Hot Zone (20 page)

I took a few slow steps, suddenly remembering Ryan. I turned and looked at him fiercely. “If you shoot at any of them, you might hit me. Think of how Gabriel would feel about that! Leave the gun on the ground.” I had no idea if he would or not, but decided to chance it.

I walked slowly towards Chris, until I was only 15 yards away. I stopped, addressing Pewter. “Can he understand me?”

Pewter gave a low laugh. “Yes.”

Chris looked at Pewter and smiled. Then his eyes came back to me. He’d been watching me nearly the entire time I approached. “Uh, hi Chris. Do you remember me?”

He looked back at Pewter, and she said, “I don’t think he does.” She glanced back at me. “Chris?” She looked at him. “Your name was Chris?” He just looked at her. She smiled as if he’d said something amusing. She glanced back at me. “I wanted you to meet him.” To him she said, “I need to talk to her. I don’t know what to do. I’m not like you.” He put out his hand and touched her face. She closed her eyes and leaned into him. “Will you stay near here?” They exchanged looks. “I will come back soon.” She promised. She reached up on her toes and pulled his head down, kissing him in a way that let me know they were more than casual acquaintances. I turned away, wanting to give them some privacy.

I heard Pewter’s voice. “Soon,” she promised again. Before I could turn around, he was off, dashing lithely into the woods. Pewter stood until all of the runners had disappeared in the woods.

She turned to me. “Well, Lambchop, how’s that for freaky boyfriends?”

I had no words.

Chapter 13: Freaky Boyfriends

We returned to the car, and Pewter sat in the passenger seat this time. I started the car and turned the heater on high. The wind was from the north, and I thought it was getting colder. I’d told Ryan to go and wait in his car. I’d kept the gun over his mild objections. I couldn’t let him shoot any of the runners.

Pewter turned so her body was resting against the door of the car, pulling her feet up on the seat and hugging her knees. “Wish I’d brought a jacket,” she said.

“So? How did you two meet?” I asked casually, trying to make it sound like any other guy.

Pewter smiled at my attempt at normality. “I was at the grocery store, looking to see if anything tasty had been missed. I had a total craving for doughnuts, and thought maybe some of those nasty prepackaged ones might be there. Or maybe even a Twinkie. I was looking for a sugar rush. Anyway, I was feeling sort of down, and after I didn’t find any doughnuts, I just sat down on the floor of the grocery store and sort of pouted. This was the day you went to the Cities to meet Gabriel, your oh-I’m-not-interested-in-him boyfriend.”

I shot her a look, and she grinned at me.

“So, I’m sitting there, right? And I was kind of daydreaming, I think, and I eventually noticed that there were all these critters clustered around me. I totally went girly and screeched like a pansy. They scattered. I started to wonder how I’d done that, or if the critters just hung out here, sort of like me, looking for doughnuts.” She gave a short laugh. “I sat really still, but they didn’t return. I tried and tried, and eventually got one to come. I realized I have to clear my mind, and sort of, uh, think like a critter.”

She looked at me to see what my expression showed. I was trying hard just to look calm and interested.

“I was both grossed out and elated. I mean, it’s kind of cool, being able to do something totally X-men like that. On the other hand, rats and mice? Ish. I started to wonder if I could call any other animals. And I wondered if I could do anything with them once I called. I mean, what kind of ridiculous power would it be just to call them?”

She rolled her eyes.

“I spent that whole day working out what I could and couldn’t do. I think I’ve just sort of scratched the surface, but I seem to be able to call most, but not all, animals. There was a fluffy yellow cat that sat and stared at me for fully an hour while I tried to get some reaction from it. But then I sent out a general call for cats, and two showed up. The stupid one staring at me never moved. So make of that what you will. Then I began to wonder if it wasn’t just animals, but maybe people, too. So I went back to the house—it was later afternoon now. I went into an empty room and tried to send out a call for people. Nada. I felt so ridiculous I took my flushing cheeks out for a walk on that path that leads north into the hills from your house. I wasn’t more than two minutes into my walk when I realized that in my self-absorbed state, I hadn’t seen them.

