I Don’t Know Anymore

Louis

The central territories of North America were always a flat, barren landscape, and walking it from East to West was, like Juliet would say the worst. No major cities. No highways. Small little towns were destroyed, and every house I'd seen so far was burnt to the ground. I walked for two weeks before Juliet made contact after the last time... It was a difficult one. She was in trouble, and by the sheer force of her desperation, I sensed we were all helping her through something… On the one hand, I was angry. Juliet had not come for me even though I asked for help… I lifted my face to the sun, gathering my wits before I needed to communicate with her. My feet were blistered; my legs ached the whole time, so I decided to be in my vampire form and didn't care if anyone saw me past the halfway mark. I'd yet to see one single human anyway. I was so hungry I'd kill them, regardless…

Juliet nudged again. Resigned, I stopped and focused. Weakly, I shook as I lifted my hand.

Me [ Where are you? ]

She nudged twice. In quick succession. Huh?

Me [ Help ]

Again, two nudges… What was she doing? I tried to put my brain on… I was asking open-ended questions. It wouldn't work, would it? She couldn't answer me. Oh, two for no.

Me [ Mirach?]

One nudge.

Me [ Help ]

Two. She wasn't coming. Whatever was going on. Was she really so angry with me?

Me [ Angry? ]

Two. She's not angry… What? How the f— did I figure out what was going on. The plate had been quiet since I left. No one was communicating… At last, it hit me.

Me [ Trouble? ]

One nudge. S—!

Me [ Safe? ]

One. I relaxed a little. So there were problems on Mirach… If it was raiders again, I would never forgive myself for not going with her… It could be wolves. Charlene was planning on meeting them… No! Michael was taken again. Red swords. Charlene… couldn't do anything even if she wanted to. Why didn't they teleport out and escape? "Argh!" I needed to get to the compound. I didn't know how long I would be able to go on like this. If I didn't find a lonely human soon, I'd probably die anyway. I couldn't find a car without a flat battery or fried electronics, and if I did find an older model, there was still no gas in any of the pumps... Whatever was left was looted in the months I'd been in Europe.

I kept walking even though Juliet and I were talking; our conversation did distract me a little. What else could I ask? I laughed.

Me [ Still love me? ]

One nudge. I smiled a bit revived by finding out I wasn't left on purpose. Did I really believe they would?

Me [ Miss me? ]

I grabbed at my heart as if I could get to it—through my skin—soothe it somehow; I went back in time to when I branded her and dropped to my knees. I couldn't speak or move. The pain overwhelmed my chest and ripped out the breath I had left. Juliet had, for the first time, pushed past the barriers. The nudge and force that would keep me quiet was usually subtle, not in the way we controlled her with the tattoo. Juliet had figured out how to convey strong emotions. She let me go. I drew in an audible gasp, slowly catching my breath as I came up off my knees. I was so angry with myself. Disappointed beyond any depressive period I've ever experienced in all my life. I had only myself to blame.

I manifested into my scary face. If I chose it—left Juliet for it, I might as well get used to it. Use it. Maybe it could make me last a few more weeks of walking. I needed water, unable to drink what was there or too scared to take the chance… To find bottled water was like digging for gold in a swimming pool.

I shakily stood and kept walking, lifting my face to the horizon just to stop dead in my tracks. Smoke—far—but there lay my survival.

Me [ I found food ]

One nudge. I smiled.

Me [ I miss you too ]

One nudge. I was so thankful to see anything man-made. Even if it was a fire.

Me [ You're my lucky charm ]

Two pokes. I chuckled. Juliet was also a little depressed. With her modest negativity, she probably felt this was her fault. Doing everything in her power to get to me. All I could do was complain… Who was she with? I didn't want to know. When will I ever see her again?

Me [ Soon? ]

Two answers.

She either didn't know or couldn't tell me when. I wasn't going to ask either; how could I put more pressure on her and show her my agony and hopelessness… Neither would I mention the compound... I was cruel but not so far gone… My speed increased. The beast inside needed blood and was headed in the right direction. Whatever was there, I would tear it to shreds. There was no stopping me.

