Volucris_Emmergence Page 9

  “Looks like there is something in about 30 miles.”, Ethan shouted over to Benji,

  “Cool.”

  Mo had been busy studying the map and where they were and she then realised Ethan’s holo was working which should mean her holo was working, she could call her grandmother. The thought of talking with her about everything that had happened and letting her know she was ok filled her heart with joy. She raced to the back of the RV and into her room, she scrambled with her holo and flicked it on, it came to life but with huge disappointment it still had no reception. Fed up she took it back into the main living area, Ethan was still examining the map on his.

  “Why is your holo working and not mine?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “I want to call my Grandmother, could I try using yours please?.”

  “Do you think that would be such a good idea?”

  Mo felt instantly hostile towards his comment a. And did not try to hide her displeasure with her reply.

  “Yes, I do, I think she would like to know I am ok, and I want to make sure she is ok too.”

  “Mo, she knows you are ok because you are with us and Lordes already told you that she was ok, what more is there to find out?”

  Mo was now getting cross, how dare he just assume she was ok, she may be fine physically but that didn’t mean she was ok and the same went for her grandmother.

  “Because she might be worried about my emotional state, that I have people I can talk to, that I can trust, as that is what I am worried about for her as well as her physical state.”

  “If you are worried about her emotional state do you really think a tear inducing holo call is really going to make either of you feel better? I know Rebecca is with good people, she is a strong lady and will be fine, the more you communicate with her now the harder it will be to keep saying goodbye for her and for you. It is best to have some space, we have no idea how long it will be before we will be able to leave the safety of Ety.”

  Mo was angry, she wanted to speak with her Grandmother to know she was ok, she was also frustrated because she knew he was right, as much as she hated to admit it. It would be good to talk to her but also hard to say goodbye. She was not, however, going to admit that to Ethan though.

  “Fine, if you’re not going to let me use your holo, I think I would rather be alone.”

  She stalked off to her room, tried to slam the flimsy door shut but failed miserably and dived onto her bed burying her face into her pillow and sobbed, desperate to speak to someone who knew her, who understood her.

  Back in the main RV Benji spoke to Ethan.

  “She is not going to let that go, she will find out that you disarmed her holo’s receiver.”

  “And when she does find out she will have a better idea of what is happening to her. You know as I do she needs to leave that life behind, no good will come of it.”

  “If you say so, she has a strong will.”

  “Which will help her in the coming months.”

  “We are coming up on that fuel stop.”

  Benji was passing signs that had been altered, words in white paint covered the regular signs and were now dripping down the board. “No stopping for strangers.” “Fuel only, stay in vehicle.”

  “Easy does it Benji, looks like they maybe a little unfriendly, best put your mask on.”

  The RV pulled into a very dusty looking garage. Benji drove over to the pump and pulled up, he put his ventilation mask on and waited. He was almost about to give up when an old man walked out of the main shop, shotgun in hand also with a mask on. He slowly made his way over to the RV looking at it with deep suspicion. He walked over to the driver side window as Benji lowered it. Benji nodded at the old guy and attempted a smile under his mask, the old man just nodded back but did not return his smile.

  “Do you have any fuel?” Benji asked tentatively.

  “Not for money, the green stuff aint no use around here no more.”

  “We have water, do you a straight swap?”

  As Benji said this Ethan opened the door of the RV and he placed a large water bottle on the floor, careful not to reveal the pack on his back. The old man looked at the water then at Benji.

  “You fill her up you’ll get another 3 that size.”

  Benji and Ethan had been in these situations before and knew they could change very quickly. Benji had kept his hand on the ignition ready to leave if things did not go their way. The man nodded and began to unscrew the fuel cap. Benji breathed a sigh of relief but still kept his hand ready to move if necessary.

  Mo peered out of the window of her cosy little room. Everything looked so desolate, just dust and rusty cars were all she could see. She heard a truck engine and saw down the street a large vehicle pull up outside a house. The front door of the house opened and a young man struggled down the step with what looked like a roll of carpet over his shoulder. As he reached the truck he flung his load onto the ground and an arm fell out. Mo gasped in shock but she realised what she was seeing, this was a death truck collecting those who had succumbed from the virus. She was so horrified she had failed to look away when the young man caught her staring, she quickly sat back from the window and got up., Tthe look he had given her was not one she wanted to see again, it was hate, pure hate. She went back into the main part of the RV just as Ethan was placing the large water bottles onto the tarmac.

  “I think we should leave.”, sShe said to Ethan.

  Ethan gave her a puzzled look and frowned, he put his fingers to his lips indicating she should be quiet and gestured for her to sit. She did as she was told as Benji made small talk with the old man.

  “You kids should be careful driving round in such a big thing, lot of people would like to get their hands on something this useful.”

  “Sure,” Benji responded with a nervous smile. “We all done then?”

  “Yep all done, where you headed?”

  “South.” Benji knew better than to elaborate.

  As soon as the cap had been screwed in Ethan closed the door and Benji fired up the engine, then set off. Relief swept through Mo but she noticed Benji and Ethan were not so calm. Ethan was busy looking behind them as Benji kept checking his side mirrors.

