Page 44
Chapter forty-four
Nora
Nora woke up to breakfast made for her and Tilly, but the kitchen was empty otherwise.
Tilly dug into the eggs as Nora fingered the note left saying that Simon was in the garage. Simon always left one now, knowing how scared Nora got the time he went to the town by himself.
Some tears formed as she clenched the note. Seeing that message, in his perfect handwriting, especially after their argument last night . . . her heart felt lighter. The fact that he still did this, even when mad . . .
Nora’s stomach churned as she ate the eggs. She couldn’t let any go to waste though, forcing herself to eat every bite. He still made this for us. For me.
She put on a false cheer at the table for Tilly, who was quiet without Simon there as well. “Let’s go see Anna today, okay?”
Tilly answered with her mouth full, “Okay.”
Nora cleared and cleaned the dishes before joining Tilly outside. She paced the yard, wandering in thought. When have I ever felt like I wanted to be at town instead of here at home? Everything was backward, especially if she felt like that right now. But staying here all day with this gloomy feeling would only make her feel worse.
Simon was in the garage when Nora got there, talking with Tilly. A jolt went through her when their eyes met.
“Do you feel okay?” Tilly asked, tugging his sleeve.
“Just fine.” Simon was still wearing the shirt Nora made him, despite making others. He adjusted the sleeve where Tilly tugged it down, folding it neatly once again. On one arm the silicone was further scratched from the fall with Tilly, the metal underneath now more exposed.
Doubt made her shift her feet as she listened to them talk. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it, looking around the garage instead. The third hover’s wiring was all torn out and lined up. It stood next to the smaller hover that he already repaired, both dwarfed by Nora’s usual one to the side.
She approached the smaller, functional hover sadly. He has one of his own now if he ever did want to go away.
Simon lifted Tilly into the main hover while he avoided Nora’s eyes. “Have fun at Anna’s today, okay?”
“Okay,” Tilly said back, settling into the seat without a care.
Nora adjusted her shirt, not saying anything when Simon didn’t speak first. A heavy feeling came over her as she checked her supplies. She noticed that the main hover had already been loaded with some water and gas. Before she could climb in, Simon spoke. “Nora?”
She turned around to see Simon. He was next to her, close. A flush went through her. Simon reached for her and pulled her in his arms, holding her tight. Tears pricked behind her eyes as she held him back, her body shaking as she started to cry.
Nora leaned into him as his hand rubbed down her back, pressing her in further. “Oh, Nora. Everything will be fine. Be careful today. See your friend and talk. I just need a moment to process all of this. It was shocking to . . . we will talk later. But it’s okay.”
Nora’s body sagged as she took a jagged breath in. A shuddering sob escaped as Simon held her, firm and steady. Everything will be fine. She hugged him back, hard, and wiped the tears away. “Okay. Later then. We’ll just see Anna.”
Simon stepped back and touched one of the tears on her cheek. “Yes. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Okay.”
Nora got in the hover and left, looking back as they drove away.
Simon’s gaze matched hers across the desert, and it burned. Her heart ached and she looked forward, taking a deep breath. Before he was out of sight, she glanced back again, but he had already returned to his work on the smaller hover.
***
The ride to town didn't take long. Nora was happy for that, wanting to get back soon to talk with Simon. She replayed the hug in her mind. Everything will be okay.
Soon they parked outside the bakery. Nora lifted Tilly down. “Just a quick visit today, okay?”
“Okay!”
Anna looked up, her pale face draining of color as Nora walked into the bakery. “ Oh. Nora. ”
Nora’s footsteps paused over the threshold as the door swung shut behind her. Unease swirled in her gut at Anna’s concerned expression. What’s that look for? Immediately, her worries from earlier were forgotten. She reached to her side to pull Tilly back from running forward. “Hey Anna. What’s wrong? You okay?”
Anna just shook her head and walked around the counter, waving her hands in front of her. “You shouldn’t have . . . you should leave, Nora. Go. Fast . . . Paul . . .”
Nora’s mouth went dry. “Leave?” she echoed. “What’s happening?”
Anna nodded her head frantically and came closer, her hands outstretched as if to push Nora away. Her voice dropped to a high whisper. “Yes, go. Go!”
A deep voice traveled from the back room, where the baking ovens were. “She isn’t going anywhere, Anna. Get back here.”
Paul walked out toward them until he was behind the counter, a thundercloud of emotions on his face. He stood with his arms crossed, chest puffed out, almost looming over them even though he was across the room. “I know what you’ve been doing, Nora. Max stopped by last night, wanting to talk. He let slip that your new friend was something else. Said you got an android.”
Fear raced down Nora's spine. Max told? The greedy look in his eyes replayed in her memories. Nora took a step backwards.
“I’m sorry, Nora,” Anna said quickly, tears in her eyes.
Paul hissed at her, his voice echoing over the quiet bakery. “Be quiet Anna. I told you to get back here.”
Nora pushed Tilly behind her, edging toward the exit. “Max is wrong. I don’t have him . . . he’s gone, Paul. Fixed him up and he took off into the desert somewhere.”
Paul leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. “Like hell he is. I bet he’s just gone for a stroll like the last few times. Max told me he tried to convince you to bring him in yesterday, asked if we could try to persuade you since he knows you and Anna is close.”
“Max was wrong,” Nora choked out.
Paul took out a pistol from his waist and walked around the counter toward her, deceptive casualness in his step as he held the gun loosely. “I don’t need to convince you though. We’re just gonna keep you here and wait for him to come back. Max said that robot is sweet on you. He is worth a lot of money, Nora.”
