Grace Lost (13 page)

“Emilie, I’m going to check out
the bedrooms while you use the bathroom,” I said as quietly as I could. 

“Just don’t go far, ok?” she
replied.

Emilie walked into the bathroom,
leaving the door ajar.  I stepped across the hall, entering a
bedroom.  Lack of a closet and the presence of an armoire, along with half
the ceiling sloping from the pitch of the roof, suggested the building might be
old.  There was a small vanity along the far wall and an intricate cedar
chest at the foot of a queen sized bed.  A dark brown leather chair sat
near the door.  One wall was covered in
a green
and gold floral print wallpaper. I found the room charming.  The bed sat
on a wrought iron frame with intricate patterns on the headboard.  I
decided that I wanted to claim the room for myself. 

Boggs snuck up behind me, wrapping
his arms around me.  Startled, I jumped.  “It’s ok, it’s just
me.  Is this the room you want?” he asked me softly.

His hands were clasped around me,
and I reached up to gently hold his arms. “Yes,” I said simply.

“Can I share it with you?”

I swallowed a lump that had formed
in my throat and after a pause answered quietly.  “Yes.” I closed my eyes
as he turned me to face him.

“Zoe?” he whispered.

“Hmm?”

“You stink.”

I opened my eyes.

“So do you, Boggs.”

Emilie interrupted the moment by
clearing her throat.  We both looked to the doorway of the room, still
holding each other.  The redhead stood there with Gus behind her. 
“The rooms are all different from when I was here last.  Someone
redecorated.  You guys taking this one?”

“Ya, if you don’t mind?” I said.

“Sure. I think I’ll take the one
on the other side of the hall.”  She grinned and side stepped down the
hall, and disappeared into another room. 

Her mention of
you guys
had
made my face warm.

“Ok, Zoe, I’m not trying to be
harsh but you girls need to pay attention the next time we say to stay put,”
said Gus in a serious tone.  “If something had gotten in the house and we
missed it, we couldn’t have kept you two safe.”

Boggs added to the
conversation.  “He’s right Zo.  Let us do what we can to keep you two
out of trouble, ok?”

I looked up at Boggs and
nodded.  “Sorry.”

He ruffled my hair.  “Gus and
I need to gather some supplies to board up the windows.  It means going
outside.  The cabin is clear, so it’s fine for you girls to head
downstairs.”

Gus interrupted.  “I’ll go
have a talk with Emilie.”  He headed toward the room where Emilie had
gone.

“It’d be helpful if you and Emilie
could keep watch of sorts from the porch while Gus and I go out to the shed.”

“No problem, but do we get a gun?”

“Yes, you get a gun, Zoe,” said
Boggs with a roll of his eyes, teasing me.  “Let’s go downstairs.”

We walked into the hall together,
and saw Gus standing at the doorway to one of the other bedrooms, scolding
Emilie about leaving the attic.

Boggs led me downstairs.  The
first floor was much brighter than the one we had just left.  Gus and
Emilie joined us only moments later.

“Ok, some safety tips.  Stay
away from the windows.  I think it’s best to stay as quiet as we
can.  There’s a lot to do today so let’s head into the kitchen and
scrounge some food,” Gus was getting good at directing.  I admired that.

We ate cold green beans, canned
tuna fish, and peanuts. We washed it all down with grape flavored Capri Sun
pouches.  Gus made sure I took another pill.  The guys went over the
plans to raid the shed.  They would keep the shotgun with them and we
would keep the Kahr on the porch with us.

We walked out the front door as a
group.  We said very little, and listened intently.  A few birds
twittered, the sky was blue, and a slight breeze blew.  The air smelled
clean.  Emilie and I watched as Gus and Boggs walked the short distance to
the shed.  Since she had more shooting experience than I did, we decided
she would hold the pistol.  We sat on the steps together, watching and
listening intently.  I could tell it was going to be a long day.

