Severed Ties Read online

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the creation of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright Information

  All rights Reserved

  © 2016 by Jo Schneider

  ISBN-13: 978-0692693681

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews. The reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or part in any form whether electronic, mechanical or other means, known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written consent of the publisher.

  First Edition: 2016

  For Marilee, who's always made me feel like I'm more than I ever thought I could be.

  Chapter 1

  Wendy’s arms shook as she lowered her body to the ground. The muscles in her shoulders screamed in protest as she pressed herself back up. Sweat dripped from the end of her nose onto the concrete floor, expanding the small puddle already there.

  One hundred and six. One more. She could do one more.

  Her arms gave out, and Wendy collapsed to the floor.

  The cool concrete prickled her damp skin. She allowed the sensation to distract her from her aching muscles. Maybe now she could sleep. Maybe her mind would take a clue from her body and stop working. Just for a few hours. Just so she could get some rest.

  Wendy closed her eyes. The darkness came immediately. Quiet and inviting. Her mind began to drift. The light feeling of flying swept her off the floor and toward sleep. She felt as though she was weaving back and forth through the sky, reveling in the sensation of freedom and the sun on her face. But it didn’t last. Gravity reached out and tugged her toward the ground. The air grew cold and stank of death. The scarred, leering faces of the Skinnies appeared over the dead in the tunnels just as they did every night. It all paraded through her mind faster than she could shut it down. She jerked away from a Skinny that wasn’t there and opened her eyes.

  Every inch of her shook. The sweat on her body had turned cold. Wendy took a couple of breaths and resigned herself to staying awake. She wasn’t ready to go back into her nightmares right now.

  Gravity’s hold tried to keep her down, but Wendy slogged to her hands and knees. The small puddle on the floor had become a Wendy-sized smear. With a sigh, she pushed herself into a kneeling position.

  It had been more than a week since they’d gotten back to Shelter. As soon as Doc had cleared her injures, she’d been tossed into this cell to wait. To wait and see what they decided to do with her after she’d breeched security, knocked out eight people and left. She was caught in-between caring too much and not caring enough.

  The simple bed just a few inches away called to Wendy, but she snorted and struggled to her bandaged feet. At least it didn’t hurt to walk anymore. Matt came to change the wraps every day. He said she was likely out of danger from infection, but he didn’t want to risk it.

  Jeff had come with Matt twice. He never said much.

  Wendy was convinced that they simply wanted to make sure she hadn’t lost it. They’d both seen what she’d done to that Skinny. The concern in their eyes—although almost hidden—was driving her insane.

  No, she had to concede, something else was driving her crazy: her own mind.

  She moved to the small basin in the corner and splashed cold mountain water on her face. It would keep her awake for a while.

  The low ceiling hung only a foot above Wendy’s up-reached fingers. She stretched to her full height and tried to relax her sore muscles. Pelton and his guys had beaten her up more than she wanted to admit.

  Still, at least she didn’t have a cut to the bone on her arm or a hole in her memory this time.

  She put her arms out and turned to the left. More sore muscles. More bruises, but they were fading. After a few seconds, she twisted the other way.

  Pelton hadn’t bruised any of her ribs, but a phantom pain—an echo of when she’d first arrived at Shelter—pierced her side, and she let out an involuntary gasp. Her hand went to her ribs, and she held them for a moment, waiting for the sensation to pass.

  With the pain came a flash. The floors turned to packed dirt and stone, the lights began to flicker and the walls closed in around her. A roar began in her ears that sounded like a rushing river. A Skinny with a forked tongue came at her with a club. She’d apparently missed the block, and her ribs had suffered the consequences.

  It took longer than just a few blinks to get the room back to normal. Wendy shook her head and willed herself to snap out of it. But like her muscles, her mind would only obey her for so long. Her legs gave way and she went to her knees.

  By the time the sights and sounds faded, she heard voices outside her door.

  “Did you bring it?” Kev asked.

  “Yes, I brought it,” Cal answered.

  Wendy shot to her feet, stumbling in the process. She unwrapped her arm from around her side and took a couple of steps away from the door. The cell measured six feet wide by ten feet deep. Not large, but not as small as it felt.

  “Show the man,” Kev said.

  Wendy licked her lips and wiped her sweating palms on her black pants. Her black tank top was covered in sweat. Not that Kev or Cal would care; they’d seen her covered in blood.

  “You know the rules,” a man’s voice said.

  “Yeah, yeah we know. Don’t worry, she’ll be nice to us,” Kev said.

  “We brought treats,” Cal said.

  Another voice joined them. “Really? Just let us in.”

  Arie. Wendy’s mind conjured the scene outside, and she almost smiled. The three of them came every day, which Wendy found endearing. Unfortunately, all she wanted to do was to run away or to be left alone. Or both. But instead, she had to pretend she was okay. She had to smile at Kev’s jokes and endure Arie’s questions.