Unfortunately for me, our last encounter was at the forefront of my mind. I repeatedly hit my head with a flat palm to get the memories to go away; yes, I was losing it. How did I make up for what happened if I wasn't there? I hoped she had a better life with me in her travels… I was curious to know what she got up to... Or how stupid you were—again. Oh, no. What would Juliet have wanted to know? If I would choose her… Without knowing she is a vamp… O crap. I hope I didn't try to bite her. She would've killed me. I chuckled.

Me [ Time travel? ]

Two. No! So she decided against it all by herself? Four lives… She couldn't choose or…? I sighed and looked up at my destination. I was halfway. My body urged me to run the rest of the way.

Me [ Gotta go. ]

One.

My feet supernaturally carried me closer and closer. The outlines and detailed movements of my prey were evident even from far off. I skidded to a stop. Children laughed and came out from behind obstacles. No! Why did it have to be a family? I scanned the patch of land; my shoulders dropped at the prospect of only a few people to choose from. Not a lot. I'd have to infiltrate, read minds, and figure out who was worthy of a death sentence. 

A little away from the camp in my human face and all my skin covered with thick layers, I cleared my throat. Hands in the air, I waited to see what kind of weapons I was dealing with. In unison, the group stood up around the fire. The two women were scared and stepped away. There were five men in total and only two children. The kids hid behind legs, and all of them stared motionless at me. This was the last thing you did in an apocalyptic situation; approach a desperate group that formed under dire circumstances. The men each lifted various things they thought would serve as protection. I read them one by one and quickly.

Number one had a steel bat. Dangerous if you don't know how to use it. Especially to be quick with it. He thought about his wife. Really, you feel a bat would protect your wife from a gang…

Second guy lifted a gun. Unloaded. He would grab a knife from behind his back if I realized. 

Third had a gardening tool. Looked like a scythe of some kind. Amish. Twitchy about killing anyone. Ready to protect his sister.

Fourth and fifth guys carried pitchforks. Farmers. Both missed their shotguns, rifles, handguns, and ammunition they used to go up against the vamps. Luckily—nonexistent everywhere.

Not a bad haul. I waited to figure out what would put them at ease. What they were thinking about.

"I've been walking for two weeks. Is the water still poisoned?" Compassion to work on the women. Some logistics for the men, "I came from Springfield after the aliens came through… We had to run, but we killed one."

"Impossible," said the guy with the gun.

Idiot and… I'll call him Mr. Tough Guy for Juliet. He was the one who would attack first, his mind working overtime to figure out how to kill me… His hometown was massacred. He only got out because he ran away from his family. My lips lifted a little... Like you're any better—my mind chastised… Where is your wife, Louis?

I dropped my hands; theirs fidgeted around their weapons. "I gotta sit down." I dropped down for real—not even able to pretend anymore.

The running had me teetering on the brink; passing out would give them an opportunity to check my body and my bag. I needed to make a decision and do it fast. How the hell did I get one of the men to follow me out of there. They would stay together no matter what. The men were already planning on rotating shifts throughout the night.

Amish sister Frieda walked over against the men's protests and handed me a bottle of water. It was rationed and quarter-filled. "Thank You!" I drank it in one go.

"Have you really been walking for two weeks?" she asked.

"Yes, I have to get to Los Angeles. My family is there, and I heard going to South America is the only way to survive."

"How will you get through the Darian Gap? Who says your family is still alive?" her brother asked and stepped closer.

"I was hoping by boat… So we haven't found the device yet?"

"F—ing vamps. One little box, and we can never start anything again… I knew this would happen when I saw their faces on TV for the first time," the rude one said. In front of the kids? The rest of the group grimaced as he began speaking. No one liked him.

"Yes, I'm taking a chance… My other option is Canada."

"You're an idiot if you don't stay here. When they get hungry enough, the populated places will be attacked first. South America will be where they go; you wait and see. And you'll be right in the middle of it… They have no reason to come through here again… It's why we're staying."