“At first I just got glimpses of them. A flash of color, a rustle of leaves would have me looking around. I started to get spooked and moved faster. Most of the noises were closer to the house, so I kept walking away from the house. It didn’t work. The runners, although I didn’t know then it was them, were following me. Eventually I got to that big rock formation where all those bees live in the summer. You know the one?”

I nodded. She and I had always walked out there to see the bees when we were younger. “So I was there and had backed up against the rock, getting really scared. I thought they might be some gang or some group of crazies. I had the bright idea of trying to call for help mentally, since my cell phone was sitting my on bed, getting charged. I closed my eyes and begged for someone to help me. I didn’t hear any noises and thought they might have left, but when I opened my eyes, there he was.

“I totally froze. He had obviously been living outside, and that seemed like a good definition of crazy to me. I just looked at him with wide eyes, and he looked back at me. And I started to get … pictures or images of what he was thinking. I saw his kindness, his wish to help me as I’d asked. I even saw myself from his view, all scared and eyes staring. It was the most incredible thing.

“He came slowly closer as I relaxed a little. I had realized by now that he must be one of the people who went runner. I could see his fear of people through my strange connection. No, not fear, exactly, more like people perplex them and make them nervous. Maybe it’s because seeing us brings back memories and those are uncomfortable. He didn’t see me as human, though. He … he loves me.”

She shook her head; her eyes shining a little with unshed tears. “It was the most mind-blowing thing. I have never had anyone feel like that about me. I could do anything, and he would still love me. It’s really a rush. I was so intrigued that I started talking to him. Before long we were sitting on the ground, staring at each other and talking, talking, talking. He didn’t talk, but—you know, communicated. He understood everything I said, although it seems like some of the things I say don’t mean much to him. He gets the words, but it’s like you would feel if you talked to a giraffe. You wouldn’t have the same experiences to draw from, so some things wouldn’t make sense.”

I nodded.

“It was getting dark and I shivered. He moved closer and put his arm around me, snuggling me into his side. He wasn’t cold at all. He was very warm, as if his metabolism was running overtime or something. I know it sounds odd to let this runner just put his hands on me, but I could tell that he only wanted me to be warm. I smiled at him and let myself relax against him. He didn’t have to look at me for me to get a feel for what he was thinking or communicating to me—I still don’t know if he sends the thoughts or whether I just get whatever he’s thinking. I think the thoughts or pictures weren’t just his thoughts. They seem too organized and on-topic for that. I think he sends them. I think that’s how they communicate with each other. I’ve seen him turn and look at one of the others and I don’t hear anything then.

“Like I said, I could still hear him a little, but it’s much more vague and fuzzy when we aren’t looking at each other. I just get the subject or feel of whatever he’s sending, instead of the details. And so I could tell when his thoughts or communications began to change from just wanting to keep me warm to wanting something else.”

Pewter seemed embarrassed now. “I didn’t realize what I was getting at first, but it sort of worked on me subconsciously, and by the time I realized it, I was humming as well. He is really aware of me—my breathing, my movements, the tone and timbre of my voice. So when I moved so I could see his eyes, he already knew I wanted him. Once I looked into his eyes, I was a total goner. He had such vivid pictures of what he wanted to do to me and with me! It was the most erotic thing I’ve ever experienced.

“So we spent the night together. He kept me up about half the night, and I slept in his arms with his body keeping me warm the rest of the night. In the morning, reality started to intrude as he communicated to me that he wanted me to stay with him always. He saw us running together, and I knew in my heart that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I can’t just abandon everything I know and am and run off with him into the trees. It’s fine for him because that’s who he is now, but I’m not a runner.

“He didn’t understand why I was upset until I told him. I was so afraid to tell him, and it took him at least an hour to drag it out of me. I didn’t want him to leave, and I knew that was what he would do. Living in a house and doing the normal human things are impossible for him now. Once he understood, however, he didn’t leave. He just put his arms around me, looked at me, and communicated that it didn’t matter. We would work it out somehow. Even if I lived a human life 99% of the time and just visited on the occasional weekend, it would be fine if I were happy. Even if I decided I never wanted to see him again, he would stay near in case I ever needed him.” Pewter wiped away the tears that had fallen as she told this, and I realized my throat was tight and my eyes were swimming as well.

