Black Sun by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 12

Having cleared the air about Abigail’s refusal of a weapon, they left the house with one blanket each, rolled length-wise and thrown over the shoulder. Now, they stood in the street, and in the light of day were able to gain a clear look at the surrounding area. Most of it had been cleared and developed, with other small communities built around other cul-de-sacs. However, in spite of the lack of cover, Ryan knew that more houses meant there was a good chance that they could find food – possibly water. But, in order to travel safely, they would need to be farther from the road. While Ryan found himself troubled by the thought of losing sight of the road, he also found it necessary to take the risk.

Setting out to the north, on Homesteader Road, they left the pavement and walked several hundred feet, just within sight of the road. Soon, they crossed Eberte Road and discovered another small cluster of houses, tucked farther back than where they had spent the night. Ryan thought it would be too far to walk when they could keep going and find a similar place closer to the road, but Abigail, driven by hunger and thirst, protested against his decision. “We’re not stopping?” she asked. “Why? I’m hungry, and I’d like to get some water.”

Ryan tried to respond in a calming voice. “I know, I am too. But this area is probably all new construction, and we’re not going to find what we want. So, we have to keep going, okay?”

Abigail began to break down, as her mind flooded itself with the images of everything they had seen during their exodus out of Troy, as well as the realization that this was only the beginning. As tears sprang from her eyes, her knees started to give way, and as she began to crumble Ryan rushed in and throwing his arms around her, eased her to the ground.

“I can’t do this!” she cried. “I just want everything to be like it was before! I want to go back to school! Back to my life! I don’t want any of this!”

Ryan held her tightly as her deepest fears clawed their way to the surface, expressing themselves in a tidal wave of tears. “Abby,” he began. “Listen to me. We’re going to be fine. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Continuing her outpouring, she began a string of irrational ranting, knowing that life would never return to what it had been. “No, it isn’t! It’s never going to be okay! We’re always going to be running! What’s going to happen if someone finds us?! I’m so scared!”

Although Ryan was unable to put himself in her place, he understood just the same, himself, knowing not only the risks but what people can become when faced with the toppling of authority. “I know,” he replied. “I’m scared, too.” Abigail did not find his assurances comforting, believing that a man could never know the fear of being a woman trapped in a place where people might rapidly be turning to animals.

But, the morning was growing late, and it was becoming more necessary for them to continue. As much as it pained him, Ryan gently pried Abigail away, stressing the need to keep going, yet also trying to soothe her once again.

“Listen,” he began. “I will never let anything happen to you. I promise. But we have to keep going.” He took a few moments to wipe the tears from her face as she began to collect herself. But, in a lost moment of kindness and emotional need, Abigail raised her face as she stepped closer. Caught up in the moment, Ryan met her eyes with his, and as they slowly wrapped their arms around each other, allowed their lips to gently touch. Feeling the soft warmth of each other's affections, they were quickly swallowed up by feelings that, until now, lay just beneath the surface, and tightening their embrace, let their first kiss deepen with open mouths and wandering tongues. They had not known each other nearly long enough to develop a meaningful bond, yet it had leaped into existence through the fear of being alone in a world that had suddenly collapsed around them. Without each other, neither would be able to survive with their sanity intact. But life, as it had become, would have to continue and releasing themselves from their passionate intertwining, found each other flushed with arousal.

“I guess we should get going, huh?” Abigail said. Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, but her tone reflected a need for more as she brought her hands up to Ryan’s chest. “Yeah,” Ryan replied. “We should probably do that.” He felt it too and tried, with great difficulty, to keep his hands from wandering to impolite places. Stepping back, Ryan put out a hand and as Abigail took it, they were both struck by a new feeling of safety, knowing now that they would always be there for one another, bound together by a single kiss. And although it was their first, it would not be their last. But at the same time, they could not let themselves be ruled by emotions. In spite of the bond they had discovered, would have to keep their heads clear, ready to act at a moment’s notice, be it by fight or flight.