"Makes sense, and you might be right… I just know we can't survive without water, and South is the only place I know is safe… Hiding in a rainforest might be our only option."

"He's right, Jed; we've been travelin for months and can't find any more burnt-down stores to hopefully find a bottle or two."

"We've survived, din't we? And we'll keep survivin."

"I'm feedin the kids. Yo'al decide what to do with him." I glanced at the fire; the mother was taking down two rabbits strung up, roasting.

"No need, I'll be on my way. I can see you're settled here and…" I looked up at Frieda, "Thank you for the water. You saved my life."

The men watched me go. I had very few choices. If the terrain wasn't so flat, I could hide and wait till they checked traps or, however, they caught the poor little bunnies. On the other hand, I didn't have days to hang around and wait for a meal. I either kill all of them and become a villain, or I move along. Juliet didn't eat for two weeks and still had the strength she needed… I'd been going on a month.

Frustrated, I turned, still five men watching me. "Okay, I am a vamp, and one of you needs to die. Who will it be?" I read their minds.

'We're going to die.'

'Not the children.'

'My wife and kids. I should've left.'

'I'll kill you.'

'I knew it.'

One of the farmers had no thoughts; I chuckled. The only one left was Frieda… She had images and so many feelings of the creepy guy who she wished would disappear. He had come onto her several times—and not in a good way.

I looked at her brother, "Do you know this guy is harassing your sister… He's touching her inappropriately… I know the Amish is all for brotherhood, but he's not one of you!" Her brother was appalled and planned to take her away the next morning.

The mother of the kids also didn't like Mr. Tough Guy. He'd been looking at her funny. She was going to leave with or without her husband when he tried his luck the first time.

"Your wife also thinks he's off in a way."

Her husband's gaze landed on the man he trusted a second ago.

I read Mr. Tough Guy's mind; all the little incidents with Frieda played around and were disgustingly used to get off on. He would kill me for ruining his plans for wearing her down. Then he caught on that he should be saying something, "No one's going to trust the enemy… We humans stand together."

"Do they know you ran like a coward from your home and left the vamps to slaughter your two kids and wife so you could get away?"

He came at me, dropping his gun. Could I be so lucky? It all happened in a blur. The kids wouldn't even have seen a thing. I sunk my teeth into his neck while I ran away. "Wait!" I halted almost out of sight of the group. "Hey! Come back." I really didn't want poor Frieda to see me rip the man to shreds. I also couldn't stop my beast from drinking while she tried to catch up. "Please! We'll die out here… You're going somewhere you know is safe… Take me with you."

Huh. Was she insane? Take her to Jacklin? Lyla was there… She was surviving on the rations for Ian's army… I could save them.

"Stop there! You don't want to see this! I won't leave. Pack your things; we leave first light."

The group was in discussions for a long time the rest of the night. Fighting. Yelling. Debating. Frieda's brother was the head of the house and thought she was possessed for even thinking about it... She took off her cap and tossed it on the ground, renouncing the religion, and said if he tried to stop her, she'd have me kill him. Jed had not even noticed she was being molested… It put Jed in a pucker… I chuckled, lying in pure ecstasy, looking up at the sky.

A gentle tug on my shirt woke me to the group looking down at me, ready to set out. People are so weird. I had buried my corpse so the kids wouldn't need to see it and cleaned myself up a little. Although I probably looked like a pure horror movie covered in bloodstains, I couldn't wash off my face and hands.

"So, where are you really going?"

"And why are you all by yourself?

"How have you survived?"

"Mister, can we see your face? I've never seen a vampire up close."

I looked down at the last question. A little boy. Nine. His sister was hiding behind her father, scared of dying. "You're sister is terrified… So, when she asks… I'll maybe do it… with your parent's permission." I pulled my bag across my chest and dug around in the bottom. The two lonely bars of chocolate would mean something to them. I pulled them out and handed them to the father, pretending like nothing had happened. The kids squealed, "Please, Daddy!" He gave them each one, thinking—vampires are so weird. I chuckled.

"How did you know everything going on in our group," one of the farmers ventured. "Just now with the little girl."

"I can read minds."

