Free Dust: Before and After by S.E. Smith Page B

caught a line of dark streaks along the other side of the wall and ceiling. They looked like burn marks.
    “Not at first, but they should be terrified now,” she retorted as she followed his gaze.
    “Fire?” He murmured in a puzzled voice.
    “I shouldn’t have wasted my energy,” Josie replied with a shrug.
    Dust turned to look at Josie again as he pieced together what she was saying without really telling him. His gut feeling that this wasn’t a good place to be was growing. Now, it looked like they would have someone else tagging along with them. There was no way he could leave Josie imprisoned here, especially if her only offense was being different like him.
    “You said there were others. Were they like you… and me?” Dust asked.
    Josie gave Dust a grim, sad smile and wearily sank down onto the mattress. She pulled the chain up next to her and leaned her head back against the concrete beam. He stepped closer and squatted down so he could see her face. She blinked several times before she closed her eyes.
    “Yes,” she said in a husky voice. “There were five of us. We didn’t know what had happened. Dad… Beau… killed Ethan first. He said it was the work of the devil and that we’d turn into beasts, like some of the animals we saw in the first weeks after the impact. Tim, Karen, and Mr. Beckman were the next three they hunted down.” She opened her eyes and looked at Dust. “He wanted to kill me, but he couldn’t. I’m his flesh and blood. But even that won’t save me if I try to leave again. He’ll hunt me down and kill me just like he did the others.”
    “How can he tell?” Dust asked, staring back at the dark marks.
    “If you are like us, you need more food than normal. He’ll watch you. That’s one reason they count everything. They don’t eat much either,” she whispered, groaning and falling to the side on the bed. “I’m always so hungry.”
    Dust watched as she curled up into a ball. Her arms were protectively wrapped around her waist. Making a decision, he rose to his feet.
    “Listen, my friends and I are getting out of here. You can come with us,” he said, looking down at Josie as she rolled onto her back.
    “I can’t dissolve like you,” she whispered. “I’m too weak to do anything.”
    “I’ll get you some food,” Dust promised. “We have some in our car. I’ll bring it down to you. But, you’ve got to promise not to do anything until we are ready to go. I won’t endanger Sammy and Todd.”
    Josie slowly sat up and pushed her hair back from her face. He could see the hope and fear in her eyes. She bit her lip before she nodded.
    “Are they like us? What can they do?” She asked in a husky voice.
    Dust shook his head. “They aren’t like us, but I swore I’d protect them. Sammy saved my life. I won’t do anything that will put her or her little brother in danger,” he informed her with a look of warning.
    Josie finally nodded. “You get me out of here, and I’ll help you,” she promised in a soft voice.
    “I’ll be back,” Dust whispered, stepping back and fading. “I promise.”
    He was almost to the outer wall when he heard Josie call out his name. He turned, but didn’t reform. He knew she could sense him.
    “You’d better come back, Dust,” Josie whispered. “Please… Don’t leave me here to die.”
    Dust swallowed and turned away. He had a lot more exploring to do before the night was out and still needed to get up to the car for some food before returning to Sammy to let her know what he found out. Passing through the wall, Dust felt a growing sense of urgency. There was something else out there. He could feel it. Even tucked deep in the ground, he could feel the threat getting closer.
    Hunted, he thought as he moved up the stairwell. I f eel like I’m being hunted.
     

Chapter 13
     
    A Strange Feeling:
     
    It didn’t take Dust long to check out each level. There were times when he reformed to conserve his energy. He found the