Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,47

to flow through you. It's easy to cry or be mad. True strength means being a beacon of hope when everyone else gives into the darkness.” I didn’t intend for our conversation to take on such a meaningful tone but seeing Patrick’s eyes shine brightly made me thankful for my brave words.

We made our way over to the Dormitories and found Maverick in the mess hall administering vaccinations to the new wave of Walkers from the Galla province. These Walkers looked healthy and well fed. They were mostly quiet and openly observed everyone while occasionally making comments to one another. The women Walkers watched eagerly. I noticed Becca appraising them with a smirk. I left Patrick to chat with Maverick and went over to speak with her.

“Hey, Becca,” I said. “How are the new Walkers?”

“Oh, they are simply fantastic,” she swooned. “I wish I knew what corner of the zone these hotties were scrounged from.”

I looked back at them and agreed. These Walkers didn’t look like people that suffered in poverty. They were beefy and stoic. Some even had thick muscles that instinctively flexed when we passed. We chatted a bit more before she asked if she could visit me at the main house. Although I selfishly didn’t want her around the other brothers, I agreed, and we made plans to meet and get ready together before the Summer Solstice Festival in a few days.

I made my way back over to Maverick just as he administered the last vaccination. Patrick then winked playfully at me and rounded up the walkers into the makeshift gymnasium for physical fitness tests. I assumed that they wanted to divide the Walkers into different groups depending on their fitness skills and need.

“How are they?” I asked Maverick.

“They seem to be a healthy bunch. Some were even overweight, which isn’t necessarily what we expected to come through from the Walker Zones. Apparently, some of them had jobs on their trade dock hauling crates. But still, something feels off.” He spoke mostly to himself and rubbed his fingers along the line of his red beard.

We decided to walk over to the gymnasium and observe. Once there, Patrick had them doing a variety of drills, and they accomplished each task with precision. They seemed highly organized and incredibly fit. Maverick was right; something was off.

While watching, I noticed a tall Walker looking directly at me. I cautiously met his gaze and immediately broke eye contact when I saw him peering at me with an aggressive intensity. Something about him seemed oddly familiar, but I just assumed that I saw him when Cyler and I made our visit to the Walker Zones.

I spent the day assisting at the Dormitories. I dressed beds, assisted in making dinner, and helped Maverick organize his files on each Walker. It was a long, tedious day, but keeping busy allowed me to keep from obsessing over Josiah or what he intended for me. Although I felt terrible leaving Jacob back at the main house, I figured that he was resourceful enough to evade Jules’ manipulative and cruel antics.

By nightfall, both Maverick and Patrick were carrying me out of the Dormitories and back to their home. At first, I leaned against both of them while we walked, but exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks with each step. My eyes continued to grow heavy, and before I could protest, Patrick picked me up in his large arms and began carrying me through the town’s center. It was nice to be close to him, and I tried discreetly to feel his strong muscles while I leaned against his broad chest.

He carried me with care; I melted into him and without realizing it, I released a contented moan which caused both him and Maverick to chuckle. Once we were closer to the house, he set me down and with tired, shaky legs, the three of us made our way up the drive. I knew that I couldn’t avoid Josiah forever, but I prayed that he would be gone when the door opened.

Unfortunately, he was already standing at the threshold of the Black Home with his arms crossed when we opened the door. He looked over at Maverick, Patrick, and me with frustration. I wanted to comfort him, but the anger that rolled off of him in waves made me feel unsure. “I was wondering where you went off to.” His smile held a sad look about it that made me involuntarily cringe. I stood there for