"No, s—."

"Don't ask me what number you're thinking about." He lifted his baseball cap and put it back where it was. "I don't need to eat for another month or so… You guys could've taken me last night… I was almost dead… But now, I won't try."

"You really can read my thoughts."

"I'm going to the Utah mountains… I need to get to the compound where we lived… I'm all alone because I was not with the vamps who attacked… I was helping the humans in Europe… Ian got the upper hand, and then I don't know… Something happened… A lot happened… I'm trying to figure it out."

"If you want to make it to Utah… With us here… It will take you three times as long."

"It's at least three months if we walk every day…"

"We're at the border of Colorado now… Why don't you guys settle in the mountains… The river. Animals to hunt."

Frida shook her head, "The river killed everything. All the animals are dead… We don't know what they did to all our water… It has a slightly pink color, and anything that even tries… disintegrates… We walked through there, coming west… There is nothing left, not even a marmot…"

"How have you been surviving?"

"Scraps… Those bunnies were the first meat we'd had in a long time."

"If you come with me, I can guarantee you food, water, and cars with gas to get south… Leave my lust for blood to me… We'll see how it goes."

We did find a few places we could sift through rubble, and they showed me how their process worked. They would walk for about nine hours every day, and when the kids couldn't anymore, they settled down for the night. The adults went out looking for supplies.

For a few days, it was rough going with my group of humans. The parents had to carry the kids for long stretches, which was tediously boring for us all. The mother was struggling, putting the daughter down; she would wail to be carried, and I couldn't take it anymore. I halted the group, turned to her, and stretched out my arms to the crying child. "What are you doing?" Everyone was still a little cautious of every little thing I did. I had to stop reading the bunch because they had nothing else to do but think.

"Let me carry her… I have the strength, and you'll take my pack… We can switch between the three of us, and it will go much faster… I'll have to manifest, but we've only been walking for seven days, and we've not even reached the mountains… How will you guys make it if we don't use my abilities?"

She was a level-headed woman and considered my words rather logically. The husband had the little boy and thought I could've killed them a long time ago, and my plan was still to take them all along to have food for myself. I couldn't fault his conclusion.

"Will you mind if I carry you? You won't have to see my scary face…" I went down on my knees… You're getting bigger now—a real big girl, so you're mommy is very tired carrying you… Can we give it a try?" I took off my backpack and handed it to the mother; I turned my body so she could get on. Hesitantly, the mother pushed her toward me. With my normal vampiric face, she was feather light… If I could go demon, I could carry them both for hours. Maybe in a month or two if I didn't kill anyone else in their group.

As soon as she was on my back, I manifested, and the boy went wild. "You have floppy ears," she said and reached out to touch them.

"I do. You know my little girl did that all the time… She loved sitting on my shoulders."

I turned to the father, "If we can make something where she can sit down, she could sleep during the day, and we could walk for longer periods." The group was staring at me. "What?"

"You have children?"

"I do… A little girl and two sons… Although… I don't know if I'll ever see them again."

"You live for a thousand years," the boy said as we kept going.

"I'm already two hundred years old."

"Cool!"

"Your wife?" Frieda asked.

"Well—," my head snapped to the woods, hearing a lot—all of a sudden. I dropped the little girl and went into a run away from the group. My prey evaded me for a few turns. A large deer had wandered into the area. A lucky break we wouldn't find many times. Loudly, the pop of a gun hit a tree not far from me. Rifle. Hunter. With my demon eyes, he stood out like a spider on a white wall. Dropping our meal for days, I confused him a little and took the blessing for myself. As I ran around him I read his thoughts to figure out if he was a provider or a loner. Old. Good. Alone and surviving in a bunker. Supplies. I didn't really need to eat. If you have a crisis of conscience every time you find food, you'll die, Louis.

Catching him from behind and too quick for his trembling limbs to see me coming, I lifted him off the ground and relieved him from his weapon. "You scum! Will you kill an old man?"

"I don't know… Do you have water?"

"I'm not telling you… Just kill me."

I growled for effect, dragging his body closer to my teeth. He squirmed, "Don't. I have water."

