room. Fresh herbs sprouted from small planters lining one wall. Carrot tops poked through the dirt in a trough.
She twirled around, impressed, taking it all in. “This is amazing,” she remarked. “When you said you grew your own food, I figured maybe you had a few raspberry bushes or something.”
“With all the mouths to feed we needed more than that,” Chase explained. “So Tank rigged this up a few years ago. Spud’s our resident gardener—when he’s not stuck in a cage and waiting to morph into a monster, that is.” He laughed.
Molly wandered over to a tomato plant, salivating. “Can I…?” she asked. “I haven’t had any fruits or vegetables that didn’t come from a can in six years.”
“Be my guest.”
She snapped a small tomato off the vine and bit into it. The juicy sweetness filled her mouth and she practically moaned with plea sure. “Oh, God. This is so good,” she said with her mouth full.
Chase laughed again. “When you’re done with your orgasm, come outside and see what I really wanted to show you.” He walked to the far side of the greenhouse and unlocked a metal door. Curious, she followed, still munching on the tomato.
Outside, she found they were in a small section walled off with cinder blocks but open to the night air. Chase pointed. “Basketball,” he said. “Just like old times.”
“Wow,” Molly marveled. It was a portable pole and hoop that he’d clearly relocated from the Gaming section inside. She took the last good bite of her tomato. “I haven’t seen one of these in six years. Virtual or real.”
He grabbed a grungy ball off the ground and tossed it to her. She caught it and dribbled a few times. The synthetic leather slapping against her palm brought back memories of days outside her house. She remembered Chase joining her that first time, right after Drew broke her heart. She hadn’t had any true feelings for him then; he’d just been a boy with a crush. But afterward…
It was best not to think of such things.
“No? Well, then that gives me the advantage,” Chase boasted, and he lunged at her. She dodged quickly and dribbled around him toward the hoop. Raised the ball over her head and laid it up.
“Damn,” she swore, as the ball bounced harmlessly off the rim and into Chase’s awaiting hands. “There was a day I’d never have missed that.”
Chase shot the ball into the net with ease. “I’ve been practicing,” he said. “Not much else to do once the chores are done.” He dribbled twice then passed. She took another shot. This one went in.
She cheered, feeling a moment of happiness. Chase gave her a high-five then chased the ball, which was rolling away from them and into the greenhouse. She watched him go, a flush warming her cheeks as her eyes found his tight butt. Damn, he looked good in those leather pants. And it was nice to feel normal, to think about how things might have been, if only for a few minutes.
How odd it was, thinking about the repercussions of choices you made. What would have happened if she had gone with Chris and the gang instead of into the shelter? They might have had a chance romantically, but would she have survived? Trey and Chris had left with a bunch of other students. Molly hadn’t seen any of them here.
Chase returned with the ball, checked it to her. She bounced it back. He dribbled toward the hoop. She stayed in front of him, anticipating his path. He stopped just under the backboard, lifted his hands to shoot…She knocked the ball from his hands, sending it bouncing away.
“I’m starting to remember,” she said.
“Guess I should stop taking it easy on you then.”
They played for probably a good half-hour, the lead always changing. Chase’s jump shot had really improved, Molly noticed, and she was impressed that he played well though there was little light. Throughout the game, they traded verbal jabs. For a brief period there was no apocalypse, no betrayal; they were just two friends
She twirled around, impressed, taking it all in. “This is amazing,” she remarked. “When you said you grew your own food, I figured maybe you had a few raspberry bushes or something.”
“With all the mouths to feed we needed more than that,” Chase explained. “So Tank rigged this up a few years ago. Spud’s our resident gardener—when he’s not stuck in a cage and waiting to morph into a monster, that is.” He laughed.
Molly wandered over to a tomato plant, salivating. “Can I…?” she asked. “I haven’t had any fruits or vegetables that didn’t come from a can in six years.”
“Be my guest.”
She snapped a small tomato off the vine and bit into it. The juicy sweetness filled her mouth and she practically moaned with plea sure. “Oh, God. This is so good,” she said with her mouth full.
Chase laughed again. “When you’re done with your orgasm, come outside and see what I really wanted to show you.” He walked to the far side of the greenhouse and unlocked a metal door. Curious, she followed, still munching on the tomato.
Outside, she found they were in a small section walled off with cinder blocks but open to the night air. Chase pointed. “Basketball,” he said. “Just like old times.”
“Wow,” Molly marveled. It was a portable pole and hoop that he’d clearly relocated from the Gaming section inside. She took the last good bite of her tomato. “I haven’t seen one of these in six years. Virtual or real.”
He grabbed a grungy ball off the ground and tossed it to her. She caught it and dribbled a few times. The synthetic leather slapping against her palm brought back memories of days outside her house. She remembered Chase joining her that first time, right after Drew broke her heart. She hadn’t had any true feelings for him then; he’d just been a boy with a crush. But afterward…
It was best not to think of such things.
“No? Well, then that gives me the advantage,” Chase boasted, and he lunged at her. She dodged quickly and dribbled around him toward the hoop. Raised the ball over her head and laid it up.
“Damn,” she swore, as the ball bounced harmlessly off the rim and into Chase’s awaiting hands. “There was a day I’d never have missed that.”
Chase shot the ball into the net with ease. “I’ve been practicing,” he said. “Not much else to do once the chores are done.” He dribbled twice then passed. She took another shot. This one went in.
She cheered, feeling a moment of happiness. Chase gave her a high-five then chased the ball, which was rolling away from them and into the greenhouse. She watched him go, a flush warming her cheeks as her eyes found his tight butt. Damn, he looked good in those leather pants. And it was nice to feel normal, to think about how things might have been, if only for a few minutes.
How odd it was, thinking about the repercussions of choices you made. What would have happened if she had gone with Chris and the gang instead of into the shelter? They might have had a chance romantically, but would she have survived? Trey and Chris had left with a bunch of other students. Molly hadn’t seen any of them here.
Chase returned with the ball, checked it to her. She bounced it back. He dribbled toward the hoop. She stayed in front of him, anticipating his path. He stopped just under the backboard, lifted his hands to shoot…She knocked the ball from his hands, sending it bouncing away.
“I’m starting to remember,” she said.
“Guess I should stop taking it easy on you then.”
They played for probably a good half-hour, the lead always changing. Chase’s jump shot had really improved, Molly noticed, and she was impressed that he played well though there was little light. Throughout the game, they traded verbal jabs. For a brief period there was no apocalypse, no betrayal; they were just two friends
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