Read Online After The Virus by Meghan Ciana Doidge - Free Book Online
Authors: Meghan Ciana Doidge
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voice in her head reminded her, maybe there was nothing worth loving in her anymore. Maybe she didn’t deserve Will, Snickers, and B.B.; maybe that white picket fence was, just as she always suspected, only for other real people.
Focus was hard to come by this day.
She’d wanted to bake cookies for Snickers — for her not just with her — like a real mom. Peanut butter, maybe.
She wanted to run her hand down Will’s neck, across the slope of his muscled shoulder, and grasp his wrist as he was fingering her.
A family. Snickers would set the table and chat about her school day, and Will would secretly kiss her neck while she tossed the stir-fry.
∞
They had laid a trap, probably, though not necessarily, for her; but she fell for it, literally.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
WILL
First thing he saw, in regards to the note, was the child’s yellow crayon scrawl at the bottom that read: I go get her. Me and B.B. Not worry . The crayons he had gotten her that first day were left behind. Snickers had always carried them in her backpack. She must have needed the room.
He read the rest of the note. He wondered why he took the time when he couldn’t afford it, but he was compelled to learn Rhiannon’s reasoning.
∞
The village was empty. He had no idea how to track the girls, but he thought Big might. Big was clearly a hunter, but he wasn’t an option now.
Will didn’t even know where the hell Rhiannon had come from. How could he have never asked? Time had seemed endless. No reason to rush.
He had constructed this haven. Invited her in. She would have been safe here. He would have made sure she was safe… except… he hadn’t.
He gassed a motorcycle, but then worried he would need something that would fit them all for the way back. He decided that would be a good problem to solve.
He didn’t pack; he wasn’t going to stop, so why would he eat or sleep? He headed out of town the way Rhiannon entered; that made some sense.
He guessed Snickers was trying to use B.B. to track Rhiannon. He’d never known that little girls were so smart, resourceful, and obstinate.
He rarely chose to, but he was so going to yell and shout and scream when he found them, hopefully together. Then he might cry, but not now.
He thought, really belatedly, that walkie-talkies might have been a good idea. Or a two-way radio, but then he’d never wanted to find people before.
Rhiannon was, at most, twelve hours ahead and likely on her Vespa, as it hadn’t been parked at the house. She would’ve avoided the village, in case he lied about the group’s intent.
Snickers must be on foot, or maybe a bike; could she ride a bike? Unless… unless she was with Big. No, Big wasn’t that kind of man. But what if, what if Big wanted to get back at him? Big was a killer, not in self-defense but cold blood, his brain maliciously echoed. No. He would find Snickers easily, then maybe he’d go after Rhiannon. Snickers might force his decision there, but her safety came first.
He had demanded that promise from Rhiannon, so she left, though he really wished she’d discussed it with him. This was not what he meant. He wondered if he was always destined to drive everyone away or lose people he should have held on to more fiercely.
He thought he’d stepped up.
∞
A bug up his nose put a cap on his wallowing. He lowered his head to the wind and pushed the bike. He knew the road well.
It was three days before he set eyes on the girls again, but he never did get to yell, or profess his love, or even see them smile. All he really got was to hear Rhiannon’s scream when Snickers went into the river.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
RHIANNON
How long she’d been out, she wasn’t sure, but it felt like days. Her head killed, and when she opened her eyes, she thought she was blind. Of course, it was just that it was night and dark, but it still took a lot of blinking to gain focus. Even then, all was blurry at the edges.
Then she remembered: the Vespa had
Focus was hard to come by this day.
She’d wanted to bake cookies for Snickers — for her not just with her — like a real mom. Peanut butter, maybe.
She wanted to run her hand down Will’s neck, across the slope of his muscled shoulder, and grasp his wrist as he was fingering her.
A family. Snickers would set the table and chat about her school day, and Will would secretly kiss her neck while she tossed the stir-fry.
∞
They had laid a trap, probably, though not necessarily, for her; but she fell for it, literally.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
WILL
First thing he saw, in regards to the note, was the child’s yellow crayon scrawl at the bottom that read: I go get her. Me and B.B. Not worry . The crayons he had gotten her that first day were left behind. Snickers had always carried them in her backpack. She must have needed the room.
He read the rest of the note. He wondered why he took the time when he couldn’t afford it, but he was compelled to learn Rhiannon’s reasoning.
∞
The village was empty. He had no idea how to track the girls, but he thought Big might. Big was clearly a hunter, but he wasn’t an option now.
Will didn’t even know where the hell Rhiannon had come from. How could he have never asked? Time had seemed endless. No reason to rush.
He had constructed this haven. Invited her in. She would have been safe here. He would have made sure she was safe… except… he hadn’t.
He gassed a motorcycle, but then worried he would need something that would fit them all for the way back. He decided that would be a good problem to solve.
He didn’t pack; he wasn’t going to stop, so why would he eat or sleep? He headed out of town the way Rhiannon entered; that made some sense.
He guessed Snickers was trying to use B.B. to track Rhiannon. He’d never known that little girls were so smart, resourceful, and obstinate.
He rarely chose to, but he was so going to yell and shout and scream when he found them, hopefully together. Then he might cry, but not now.
He thought, really belatedly, that walkie-talkies might have been a good idea. Or a two-way radio, but then he’d never wanted to find people before.
Rhiannon was, at most, twelve hours ahead and likely on her Vespa, as it hadn’t been parked at the house. She would’ve avoided the village, in case he lied about the group’s intent.
Snickers must be on foot, or maybe a bike; could she ride a bike? Unless… unless she was with Big. No, Big wasn’t that kind of man. But what if, what if Big wanted to get back at him? Big was a killer, not in self-defense but cold blood, his brain maliciously echoed. No. He would find Snickers easily, then maybe he’d go after Rhiannon. Snickers might force his decision there, but her safety came first.
He had demanded that promise from Rhiannon, so she left, though he really wished she’d discussed it with him. This was not what he meant. He wondered if he was always destined to drive everyone away or lose people he should have held on to more fiercely.
He thought he’d stepped up.
∞
A bug up his nose put a cap on his wallowing. He lowered his head to the wind and pushed the bike. He knew the road well.
It was three days before he set eyes on the girls again, but he never did get to yell, or profess his love, or even see them smile. All he really got was to hear Rhiannon’s scream when Snickers went into the river.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
RHIANNON
How long she’d been out, she wasn’t sure, but it felt like days. Her head killed, and when she opened her eyes, she thought she was blind. Of course, it was just that it was night and dark, but it still took a lot of blinking to gain focus. Even then, all was blurry at the edges.
Then she remembered: the Vespa had
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