Chapter 8 Emery
Chapter eight
Emery
“Justin?” I stared at the overexcited man in shock. Why the hell was he here? He lived in a completely different borough.
“I’m so glad I found you, Emmy.” Justin climbed off his bike and rushed to me, sweeping me into his arms in a bear hug. “I couldn’t imagine living on this earth without you.”
Why was this man a stage five clinger? “Justin,” I said, wiggling out of his hold, “we slept together once. That doesn’t make us soulmates.”
“Come on, Emmy,” Justin whined. “You can’t seriously say you don’t think you and I are meant to be when I literally found you at the end of the world. No help or anything. Just blind faith that I would find you. If that isn’t fate, I don’t know what is.”
I glanced around to see that the entire group was watching us with interest. Nico, Miguel, and Luis looked less interested and more murderous.
“Ok, first of all, you need to keep your damn voice down before you attract zombies to us. Second of all, I don’t know how many times I’ve told you it was one night and that I wasn’t interested in a relationship with you, but you don’t seem to hear me.
If I didn’t want a relationship with you before, I certainly don’t want one now.
We’re headed to the evacuation shelter. You’re more than welcome to come with us, but as a traveling companion, not a boyfriend. ”
He looked a little defeated, but the determination in his eyes never faded. “I’d appreciate that, thank you.”
“Emery, who is this boy?” Mami asked, eyeing him curiously.
“Just a coworker, Mami. His name is Justin.”
“Your mother?” Justin asked. He rushed to her and hugged her.
“I’m her father,” Papi said as he gently pulled Mami away from Justin.
Justin went to hug him as well, but at the stern look my father gave him, he took a step back instead and held his hand out to me. “Look at this, Emmy. Already meeting your parents.”
A tingle of unease travelled up my spine.
How well did I really know Justin? Admittedly, not all that well.
I’d seen him around Speedy’s enough times to be familiar with him.
Familiar enough to get drunk and sleep with him, but I didn’t actually know anything about him except where he lived and what his bedroom looked like.
There may have been more to Justin’s inability to accept no for an answer than I initially thought.
Justin was watching me expectantly, and my eyes flickered between his hand and the creepy smile on his face.
I knew right then that I never wanted that man to touch me in any way ever again.
Whatever was going on, he had a screw or two loose, and it took the end of the world for me to see it.
And I just invited him to tag along. My eyes searched the group desperately, for what I didn’t know until my eyes met Miguel’s.
“We should keep moving, yes?”
Miguel nodded. “Yep, let’s go. Emery, you’re up front with me. Luis and Nico will take the back. Everyone else is in between. Let’s keep it moving.”
I practically ran to Miguel and, more importantly, away from Justin. Before we started walking, Miguel thrust my bat toward me and held out his hand expectantly. I rolled my eyes as I placed his knife in his open palm and accepted my bat.
“Who’s the guy?” Miguel asked as we started walking down the street.
“Coworker.”
“He seems like more than a coworker.”
“We hooked up after the company Christmas party almost two years ago. Ever since he’s been...”
“Obsessed?” Miguel provided.
“That’s one way to put it,” I hedged.
“It’s the nicest way I can put it,” Miguel countered.
“He’s really creepy, right?” I whispered, glancing over my shoulder to see Justin on his bike, slowly pedaling beside my parents, his eyes glued to me. “I didn’t realize it until now.”
“Creepy is an understatement, Em. Watch your back with that one before he tries to wear your skin.”
I shuddered at his words. That was an image I didn’t need in my head.
We walked a few more blocks, not running into any more zombies until we turned a corner and ran into an entire herd of them.
The herd was a mix of civilians and soldiers, proof that the military’s efforts to cleanse the city had failed spectacularly.
Miguel and I froze in our tracks and were slowly retreating around the corner when I spotted people I knew.
“No,” I whispered hoarsely. Jennifer and Harry stumbled around amongst the other zombies, a bloodied baby carrier still strapped to Jen’s chest. The twins! Where were the twins? My eyes scanned the horde desperately, praying I wouldn’t see them.
“Em, we have to go,” Miguel whispered in my ear as he wrapped his arms around me from behind and started to pull me away.
“I don’t see them,” I replied. “The twins. I don’t see them. They could be hiding somewhere nearby, scared. We have to find them, Miguel.”