She sniffed and smiled at me. “I didn’t know what to do, or who to ask for advice. I told him I was going to come and see you because I trusted you to understand and tell me the truth. He understood and communicated to me that we could meet at the park. He pictured the place, and thankfully I’ve been here and recognized it. So here we are. Tell me what to do.”

I shook my head. “Pewter, you have always known your own mind, and you already know what to do.”

She nodded, more tears spilling. “I can’t be away from him. It literally hurts inside, like I’m having heartburn or something.” She laughed a little. “It’s the same with him, but not as bad because he’s so sure
.
He never has even once considered that he could leave me since he heard my call. They all heard it, you know, when I was in my room trying to call one of the other people in the house to me? The humans didn’t hear it, but the runners did. He knew right then that we belonged together and hasn’t wavered since. He and his group were following me, and he was waiting until the right time to approach me. They don’t agonize over things like we do. They trust in what they want and decide. They trust that they’ll find food and water, and don’t store them away or hoard them. They trust that they will find shelter during the coldest of days. They trust that problems will untangle themselves. And he—Chris—trusts that we will be together.” She sighed and let her head fall back against the seat.

“I met him the night the bombs came,” I said softly. “He was on a date with Phil, actually. Their first and last date. We were all sitting together, a little drunk, when the bombs happened.” I smiled at her ruefully. “He and I both were affected by getting violently ill. It was the end of our little party.”

“What was he like then?” she asked.

“Nice. Phil met him at church.”

“Did Phil know he’d gone runner?”

“No. We didn’t know what had happened to him.”

“Okay,” she sighed. “I have a runner for a mate now.” I lifted a brow at the word mate. She shrugged. “Lambchop, we aren’t exactly just going to the movies.”

I had to agree with that assessment—this was obviously serious.

“How do I do it? How do I spend time with him?”

“Well, what do they do? Do they mostly stay in one place, or do they wander?”

She thought. “They do what works. Usually that means staying in one place, but if there isn’t food or water or something changes, they don’t mind taking off.”

“Will the others accept you?”

“Yes, they already have.”

“Pewter? What do they eat?”

“Yeah, that’s totally gross, but they eat deer, mostly. They are still changing, according to him, and he thinks they might eventually be vegetarians. Their appetites have changed from eating every day, to eating just once every couple of days. He doesn’t worry about this of course, because he just trusts that it is how it’s meant to be. Their organs are changing, I think. And I get the feeling it’s painful.”

“You can’t eat raw meat, so you’ll have to come and get food, or have some nearby.”

She nodded.

“And you probably want showers and the occasional friend to be envious of your happiness, so it looks like you can start out, at least, just doing a part here, part there sort of thing. I mean, if he doesn’t mind, just play it by ear. If it’s horribly cold tonight and you want it warmer, come on in, we’ll keep your bed for you. And if you want food, come get whatever you need. And whenever you want, go. Just call him and go.”

Pewter was staring at me now. “What?” I asked self-consciously.

“You make it sound so easy, so normal. All I could think of was what things might go wrong. You just cut through all the crap and say, essentially, the same thing he did. We’ll make it work.” She swallowed. “You don’t know what it means to me that you don’t think I’m a freak, that you’ll even help me make this work.”

I leaned towards her and took her hands in mine. “Of course I’ll help. I bet everyone will.”

“Uh, should we tell anyone else?”

“I think so. I’m not upset about it, and if we frame it right, I think you’ll see everyone understands. And if they don’t, forget them! And you know, once you understand more about how they think and act, maybe we can help somehow. Like could we build some kind of shelter for them? A place open enough that they wouldn’t feel closed in, but closed enough to be some protection for you from the weather? What do you think? And food. Would they still eat human food? We could leave some out.”