I put him down and walked away, "Go to the bunker; I can follow your crunching feet a mile away… I have some people with me."

That night, we ate like kings, grilling the meat and sharing it with the old man. He, in turn, shared his water and, the next day, begged us to take him with us. His supplies were low, although enough to give the group some relief for a few days. After that, I was considered the best thing that had happened to them; they begged me to stay manifested so I could hear the slightest noise from any form of food. Smell things still able to grow on a bush or tree in the ruined land scape.

However, a few weeks later, I was reaching my limit to how long I could go without blood. To make it easier on my humans, I decided to leave them for a few days and travel by myself… It had to be done. For several, I wandered to find any signs of life… Small clusters of people had fled to remote places to hide like the old man. Not once did we come across anyone I could get past killing. All were willing to follow us in our long walk to a place with provisions. Our group had grown, and the next time, I was going to shut my eyes, turn off my brain, and kill whoever it was.

We were trying to stick to roads so we could move faster and avoid the mountains altogether. There would be no point going into the once lush areas only to find it dead, dusty, and brown from the poisoned water, making its way further and further away from the river. The once beautiful state was now as barren as En-gannim. Ian was really planning on destroying it all, monopolizing the water, and having the humans at his beck and call to help him establish his new kingdom.

Moving around at night was another option; spotting a fire or hearing people talking around it—was a sure way to hear sounds from far off.

The roar of an engine caught my attention. Small. A bike or a buggy, maybe. It was so strange to hear any kind of vehicle in the stillness of the night. I stopped to listen if it was moving away or coming closer. A straight line going from my left to right, the noise staying the same distance away but still moving. Did I have the energy to intercept? Not really. The motor cut out abruptly. A few grunts echoed towards me. Male. In distress.

Slowly, I made my way there, listening for other voices or his. Nothing. Strange. What happened to the guy? Another engine came into range. Where did they get the gas… Suppose some people were stocking up as soon as we came on the scene… They could've prepared for years… Anticipating this.

I was about halfway when the vehicle stopped, and three men got out. "We finally got him."

"Yeah, and he'll lead us to the settlement hiding somewhere here."

Interesting. How could a group evade others looking for them in a truck?

"How does he look."

"Out cold."

"Bike still run?"

One lifted the machine and pushed down on the starter pedal. The bike came to life. He cut the engine. "Native f—er. We'll find them now."

I crunched deliberately on a twig.

"What was that?"

Uhm, that was me.

"Who's there?"

Really?

"Go check it out. What if it's the rest of these bastards trying to lay claim on our area."

Oh, yes. Please split up. One was brave enough to follow my footsteps in the dark. "What is it?"

"Shut the f— up." I sunk my teeth into his neck, paralyzing him and draining him with vigor. Between the other two, one was loading the bike onto the back of an old pickup, and the other was tying the young man's feet and hands.

"Nash?!" one man whispered loudly. His treads came closer, walking right by me without noticing. I hit him with a heavy thud.

The last guy turned, "Finn! What is going on?"

"Finn and Nash are not here right now. Can I take a message?"

He ran for the door; I was there waiting. Seeing my face all possessed, he scrambled backward, "What are you?"

"You're worst nightmare."

I tied the two up and dropped them in the back with the bike. The young man was untied and put in the passenger seat. I would reach our rendezvous point much quicker.

A few hours later, he stirred. Startled, he moved into the corner of the cab. He felt his head and lifted his fingers. He had a few scraps. No headwound. "I won't tell you where they are."

"I figure you have water that's safe to drink."

He gave me all the information I needed in his silence and more I didn't need to know. "Why are we going this way… Your gang is in the other direction."

"No," I pointed to the back, "They are going to be dragged along for my meals for the next few months… You can get out if you want. But if you want to come with us, we're headed South… eventually." The boy wanted to make a run for it a long time ago. He could never get past leaving his family behind. "How old are you? Why does your family want to stay here."

He didn't answer any of my questions verbally. Twenty-eight. Not a boy. Well, to me, he was still a child. He can't leave until he kills all these idiots controlling the area. "How many of them are there?" Fifteen? "Why haven't you killed all of them yet?"

