Page 36 of Once Upon an Apocalypse

“No.” Amos’ curt response tells me he doesn’t want to talk anymore. “Arms next.”

I follow his direction and every suggestion, pushing my body to its limits. I understand the importance of being in shape, even when the world wasn’t a dangerous pit of walking dead looking for a quick bite of flesh. Now it’s even more important to maintain our physical health so that we can outrun and outlive these zombies.

But I am exhausted after two hours. I’m starving. And I have to pee.

“Amos,” I say during what I’d hoped was the end of our session, but turned out to be another water break as he is now directing me to a piece of equipment I have no interest in figuring out. “I’m done.”

“You are done when I say you’re done.” His face is stone cold, so unlike the kind man I thought I was getting to know.

“Are you going to hold me prisoner and break your promise?” A fissure breaks the cold frame of his face. I use his hesitation and sprint out the door, not stopping until I reach the cafeteria.

I’m so freaking hungry. The adrenaline from my long sprint to the other side of campus has my lungs sparkling in flames. I take a slow deep breath in, letting it out in a controlled release. Once I feel stable enough, I walk into the cafeteria. As I step through the glass doors, I realize this is the first time I’ve been unsupervised at The Valley. The freedom feels refreshing. Even when I was with my mom, I still felt like I was on a leash.

Maybe I broke the rules by running away from Amos. I’ll likely get into trouble, but I don’t care. I grab a bagel and a peach, then turn back to the door. As I make my way out, I catch sight of Norman, who looks offended that I’m free ranging right now. I give him my best smile before taking a bite out of the bagel and walk out the door.

Chapter 25

OfcourseAmosiswaiting for me at the door to my dorm. He looks furious. Like I’m not? I ignore him, pushing past his hulking figure and sprint through the door. He’s hot on my heels, following me through the living area. But I don’t let him in my room. No. I close the door right on his face and lock it.

“Open the door, Lori.” Amos’ voice is husky and raw. I nearly give in right away. “I’m sorry I pushed you too hard today.”

“Are you?” I whisper shout back, not wanting to wake Cal and Mina.

“Lori, open the door.” A thump from the other side tells me he’s fallen against the door or hit it with his fists. Not aggressively. “Please.”

My hand reaches out on its own and unbolts the lock. I turn and collapse on my bed before he gently opens the door, closing it quietly behind him. He hesitates for a moment, looking at my curled up form on the bed, then joins me, keeping his distance by sitting on the other side.

“I’m really sorry, Lori. I don’t know what came over me.”

“You turned into a freaking psycho.” I somehow manage to keep my voice calm.

“Yeah, I did. I don’t really have an explanation for it.” Amos has the decency to look ashamed, which definitely helps his case.

“You better try.”

Amos looks out the window, leaving us in silence for a while. I can’t help but stare at his beautifully chiseled jaw pulsing as he thinks about what to say to me. Those golden eyes have gone a bit dull in this pensive state. When they meet my gaze, the gold flecks shimmer back to their alluring brilliance.

“I wanted to be a musician in a traveling orchestra. That had been my dream all my life. After playing in Broadway pit bands for a few years, I completed my masters. Then my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She didn’t have family here, as she had left them all in India to start a new life in America when she was young. So I quit my job and moved back to Pennsylvania. Luckily got a job at this college. A steady job that allowed me to take care of her. Chemo was rough. After a year, her hair grew back, and she was starting to live again. That’s when the outbreak happened. I brought her to campus as we were fortifying the area. She thrived for a few months, but without the meds she needed, the cancer came back. She died before we had the campus completely secured, so she couldn’t go outside.”

“I’m so sorry, Amos.” I want to give him a hug, but I can tell there is more he wants to share with me.

“My mom was all I had left of life from the before. When she died, I threw everything I had at this place. Determined to make it a safe haven. Building a secure perimeter. Training the survivors inside to defend themselves. So yes, I’ve trained others, not just you. It’s been a while since I…cared this much about some…one.”

Amos looks away, gazing out the window again. I’m not sure if he’s talking about me or remembering his mother. I know he cares, but in what way? I keep my thoughts to myself, waiting for him to finish his explanation.

“Lori, you are the hope I’ve been looking for these past few years. You are the one who can save us from this nightmare.”

I pull my knees in tighter as I say, “I know you think my DNA holds a key to saving the world but—”

“No. Your strength is what I am talking about. Your will to fight. Even that day in the arena when you gave in, you went out fighting. You nearly killed Dr. Tuwile.”

“So he’s not dead?” Dread consumes my heart at the thought of Doctore still alive, performing more experiments, brainwashing other prospective soldiers to his cause.

“According to my sources, he survived. But is still recovering.” Amos gives me some time to process this information before saying, “I won’t force you to join this fight. I want you to have a choice. No matter what, I still expect you to be at the gym four times a week, at least, like everyone else. If you want to help me take down Dr. Tuwile, I would welcome your help.”

“Why do you need me to train? If I already have the strength to fight, why is that so important?” I feel frustration gnawing at my fingers. “You still haven’t explained why you pushed my body to the limit this morning.”

“I don’t really know how to explain that. I…I keep remembering your broken body. It’s a vision that haunts me. I thought…if you were stronger, that would never happen to you again. It’s irrational, and it doesn’t make up for what I did to you. I’m sorry.”

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