  Wendy could barely look at Arie without feeling guilty. The other girl’s arm was broken in two places and was now in a cast and hanging in a sling. Pelton had done that. Because of Wendy.

  Another thing he would pay for.

  A comforting burning filled Wendy’s core. She would kill Pelton the next time she saw him. He deserved nothing less.

  The lock slid back with a clang. A click, then a creak as the lock sprung open and the guard pushed the door inward.

  Arie stood in front of the two boys, shaking her head. They had probably said something to irritate her. They were experts at that.

  “Thirty minutes,” the guard said.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Kev gently shoved Arie forward and followed. He waved goodbye as the guard closed the door.

  Arie’s critical eye took in Wendy’s appearance before she caught sight of the sweat on the floor.

  “Just working out,” Wendy said.

  �
�You’re supposed to be resting,” Arie said.

  “I did that earlier,” Wendy lied.

  “How may push ups did you do?” Cal asked.

  “One hundred and six.”

  Cal frowned. “How can you keep beating me?”

  “She weighs less than we do,” Kev said.

  “How many did you do?” Arie asked the boys.

  “Ninety six,” they said in unison.

  Arie held up her arm. “I did none.”

  They laughed. Wendy forced a small chuckle. It was good that the group always started off with a few jokes. It gave her a minute to form the correct responses in her mind.

  Cal stepped forward and held out a small package. “Here.”

  Wendy took the box. It was a bit too big for her hand.

  “Rolls,” Cal said.

  “And some chicken,” Arie said.

  Wendy nodded and put it on the little table that stuck out of the wall. “Thanks. Uh, sit down.” She motioned toward the bed. Before anyone could object, she moved to the opposite wall and sat on the floor.

  Arie frowned.

  “I’m sweaty,” Wendy pointed out.

  “Yes, please stay over there,” Kev said.

  Wendy had learned not to let them lead with questions, so she started off. “So, what’s going on in the outside world? Any news on Pelton?”

  Arie shook her head. “Nothing. There’s no evidence that he followed anyone back, which is good news. My dad says that patrols are going farther out just to make sure.”

  “Were you expecting him to follow us?” Cal asked.

  Wendy shrugged. “This Primate guy wiped out the Den, maybe he’s looking for his next target.”

  “That’s morbid,” Arie said.

  “But a good point,” Kev said.

  Wendy checked that topic off in her mind and turned to Cal. “How’s the computer stuff going?”

  His face lit up. Not that Cal ever looked very sullen, but the only other time she’d seen him this excited was when he’d shown her the first movie. At least, he had been until she had pointed out that it was a waste of time. She had been very careful since then not to offend him.

  “It’s great.” Cal grinned. “Hound has been showing me how to navigate through the network, which is like all of our information stored on what’s called a sever. There’s a lot of info that we don’t even use.”

  “Like what?” Wendy asked, knowing this would eat up at least five minutes of their stay.

  “Like there are cameras all through the complex. There are old records about upstairs and what this place was before the Starvation.”

  “What was it?”Arie asked.

  “A research facility for military technology and geothermal energy.”

  Cal kept talking. His hands flapped wildly as he described what he called a window on the computer. Wendy didn’t really get it, but she nodded and listened and made a mental note to ask about it later.

  If she was still here then.

  Cal wound down after a few minutes, and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. He shot a quick glance at Arie, then swiveled his eyes away.

  A chill swept through Wendy. “What is it?” she asked.

  Kev shifted in his seat and looked past Cal to Arie, who took a breath and then turned to Wendy. “It’s Dennis.”

  Any light these three had brought with them faded. A hot ball of hate ignited within Wendy. “What about him?”

  Arie swallowed. “He’s, uh, he’s pressing charges.”

  “Which means what?” Wendy asked.

  Arie finally met Wendy’s eyes. “It means he wants retribution for what you did to him.”

  “What I did to him?” Wendy asked, her voice getting louder. “What about what he did to me?” The flow of blood through her veins sped up. The room started to fade. This happened every time she thought about the cupboard Dennis had put her in and the Skinny he’d let loose on her.

  Wendy took a breath, held it and let it out. She pulled her knees to her chest.

  “We know, but he’s telling a different story,” Arie said.

  “And what story is that?” Wendy asked through gritted teeth.

  “That you jumped him and dragged him and Jordy into that room, where you then beat them up and left them to die,” Kev said matter-of-factly.

  Wendy held his gaze. He didn’t flinch under the heat of her anger.

  “He’s asked us to testify,” Cal said.

  Arie held up a hand. “You can’t talk about that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because, it could be seen as obstruction, and it could throw the trial in Dennis’ direction no matter what.”

  Cal and Kev glared at Arie.

