“You got it.” She grinned.
We left, keeping our heads low, despite Boogie assuring us they’d stopped looking for us. We were almost to Scissors when someone called to Eleanor.
“Eleanor? Is that you? Oh my gosh, guys, it’s Eleanor!” We turned to see a Young Lady barreling toward us. “Where have you been?” She squealed, throwing herself at her old friend.
“Veronica, hi.” Eleanor hugged her. Her face looked uncomfortable. She waited for her to let go. “How are you?”
“Oh, it’s been so scary! The bunkers were opened. They found a cure. They don’t need us anymore -- we’re free!”
“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Eleanor smiled tightly at Veronica. She was looking past her, at the other Young ladies, still huddled together. They were glaring and eyeing us with suspicion.
“Are you okay? You know, since the kidnapping?” Veronica looked genuinely concerned. She scanned the group and paled. “Oh, Callahan, hi.”
“Kidnapped? I wasn’t kidnapped.” Eleanor shook her head. Veronica didn’t seem to understand.
“What do you mean? Eleanor, we all heard. Come back to us, we’ll keep you safe.” She tried to tug her away, but I reached for Eleanor’s wrist, keeping her with us.
“What did you hear exactly?” I asked.
Veronica scanned our party. She didn’t seem enthused. She spoke to Eleanor instead of me, the one who’d asked.
“Callahan murdered Milton, and when he was caught, he took you, and ran. He single-handedly murdered like twenty people, including the warden.”
I looked to Cal. His eyes grew big and he stammered.
“Well, yes, but?—”
“I went willingly, Veronica,” Eleanor interrupted. “It’s not what you think. Callahan isn’t the monster.”
Veronica stepped backward, shaking her head. “You don’t know what you’re saying. You’ve been brainwashed.”
I rolled my eyes. How ironic.
“If you ran away with Callahan, why are you holding on to this man?” Another Young Lady came forward, pointing at me accusingly. “Did you use Callahan to get you out of the bunker and then leave him the moment you were gone?”
“I didn’t leave Callahan, Olive,” Eleanor shot back. “You’re too simple to understand adult relationships.”
“Adult relationships?” Olive smirked. “You mean you’re a whore now.” She looked side to side, at the other Young Ladies who had been brave enough to wander over. “You hear that ladies? Eleanor is in an adult relationship. Callahan probably sold her to this man. If this is what life is like in the wastelands, I’d rather go back to the bunker.”
“Olive,” Eleanor snatched her hand back from me, and stalked to her. “You were always a jealous little bitch. Maybe youshouldgo back down there and hide. With no competition, you’ll finally be the best at something.”
“I’d rather be a bitch than a slut,” Olive shot back, and Eleanor, without missing a beat, raised her fist and swung it directly at Olive’s nose. The Young Lady screamed and fell to the ground. No one bothered to help her, instead, they watched her bleed and cry in the dirt.
Eleanor stood above Olive and looked at her old friends.
“Yes, I’m with both men. You’re going to have to get used to stuff being different than what you’ve learned, ladies. The wastelands aren’t for everyone, and if you don’t embrace it, you’ll be ghosted.”
“Ghosted?” Veronica furrowed her brows.
Eleanor ran a finger under her neck, and the girls let out sharp gasps and squeaks of fear. Eleanor turned, gave a quickwave, and returned to my side. She took my hand, and as a group, we found our bikes and rode back to Heathen Heights.
A pair of soldiers stood at the gates. I hopped off my bike and pulled the gun from my hip.
“Can I help you boys?”
“We wanted to see the residents of this home.”
“That’ll be me. You’ve seen me. You can go now.”
