Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,246

spaces make me anxious. I fell down a drain when I was attacked."

I suddenly felt bad that he was in the tunnels. Was he okay? I began walking faster. "Then why did you come?"

"Are you kidding me? What the fuck do you think I am? I’ve been going every day hoping Jules was bringing you here. Think I'd stay behind like a coward? Hell no." Once again, I smiled at how unfiltered his thoughts were. It was eye-opening, to say the least. Although I hated that this happened to Jacob, there was something magical about having access to his inhibited thoughts. I liked knowing what he so freely thought of me.

"But if you want to make me feel a little better, sweetheart, I could take you off to one of the side tunnels and fuck—" Jacob once again ripped the earpiece from his ear. He then placed it in his pocket with a scowl. My heart was racing as I imagined the things his thoughts described. Around us, everyone laughed, but the heavy streaks of arousal traveling through my system lacked any humor. I stroked his arms with my fingers, leaning closer until I could whisper in his ear as we walked.

"I would like that very much," I whispered. But not quietly enough, because behind us, Patrick let out a cough.

"So would I..." he said.

I looked behind me, a mischievous grin on my face. “Have you lost your filter too?” I asked playfully. It felt nice to joke with them despite the grim situation.

Patrick returned my grin as we walked under an overhanging light, illuminating his face. "I've never pretended to have a filter when it comes to you, Ash."

Chapter Nine

It took almost a full hour to get through the intricate tunnel system leading to the Zone. Occasionally, Tallis would hold his hand up and place a finger to his lips. We’d all stare at the ceiling of the caverns, waiting as heavy footsteps passed overhead.

“We need more support beams in here,” he said to Jules, and she nodded.

“I’ll let Louis know.”

At the end of the tunnels, we were told to wait outside a green door as Tallis checked the auction post. For five minutes, we stood in silence, waiting for him to return with the okay that the coast was clear. Jules briefly explained that the tunnels poured out to the auction post in the Zone.

“Inside that door,” she said to Huxley while nodding towards the green metal door with rust on the hinges, “leads to the auction post. We checked the auctioneer board, so it should be empty. But if there are people inside, then we’ll have to spend the night here.”

“Why does it lead there?” I asked.

“These caves were here long before the empire. The old world used them to filter out waste. When we first discovered them, they were infested with Walkers and decaying bodies. Everyone dumped their loved ones here. A small team of immune Walkers cleared it out about a year ago.”

My brow shot up. This place was enormous. It would take a lot to stomach the clean up of that. Kemper looked around once more. “It’s smart,” he said with an appreciative smile. “If you’re caught here, they’d just assume—”

“That we’re here to toss the body of a loved one. They have no idea that it leads in and out of Galla. It’s how the deadlands population has been able to grow so much.”

The hinges of the metal door groaned as Tallis returned. “It’s clear,” he said.

I took a deep breath. The last time I was in the Zone, a Walker attacked me, and Cyler saved my life. I didn’t feel in danger, I mostly just missed Cyler’s presence.

The auction post was strangely familiar, and another memory tickled in the back of my mind. The clean white tile was a stark contrast to our dirty shoes and clothes. The fluorescent lights were turned off, and Tallis held a lantern up to guide us through the dimly lit hallways.

“We have to cut through the stage,” Jules whispered.

I trudged my feet up a couple steps until I was standing on the metal stage. I’d been here before. I could remember it. Phantom fear and sadness burned me as I breathed in the energy of this place.

This was where the Stonewells bought me. I put my hand to my lips to stifle the gasp as I looked out at the empty chairs of the crowd. I could almost hear the auctioneer’s cruel voice.

“Stop crying. Your tears