He was finally catching on that maybe something supernatural was going on. The group moved every few days to find his tribe. They had guns and were looking for them, and over the last few days, it was his job to lead them away from his family. "How many people in your tribe?" His brow furrowed. "You might as well talk… I can read your mind."

"You're one of them."

"Ehm… I won't say that precisely."

My foot hit the brakes, and my arms straightened to brace for the suddenness. His arms flung out to catch himself. My fingers closed around the steering wheel. I rested my head forward, breathing through the pain. I've been ignoring Juliet for weeks. So immersed in this weird human world all of a sudden. For so long, I was stuck in the middle, and now there were only two sides. I had to focus on getting to the compound and wanted this to be over… She was not happy. Well, neither was I… Every now and then, I guessed she was bored or felt like I deserved to be reminded she was still alive and we were a gazillion miles apart. I didn't know what to say to her anymore. Tired, I closed my eyes and hoped she would let it go. "What's wrong with you?"

Yas thought it a good time to take the gap and opened the door to jump out. I let him go. If he really didn't want my help, there was nothing I could do. Juliet kept me in pain for what seemed like forever. Yas had unloaded his bike and kicked the two guys several times. Their pain-filled grunts reached my ears. The young man was also searching the truck for supplies. His thoughts were loud, the only thing to focus on. The other two men's heads were not a place I wanted to dwell in for too long. A gun's magazine snapped and thunked on the reload. If he killed them, I'd have nothing to eat. I nudged on Juliet, and she let me go.

I opened the door, "I wouldn't do that," Yas threatened.

"Please don't kill them… I will… but not now… I really need them for food."

"I should kill all three of you."

I put on my face, and the man spoke in his mind in a language I never learned. "I didn't catch that… but you'll die before that gun lifts." He lowered his guard and sighed, all too familiar with how easy it would be for me. "Good… Now, I have to get to a little town along the highway… My people are waiting there for me."

"How many are you?

"We are ten and two children."

"Children—"

"No, I'm not lying. No, I'm not going to feed on anyone who doesn't deserve it… We are going to the vampire compound in Utah. It's stocked with provisions for Ian's army."

"My family and I can't stay here anymore. The larger river is going to corrupt the smaller one down South where we get all our water… Will you take us with you?"

"I can't stop you… Take the bike, go talk to them. We will wait one day… If you're not there by then, we walk. You might catch up anyway."

My subjects were waiting where we discussed; they were happy to see me. Ecstatic about the vehicle that could last a few days with the gas canisters on the back. I divvied up the other rations the men had accumulated while telling them about the natives who needed an escape from the terrorists. 

By the second month, we had passed from Colorado into the Utah area, ready for the last stretch of walking before we reached the vicinity of the compound. It took us another to reach the diner. Almost there. I was just happy we got there before winter really set in. It was mid-December, and I luckily didn't need to kill anyone else but the two men who had no choice but to sacrifice themselves.

I opened the door nonetheless, hoping the teleportation would work. The box was as dead as all the other tech on Earth. Where would Ian have hidden it? Not my problem. I couldn't spend my life searching for something that could be on another continent.

With a group of thirty humans by my side and one on my back, we pushed through the broken-down gate and walked into the compound. The humans were a bit skeptical knowing where we were… "I told you, there is no one here… Only two lonely females hiding."

"How can you be certain others haven't come looking."

"One of the women is a vampire… There are tunnels under this whole place, and she can see in the dark… It would've been heaven for her to lock them up and have a meal on hand."

"I guess," Jed said. 

At Qadir's house, I went straight in… "Where are you going?"

"Come with me… The house is huge, and everyone will have a room… Or you guys can stay here… I'm going down in the tunnels to get us all enough water." Everyone decided to settle in the foyer, and I made my way happily down the stairs. One step closer to Juliet... If there was any way to find a way home, Ian's supplies of tech could help… Lyla's mind was rather loud. Sometimes, she went over from thinking to talking to herself—answering herself. "What will we eat today? Frozen bread, and let me guess… Processed meat."

