An Uncertain Fate, page 14
part #3 of An Ungoverned World Series
“Just let him go, he's not worth it. There are plenty more women,” some of the other men called out.
They pulled the giant back and David breathed a sigh of relief. He placed the gun back where it belonged and leaned against a nearby tree to steady himself. Breathing heavily, he ran his fingers across his bandaged throat. It felt tight and hot and he wished he could just tear it away, but he knew he shouldn't. Then he looked down at his hands. There was blood on them, not just his own blood but the blood of everyone. Everywhere he looked there were dead bodies. There was no escaping death. This was supposed to be a new beginning, but it seemed as though he was losing his mind. Staggering through the camp he once again ignored the pleas of the women. There was no helping them now. He was one man and he couldn't do anything. Not yet anyway. He just needed some space. Some room to breathe.
He came to the river and thrust his head under the water. The gurgling river surrounded him, and all was right with the world. For those moments where he held his breath he could forget about the ugliness occurring all around him. The water was refreshing and cool. He waited until his lungs were burning before he raised his head. He scooped handfuls of water into his mouth and drank it down eagerly. Water dripped off his face. He splashed some more over his body. Yet, no matter how often he kept his hands under the water they still felt unclean.
He stayed on his knees for a while and then he turned around. Only then did David realize that Donny and a number of his men were standing around him in a semicircle with their guns pointed directly at him. David knew it was pointless to reach around for his weapon. His time was up. This foolish plan had led him to the end, and he never would have his vengeance on Nick. Maybe this was always the way it was supposed to be. Maybe this was his punishment for all the horrible things he had done. Once again David was at the mercy of another person. He didn't know how many more chances he was going to get.
Chapter Twenty
Aside from Tori's presence this was everything Joe wanted. The surrounding area was so quiet it was easy to pretend that they were in the middle of the woods. With night setting in and no electric lights to distract them it was easy to forget they were in the city. Everything around them was black, aside from the stars in the sky and the fire that was crackling before them. Joe scoffed at the thought that there was anything to worry about from any predators. This was meant to be. Nothing was going to get in the way of his evening with Millie. He was glad that only a handful of kids had been allowed to come camping. It was easier for him to manage and it meant there was less risk of anyone disturbing him and Millie.
Before darkness had set in Joe had been teaching them survival skills. He'd showed them how to hunt, and Tori had smiled as it reminded her of the first time they had met. Joe met her sweet reminiscences with a sly smile. Then he taught the kids how to make a fire and how to cook over an open fire, which was a skill not many people realized came in handy. He wanted the kids to go back with some real knowledge so their parents would be more willing to make this a regular thing.
Millie, of course, was the star of the show. She was a bright young thing, with so much potential ahead of her. She would be a leader if Joe had anything to say about it. He needed to battle with Jackie's influence over her because Millie's mother was not a good role model. Joe praised Millie and was delighted with the way she responded. When Millie managed to start a fire, she had flung her arms around Joe and he reveled in the feeling of her little arms around his broad shoulders. He breathed in her pure scent as well and felt alive. A part of him had been missing this entire time, but when he was with Millie he felt whole.
While they had been eating Joe had brought out the whiskey and was feeding Tori sips. It was like a private joke between them; that they were being adults while the kids were around. Joe only was pretending to take sips. Tori laughed in a high-pitched voice and started to get closer to Joe. He let her do so for the moment, knowing that it wouldn't be for the night.
As they were eating their meal Joe noticed the kids starting to get tired, but they begged Joe for a story. Joe pretended to be reluctant and waited for them all to plead with him. He gave in. Of course he did. It was all part of the plan. The fire danced before him and lit him up, casting him in an orange glow. The tradition of ghost stories around a campfire was a grand one, and not one that Joe was going to forsake. He told them a ghostly tale of horror and intrigue, putting on his best hollow voice that unsettled them all. Even Tori was getting scared. When Joe finished the kids were looking at each other in terror.