It had been a tense and lengthy day
as anticipated.  The stress from being on edge had exhausted us all. The
men had found supplies in the shed:  nails, a hammer, even plywood pieces
of various sizes.   It had taken them the good part of the morning to
bring out what they thought would be the most useful.  The birds were
singing today, which we took to be a good sign of safe surroundings.  The
men dared to drive nails into window frames to hold the plywood in place. 
After each nail was hammered in, we would all stop and listen for any signs of
danger.  The small window above the kitchen sink was eventually secured
with the top of a coffee table and Boggs helped rig it to open easily from the
inside.  It would be a means of escape if needed, but also serve as an
entry with the help of a hidden latch.  We used the metal bed frame from
the third bedroom to secure the front door from the inside.  The headboard
helped reinforce the plywood covering the picture window in the small living
room.  It took a bit of effort, but we broke the box springs down and used
its one-by-two planks to build spears.  Emilie and I had been tasked with
that chore and learned how to use a hand saw to cut sharp points.  We all
agreed to keep the spears on the second floor as a means of defense should the entry
level be overrun.  

It was early afternoon when we
took our first real break.  The guys nailed the last metal bar across the
front door, sealing us in.  Boggs and Gus were both sweaty, but wearing
big grins. 

“Should we tell them?” Gus
addressed Boggs.

“Might as well,” Boggs chuckled.

“What’s going on?” asked Emilie.

“Go into the kitchen,” instructed
Boggs.  “Turn on the sink.”

“Why?” I asked. 

Emilie had already started toward
the basin under the modified kitchen window, and got there first.  She
turned the right hand faucet knob and watched water fall.

“Ok?” she said
questioningly.  Like me, she must have wondered what the big deal was.

“Emilie, try the hot water
darlin,’” said Gus with a chuckle.

Emilie turned the knob on the
left, and after several long moments steam accompanied the stream of
water.  “Are you
serious
?” she asked.  “How on earth…?”

“We noticed a propane tank behind
the shed.  And yesterday when I was on the roof I saw there’s a series of
solar panels.  We connected everything, so we have limited power and water
now.  Solar charges the batteries, which are in the shed, and the propane
fuels the hot water tank, oven and stove, refrigerator, and fireplace.”

“How long will it last?” I asked,
being practical.

Gus shrugged.  “The propane reads
nearly full and it’s a big tank.  Hopefully two seasons, if we use it
sparingly.  The solar panels will function unless they get damaged, but
the batteries may need replacing at some point.  Whoever owns the cabin
was pretty creative.  Looks like the appliances all run on the propane and
the solar was meant as a backup power source.  I’d say we’re damned lucky
to have found this place.  We have you to credit for that, Em.”

“Can we use the shower?” asked
Emilie.  She was making a puppy-dog-sad-face.

“Sure,” said both the men at the
same time. 

“Just leave us some hot water,
ok?” said Gus with a wink.

She nodded eagerly, and then ran
up the stairs and into the bathroom.  I could hear the water running down
the drain pipes and was jealous that she got to go first.  Gus, Boggs, and
I used the time to take inventory of the main floor and uncover the
furniture.  Before we were finished I heard the water upstairs turn
off.  Boggs suggested I go take my turn, to which I enthusiastically agreed.

The bathroom was filled with steam
and smelled like shampoo and soap from Emilie’s shower.  It was heavenly.
I kicked off my shoes, and stripped out of my dirty clothes.  I was glad
the mirror was steamed-over, not wanting to see how horrible I must look. 
The bathroom’s best feature was a huge claw-foot bathtub.  I entertained
the idea of soaking in it, but thought the guys might appreciate it if I left
some hot water in the tank.  I turned the faucet on and stepped into the
separate shower stall.  The hot water was blissful.  I felt tension
melt and layers of grime began to strip away.  The world around me faded
as I massaged a handful of pomegranate scented shampoo into my hair. 

A knock on the door brought me
back to the dismal world we now lived in.

