“They are very old. And treasured. Please be very careful with them.”
“Thank you,” she finally responded.
Mathew beamed. “Have you read either of those?”
Ellyssa shook her head. “No. I was not allowed to read fiction.”
“Never?”
“Novels are a waste of time, not lending any educational value,” she recited her father’s words.
The doctor’s face scrunched. “They bring to life another world. Of events. Of people. They open the door to your imagination. They make you think.”
“They do not teach you anything.”
“They teach you everything. About love, life, people, the thrill of winning, the sadness of losing. They teach you about people’s faults, and overcoming all odds. Read them first and then judge.”
She couldn’t help but smile at his exuberance. “I will.”
Just when she thought his grin couldn’t grow anymore, Mathew surprised her with a positively huge one, exposing his teeth. Ten years dropped from his face. He patted her on the shoulder. “Plus, it’ll give you something to do tonight while I’m away.”
As if on cue, Ellyssa heard others coming down the hall. Their whispers entered the room before they did.
Rein, Jason, and a petite female walked in. All of them were dressed in the same gear, down to the firearms slung over their shoulders.
The female was not at all what Ellyssa considered attractive. Braided red hair swung around a very pale face, marked with huge red freckles. Thin lips were pressed together into a tight line. The longer she stared at Ellyssa with her hate-filled beady eyes, the whiter her knuckles turned where she clutched the rifle.
Without entering the female’s mind, Ellyssa knew the redheaded female hated her. Her facial expression was easy to read.
Apparently feeling the tension in the air, the doctor squeezed Ellyssa’s shoulder before addressing the others. “I’ll be ready in a couple,” he said as he walked to his desk to grab his backpack. “Candy, do you mind grabbing the first aid kit?”
“I owe you one,” the woman snarled in a musical voice, unbefitting her appearance. Ellyssa recognized her from the night she had been captured.
Frowning, Mathew shot the woman a glower. “Candy, I hardly think she knew what she was doing.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Candy tipped her head up, then marched over to the metal cabinets.
Ellyssa tore her gaze from Candy and placed it on Rein. He was looking at her, his jade eyes questioning. Ellyssa’s heart picked up speed, and the small hairs on the back of her neck tingled. She didn’t like it…she didn’t think. Feeling strangely uncomfortable, she blinked and looked at Jason. He wasn’t paying any attention to her at all.
Mathew handed Rein the bag. “I’d like a word with you.”
Rein followed the doctor to his desk. Mathew gestured while he spoke in hushed words. Ellyssa thought she heard Jeremy but wasn’t sure. Rein looked shocked, then sick.
Finally, the two parted, and Mathew returned to Ellyssa’s side. “Who’s staying?” he asked to no one in particular.
“I am,” answered Jason.
His lips pulled down into a scowl. “I’m not—”
“It’ll be fine,” Rein interrupted.
The doctor stared at Rein for a moment, then placed his hand on Ellyssa’s shoulder. “I won’t be back until tomorrow. We have…things to do.”
Ellyssa nodded.
“This is my corner, here,” Mathew said, pointing at Jason. “You will stay on the outside of the door. There isn’t anything she will need.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” Jason pulled the strap of the gun and walked out the door.
As the others left, Mathew behind them, Ellyssa settled against her pillow. She let her mind drift away and slid into Jason’s thoughts. He was examining his filthy fingernails as he thought about coming in and talking to her. Sitting in the chair next to her bed, her laughing at his wittiness. Then Jason’s thoughts drifted to him holding her and pressing his mouth against hers…hard.
Disgusted, anger raised its head and she tensed.
Ellyssa yanked free of his thoughts and pulled the covers over her shoulders. If he decided to act on his thoughts, she’d tear him apart. Part of her wanted to just for him thinking his sick desires.
She sat and waited for what seemed like hours, occasionally poking inside his head. His thoughts shifted quickly from one thing to another. At one intrusion, he thought about being in bed with Candy. Repulsive. Another time, images of fried chicken and potatoes lingered. Her stomach growled. Eventually, his thoughts clouded over into fuzzy pictures of people and colors.
Positive he wouldn’t wake, she picked up Of Mice and Men. She flipped through the well-loved pages; the scent of old leather was enjoyable. Relaxing against her pillow, she read the beginning of the classic.
16
Rein, Doc, and Candy went from the artificial light into a long, pitch-black tunnel, leading to the entrance of the abandoned coal mine. Generated light was forbidden in any section leading to the outside world, but the darkness didn’t hinder their progress. After years of traveling the unlit passageways, they stepped without worry about tripping or bumping into rocky overhangs or old beams.
Upon rounding the final corner, the doctor’s and Candy’s heads were silhouetted against dusky light pouring through a rectangular slit leading outside. Originally, the opening had been larger, but with the fear of discovery, the first Renegades to establish the settlement had worked to cover the hole, arranging rocks and mounds of dirt to appear as if the manmade cave had collapsed.
The old mine had been overlooked for years until the searches for remaining people had finally ceased, except for the yearly patrols conducted by the ranger, Davis. The Renegades had been careful not to bring any suspicion to the area for decades. At least, until Rein had introduced Ellyssa to their hideout.
Rein didn’t even know what to think of her. Her unusual demeanor was alien, like she’d survived with limited human contact or in a vacuum. Her facial expressions seemed forced and hesitant, as if the appropriate responses were unfamiliar to her. Plus, he held no doubt that, if she hadn’t been on the verge of dying, she would’ve kicked all their asses. With or without their firearms.
And how had she recovered so fast?
It’d only been eight days.
Ellyssa should still be broken, bruised, feeling crappy, yet she looked wonderful. After being washed, her hair was lustrous and her eyes vibrant, piercing blue contrasting against her flawless, porcelain skin. He liked looking at them.
Then, the whole business with Jeremy. He couldn’t think about that right now. It’d have to wait until they returned and he could talk to Jordan.
Rein crawled through the small opening after Doc and Candy. The first stars shimmered into view as the dark blanket of night worked to cover the heavens. The thick, balmy air held the hint of impending rain. Humidity clung to his skin. He pulled at the fabric stuck to his stomach.
“God, I hate this,” said Candy. She reached up and swatted the back of her neck. “Damn mosquitoes.”
“Shh,” said Doc as he ducked behind a bush.
“Don’t shh me.”
Rolling his eyes, Rein followed behind as they silently glided through the vegetation. Fifteen minutes later, they moved out of the brush onto the dirt service road used by the ranger during his routine patrols.
“Stay on the edge where the dirt is packed. We have to be very careful now,” said Rein.