  “I’m serious. If anyone finds out you’ve been talking to Wendy about the trial, then she loses. Plain and simple.”

  “That’s stupid.”

  Trial? The only trials they’d had at the Den were to decide if they were going to throw someone out. Wendy had never been involved. “Tell me about this trial,” Wendy said.

  Arie cleared her throat. “Well, they’ll have both you and Dennis appear, and each of you will have people testify in your favor or against you. Once all of the evidence is put forward, the Council will decide what to do.”

  “The Council? The ones you think are so stupid?” Wendy asked.

  “Uh, yes. Them.”

  “Why do they get to decide?”

  “Because they have deemed this case a threat to Shelter.”

  “Deemed?” Cal raised his eyebrows.

  “That’s a pretty fancy word,” Kev said.

  “Shut up, this is serious.”

  “So why is this a threat to Shelter?” Wendy asked. “What does that have to do with Dennis?”

  Arie took a moment to think. “You assaulted six people—“

  “Eight, but I don’t know who the others were.”

  “Well, they’re only saying six. You almost killed Dennis.”

  “Could have if I’d wanted to.”

  Arie ignored that. “And then you got out of Shelter. Now you know where the shield opening is.”

  Wendy nodded. That she understood. “I’m a security risk.”

  “An unstable security risk.” Arie pointed at the boys. “They know the way out too, but that’s okay for some reason.”

  Kev and Cal smiled.

  Wendy wiped the sweat from her face; some of it was already sticky. “So what does this mean?”

  “It means in a few days you’ll have to go through the trial and then take whatever punishment the Council gives you.”

  “But Dennis is lying.”

  “His mom is on the Council. Even if the others believe you, they won’t all vote against her.” Arie crossed her arms over her stomach. “They’re afraid.”

  “We could make them more afraid of Wendy than Gwen,” Kev said.

  “No!” Arie said. “No. Bad idea. They can already force her to do manual labor for as long as they want, or they can—” Arie cut herself off and shook her head. “Just try not to provoke them.”

  “Or what?” Cal asked.

  “Doesn’t matter.”

  Wendy broke in. “What about exile?” Just let her out of this prison.

  All three of them turned to look at her, concerned expressions on their faces.

  “Why?” Kev asked.

  “I can live on my own.” Wendy said, regretting having asked the question out loud.

  “You know how to get back in here,” Arie said. “They’re not going to exile you.”

  Wendy shrugged like she didn’t care. “Just wondering.”

  A knock at the door put a stop to any more questions. The guard opened it and said, “Time’s up.”

  The others rose. Wendy followed suit slowly. The few minutes sitting with her knees to her chest had stiffened her muscles.

  “Thanks for lunch,” Wendy said.

  “We’ll be back tomorrow,” Arie said. “I’ll find out everything I can before then.”


  “Okay, thanks.” Wendy forced a smile.

  Cal reached into his pocket and drew out a book. “This is the only thing I could find that looked good.”

  Wendy took the book with trembling hands. The creased and worn cover featured a woman in armor walking next to a lion with a dragon above them.

  Pelton had brought books back to her after his scavenging runs. Wendy swallowed and kept her forced smile in place. “Thanks.”

  “Be good, Shrimp,” Kev said.

  “I’ll try.”

  The steel door closed with a clang, leaving Wendy alone. She sat on the ground with her back to the bed and gripped the book hard. Her friends cared, but it wouldn’t matter. If the members of the Council were smart, they would kill her. Arie hadn’t mentioned that as a possible punishment, but Wendy was sure it was on the table somewhere. Why would the people of Shelter waste resources on someone they didn’t trust? She wondered if Kev and Cal could get her out before that happened.

  Chapter 2

  Sleep must have overcome her desire to stay awake, because Wendy found herself running in the tunnels. The jagged ground kept tripping her, and the walls breathed in and out, in and out. The scant light dimmed, and, although she couldn’t see any Skinnies, she could hear them, moaning and snarling and yelling.

  Wendy knew the maze well and turned at the perfect moment for the tunnel that led out into the forest. That’s when the stone and dirt turned into wood. The space around her disappeared. She stifled a scream as a thousand hands reached toward her from the walls. Scratching her, pulling her and whispering that she should give in and become one of them.

  A knife appeared in her hand, and Wendy began to hack her way out of the trap. Arms fell, blood flowed and the floor soon became too sticky to move. The hands withdrew and the light returned.

  The hair on the back of Wendy’s neck rose, and she slowly turned her head to look behind her.

  Kenzie and her dad stood a few feet away, emaciated and scarred. Skinnies. They didn’t talk; they just licked their lips and slowly walked toward her.

  Wendy struggled to get her feet free, but they were stuck. It was only then she realized she didn’t even have boots on. Nothing to wiggle out of. She twisted and grabbed at the wooden walls, but she couldn’t move.