ultrarunningmom

A Vigil for Justice, is a serial thriller fiction novel. Updates of 1,000-1,500 words will be posted every Friday.

Recap: Sixteen-year-old Melanie Craig and her family live in the small Colorado mountain town of Blue River. Since the end of World War Three, the economy in the United States has dropped out making funding law enforcement impossible and increasing crime rates in all, but the smallest towns. The government passes a Law allowing anyone over 16 to kill three other people during their life. Vigilante justice doesn’t seem like the right solution to Melanie, but she has no choice other than to learn how to protect herself and her family.

Melanie didn’t wake once during the night. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so well. She relished the heat from Mitchel’s body and moved in closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her middle and pulled her up against him. He kissed her ear.

“Sleep well,” he asked.

“Better than I have in a long time.”

“Me too.”

“I think we were exhausted,” she said.

A knock came at the door.

Melanie groaned as Mitchel rolled away. She pulled the blanket up around her as he crossed the room toward the door. He stopped and then walked over to the side table. He pulled the drawer open and took out his gun.

Melanie rolled to her side of the bed and took her gun out of the side table there. Mitchel stood to the side of the door.

“Who is it?”

“Seth. It’s time to go. Meet you at the cars in ten minutes.” His tone was expressionless.

Melanie laid her gun on the bed as sat up pulling the blanket around her shoulders. “Is he serious?”

“Sounded serious.”

“Do you think they will let him in the safe zone?”

He looked at the gun limp in his hand and then up at her. “I don’t know.”

Melanie lowered her eyes. She couldn’t imagine how he felt. She was ninety-five percent sure he knew Seth was the Butcher, but she wasn’t going to ask him if he knew. She thought it was cruel to make him say it out loud. Mitchel had lost so much in the last six months. He had lost everything, everything but her. And now they had the baby to think about.

She looked up at him. He was far away in his mind. His eyes saw her, but he didn’t.

She couldn’t make it better for him. Things were a mess and were not going to get any better of the next few hours.

“Are we going?” Melanie asked.

He didn’t respond. He didn’t move. His arms hung lifeless at his sides.

Melanie drew the blanket back and slipped to the floor. The air conditioner was blowing cold air into the room causing Melanie’s flesh to prickle. As she reached him, he shook his head. He jumped a little, startled. He hadn’t seen her move over here, she realized.

She brushed her hand through his hair. “Are you alright?”

He pulled her into his arms. “As much as I can be right now. Let’s get our stuff and go out to meet the others. Seth is waiting and soon Sam and your mom will be too.”

His words struck a chord in Melanie, the thought of Seth waiting with her mom and Sam warmed her body into action. She grabbed her jeans and hoodie off the floor and pulled them on.

She slung her holster over her shoulders, slid her gun inside, and then laced her leather belt through the loops. Her pants were tight around her middle. The belt was on its last notch. She would be needing new clothing soon.

Melanie pursed her lips. Mitchel stifled a laugh. She looked up and he was watching her. She smiled and heat filled her face.

She needed him to tell her things would be alright and they would be safe in the walls of the safe zone by night fall, but she knew he wouldn’t say those things because he wouldn’t tell her things he wasn’t sure about.

There was something in his eyes she didn’t see often. She had seen it maybe three or four times during their two years together. Uncertainty.

He picked up her bag and his own and hung them from his broad shoulders. His gun was tucked tightly at the small of his back. He took her hand as he made his way toward the door.

Jennifer and Sam were standing in the hallway with their bags at their feet and Daisy on her leash.

Daisy pulled to the end making Sam trip over the bag in front of her. Jennifer made a grab for Sam, but missed.

“Daisy,” Sam cried.

Daisy bounded down the hall toward Mitchel and Melanie having pulled her leash from Sam’s small hands.

Melanie bent down and took ahold of the leash and rubbed Daisy’s head.

“Are you ready?” Melanie asked.

“We’ve been ready for a few minutes, but…” Jennifer trailed off and glanced toward the elevator.

The ding of it reaching their floor had drawn all of their attention. The silver doors opened and Captain Jackson stepped out clad in black.

“Good morning, I suppose you are headed to the safe zone?”

Mitchel nodded.

“I’ve arranged an escort to get you to the gate house where Sargent McCall is waiting for you,” Jackson said.

“That was very kind of you, Captain,” Jennifer said. She picked up her and Sam’s bags and headed for the elevator.

Melanie handed Sam the end of the leash. “Hold tight so she doesn’t get away when there are a bunch of people around in the lobby.”

“I will.” Sam and Daisy took off down the hall at a run, catching Jennifer waiting as the light of the elevator made its way to them.

When it arrived, they got on.

“Are you two coming?” Jennifer called.

Melanie looked at Mitchel. He nodded.

Jennifer held the door with her arm and it began to beep and tell her to step away from the door in an electronic voice.

Melanie, Mitchel, and Captain Jackson squeezed in. The ride down was quiet other than the beep each time they passed another floor.

Seth was sitting in a cushioned chair near the fireplace when they managed to get off with all their stuff and look around for him.

He crossed the room with a calculating smile growing across his face. He took Jennifer and Sam’s bags. “Ready?”

Sam bounced on the balls of her feet. “I’m ready. And Daisy is ready. And mommy is ready.”

Melanie mussed her sister’s honey colored hair. “We’re all ready.”

Jennifer and Sam followed behind Seth. Mitchel followed them.

Melanie turned around. Captain Jackson was watching them go. He nodded and patted the gun on his hip.

Melanie turned following her family.