Page 39 of When Monsters Rise
Jilyanacrouched besideAmarosand gently placed her hands over the wound on his abdomen.Asoft, golden glow spread from the point of contact, and after a moment, she removed her hands.Thewound had healed.
“Amaros?”Penemuesaid. “Canyou hear me?”
Amarosgroaned and opened his eyes. “Pen?”
Penemuelet out a sob of relief. “You’refine.You’llbe fine.”
“Canyou stand?”Sarqasked.
Hegroaned and sat up slowly. “Ithink…Ithink so.”
“Goodbecause we have to move.”
Shemwas by the boarded-up window, looking out. “Iknow where we are.Southof the mall.Notfar from the city limits.”
Ijoined him at the window, slipping between his body and the sill to look out.
Heplaced his hands on my hips, anchoring me to him.
Therewas a hair salon across the street and farther down from that a supermarket, then a pharmacy.
“There’sa library we can bunk in,”Sarqsaid. “It’sclose.”
PenemuehelpedAmarosup and braced him with an arm around his waist. “Let’smove.”
“Whatabout the others?”Ilooked up atShem. “Wherewould they have come out?”
“Notfar from here,”Shemsaid. “Wecan search for them in the morning.There’sno way of finding them now.”
Butthere was.Ihad a method in my pocket.
Ipulled out the radio.IfBastianorTumielstill had theirs, then we could contact them.
There’dbeen no reception in the tunnels, but up here, there should be no interference.
Idepressed the button. “Bastian, it’sRue, can you hear me?Over.”
Chapter18
BEE
Ican’t believe whatI’mseeing here.Antibioticsand antiseptic cream.Tubesand powder and sterile liquid in vials.Mostof it will be out of date, but we learned a long time ago that even the expired stuff has some benefits.
Thisplace is untouched.I’mtempted to load up, butIneed to find the inhalers first.Theboy will need steroids to open his airways.Afew moments of rummaging, andIfind the inhalers.Thereare a bunch.Igrab a few and shove them in my pockets.
Ineed a bag for the rest, andIfind one shoved between a desk and the wall.Iempty out the contents—a plastic lunch box, a thermos, and a battered book.Twominutes later, the bag is bulging with supplies.
Mypulse pounds with excitement.Thisis amazing.Atrue haul.Thekind of haul that we rarely got back when we were scouting for the settlement.
Itfeels like such a long time ago when it’s only been a matter of weeks.
There’sa door at the back of the room.Moremedication?Moresupplies?Thehandle pushes down easily.It’snot locked.Theroom beyond is dark, and the strange sharp smell from the main floor is stronger here, as if it’s originating from this room.
Ittakes a moment for my eyes to adjust and make out shapes: a desk, a coat rack, a chair shoved against the wall, and…what…Whatis that?
Thelarge misshapen thing moves up and down.Slowand even movements like…like breathing.
Myvision adjusts further, and ice pricks my scalp because there’s a monster in the corner of the room.