  “What’s wrong?” She asked.

  “Nothing, yet.” Ethan replied.

  “I think we should get off the road.” Benji suggested.

  “I think you’re right.”

  Benji swung the RV off the road and into the desert. Ethan reopened his holo and scanned the map.

  “Head east for 50 miles then head back south again we will reconnect with the road by then.”

  “No problem.”

  Mo realised how worried they were because of the old man’s interest in the truck, she wasn’t sure if it was even relevant to tell them about what she saw, but she also felt better getting off the road, she did not think the man she had seen would think twice about doing anything he could to survive.

  Chapter 18

  Driving through the desert was bumpy and dusty but not too bad. After about an hour they started to head south again and eventually reconnected with the road. They all started to relax and stop looking behind them. Mo’s anger with Ethan over the holo had left her, she realised there were more important things to worry about although she still wished she could speak with her grandmother, she had to trust Ethan and her father that she would be looked after. Ethan hadn’t said anything to Mo since her outburst and she got the impression he wouldn’t until she said something first.

  “So, you were going to help me with my diet.” Mo said tentatively. She looked over to Benji who was smiling, clearly glad to see that the danger from the fuel stop had eased and that Mo was not bearing any grudge. Ethan showed no emotion, he just got up and went to the fridge, he took out a bottle that had Mo’s name on it. It was about half full with deep red blood.

  “This is yours. Sstick to your own bottle as it has the correct amount for your body size. “

  He placed th
e bottle in front of Mo.

  “We usually drink a bottle when we stop for the night, as we get a bit hyper, I guess that’s how you would describe it. Lordes thought he should ease you into it though so if you have a quarter now and the rest later, you can kind of get used to the feeling.”

  Mo looked at the bottle and picked it up, she sloshed the thick liquid around and then asked.

  “Why is it still liquid and not clotted, does blood not clot when it gets cold.”

  “Yes, we put a plant extract in with it which stops it clotting but means we can keep it cool and fresh.” Ethan smiled at this last part, as did Benji, they both clearly liked the blood, was it the taste Mo thought or the feeling it gave them?

  “What animal is it from?”

  “Sheep, this batch anyway, but sometimes it’s cow or horse or goat.”

  “Do you have to kill a lot of animals?”

  “We don’t kill any, we just nick a vein in the neck and let the blood out, we have large herds and just take what we need from each animal, of course we kill some animals for meat, but for blood it’s kind of just like milking a cow but this time it’s milking for blood.”

  Mo thought this sounded very organised and a good way to collect what they all needed. She opened the neck of the bottle and took a swig, she felt the liquid drip down her neck all the way into her stomach, it tasted cold and of iron but was not unpleasant. She took another swig and another until she had drunk about a quarter. Once finished she sat back and closed her eyes, she felt a warm sensation creep over her, i it started in her belly and spread out to every part of her being., Sshe stood up, her body tingling all over, she wanted to do something, she started to pace, running her hands through her hair. She felt good, great, even her senses were heightened. Sshe could feel the engine of the truck and the tyres bouncing off the tarmac, she could smell the food in the fridge and could hear the heavy breathing of Ethan and Benji. Ethan was looking at her with a concerned look, not sure what she might do next, she looked over at Benji who was keeping one eye on her and one on the road with a big smile on his face.

  “It feels good doesn’t it.” Benji shouted out from the front, it was a statement more than a question, he knew how it felt.

  Mo, didn’t respond, she kept pacing, she was hot, sweating, she needed to go, get out, she looked up at Ethan desperation in her eyes. She did not have to even ask him what she needed, he knew, he had seen the look before.

  “Stop the truck.”

  “What here?”

  “Yes, we will have to chance it she is going to explode.”

  Benji pulled the RV over and as soon as it stopped Mo was out of the door closely followed by Ethan, he grabbed her by the hand.

  “Run, come, it will help.”

  The warmth of his hand spread through her, it felt good and they started to jog together along the road slowly at first, but soon Mo felt the need to spring free. , Sshe let go of his hand and started to sprint ahead, she had so much energy it was coursing through her, she could feel it pounding out with every step on the tarmac and every pump of her arms. Ethan got back in the truck running with his wings enclosed was not easy.

  “Follow her.”

  Benji did as he was told, she was storming ahead moving much faster than normal.

  “She is quick, you sure she only had a quarter?” Benji asked

  “Yeah, it’s been a while since I have seen this type of effect it’s had on someone, I should have guessed knowing her heritage.”

  “Will she be ok?”

  “Yes, she will run this off, but we are going to have to be careful how much she has next time and where we are, her wings will grow quick too, catch up with you no problem, she is born to fly.”

  “And I’m not?” Benji asked not hiding the snap in his voice.

  “Of course, but it’s different, you have responded really well too, more than I would expect for a....”

  “A half breed?” Benji spat out the words.

  “There is nothing wrong with being a half breed Benji, most Volucris are, it is those like Mo and myself that are in the minority, but it is true those whose both parents are Volucris and have a stronger heritage will have stronger Volucris traits.”

