Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 130 The Unexpected

The chance which now seems lost,
may represent itself at the last moment.

-Around the World in Eighty Days

Burns

There's eight of us this time. Nate isn't taking any chances. He's given clear instructions. Lie low. Don't take risks. Do as you're told.

We've taken the van and the car, and a weapon for everyone that's coming, except me. I still can't stand the feel of it. I can barely tolerate being near one.

Rob is driving the car. Tom, Kim and Rachel are with him. I'm driving the van with Blake in the passenger seat. Nate and Evan are in the back.

I begged Emma to sit this one out. I'm not quite over what happened last time. Nate's not the only one not willing to take chances.

We've picked a small town, less people to worry about. It's not a town we've been to before. Especially in smaller towns like this, strangers get noticed and since we use different names every time, we don't want to be caught in a lie in case someone recognizes us from earlier visits.

I park the van in the parking lot of the store. Rob stops the car he's driving in a side street. They're close enough to us to come to our aid if necessary, but out of the public eye. As long as we can still see each other we're safe.

"Ready?" Blake asks me.

I nod. "Ready when you are." The story we're going with is that we're having family over for a barbeque. We'll need a lot of food.

Blake covers the gun he is carrying and gets out of the van. I follow after him and we enter the store.

Bags of potatoes, crates with soda, bottles with water, a box filled with bread and bread rolls, vegetables, meat, cheese and butter, eggs, chips in every flavor they invented, milk, cereal, fresh fruit. "And gummi worms," Blake throws two bags of the candy on top of our other groceries. "I promised Finn to bring him some."

I nod my agreement and eye the mountain of food. I feel strangely guilty for taking so much, even if it will feed twenty-two people. "I think we have all we need."

Blake chuckles. "I suppose so." He checks his list. "We can get towels and clothes on our next stop." He glances at me. "And we need toothpaste, soap and shampoo."

I sigh. "I guess we can still add that to the pile."

The boy behind the counter smiles brightly when he signs out our goods. "That's going to be some party," he grins.

"Yeah," I smile back, "big family."

"Well, have fun!" He waves at us.

I wave back and together with Blake we walk back to the van. As soon as we've loaded all the goods, we drive towards the next town. Rob follows closely behind.

Evan packs away all the meat in the coolers we brought. He shakes his head. "I still can't believe how easy it is to get food now," he says, "if it hadn't been for you, Burns, we'd still be struggling."

I sigh. "I just wish I could do more."

Nate pats my shoulder. "You're doing more than enough, Burns. There's no need to feel guilty."

"Thanks, Nate," I say. They may be grateful I help them get supplies, but it's the least I can do. I'm the one that's grateful they let me be part of their community.

When we find a clothing store, we are accompanied by the girls. While Rachel and Kim search the women's section, Blake and I shop for the men. We make sure to stay in each other's line of vision at all times.