King of the Wasteland: Follow-up to Knight of the Wasteland by Jon Cronshaw

Author:Jon Cronshaw [Cronshaw, Jon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: No World Press
Published: 2017-10-27T23:00:00+00:00

14. The Kiss

Abel looks around, confused in the dark as an insistent tapping brings him from his sleep. Sal's face appears through the window. He leans forward and opens the door against the pitch-blackness. “Sorry to wake you up,” she says, her voice quivering.

“It's okay.” Abel yawns and slides across the back seat. The springs groan and crunch beneath him as he shifts uncomfortably. Sal slips next to him, closing the door behind her. She blows out a tallow candle, the smell of pig fat filling the air.

Placing the candle next to her, she leans over and hugs him, holding him, gripping him, her head pressed up against his chest.

“Hey,” he says, stroking her. He feels the backs of her ribs through her robe, her body’s warmth against his. “What's wrong?”

Sal looks up with watery eyes. “It's Jacob. He says we won’t be able to stay here. He said we need to go soon, that the residents don’t like it, and that there's not enough food to go around.”

“He's probably right.” He wipes dried flecks of gum from his eyes. “I don’t know, Sal. You can't sustain all these people in one place. Even if you work together to build something, food’s scarce.”

“This is what Jacob was saying. I don't want to do that.”

Abel leans back and sighs. “People are tougher than you give them credit for, Sal. They'll find a way. The people at the Grid just want their homes back.”

Sal looks up and draws in a breath. “We all want our homes back.”

“I've been wandering for years now. I’ve lived here and there, I’ve got the place with the kid.” Abel shakes his head. “I've come to realise that home isn't about buildings. Home is about people.” He swallows. “I care about the kid. It's home when I’m with him. It was the same with Pip and I feel that as well with Trinity, but that was because of you and all the things you've done for me over the years.”

“I'm supposed to be a leader. I’m supposed to be a priest...” Her voice cracks. “Look at me.”

“You inspire people, Sal. You inspired me to be a better person. You’re smart, you’re beautiful, I owe you so much.”

He feels a finger rest across his lips. Sal moves her head towards his and kisses him. A hand moves around the back of his head as she pulls her mouth against his, lingering for several moments, pulling away when Abel grows tense. “What is it?”

“Damn it, Sal.” He shakes his head and shuffles away from her. “You’re not thinking right.”

“I thought this is what you wanted?” Sal leans back and looks up at the car’s ceiling. She smacks her fist against the passenger seat’s headrest. “I thought you liked me.”

Abel squeezes the bridge of his nose and lets out a deep sigh. “I do. I really do. But not like this. Not here.”

Sal sucks in a breath and gulps. “I'm sorry to have troubled you.” She opens the door and scrambles from the car, slamming it behind her.

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