I didn't make a peep and waited for her around a corner with my scary face on. I had to. She screamed bloody murder. Shakily, she bent down to pick up her dropped groceries, silently cursing me out. Jacklin's voice came from the house, interrogating the humans. I hurriedly took the stairs, yelling, "They are with me! Don't eat them…" I went back, meeting Lyla halfway, "If you will, please go reassure the humans… How is the water?"

"The taps are running… The compound is fully self-sustained."

"Tell the people. Give them rooms... I hope neither of you went into Juliet's room."

She headed up the stairs, "We did borrow a book or two." 

I grabbed a bag and filled it with bottled water, downing one as I followed her out.

"Hey, you're that woman who started all this…" the wife said.

Offended, Lyla retorted, "You recognize me but not him! He's the vamp—"

"Shh," Jacklin kept her quiet.

It was too late; the non-Amish humans put two and two together and, in turn, remembered my life playing on TV. Each with different nuggets their minds imprinted. My insides recoiled at some… "Hey, I didn't force one woman… And I wasn't going to tell you all who I am."

The wife looked at Jacklin, "You guys are husband and wife. You were… you know… together in one of the clips."

"Yes," Jacklin said.

"No!" I said vehemently. "Juliet is my wife, remember." My group gasped, and the fights in the colosseum I hosted came to mind. How we killed Qadir and fought Ahasuerus.

"He'll change his mind once I tell him what's going on," Jacklin joked.

The water bottle stopped halfway to my lips. I turned slowly toward her, "What did you do?"

An actual smile played at the corner of her mouth; I lifted my shoulders and took a step toward her, ready to drain the life out of her… "Lyla and I decided to stop teleportation forever," Jacklin looked away. Lyla evaded my eyes entirely and handed out water to the people.

"You…! You… decided to do what? How?"

"Ahasuerus left me a device to stop all teleportation… A last failsafe if s— hit the fan… I think we did the right thing… Ian is on another continent, so we're safe."

One of the humans pitched in, "You guys had a device to stop anyone from coming to help us… His wife could've stopped Ian! Now we're stuck with no electricity—no electronics, and no cars or boats… forever!"

The rest of the group went into a tirade of disgusted complaints. Frieda looked at me a little dejected herself at the future we were all forced to accept in an instant. 

"No! Juliet didn't come to help us." Lyla yelled. "How were we to know when she would feel like it."

"You don't know! And this was your choice!"

"Well, I'm sure radio waves will still work and things like that; humans will rebuild the power plants and find other ways to fix things," Jacklin said to the one man who was almost ready to kill her himself.

"Rebuild what! There is nothing left of America! We walked up and down the East Coast for months, and this," the wife gestured between the few people there, "Was the only people we found!"

I was staring out into the desert, dissociating from my environment while they continued. The two large wooden doors stood permanently open; dust constantly drifted into the once clean house… My mind was trying to process all that happened in one-half hour… The plates were working and then went offline… Juliet couldn't come because that day the teleporters stopped working… A few days earlier, I asked her to leave me… I could've gone with her… Juliet and I would be together now. It wouldn't matter if the teleportation never worked again… Michael couldn't come and Juliet was probably looking for him on Mirach, where there was no transport or any way of doing it if no one could communicate… I walked out the door, "Louis," Jacklin grabbed my arm.

"I wouldn't do that ever again," I whispered. Her hand dropped quickly. I kept walking out the door and up the lane… I might never see anyone again. Sammy… what must she be thinking… Where was she? I didn't even know. Back then, I didn't care… I've been gone for so long… Would she even remember me?

I nudged Juliet out of sheer desperation. Waited until she was ready. When I had to ask her my questions, I didn't know what to ask. What would be the point? How long could we keep this up? If En-gannim couldn't travel, who would die?

I broke our connection and wouldn't talk to Juliet again until I could come to terms with this. I sat down on her bed and took out my plate… Soren knew and had not communicated again. He realized the same thing and had no solution… It all happened in one day? My life will never be the same…