palm’s width from his chest. “Well?”
I
step back, not the least bit intimidated by him, but his limited
bathing opportunities has left him with a funky smell. “Eva
is going to need supplies. It’s time.”
His
jaw tightens as he looks beyond me to see Eva curled up in the
corner. A soft moan escapes her and another wave of pain has
begun to build. “No. We can’t risk it. Sal
said he saw men on the streets below. Those gangs have moved
into the area. If they find out we are here, we’re all
done for.”
From
the corner of my eye I see Victoria nodding in agreement. His callous
words leave a bitter tang in my mouth as I step forward once more.
“Eva is about to have a baby and that means things are
going to get pretty nasty around here. Blood. Slime. And
God knows what else is going to be coming. I don’t have a
clue how to deliver a baby, and I’m betting you don’t
either. The least we can do is to find some clean towels, boil
more water, scavenge blankets, diapers, food, and heck, even a doctor
if we can find one.”
Devon’s
eyes narrow. “Those are all luxuries that we can no
longer afford.”
“Luxuries?”
My anger tips dangerously close to the edge. My pulse pounds in my
ears as I rise up to meet him as close to eye to eye as my shorter
height allows. “That baby and Eva may die without them.”
When
his shoulders begin to rise into a shrug I snap. I slam my fist
into his jaw hard enough to crack my knuckle. Pain radiates
through my hand.
“You
bitch!” He staggers back, his shoulder taking the brunt of the
doorframe.
His
livid glare doesn’t still my anger as I jab him in the chest.
“Have you no empathy? No emotion? How can you call
yourself any better than the beasts that walk these streets if you
feel nothing for that poor girl? A girl who you’re
supposed to protect!”
“There’s
no need to overreact—” Victoria says. but cuts off when I
turn to glare at her.
“Overreact?
You’re too blind to even notice that she’s been in
labor for hours! All you care about are your stupid potatoes.”
I’m sure that my shouts can be heard to the far reaches
of the building but I don’t care. Maybe someone with some
common sense might hear me and come to our aid.
I
round on Sal as he steps into the doorway behind Devon. His
frame is smaller, his shoulders not nearly so broad or strong. He
stands a couple of inches taller than me, and in the gap I see that
he is not alone. Alex follows my gaze as I shift past him to
the two people sitting on the floor off to the side.
“Who
the hell is that?” I storm forward, brushing Sal aside.
Sal
recovers and shoves the paunch of his stomach into me, forcing me to
back away. Alex quickly steps up behind him and together they
walk me backward so they can close the door. “None of
your concern.”
“There
is a man and woman in there. I saw them.” Their
faces were pale, their eyes wide with terror. They looked
filthy, hair matted, clothes several days worn. I glimpsed
enough in that brief moment to know that they are not here by choice.
Devon
tugs on his shirt, visibly pulling himself together. His shoulders
square as he pushes back off from the wall. Alex gives him a
brief nod and I see his countenance change. Gone are the laugh
lines I’ve come to know when Alex tells stories of distant
places to Eva late at night. Gone is the friendly smile. He
is all business now.
I
cross my arms over my chest and scowl, standing my ground. Victoria
begins her staccato pacing and I have to force myself not to scream
at her. “I want to know what is going on in that room.”
Devon
exchanges a loaded glance with Alex, who nods and approaches, taking
the lead. “Those people in there are no one. Just a
couple of stragglers we picked up a couple days before you came.
They were sick so we kept them separated. That’s
all.”
“They
didn’t look sick. They
I
step back, not the least bit intimidated by him, but his limited
bathing opportunities has left him with a funky smell. “Eva
is going to need supplies. It’s time.”
His
jaw tightens as he looks beyond me to see Eva curled up in the
corner. A soft moan escapes her and another wave of pain has
begun to build. “No. We can’t risk it. Sal
said he saw men on the streets below. Those gangs have moved
into the area. If they find out we are here, we’re all
done for.”
From
the corner of my eye I see Victoria nodding in agreement. His callous
words leave a bitter tang in my mouth as I step forward once more.
“Eva is about to have a baby and that means things are
going to get pretty nasty around here. Blood. Slime. And
God knows what else is going to be coming. I don’t have a
clue how to deliver a baby, and I’m betting you don’t
either. The least we can do is to find some clean towels, boil
more water, scavenge blankets, diapers, food, and heck, even a doctor
if we can find one.”
Devon’s
eyes narrow. “Those are all luxuries that we can no
longer afford.”
“Luxuries?”
My anger tips dangerously close to the edge. My pulse pounds in my
ears as I rise up to meet him as close to eye to eye as my shorter
height allows. “That baby and Eva may die without them.”
When
his shoulders begin to rise into a shrug I snap. I slam my fist
into his jaw hard enough to crack my knuckle. Pain radiates
through my hand.
“You
bitch!” He staggers back, his shoulder taking the brunt of the
doorframe.
His
livid glare doesn’t still my anger as I jab him in the chest.
“Have you no empathy? No emotion? How can you call
yourself any better than the beasts that walk these streets if you
feel nothing for that poor girl? A girl who you’re
supposed to protect!”
“There’s
no need to overreact—” Victoria says. but cuts off when I
turn to glare at her.
“Overreact?
You’re too blind to even notice that she’s been in
labor for hours! All you care about are your stupid potatoes.”
I’m sure that my shouts can be heard to the far reaches
of the building but I don’t care. Maybe someone with some
common sense might hear me and come to our aid.
I
round on Sal as he steps into the doorway behind Devon. His
frame is smaller, his shoulders not nearly so broad or strong. He
stands a couple of inches taller than me, and in the gap I see that
he is not alone. Alex follows my gaze as I shift past him to
the two people sitting on the floor off to the side.
“Who
the hell is that?” I storm forward, brushing Sal aside.
Sal
recovers and shoves the paunch of his stomach into me, forcing me to
back away. Alex quickly steps up behind him and together they
walk me backward so they can close the door. “None of
your concern.”
“There
is a man and woman in there. I saw them.” Their
faces were pale, their eyes wide with terror. They looked
filthy, hair matted, clothes several days worn. I glimpsed
enough in that brief moment to know that they are not here by choice.
Devon
tugs on his shirt, visibly pulling himself together. His shoulders
square as he pushes back off from the wall. Alex gives him a
brief nod and I see his countenance change. Gone are the laugh
lines I’ve come to know when Alex tells stories of distant
places to Eva late at night. Gone is the friendly smile. He
is all business now.
I
cross my arms over my chest and scowl, standing my ground. Victoria
begins her staccato pacing and I have to force myself not to scream
at her. “I want to know what is going on in that room.”
Devon
exchanges a loaded glance with Alex, who nods and approaches, taking
the lead. “Those people in there are no one. Just a
couple of stragglers we picked up a couple days before you came.
They were sick so we kept them separated. That’s
all.”
“They
didn’t look sick. They