Page 37 of After the Burn

Floodlights lit the roads as armed patrols moved methodically between buildings. Fires burned in metal barrels along the sidewalks, and men walked around, carrying on conversations as if the apocalypse had become routine rather than catastrophic.

My head snapped around when I heard a child’s laughter from a distance. I felt it was a good sign. It had been ages since the twins had smiled, let alone laughed like that.

“Relax, ladies.” A calm voice said, snapping my attention back to my situation.

A tall, dark-haired man stood in front of us. “My name is Gideon Fisk. I’m in charge here.”

There was a man standing to the left of Gideon, staring intently at me. He was handsome, but something about him left me cold.

Gideon walked closer, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his coat, as if he were giving a neighborhood tour rather than escorting armed strangers through a fortified settlement.

Seeing him up close, he appeared more dangerous than I had first thought. Not because he was physically intimidating, which he most definitely was, but because of how calm and in control he was. As if nothing about this situation bothered him in the least.

“You’re safe here.” He smiled in a friendly way. “There are just a few rules I’d like you to follow. They’re for your safety, more than anything else.” He winked like we were all old friends. “We don’t allow weapons on anyone except the men patrolling our little town. There’s a curfew for all females. And medical evaluations are mandatory for new arrivals.” He shrugged, like the good old boy he was trying to be. “You can never be too careful after everything that’s happened. But most of all, no violence is tolerated against citizens of this town.” He glanced at our guards and smirked. “Barring times designated for such things.”

“Are you the mayor or something?” I was surprised when Lila asked.

“No.” His gaze swept briefly across the buildings that occupied Main Street. “I owned most of the town before the world collapsed.”

Of course he did.

“Guess being rich paid off,” I muttered lightly.

To Gideon’s credit, he actually laughed. “Resources matter more than morality at the end of the world.”

That was honest, but why wouldn’t he be? It was clear he had all the power, and we had none.

I’d better hold my tongue in the future until I get a better grasp on just what was going on here.

“I’d like to join you in escorting this one, if you don’t mind?” the man who had been staring asked Gideon.

Gideon smiled with a twinkle in his eye. “I don’t mind at all, Mace. Did a lady finally catch your eye?”

Mace shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. Let’s see how testing goes before I commit. Gage and I only want the best.”

“That’s understandable for men of your stature.” Gideon motioned to the other men in our group. “Go back to your posts. Mace and Gage are more than sufficient to protect these two on the way to medical.”

“So, the town’s not safe?” I tried to keep the sneer out of my voice, but I don’t think I succeeded.

Gideon’s smile faded, replaced briefly by anger, before the insincere smile returned. “It’s safe. We just like to add an extra layer of protection when it comes to our females.”

Lila shifted even closer when several groups of men stared more openly as we passed.

“Pay no mind to them.” Gideon winked at her. “They’re excited to see more survivors.”

I had a feeling that wasn’t the whole truth.

I still saw no women. I guess it was past their curfew. What a bunch of bullshit. Why was it still so dangerous to be out late with all the armed men walking around?

Finally, I spotted a woman walking with a group of men. Her eyes were lowered, and her expression was carefully blank.

As we passed, she raised her head, and we made eye contact. Fear flickered across her face. It couldn’t be because of me. I had no power here.

I got cold chills when I realized it wasn’t because of me… it was for me.

Two of the men walking with her grabbed her hands in theirs and hurried her away.

That was odd.