“C’mon Zoe, save some hot water
for us!” barked Gus.  I must have been relaxing for longer than I had
realized.

I sighed, rinsed my hair, and
turned off the water.  I growled loud enough to let everyone know I was
not happy about ending my shower.  I heard chuckling from the hallway.

I looked down at my hip, which was
aching again.  It looked bruised and swollen.  I found a towel under
the sink and wrapped it around myself.  I wrapped another around my hair.
I looked at my filthy clothes and decided to toss them into the bathtub, not
having a better plan for them.  They landed on top of Emilie’s filthy
clothes.  Great minds think alike.  I opened the door and stepped
into the hall, where Gus was leaning up against the wall waiting.

“Holy cow!
  She shines up nice!” he said and laughed.

“Gee thanks, Gussie,” I
said.  “Hey, do you mind looking at my hip for me?  It looks a little
funny.”

“Sure, Zoe.
  It’s brighter in the bathroom.  Let’s head in
there.”   He held a hand out to signal me to go ahead of him.

I walked back into the bathroom
with him trailing behind.  He left the door open behind him like a
gentleman.  “Ok, let’s take a look-see.”

I stood with my hip facing the
only window in the room and lifted my towel up enough for Gus to look at the
wound. 

“Hmm,” he muttered.  “We
might need to change antibiotics, Zoe.  It looks a bit off.  Is it
hurting?”

“A little,” I admitted.  “It
gets achy.”

“The color is kind of funny. 
It’s almost green, just a faint shade right around the wound.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“Let me wash my hands, hold
on.”  He walked to the sink and scrubbed his hands.  He spoke while
he lathered.  “It might be
a resistant bacteria
. 
It’s just hard to say.”

As the cowboy dried his hands,
Emilie came to the door.  She was glowing from her shower and smelled
good.  Her hair was drying and she looked like a little pixie.  She
had found a cute yellow sundress with little flowers on it and had put it
on.  Gus looked up at her.  “Aren’t you just adorable all clean?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Emilie, could you do us a favor?”
asked Gus. 

Emilie nodded. 

“Look through the drawers in here
and see if you can find anything like peroxide or rubbing alcohol, or
antibiotic ointment?  Heck, bottles of pills too.”

“Sure.  Is everything ok?”
she wore a look of concern on her face.

“Ya, Zoe’s hip is just looking a
bit angry.  We need to clean it up and maybe start some new antibiotics.”

Emilie started rummaging through
cabinets and drawers.  She managed to find a bottle of Hibiclens, which
Gus said would be good for washing the wound, and a tube of Neosporin. 
Gus said her prize finding was a bottle of Percocet, which he told
us
was a strong pain medication. 

Since I had just showered, Gus
said we’d hold off on using the Hibiclens till I bathed again and instead he dabbed
Neosporin on the wound.  The Percocet, he said, we’d set aside for
emergencies.  I thanked them both for their help then stepped out of the
bathroom, leaving them behind.

I walked into the bedroom I had
claimed, and shut the door behind me.  A single candle was lit and sitting
on the vanity.  Someone had laid a big flannel shirt on the bed for me. It
made me smile knowing I wasn’t stuck with just a towel all night.  I
wondered if it had come from the armoire, then realized it didn’t much matter. 
I took the towel off of my hair and let it drop to the floor, followed by the
one wrapped around my body.  I stood there naked in the candle light, my
back to the door.  I startled from the crackling of jeans against leather
from the corner of the room behind me, and turned in dread.  I grabbed the
shirt and clung to it, trying to cover myself.

“Boggs!”
I shouted.  My heart was beating fast.

He obviously felt bad for
startling me.  “I’m sorry, Zo. I didn’t mean to scare you.”   He
frowned and walked closer to me.  I was shaking, both from fright and from
the chill of standing naked in a cold dark room, and fought to regain control
of myself.  “Can I help with that?” He put his hands on the shirt. 
He had a look of desire on his face.  “Please?” he asked longingly.