  Ethan could always explain things really well, he was a good teacher and never got angry with Benji’s questions.

  They continued to follow Mo for over an hour before she began to tire. , Tthey were both relieved when she got back in the truck, it wasn’t a great idea being so exposed. As soon as she got in she went straight to her room and collapsed on the bed and fell straight to sleep.

  Chapter 19

  Mo was awoken by a bump, several bumps in fact, she guessed they must have left the road again., Sshe peered out of the window, it was dusk already, she must have slept all day, and as she moved to get up she realised just how much she ached, every inch of her, as though she had been stretched from head to toe. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and looked in the mirror, she did not look great, very pale with deep circles round her eyes. She felt better than she looked though, just aching muscles and very hungry.

  She went into the main part of the RV, Benji was listening to music on his holo and Ethan was driving.

  “Hey sleepy, how you feeling?” Benji asked as Ethan glanced back to look at her.

  “Ok, I feel like I’ve just run 3 marathons back to back and look a bit rough, but I feel ok.”

  “Just hungry, I bet?”

  “Yeah, really hungry.”

  Ethan shouted from the front “We are going to stop for the night in 10 mins we will eat then, grab yourself some nuts to keep you going.”

  Mo opened the cupboards and rifled round till she found a big bag of salted cashews, her favourite. She sat down opposite Benji.

  “So do you think I did ok?” sShe asked under her breath to Benji, for some reason she didn’t want to know what Ethan thought just yet.

  Benji leaned in and kept his voice down too, “You did great, more than great according to Ethan, apparently, it’s your pure blood or something, how are your wings feeling?”

  Mo then realised they were really itching to the point of being painful.

  “Not great.”

  “Here, let me put some ointment on.”

  Mo took off her hoody, she was still in her vest top, Benji gently applied the cream and as ever the relief was instant.

  “Wow, they have had a real growth spurt since this morning, starting to break the skin, looks like the blood agrees with you, you little blood sucker.”

  Mo smiled but was keen to see. , Aas soon as Benji had stopped she had a look in the mirror, it was hard to see looking from behind, but the marks had clearly grown into large lumps and the skin at the top was starting to break away, it looked very red and sore.

  “No more lying on your back now.” Benji chipped in.

  With everything that had been happening, curiously the one thing she hadn’t really been thinking of was these things that were growing on her back, they looked so alien and odd, but she wasn’t afraid of them or what was happening to her, she felt good, excited, pleased even to see them. It was as though for the first time she realised what she had been missing all her life.

  “You ok?” Benji asked.

  “Yeah, I am, I feel absolutely fine.” She sat back down and continued munching on her cashews.

  Benji followed her, “It feels good doesn’t it.”

  “Yeah, I’m going be able to fly, we are going be able to fly!”

  “Yippee!!” Benji stood his hands aloft and they both collapsed laughing.

  The RV slowed, they were stopping. Ethan was the first out of the RV followed by Mo and Benji., Aagain they had stopped in a remote spot, not much to look at, just a few scrubby bushes, trees and rocks, the sun was on the horizon bathing them in a beautiful sunset.

  “I’m going up to have a quick look round, you two ok to start dinner?” Ethan asked.

  “Yes, that’s fine” Mo replied with a smile. Sshe was kind
of pleased it would just be her and Benji for a little while, she felt a lot more comfortable around him, Ethan was growing on her but she still felt she couldn’t be herself around him.

  Ethan took off his pack revealing his huge dark wings, they shimmered in the evening sunlight, Mo could see flecks of deep blue and purple ripple through the wings. Now that her own wings had really started to appear she was even more enthralled to look at Ethan’s. , Iif she had been more comfortable with him or more brave herself, she would have asked him to wait so she could look more closely, but she wasn’t so she just watched him run and then take off into the sunset. She turned to Benji who was also looking in awe in Ethan’s wake, he turned to her and smiled,. “Can’t wait?”

  Mo nodded “Can’t wait!”

  They both started to organise the camp, Benji got the fire started while Mo put out the tables and chairs. Mo felt good that she was finding her place in this little 3-way tribe she had joined. They both chatted as they worked. , Oonce the fire was started Benji got out the food and they both sat at the table chopping meat and vegetables. The meat was beef, more protein Mo thought.

  “Do you think Ethan will give me more blood tonight?” Mo was a little excited at the prospect of feeling so alive again, she was a little anxious though as she was still aching all over.

  “No not after the reaction you had today, he will leave it till tomorrow and build up how much you have each day, I think even Ethan was a bit taken aback at how much it affected you today.”

  Mo was relieved and disappointed in equal measure.

  “Never took you for such a blood sucker.” Benji teased her, Mo smiled in response.

  “So, has Ethan told you much about the Volucris?

  “Some, you may have noticed food is really important to them, now you are starting your training you will want to eat a lot more too, your body will ache for it. So, you may have noticed when Volucris eat they don’t talk. Took me a couple of really uncomfortable meals with Ethan and your Dad to work that one out.”