Page 3 of Tower (Post-Apocalyptic Fairy Tales #1)

The gang’s base used to be one of those rural down-and-out motels where the rooms were often rented by the hour.

It’s still in relatively good condition, so they must have done some basic upkeep over the past three years.

It’s two separate buildings of rooms positioned perpendicularly to each other, each with two floors and exterior stairs and hallways.

On first glance, I’d guess there are around forty rooms with a main office/lobby, plus a small adjacent building that used to be a Denny’s restaurant. There’s a motley collection of outdoor tables and chairs in the courtyard and a lot of motorcycles and ATVs parked in front of the rooms.

The overall effect isn’t pleasant or picturesque. Everything looks cluttered and grungy and chaotic. There are so many people hanging out in the courtyard, and they all stare as Levi drives the pickup into the lot and parks directly in front of the old check-in entrance.

He doesn’t say anything as he steps out of the truck, yanking up his trousers before he strides around to my side. I’ve already gotten the passenger door open, but I let him pull me down to my feet on the worn pavement.

He’s not being gentle or courteous, but I never expected him to be.

I hear the murmur that starts from the onlookers. Princess , I hear several times, and one guy nearby gapes at me before he says, “Fuckin’ hell. Boss went and got fuckin’ Rapunzel. He fuckin’ did it.”

Rapunzel . Dad and I laughed about that occasionally. That folks in this area would sometimes refer to me that way because of my long hair and because I never left the house and because my dad guarded me like a treasure, shooting anyone who so much as stepped on our property.

I’ve never in my life been so self-conscious. My cheeks burn, and my stomach is doing flips. I stare down at the cracks in the blacktop, wishing I could turn myself invisible and waiting for Levi to tell me what to do.

He grabs a handful of my hair and uses his clenched hand to push against my back, getting me to walk. He moves us toward the building.

When the door opens, a younger man fills the space. He’s got reddish hair, a lot of freckles, and clever eyes.

“Damn,” he says when he sees me.

“Got a bunch of shit to unload,” Levi tells him. “Organize the guys to haul it. She keeps her clothes, but the rest goes into storage or the kitchen.”

“You took her dad out on your own?”

I’m not planning to argue. The belief that he killed my father will only help confirm Levi’s authority with this group, and the stronger he is, the safer I’ll be.

Levi simply ignores the question. “Get movin’, Dep. Then send a crew back to the house for anything else y’all want before it gets looted.”

The younger man (whose name is evidently Dep ?) heads to the courtyard and starts calling out orders. Levi pushes me into the old office. I would describe his manner as blunt and rather rude, but not rough or violent.

If he’s going to use me as a symbol of his power, he can’t be gentle.

There’s an older woman near a window, sewing in an ugly green armchair that looks like it probably belonged to the lobby when this motel was in service. She jumps up when we enter, clearly startled.

“Jen, this is Hailey. Can you get her settled? Show her around and explain how things work around here.”

Jen’s hair is half gray, and I’d guess she’s in her fifties. She’s a soft, pleasant-looking woman several inches shorter than my five-five. “She’s… she’s staying here?”

“In my room. What’s the problem?”

“N-nothing. Of course I’ll show her around.”

Levi gives me one more look—quick and unreadable. Then he leaves the building without another word.

Jen and I stare at each other.

“Are you hurt, hon?”

My throat aches at the unexpectedly kind question. “No. I’m okay.”

Her green eyes shift to the door where Levi just disappeared. “What on earth is going on? He didn’t… He never went and killed your daddy, did he?”

I swallow hard. “Why do you ask?”

“Because it’s not like him at all. He’s had to do some awful things—all of us have—but he’s never been like that. And he’s stopped others who’ve tried it. He didn’t… He didn’t… You’re really okay, right?”

“I’m okay. He didn’t rape me. And everything else… it’s not what it looks like.” I want to tell her the truth since she’s clearly kindhearted and incredibly worried, but I also don’t want to make a mistake that could compromise the advantage Levi will gain from this. “I chose to be here.”

She looks at me for a long time, and I see the moment she’s convinced by my words. “Well, I’m betting it wasn’t much of a choice, but who has any good choices after Impact? You’ll be safe here at least, and that’s something. Come with me, and I’ll show you around.”

Jen takes me around the motel and courtyard. She introduces me to a few other women—all of them of various ages and most of them wives or girlfriends of the guys.

