Chapter 6 - Callahan

Don't turn on the lights.

" T his is a bad idea," I warned Milton for the umpteenth time. We'd been to the park dozens of times, sure, but to turn the power on? This was asking for trouble. We'd spent the entire day working on the wiring and preparing it all for tonight.

"Everything we do is a bad idea," he laughed. "Don't be a square. It'll be fine. It's special!"

"You just want your shot with her." I shook my head.

"Ha! I've already had it. Tonight, I'm going to be the first one buried deep inside her. I should make you watch the door for us, considering your little stunt."

There was that word again. First.

I couldn't see his expression through the mask, but I knew he was still furious about my tattoo.

Good , I thought.

Later he'd try to fight me and I could give him the ass-kicking I'd been dying to do for years.

"It's ready." I stood and looked at the power box. I wasn't an electrician, but I'd studied things enough to know how to get the generators running.

"Good, because the party should be winding down soon. We gotta get back and grab the bus."

We took the four-wheelers back to the bunker entrance and climbed onto the school bus to wait for the partygoers. While we waited, my mind wandered, imagining what it would have been like to hand Eleanor her birthday present myself.

For years, I'd been too chicken to tell her who the gifts were from, so I would put them at her door, knock, and then run. I didn't need the recognition, I just needed to know she liked the gifts. Even if for some reason, she hated me.

"Norman is running them through protocol now," Milton called back to me.

I listed the rules in my head.

Do stay within 15 feet of a Daddy at any given time. Do keep in communication constantly with your Daddy. Our PARA suits are specially made so that you can hear us clearly. Don't touch a creepie. Always be on the lookout for crawlies, and do exactly as your Daddy tells you when you are out of the bunker. Our job is to keep you safe and to bring you back to the bunker. We will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

I could recite them in my sleep.

Milton honked the horn and I straightened in my seat. I looked out the window and saw all the Young Ladies dressed in various party dresses, and DITS in their PARA suits.

That was the big difference between us and the Young Ladies. The Young Ladies could go up with no protection and be fine. No radiation poisoning, no disgusting rashes, no side effects at all. That's what made them so important. Something about their DNA reacted differently to the air; they were special.

"All aboard? Who wants to go to Risky Rush Amusement Park?" Milton opened the door and shouted out to them.

Eleanor's face lit up in a mix of excitement and confusion. This would be her first trip to the park.

The girls hurried onto the bus, Eleanor being one of the last ones on. She stopped short and her smile fell when she saw me.

"Why are you here?" she demanded.

I rolled my eyes and kicked the back of Milton's seat. "I thought the same thing."

It was a very odd feeling, to hate and also long for someone. Eleanor was annoying, whiny, spoiled, and just like Milton, threw her rank around. But on the other hand, she was pretty, smart, artistic, and had actually earned her rank. Her skills were genuinely impressive.

"I needed a hand to make sure everything was safe, doll," Milton told her. "Couldn't have the birthday girl's special day be ruined by a couple of creepies or crawlies."

I sighed, growing agitated by each second she swooned over that bastard. Eleanor took the seat across from me. I turned to face the window, not wanting to watch her drool over my best friend. The rest of the party filed in and Milton turned the key and started us toward the park.

Feeling slightly bitter about how she looked at him, I did what I always did, and said something I knew would piss her off.

"You can stop staring, birthday girl. I don't give two shits about you." I glanced over and she flipped me off. I laughed. I loved seeing her angry as much as I enjoyed seeing her smile.

Eventually, we reached the park; Milton parked and opened the door.

"Is it safe?" Eleanor asked, looking up at the rusty sign just outside her window.

Everybody laughed.

"Nothing in the above world is safe," Pearl said. "But it sure as hell is fun."

I was the last one to get off the bus. Just as I'd stepped down, Milton called for me.

"Cal, will you do the honors?" He had his hands on Eleanor's shoulders and was nuzzling her ear.

"You're going to get us killed," I muttered and stormed off.

I didn't know what she saw in that prick. He hadn't even expressed interest in her until he saw me looking. And knowing that I didn't have the same privileges as him, he only pursued her because he knew it would get to me.

I stormed over to the power box and flipped the large switch, turning the park on. Light erupted from the bulbs that still worked, music blared from the blown-out speakers, and the rides began to move.

I was too far away to see her reaction, which was slightly disappointing. I reminded myself that I wasn't here tonight to convince her of anything. I was here to watch over the Young Ladies and make sure we weren't attacked.

I walked around for hours, my gun in my hand, simply observing the fun, not partaking. I caught sight of Eleanor a few times, and each time she smiled so sweetly, it did things to my heart.

God, why was I so attracted to a girl I couldn't have? A girl who fucking hated me. That was one thing I never fully understood. One day we were fine, the next she hated my guts. And I, being a stupid teenage boy, fought fire with fire. Every time she treated me badly, I retaliated in kind.

"You guys go on ahead. Ride the Cyclone."

I turned at the sound of her voice. Eleanor leaned against the rusted metal rails, waving her friends off. I looked around, and seeing no Milton, I approached her.

"How's it going, birthday girl?" She saw me and lowered her eyes. I took a second to drink her in.

Eleanor was short, but stacked. Her long, brown waves, normally in pigtails like all the Young Ladies, were styled up today. She had bright red lipstick on, which only seemed to make her even more beautiful. It complimented her dark brown eyes and long lashes. Milton and I weren't the only ones who'd found our gazes lingering on Eleanor over the years.

"It's fine," she said shortly.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" I pressed.

She didn't trust me. She crossed her arms under her chest and looked away.

"Mostly," she sighed. Eleanor always wore her thoughts on her face, and tonight was no different.

"You like Milton," I said.

"It's not a crime to have a crush."

"No, but him acting on it is. You know he can't date you. Why even risk it?"

"What kind of life is this?" She huffed. She turned back to me, and sadness filled her face. "You ever want to do more than just your duties to mankind?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Go to dances, first dates, and stuff like they did before the bombs. Get married, and?—"

"Have sex?" I smirked.

There was a hesitation, but she answered. "Yes. All of it. I want more than what the bunker has to offer. Is that so bad?"

No, it wasn't. In fact, I'd been thinking the same thing for a long time. It's why I had taken… I pushed the thoughts away. I couldn't trust her to keep my secret. Or could I?

I cleared my throat, prepared to tell her what I'd found when the sound of gunshots pulled me away. My mind and body went into DIT mode, and I took off toward the screams.

We'd secured the grounds, all the Daddies were surrounding the place. How could we get ambushed? I sprinted, my lungs bursting by the time I reached the other men, just outside the gates. It was all Daddies, no DITs. They stood in an ominous circle. The looks on their faces behind their masks chilled me to the core.

"What's going on?" I asked through heavy breaths. Milton stepped up to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"A slight hiccup. The creepies are dead, but now we have to figure out how exactly we're going to lure her here. She's probably hiding now."

"Lure who? What for?" I looked around at all the Daddies.

"Eleanor, the highest ranked Young Lady. I've been preparing her for a while." Milton laughed. I still didn't understand. What was he saying? "It's tradition. The Daddies pick a girl, and fuck her til she's dead. Welcome to the club."

I yanked myself from his grip and stumbled back in disgust. This was what he'd been talking about earlier. About him being the first. This was no club I was going to be a part of.