“Don't worry, it's only a story and stories can't hurt you. If you're feeling afraid, it's because it's in your mind, but you're safe here. I won't let anything happen to you, and tomorrow you'll be back home with everyone. But tonight, you get to enjoy freedom under the stars. This is one of the best feelings you'll ever know. Just lie back, relax, and enjoy the evening. I'm sorry if that story was a little too intense, but I thought you kids were brave enough to handle it. Look,” he said, and shuffled a little closer to the fire, a little more intimate in the circle they had created.
“I wanted to talk to you about something serious for a moment while I have you away from your parents. I know that a lot of you have probably been confused by what's been happening with the world. It's changed a lot and believe me, it's sometimes as scary for me as it is for you. But we all need to be strong and brave, and that doesn't mean you can't be frightened. It's okay to be scared. You can't be brave unless you're scared because being brave means you're controlling your fear, rather than letting your fear control you. I've spent a lot of time telling stories to you kids and I hope that you're taking them to heart. Because one day you're going to grow up and you're going to have to come out into this city alone. I want to help prepare you for that day. I hope that you think of the lessons I have taught you both in stories and today because they will stand you in good stead.”
The kids all looked at him in wide-eyed awe, as did Tori. To all of them he was a hero and Joe relished in the reputation he had carved for himself. It stood him in good stead for the future. In this world he could do whatever he wanted.
He was invincible.
It was time for bed. So all the kids went into their tents, even though they protested. Joe and Tori went back into theirs. Most of the bottle had been drunk. Tori was swaying a little as she walked. Her eyes were bloodshot. She started slurring her words.
“You're just so good with those kids, Joe. I thought my life was over, but then I ran into you, and it was the best thing that could have happened. I feel so safe with you, Joe. I hope you know that.”
As she said this she wrapped her arms around Joe's arm and rested her head against his shoulder. They sat down, and Tori remained close to him, draping an arm across his chest. Her breaths were heavy. Joe knew it just was a matter of time before she fell asleep, yet she was so insistent.
“I didn't know if I ever could touch a man again, or let a man touch me after what I went through,” Tori said, the scent of whiskey hanging heavily on every word.
“Maybe we should just slow down,” Joe said, playing the gentleman, trying to push her away. Tori was fueled by hurt, desperation, and her inhibitions had been wrecked with alcohol.
“The only way to move forward is to do something new. I need this, Joe, and I think you need this, too. You've suffered a lot. You've lost your daughter and it's not fair that you should have to go through this alone. I want to be there for you, Joe. I want to stand by your side and make this world a better place together. I feel like that's my purpose now.”
The naive girl was even stupider than she looked. Joe curled a lip at her, but he couldn't let his façade slip away. “We can talk about it more in the morning,” he said.
After a few moments he continued. “You know, I think that ghost story might have been a little too intense for some of the kids. I think I got carried away. I'm just going to go and check on them in case any of them are too afraid to sleep.”
“That's what I like about you, Joe. You're always thinking about people other than yourself,” Tori murmured as she yawned. Her eyes closed. Joe smiled. He wouldn't have to worry about her for a while.
Joe walked out into the cool night air and took a moment to revel in how perfectly things had worked out for him. The night sky was clear and still. The city was quiet. It still was going to be a while before anyone came from the care home to check on them. Finally, he didn't have to worry about the law. He was confident he could talk his way out of anything with this group. They worshiped him. Finally, he was getting the recognition he deserved. Tanya never really had appreciated all that he had done for her, and the less said about her mother the better.
This was a second chance at having the life he always wanted, and while it wouldn't be the same without Tanya, perhaps there was some truth in what Tori had said; that the only way to move on was to move on. He rubbed his hands together with glee and made his way to Millie's tent with heavy footsteps. There were no sounds from the other children, but he wasn't worried about them. He knew how to keep them quiet. He'd made sure that Millie's tent was the farthest away from the others and had given her a proper tent. She only deserved the best. His little princess.
She still was awake when Joe came in. He sat down beside her and kept his hands off her for now, which was about the hardest thing he had to do. She was so beautiful sitting there in a big T-shirt that dwarfed her little body.
