Page 3 of Creepy
“I can do without the vegetables this time.I’ll look at what’s in the truck.”His voice lowered.“I’m here for Miss Mary.I know you didn’t leave her at home.”
I spun around.Dillon had crossed his arms, a clear sign he was itching to fight about this.“No.It’s ALL at the house.”I emphasized the word all.
Getting my drift, he smirked.“I’ll wait and follow you back to the house then.”
“Deal was you don’t come to my house, ever again.Especially if you’re not alone.”
“Deal was you bring the goods here every Monday...and then some.You breakin’ our deal?”
I crossed my arms this time.“No.”
“Because I’m fine if you do.Means I get to take you back with me.You and Miss Mary.”
“No.I’ve got ALL of the payment...as usual, but ALL of it is at the house.And you aren’t bringing Karl along.And I’m eating first.”I stomped my foot like a child and hated myself for it.
“Damn straight you need to eat.”He shook his head, saying something about my mood under his breath.“And you’re making me a drink, woman.”
I knew what Dillon was talking about.He wanted something on the rocks, anything.He’d get it thanks to my freezer.I didn’t share the fact, I just put some beer in the walk-in, afraid he’d take it.I grabbed a bottle of bourbon, one that he’d let me keep.Bottom shelf stuff he wouldn’t have dared order back in the day.He certainly didn’t care for the frozen food I’d stored.All junk, he’d say, even back in the day.Nowadays, Dillon and his crew of Stayers had gone in a different direction when it came to survival.Sure, they liked the finer things and alcohol, but they were also primitive, living off the land, hunting, and building fires.Real Lord of the Flies’ shit.
“What did you eat this morning?”I asked while I poured his drink.
“Eggs and deer meat,” he answered.
God, what I wouldn’t give for some eggs.“Don’t you mean, venison?”
“Whatever.”
Boy, mister prim and proper had changed.
While he sipped bourbon and savored the ice, I enjoyed my fried food, knowing it wouldn’t last.
Dillon swirled the ice around in his glass.Echoing my thoughts, he said, “This won’t last forever.You need to get used to it.”He thought trying to keep some electricity running was useless.
“I’ve kept it going this long,” I rebutted, my mouth full.
While I was proud of it, Dillon belittled it.“It’s a waste of time.”
“Time.It’s all I have.”
When I finished eating, I saved the dishes and powered down the kitchen.Dillon’s eyes followed my every move.After all, I was armed, but I wouldn’t dare shoot him.For all I knew, he was all I had left in the entire world.I locked the back door and tucked the keyring in my backpack.Before letting Dillon join me in the truck, I filled the generator again.
“I’ll drive.”He took my place.I didn’t argue because I figured it kept up appearances in front of his man, the appearance I was somehow subservient to dear leader.We stopped around front to let his lackey know he’d be back.
I didn’t want any of Dillon’s crew knowing where I lived.“Tell him to stay put,” I insisted in a whisper.
Dillon complied.
At his word, big ole Karl waited on his motorcycle in the heat like it didn’t bother him any.The three-hundred-pound guy could’ve been a linebacker in his former life for all I knew.
Once we got out of earshot, Dillon started talking.“Karl’s not all bad.None of the crew are as bad as you believe.”
“You’re not gonna sell me.”
“Sissy, you’ll have to change your mind soon.Word is survivors are migrating east, coming back here, trying to stake a claim.”
“And how do you know?”
“We’ve got our ways.”
