Page 35 of Once Upon an Apocalypse

“Just remember that’s who we are, okay?” Cal looks at me until I nod in agreement. “We are tasked to take you to the gym in the morning, seven A.M. sharp. You were supposed to train yesterday, but Amos took you back here instead.”

“Train?” I ask, confusion and fear mixing in my chest.

“Everyone at The Valley needs to train at the gym to strengthen our muscles and keep our endurance up. You know, in case we need to run away from biters?” Cal explains.

“Oh.” The relief melts away the fear and anxiety that began to bubble up again. “See you in the morning then.”

Mina and Cal walk me over to the athletic center at seven o’clock in the morning, just as they promised. They don’t stay though as it’s now their bedtime. I walk through the glass door hesitantly. Not sure what to do, I look around at all the exercise equipment. When I spot a treadmill, I change course. That’s something I know how to use at least. Halfway to my destination, I’m stopped by a man who looks like he could be Captain America.

“You must be Lori. Amos is waiting for you over there,” Cap says, pointing over to a corner of the large gym where there are machines I have never seen before.

“Should I be scared?” I ask with a hint of amusement.

“Terrified.” His green eyes shine with false terror. “I’m Kyle, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Kyle.” I reach out my hand to shake his.

“Don’t leave tall, dark, and handsome waiting too long. He will never forgive you for that.”

“Yikes. See ya, Kyle.” I spin on my heels and walk toward Amos at a brisk pace.

Amos doesn’t notice me as I approach him while he works out on one of those rowing things. I can’t help but admire the muscles in his arms as he pulls himself forward. Each bulge of his triceps is hypnotic. After a minute, I realize I’m staring awkwardly at Amos’ sweaty, well-toned body and pull myself out of the trance by clearing my throat.

“I was wondering how long you were going to just stand there, Copperhead.”

I’m mortified.How did he know I was standing there?When I look up, I notice a partial reflection in the window in front of us. Yes. Mortified. “Sorry. You make it look so…easy.”

The sound that comes from Amos could be called a chuckle, but the deep, rich tones of his laugh stir something wild inside of me. Amos carefully lets go of the bar and stands up to face me.

“Easy, huh? Well, I do not intend for you to have an easy morning. Have you warmed up yet?”

I shake my head. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in a gym and never one like this.”

“They don’t have one in the bunker?”

“There is one, but I wasn’t allowed in. It’s exclusively for the Praetorian Guard.”

“Then how did you train for your fights?”

I’m taken aback by Amos’ question. Fury bubbling up from my core. “You think I was allowed to prepare for that? I was a lab rat. They threw me in a pit to see if I could find my way out alive.”

“Sorry, that was a thoughtless question.”

I grind my jaw, holding my anger in because I know Amos didn’t mean to be hurtful. But I can’t help thinking that this was his way of not-so-subtly continuing the interrogation. Still, I let him guide me over to a mat where we stretch, warming up our muscles. Amos eyes me with apprehension the whole time, treading lightly.

He starts me on the treadmill, the same one I was heading for when I first walked in. Thirty minutes later, I’m on a horizontal leg press. My legs are burning after a hundred presses, but Amos doesn’t tell me to stop. His focus is on my legs, not in a creepy way. It’s as if he is studying the way my muscles move, seeing them get stronger with each press.

“Okay, Copperhead. Take a break and stretch your legs before we move on to the next exercise.” Amos hands me a metal water bottle, which I take large gulps from.

“So, are you my personal trainer or something? I don’t see anyone else with one,” I say, putting my hands on my hips.

“If that’s how you want to think of me, yes. I’m your personal trainer.”

“Why?”

“One of the rules at The Valley is that everyone needs to—”

“Cal and Mina explained that to me. But do you train everyone here?”

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