“He’s gone, Paul!” Nora’s limbs trembled as she felt on her side toward her pocket. It was empty. Damn. Nora patted the other side just in case before drawing a quick breath in. Shit, gun in the hover still. The one time she might need it, and she was so preoccupied she forgot. Her eyes darted from side to side. I need to get away.
Paul walked closer still, his voice loud and harsh in the tiny storefront. “Bullshit. I can see you shaking. Can’t believe you came here all these weeks and hid something like that. I already talked with a few guys about what to do with that robot.” He took a few steps closer, footsteps punctuating his words. “They want to study him, figure out how to make some more again.”
“Simon isn’t . . .”
He pointed at Nora, gesturing with the gun angling downward, his face fiery. “They’re gonna offer so much money. My friends will all be here in a minute; sent my delivery boy to round them up once I saw you pull up. Them androids apparently don’t fight well, so it should be easy to put this one down again. Humans won the last war, after all.”
Nora took a deep breath, putting herself in front of a shaking Tilly, shielding her from Paul. “I’m leaving now, Paul.” They attempted to walk backward toward the door. She half turned and pushed Tilly ahead of her. “Go on Tilly, let’s go. Go outside and let’s get going.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Paul, with one hand still on his pistol, ran forward from behind the counter and grabbed Nora roughly by the arm with his free hand, pulling her back.
Tilly froze in the doorway, her large eyes uncertain. “Mama . . .”
“I’m leaving, Paul!” Nora yanked on her arm, desperately, as he gripped harder.
“Mama!” Tilly screamed, her hands in fists at her side. The cry echoed on the tiny baker’s walls.
“Go, Tilly!” she shouted at the little girl. “Use the scooter like we practiced. Now! Listen!”
Tilly hesitated, the door open to the outside, the dented drone hovering within sight through the doorway.
Nora pointed at it over her head. “Tilly, listen! Follow the drone!”
The drone sparked with a bright light and said something Nora couldn’t catch. Tilly startled and left, following, her blond hair flaring out as she ran out the door of the bakery. The door closed behind her and Nora kept Paul’s eyes and attention on her as she left, yanking on his arm and hollering.
They struggled for a moment until Paul hit her on the head, hard, with the butt of the pistol. “Shut up and stand still, Nora!”
Stars swam before her eyes. Despite the pain in her head, Nora kept trying to pull away, eyes on the metal doorway that Tilly had just left through, her heart no longer in this room. Go Tilly, go.
Her attempts to escape ended when Paul cocked the gun and pointed it at her head, pressing it into her temple. The metal bit into her skin. “Quit moving, Nora. Now.”
Anna let out a shriek of alarm, waving her arms in front of her rapidly. She walked toward them. “Paul! Stop!”
Paul grabbed a fist of Nora’s hair in his other hand, the one not holding the gun. He pulled back hard, causing Nora to wince. “I’m not playing, Nora.”
“But, Paul!” Anna cried, stepping toward them.
He waved the gun at Anna before pointing it back to Nora. “Don’t you move, Anna. That little girl, she doesn’t matter. Might be even better if the kid knows where the robot is and tells him to come here to get Nora.” He yanked Nora’s hair harder, shaking her head with the movement. “We can go visit their house later if that robot don’t come out here to get her. I’m sure you’ll show us the way so you can find out where your kid went.”
Nora’s eyes strayed to the door. Blood rushed in her ears. She went limp in Paul’s arms for a minute, letting him think he’d won and taking some pressure off her burning scalp, where he still held her hair tight. Paul let go of Nora's hair and grabbed her around the arm instead, holding her up.
Anna took a hesitant step toward them as she held out her hands over her faded bakery apron. “That’s my good friend, Paul. My one good friend. Nora never hurt no one. How could you do this to her?”
“Shut up, Anna.” Paul turned to face Anna more fully. “Don’t you try to hide it. You knew about that robot and didn’t tell me.”
With a large tug, Nora ripped her arm away from Paul’s grip before he could strengthen his grasp. She made a run for the door, adrenaline causing her to be stronger and move faster across the tiled floor. Tilly, I need to get to Tilly. Then we can leave . . . get Simon, move away . . .
The door was within reach when a gunshot rang through the air. A sharp pang and then Nora’s leg gave out as it was hit by a bullet, making her tumble to the tile floor .
Nora screamed as pain radiated from her side where she landed, muted by the agony she felt in her thigh where the bullet hit her. Blood poured over her hands as she held her leg, the door a body’s length out of reach. Oh no. Oh no. Her eyesight swam as she tried to fix on it.
Anna shouted behind her as Nora’s ears rang from the gunshot. “Nora! Paul, what the hell! Nora!”
Paul ignored Anna as he put his pistol back on his belt. Nora looked back at him, her eyes focusing through the pain on his meaty face. He looked down on her from above. “Can’t run now, huh? Shouldn’t have done that. Stupid.”
“Paul!” Anna screamed.
He walked over and grabbed Anna’s arm, shaking her. “Quit crying and be useful. Go get some rags, Anna. Before that leg bleeds out all right here. Fix her up while I wait for that damn robot to return.”
Across the room, Nora kept her eyes on the door, willing her limbs to move. Get up. But the pain in her leg made her only scoot forward instead.
Paul then reached down and grabbed Nora roughly by her arm and dragged her, leg bleeding profusely, to the back, where the baking ovens were.
Anna joined her a minute later with some rags. The door clicked behind Anna once she entered, sealing Nora away with the silent bakery equipment and Anna’s scared face.
Nora leaned forward and gripped her leg tightly over her cotton pants. Her hands were slippery with her own blood as she fought to stay conscious. She bit her lip and leaned her head back against the concrete wall, looking upward as if the metal ceiling held any answers. Tilly. My leg. Simon.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44 (Reading here)
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53