“We already did, love,” he replied, his voice cracking.
Slowly, he pointed to the far edge of the group, and I slapped my hand over my mouth to silence the ragged moan that fell from my lips as I spotted the two precocious little boys, squatting down and staring at us.
Part of me expected them to jump to their feet, grinning ear to ear, and come running to me.
If they did, I’m not sure I could have resisted them.
Tears flooded my eyes as Miguel lifted me off the ground and rushed us back around the corner.
“Go back,” he ordered the group. “There are too many of them.” When he reached the other end of the block, Miguel set me down and I turned in his arms, sobbing into his chest. They didn’t have to die. If they had just listened to us and waited, they would still be alive.
“What’s wrong, Emmy?” Justin asked. “Can I do anything to make it better? Come here, Emmy, I’ll take care of you.” I felt Justin’s hands on my shoulders as he tried to pull me from Miguel’s arms and into his.
Miguel’s arms tightened around my waist. “I’ve got her,” he growled. I turned my head in time to see Justin sulk away from us, and Nico and Luis returning from the corner where the herd was.
“We need to get off the streets,” Nico murmured. “We can try to use the rooftops to get closer to the evacuation shelter.” Nico looked at me and brushed a tear from my face. “We tried, Princess, but they wouldn’t listen.”
“What about my bike?” Justin asked.
“We’ll have to leave it behind,” Luis informed him.
“I’m not leaving my bicycle behind!” Justin argued louder than he should have. “That bike was expensive.”
“No one said you had to come with us,” Nico replied through gritted teeth. “And keep your fucking voice down. Why is that so hard for you to remember?”
“As if I’m going to leave Emmy with you,” Justin scoffed. “I know what you are, and the last thing Emmy needs is some gang bangers protecting her.”
Fuck. Justin had a death wish.
I pushed out of Miguel’s arms and jumped between Justin and Nico as Nico took a menacing step toward the dead man walking. “He’s an idiot, Nico. Not worth your energy, and we don’t have time for this anyway. Let it go.”
Nico’s arm wrapped around me, holding me tight to his chest as he looked over my head at Justin.
When his eyes finally dropped to mine, I could see the conflict swirling within them.
He wanted to handle Justin now. He studied my face before pulling me tighter.
His eyes softened before raising back to Justin.
“That was your first and only strike. Disrespect or piss one of us off again, and you’ll be dead before you see it coming.
” Nico brought his lips to my ear. “I mean it, Princess. That’s your little boy toy’s one and only chance. ”
“He’s not my boy toy,” I replied.
“Don’t say that,” Nico advised. “You’re the only reason he’s still breathing.” He released me and looked at Miguel and Luis. “Find a fire escape in decent shape on that side of the street,” he said, pointing. The three men spread out, checking the alleys nearby.
“What do you mean I’m an idiot?” Justin demanded. “How could you say that about me when I’m trying to protect you?”
“For fuck’s sake, keep your voice down!” I hissed. “That’s what makes you an idiot. That and continuing to think there is something between us that isn’t. We aren’t together. We aren’t going to be together. I do not need nor want your protection. Do as you’re told, or we can part ways here.”
Justin looked shocked. And for once, it felt like he’d finally heard me.
That relief was short-lived. “This is a stressful time, so I’ll forgive your cruelty.
My point is, you don’t want those kinds of people in your life.
They’re dangerous. I suggest we take your parents and find our own way to the evacuation shelter. ”
“You’re fucking delusional,” I said in disbelief. “There is no we. My parents and I are sticking with Nico and the guys. Whether you choose to as well is a decision only you can make.” I turned away from him to check on my parents and make sure they were ready to climb the fire escape.
I’d only taken a couple of steps when he grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. “Why are you acting like such an ungrateful bitch all of a sudden?” The sneer on his face was a look I’d never seen from him before. I glanced around to see if anyone had noticed us, but they hadn’t.
“I suggest you let me go. Now. Unless you want trouble.”
Justin’s face changed immediately as he adjusted his mask.
He reminded me of a friend I’d had once.
She was my very best friend for a time, before I started to notice how controlling and manipulative she was.
She never made it obvious. It was always in the little ways you wouldn’t notice unless you were paying attention.
It wasn’t until her own mask started to slip that I finally saw her for the monster she was.
Lucky girl that I was, another monster had latched itself to me.