Sparrow’s Flight by Jenika Snow Page 0,14
few cans of fruit. They took what they found, shoved it into their packs, and moved back into the shaded and partially hidden tree line. For the next ten minutes or so, they didn’t speak, but that was fine with Sparrow. Asher kept looking over at her, and she didn’t miss how he lingered back from Mason’s quick, determined steps and stayed closer to her.
She didn’t need or want his help and was starting to feel really fucking stupid for taking Asher up on his offer and joining them. Mason’s words had been like a slap to her face, and because of what? Saying she wanted to help, that she didn’t want to be the person who relied on them for everything?
She remembered just last night though, when Mason offered her the rest of his water. Had he showed her a glimpse of the human inside, or was the machine he portrayed every other time just trying to appease her, because he felt sorry for her?
No, he didn’t feel sorry for her, because he didn’t feel anything. She had seen it on more than one occasion, when someone just detached themselves from others. But it was just her, because it seemed his relationship with Asher was solid.
That was probably it though.
He might think she would ruin whatever connection the men had together, but honestly, she didn’t give a shit about what they did. Yeah, they were attractive, and yes, she had thought of some very dirty things concerning them, but she was a female, and they were the first males who caused a warmth inside her since the fucking world ended. Damn her hormones, damn the fact that she hadn’t been with a man in God knew how long, and damn Mason for making her feel like a thorn in his side.
They stopped when they reached the edge of Rockport. The town looked like something out of an old country movie, with cobblestoned sidewalks and gas-style streetlamps. It looked deserted, like the occupants rushed out of their homey little world, leaving their belongings scattered along the street, their previous lives lost in the wind. A telephone pole leaned to the side, perilously close to falling completely over. There were a few cars parked along the curb, some with their doors hanging open, and others with the remembrance of life that they once had.
The trio stayed in the center of the street, all three of them with their weapons of choice held tightly in their hands, and their gazes moved back and forth along the deserted, eerily silent town. The sound of banging had Sparrow tensing, but she saw a shutter smacking back and forth against the side of a building. She saw a hardware store, a little video store, and even a kiosk-style ice cream stand. She tried to image what the town of Rockport looked like before the fall of the world. She could visualize the people walking back and forth, laughing, shopping, living.
“Come on, there is a pharmacy and grocery store up here and around the corner.” They followed Mason as he made quick work up the street and then took a right. She first saw the pharmacy with the once quaint little mortar and pestle with a recipere in the center of the mortar.
“Let’s stop in the pharmacy first. I want to see if anything is left.” Asher nodded, and Mason continued leading them toward it. They stopped in front of it, but the door hung from the hinges. They listened and slowly stepped inside. The interior was dark where the light didn’t penetrate it through the windows.
“Let’s make this quick. I don’t want to spend a lot of time in town.” Mason kept his voice low. There were only two aisles, with a long shelf between them running along the center. Because it was so small, they stuck together and made a sweep of the whole place. They stopped at the counter in front of the pharmacy, but they could see down each small aisle and didn’t spot anyone.
“I’m going to see if there is anything left that might be useful to take.” She looked between them. “Any allergies?” She smiled, but apparently the men didn’t think it was funny, since they just stared at her. She shook her head and moved around the counter to step up into the small box-like drug dispensary. The shelves were still standing, but there were boxes and bottles scattered all along the floor.
The room was murky with shadows, but