“Hey, Millie, I just thought I'd come to say goodnight. How are you doing? Are you enjoying camping so far?”
Millie nodded. “But I do miss Mom.”
“I know it can be hard being away from the people we love, but it's a part of growing up. It's only for one night, though. You'll be back together tomorrow. Personally, I like it being out here alone. Don't get me wrong, I love where we all live, but sometimes it's nice to get away from people. There are certain things you might want to do that you can't do with lots of other people around. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about? No, I suppose you don't, do you Millie? Well, I've got a lot to teach you about the world if you'd like that?”
Millie nodded again, although this time a little more tentatively.
“Yes, I knew you'd be a good girl. Don't tell the other kids this, but you're my favorite, Millie. I want to make sure you're okay. I want to be your special friend. You know that you always can come to me with anything. You always can count on me, okay? Do you remember what I was talking about when we were in your room the other night? Before your mother interrupted us?”
Millie nodded once more. Joe felt the urge inside him reaching a breaking point. It was all so close. She was so pretty and so warm. His body was filled with the rush of blood. He barely could think straight. His hand was almost trembling as he reached out and placed it on her shoulder, then slid it down to remove the blanket. His hand rested on her side. Millie kept staring at him with her wide eyes. He wondered if she knew what was happening, if she wanted it. Yes, of course she did. Why wouldn't she?
He barely could keep his voice steady. His heart pounded inside him, and his mind was swimming with intoxicating thoughts. He felt almost as drunk as Tori probably was. “We're going to have a lot of fun, Millie, you and I, a lot of fun indeed. Some of it might seem strange at first, but it's all perfectly normal, okay? But I have to be honest with you, I think your mom likes me and she might get jealous of our special friendship. So, we probably should keep it between us. Okay? Secrets are fun, though, aren't they? It's like we're a part of some secret club.”
The expression on Millie's face was difficult to read. Beads of sweat formed on Joe's face. He smiled sweetly at Millie and kept his voice soft. His other hand caressed her hair and then he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. He could feel the desire swelling within him. He breathed in her sweet scent. It was all so close. The moment was upon him where he could finally release his urge, the urge that had been building up inside him for so long. Thoughts of Tanya flashed through his mind as he took Millie in his big strong hands. Just as he was about to unleash all the fury that had been building up inside him he heard a noise behind him. His head jerked around. Tori was standing there. The three of them froze. Tori had been about to say something, so her mouth was hanging open in shock. Then she backed away. Slowly.
Joe cursed inwardly. He had planned everything so carefully. She pretty much had been falling asleep when he had left her, so why was she awake? Why was she ruining everything? He couldn't let her get away. He had to stop her and try explaining all this...although it would take a great deal of explaining. Even in her inebriated state it had been pretty clear to her what had been going on.
“Stay here and keep quiet,” Joe snarled at Millie, pointing a thick finger at her.
No longer were his words sweet and the expression on his face was twisted with frustration. He knew he should have tried harder to keep Tori away. He regretted ever bringing her back in the first place. He had been a fool and let his memories of Tanya have too much control over him. Just because Tori looked like her...dammit. Fists clenched at his side as she stalked out of the tent, a dark cloud hanging over him. He was so close to paradise and he wasn't going to let anything ruin it now. There was barely any time, not if he wanted to deal with Tori and then have his fun with Millie before somebody else arrived.
Joe told himself to calm down. He tried to breathe deeply. It would all be alright. Tori was so wrapped around his little finger that she would believe anything he said, and Millie wasn't going to tell anyone. It wasn't like anyone would believe her if she did. Not when it was her word against his. He still would get what he wanted, he'd just have to wait a little longer for it. That was all. He didn't want to hurt Tori, but if that was necessary, then he'd just have to lay his hands on her and make her be quiet. A red mist fell over his face as he stalked into the darkness and followed her. She was running, but there was nowhere to run. Joe was a master of his domain and he wasn't about to let Tori ruin everything.
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Kip Nelson, An Uncertain Fate
