Warm Bodies Page 0,61

and begins to dive. I stumble into the co-pilot chair, feeling my stomach rise into my throat. 'I'm not waiting. I'm doing it right now.'

'Doing what? What are you doing?'

'I'm trying.' I hold Perry's gaze and grip the sides of my seat as the plane shakes and groans. 'I'm wanting it. I'm making myself care.'

Perry's eyes narrow and his lips tighten, but he doesn't say anything.

'That's step one, isn't it?' I yell over the noise of wind and roaring engines. 'That's where it has to start.'

The plane lurches and my souvenir stacks collapse, scattering paintings, movies, dishes, dolls and love notes all over the cabin. More lights flare in the cockpit, and a voice crackles on the radio.

R? Helloooo? Are you okay?

Perry's face has gone cold, all playfulness gone. 'Bad stuff is coming, R. Some of it's waiting for you right outside this graveyard. You're right, wanting change is step one, but step two is taking it. When the flood comes, I don't want to see you dreaming your way through it. You've got my little girl with you now.'

Okay, you're creeping me out. Wake up!

'I know I didn't deserve her,' Perry says, his quiet murmur somehow rising above the noise. 'She offered me everything and I pissed on it. So now it's your turn, R. Go keep her safe. She's a lot softer than she seems.'

God damn it, you asshole! Wake up or I'll fucking shoot you!

I nod. Perry nods. Then he turns to face the window and folds his arms across his chest while the controls shake wildly. The storm clouds peel apart and we are diving to Earth, hurtling directly towards the Stadium, and there they are, the infamous R and J, sitting on a blanket on the rain-soaked roof. R looks up and sees us, his eyes open wide just as we -

My eyes open wide and I blink reality into focus. I am standing in front of a small grave in an amateur cemetery. Julie's hand is on my shoulder.

'Are you back?' she asks. 'What the hell was that about?'

I clear my throat and look around. 'Sorry. Daydreaming.'

'God, you're weird. Come on, I don't want to be here any more.' She strides briskly towards the exit.

Nora and I follow her. Nora keeps pace with me, eyeing me sideways. 'Daydreaming?' she asks.

I nod.

'You were talking to yourself a little.'

I look at her.

'Some pretty big words, too. I think I heard "miraculous".'

I shrug.

The waterfall noise of the city rushes into our ears as the guards open the doors and we step back into the Stadium proper. The doors have barely slammed shut behind us when I feel that baby kick in my stomach again. A voice whispers, Here it comes, R. Are you ready?

'Oh, this is lovely,' Julie says under her breath.

There he is, marching around the street corner in front of us: Julie's dad, General Grigio. He strides directly towards us, flanked on each side by an officer of some kind, although none of them wear traditional military attire. Their uniforms are light grey shirts and work pants, no decorations or rank insignias, just pockets and tool loops and laminated ID badges. High-calibre side arms gleam softly in their belt holsters.

'Be cool, R,' Julie whispers. 'Don't say anything, just, um . . . pretend you're shy.'

'Julie!' the general calls out from an awkward distance.

'Hi, Dad,' Julie says.

He and his retinue stop in front of us. He gives Julie's shoulder a quick squeeze. 'How are you?'

'Fine. Just went to see Mom.'

His jaw muscle twitches, but he doesn't respond. He looks at Nora, gives her a nod, then looks at me. He looks at me very hard. He pulls out a walkie-talkie. 'Ted. The individual who slipped past you yesterday. You said it was a young man in a red tie? Tall, thin, poorly complected?'

'Dad,' Julie says.

The walkie squawks. The general puts it away and pulls a pair of thumb cuffs from his belt. 'You are detained for unauthorised entry,' he recites. 'You will be held in - '

'Jesus Christ, Dad.' Julie steps forward to push his hands away. 'What is wrong with you? He's not an intruder, he's visiting from Goldman Dome. And he almost died on the way here so cut him some slack on the legalities, will you?'

'Who is he?' the general demands.

Julie edges in front of me as if to block me from responding. 'His name is . . . Archie - it was Archie, right?' She glances at me and I