested her head on his shoulder in response, and together they watched the disaster unfolding uninterrupted in the town.
A while later, probably a few hours before dawn, a section of the burning house at the southeast end of town collapsed in a roaring inferno of sparks, startling them both out of a fitful doze. Ellie stared with wide eyes, again struggling to process how anyone could deliberately cause this sort of senseless destruction and fear.
“El,” Hal said abruptly, an odd intensity in his tone.
She tore her eyes away from the fire and looked up at him. “What's up?”
He turned to face her, little more than a silhouette with the cloudy sky and the dim light of the distant fires. Then she flinched in surprise as he turned on the small camping lantern they'd brought with them, just in case.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Should've warned you.”
Ellie squinted at her boyfriend's face, noting his unusually solemn, earnest features. “What's up, honey?” she asked again, resting a hand on his knee.
He took a breath. “These last few days have given me a lot of opportunity to think about how times like this show us just what's important in our lives. How quickly it could be taken away, and how vital it is to treasure every moment we have.”
She felt a surge of fondness for him, leaning forward to take his hand and hold it with both of hers. “You're right about that.”
