Broken World Read Free

comin’ from, Vivian ?”
    The way he says my name sends a shudder
through my body. Not to mention the fact that his eyes haven’t once focused on
my face for more than two seconds.
    “Kentucky. Outside Louisville.”
    He laughs and shakes his head. “You
thought that piece of shit was gonna get you all the way to California? I’ve
seen some desperate folks the last few weeks, but that takes the cake.”
    “I had to try,” I say flatly.
    “What’s in California?” Axl leans forward.
    There’s a straightforward vibe in
everything he says, unlike his brother. Angus tries to make every word out of
his mouth sound light and teasing. Smooth. He’s anything but smooth.
    I turn to face Axl, really studying him
for the first time. He’s got to be twenty-four, maybe twenty-five. His hair is
longer than his brother’s, which is buzzed, and it looks soft and feathery. A
nice dirty blond. He has a one-inch scar on the left side of his chin, almost
reaching his lips, and his eyes are a startling shade of gray. Dark. Stormy
like a rain cloud.
    “My daughter.” Axl’s eyes have me so
mesmerized that the words are out before I realize it. I press my lips together
and silently curse myself while twisting the strap of my purse between my
fingers. That was stupid.
    “Then what’s in Kentucky?” Angus asks.
    I pull away from Axl and look straight
ahead. Can’t get away from the truth now. “My life. Where I was living.”
    Angus raises an eyebrow. Might as well
just go for broke. Who cares if they know? If this really is the end of the
world, what does it matter anymore?
    “I grew up in California. I moved to
Kentucky when I was eighteen, but before that I had a baby I gave up for
adoption. I haven’t seen her since she was born. I just figured with everything
that’s going on I should go meet her. She’s four now…”
    Angus purses his lips and nods. “Makes
sense. You have any problems gettin’ travel papers? Hear it’s hard.”
    My heart drops to the floor. I twist in
my seat to face Angus.
    “Don’t you have papers?” My throat is so
tight that the words are barely a whisper. I have family in California, that’s
the only way I was able to get travel papers. It was easy, once I paid the $500
for my physical and the $400 for my papers. Anyone without family is screwed.
They’re not allowed to travel
    Angus laughs and narrows his eyes on my
face at the same time. “Don’t worry. We ain’t infected.”
    “Where are your papers then?”
    Axl leans forward, practically sticking
his face between the seats. His mouth turns down slightly in the corners. “We
got papers, they just ain’t quite legitimate. But we ain’t infected.” His words
ooze annoyance, but I don’t give a shit.
    “I want you to stop the car.” My body
shakes. This isn’t how it ends for me. Being murdered by a pair of rednecks is
one thing, but the virus is another.
    “Calm down,” Angus growls. “We got a
physical and we were clean. We just didn’t have any reason good ‘nough to drive
‘cross the country. So we had to purchase some papers.” He narrows his eyes at
me even more. “Under the table.”
    He’s lying. I don’t trust a word that
comes out of his mouth. Not with that monkey grin he keeps flashing me.
    I face Axl. For some reason I believe
those stormy eyes will tell me the truth. “You swear? I can’t get sick. Not
now.”
    Axl nods, but Angus answers, “We’re
clean.”
    My heart is still racing. Should I trust
them? I twist my purse strap tighter around my finger. The weight of my gun
presses on my legs. It helps keep me from panicking. I don’t have another
option. Who else is going to give me a ride?
    “What’re you so worried ‘bout?” Axl’s
voice is tight. Why is he so irritated by my presence? “They got this thing
contained anyways. Saw it on the news.”
    Angus laughs and shakes his head.
“That’s my kid brother, always lookin’ on the bright side.”
    I shift in my seat so I can see