The Scavengers (After The Apocalypse Book #1)

Chapter 14

The railroad tresses were made of rotting wood. The entire structure shook under our feet as we picked our way across the fragile, broken boards. I wasn't particularly afraid of heights but the 30 foot drop from the railroad tracks to the jagged, partially submerged rocks below had made my mouth go dry and my palms start to sweat as we crossed the bridge.

Shayla was in the lead as we arrived on the Mylon side of the river. I was three or four feet behind her. Drake was hot on my heels with Cya still snugged against his broad chest as if she were precious cargo. Her face was hidden against the fabric of his leather jacket. Her blonde hair was still covered in dirt from where he'd dropped her on the ground earlier. Jeb was at our rear, watching the opposite bank in the unlikely event that a zombie had the coordination to make it across the tracks and attack us from behind.

Personally, I thought we were probably in more danger from the bridge than we were from the zombies. My legs were shaking as Drake set Cya down on the edge of the bridge. He set down his backpack and pulled out a long yellow coil of rope. It didn't look nearly as sturdy as I wanted it to. Drake began tapping on the beams that supported the bridge we were standing on, searching for one that would be strong enough to support our weight.

"Try the one on the far left," Shayla suggested. She pointed to a beam near the edge of the bridge.

Drake looked over at the beam in question, nodded and moved to it. He quickly and deftly tied the rope off. He dropped the end of the rope down into the junkyard below."Who wants to go first?"

The only sound to be heard was that of the wind blowing through the beams of the bridge.

"I'll go," Jeb said after a second of hesitation. His face was incredibly pale as he sat down on the edge of the bridge and grabbed hold of the rope with both hands.

"Get your weapon ready," Drake told him. He gestured for Jeb to pull the knife off his belt.

"I can't hold it and slide down," Jeb said.

"Put it in between your teeth," Shayla instructed him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a burlap sack almost identical to the one Drake had shown me last night when he'd been explaining what rock candy was. She upended the bag and several of the green crystals fell into her hand. She knelt down beside Jeb. "Open your mouth."

Jeb did as he was told and Shayla popped one of the crystals into his mouth. She smiled as she placed a second crystal in between her own lips and then passed the bag over to Drake. "Conner's stash," she explained.

"I'll see you guys on the ground." Jeb put his knife between his teeth and then slid down the rope. We all watched as he landed solo on the ground below.

"Four crystals," Drake said quietly. He took one of the crystals himself and then rolled the bag in his fist. He gestured for me to hold out my hand and then placed a single green crystal in my palm. He tucked the burlap bag back into his own pocket. "Hold it under your tongue."

I hesitated, holding the pokey little stone in my sweaty hand. My countless hours in the hospital ward had given me intimate familiarity with what could happen if you took the wrong drug or reacted badly to the right drug. I swallowed and took a deep breath. I started to open my mouth to tell Drake thanks but I would pass when Cya spoke.

"Where's mine?" She asked. Her voice was quavering.

Drake snorted back a short, bitter laugh. "You don't get candy."

"Drake, please. I'm already weak,"she begged. "It will help with the pain. I might be able to run."

"I guess you should have thought about that before you complained about us to the Powers That Be," Drake told her. He grabbed hold of the rope and pressed it into her hands. "Time for you to go."