Jen, I learn, is the mother of Dep, whose real name is Doug. He’s Levi’s “deputy,” so everyone just calls him Dep.

Levi’s room is directly above the lounge area in the old lobby.

It’s clearly the best bedroom in the building—double the standard space with a king-size bed and a roomy closet.

There’s also a big bathroom, but the plumbing doesn’t work.

The whole region lost running water shortly after we lost electricity.

The neighboring property on the back side of the motel had a well, which they took over.

The mechanically minded among them engineered a method of pumping the water out without power, and that’s what they’ve been using for drinking water.

They also have a fairly sophisticated system to collect rainwater.

It’s the same strategy that my dad and I used to survive through these years without the infrastructure we used to count on. We used candles and lanterns and flashlights at night, and we gave up all the luxuries and conveniences of life that demanded electricity to run.

These people have been doing the same. Everyone has. I see a couple of women washing clothes by hand and some men repairing damage to the building without any power tools.

The old restaurant is now their main kitchen, pantry, and dining area. There’s a lot going on in there—both men and women preparing and wrapping sandwiches for lunch. Someone else is working on baking more bread in a huge old-fashioned woodstove they obviously moved in here after Impact.

Around back there’s a fenced area with a lot of chickens and ducks.

I knew they had eggs because my dad would occasionally trade for them with the vegetables we grew.

A lot of guys are stationed at posts around the property, standing guard.

Despite all the work going on, there are still a lot of folks hanging around the courtyard, some tinkering on vehicles and some doing absolutely nothing.

Jen doesn’t introduce me to any of the men, but they all stare as I pass by.

After we make the rounds, Jen takes me back to Levi’s room.

“For a while, you might want to stay here unless you’re with me or Dep or Boss.

A lot of folks will behave just because, and more will behave ’cause they’re scared of Boss.

But you’re new here, and you’re awfully pretty.

Someone might make a move. So until everyone settles again and they’re used to you, I think you’ll be safer staying in here. ”

“Okay. That sounds like a good plan.” I glance at the door, which has been upgraded with extra safety bars. “Where is Levi… Boss now?”

“They’re on a run, so he won’t be back until late afternoon. I’ll bring you your lunch, and then I can come get you later this afternoon if you want to help with making dinner?”

“Yes. I’d like to help. Thank you.”

“Okay.” She looks at me for a long minute. “You’re gonna be all right, hon.”

“Thank you.”

I wait until she’s left the room. I secure all the bars.

Then I lie down on the far edge of the bed near the wall, curling up in a fetal position.

It’s only then I let myself cry.

It’s almost dark when I’m walking back to Levi’s room with Jen that evening.

She showed me the two tented areas out back, divided between men and women, where we can go to the bathroom and wash up with soap and rainwater before bed.

The bedroom is still empty after I say good night to Jen.

No one anywhere stays out in the dark anymore, so surely Levi will be coming to bed in not too long.

I don’t bar the door like I did earlier.

Instead, I change into a little gray knit nightgown with wide straps and a simple ruffle around the bottom.

It isn’t any sort of sexy lingerie, but it’s pretty and makes the most of my legs and boobs.

I haven’t worn it since I broke up with my last boyfriend when I was twenty-one. I don’t really want to wear it now.

But I need to make sure Levi doesn’t regret taking me on.

I’m in a side chair—there’s a sitting area in this room with a couch and two armchairs—pulling tangles out of my hair with my brush when the door swings open and Levi strides into the room.

He’s scowling. Not scowling at the world like normal. Scowling at me.

“Why didn’t you bar the door?” he demands.

I stand up, still gripping my hairbrush. “I thought you’d be coming soon, so I didn’t want to lock you out.”

“I don’t give a shit about bein’ locked out. Anytime you’re in this room, you bar the door.”

I gulp and nod. “Okay. Sorry. I will.”

“I’m serious. We can protect you from outsiders, but you can’t trust every guy here. My reputation isn’t enough to stop everyone. Some guys are led by inflated egos. Some guys are led by their dicks. And even knowing I’ll kill ’em if they touch you might not stop ’em. You got that?”

I hug my arms to my chest. “I’ve got it. I understand. I’ll be careful.”

He nods—that silent inclination of his head that’s his most characteristic gesture.

His hair and beard are damp around the edges, and his face looks cleaner than it was at dinner. He must have washed up before bed like I did.