BLUE IRIS

Iris

FOR HOURS, the tension rose thicker and thicker in the air.

Colt's knuckles remained white as he gripped the steering wheel throughout the ride, glaring toward the road, and his jaw muscles were clenching most of the time. They were both tensed.

Silence lingered on Gael-if he was not to check his watch, he tapped his fingers against his knees.

Silence.

Silence.

Plainly, the humming of the engine or a rumble when the tires hit the gravelly road and the alarm when the car turned left or right or passed its speed limit.

I groaned. "Okay. Guys, this is not the trip that I was expecting, and so far the most boring I've ever had. I should have brought a book with me if you two would just keep your mouth shut throughout the ride." Still scowling, I slid the window open the hot air rushed in. "Anyone need a cold drink? It's burning hot!" It was appealing, but they knew it was a lie because there were no cold drinks, and I was just craving for one. Silence.

"Oh, my God! I hate you both right now!" Silence. "Unbelievable!"

Giving up, I folded my arms over the window frame and tucked my chin as I silently watched the wide and open country road as we passed by. The white lineage posts were nearly lost in the weeds. I slipped my head out, meeting the hot striking sun. The blue sky with a few streaks of clouds above with zero planes flying overhead. The smell of hot pavement mixed with dust and dry grass was the only thing I could breathe in. This is my real life now.

The thought of it made me regret something that I wished I did to be more adventurous and tried skydiving in Dubai, or I could have joined the climbing expedition to Mount Everest in Nepal for the greater cause. But no one had ever predicted this to happen.

"Nada plane. Zilch."

"Anything digital won't work. Technology crushed down with the plague. The agricultural aircraft might still work though. We are back to the stone age, but one thing different is that the world is full of industrial junks and bullshit." Gael spread the map on his lap and tapped the encircled location. "We're halfway through. We'll stop at sunset to rest for the whole night."

"I can still drive. And the car has enough gas to get us there," Colt said through gritted teeth, still glaring.

"It's dangerous to get in and out of there during the night. So we trade in the morning and quickly leave discreetly. We don't want to catch attention that we drove all the way there just to trade. It's too suspicious," Gael explained. "Don't keep me in the dark, Gael. I want to know what is your plan so that I'm prepared when things go south."

Good point.

"I killed Cora."

"What?" Shocked, I and Colt asked in unison.

The car halted to stop tires screeched against the pavement. My body crashed against the driver seat.

With wide eyes, I stared at Gael in disbelief. My breathing held, trying to rethink if I heard him right, or this whole situation was mind-playing with me.

In one swift move, Colt was already pointing his gun to Gael, aiming to his head. His finger was ready to pull the trigger with his nose was flaring in anger.

I was beyond shocked, scared, and horrified to stop them, and I was shivering with fear that everything would change in a blink of an eye.

I let out a deep breath and spoke, "Put that gun down, Colton."

He ignored me.

"You and Gael, get out of the car!" I opened the door, jumped out, and slammed it shut. Gael was the first to hop down, then Colt vigilantly followed, still, the gun was pointing at Gael. "Put that goddamn down!" I yelled, then faced Gael, but Colt grabbed me in the arm.

"Stay away from him, Iris," he hissed. "He brought us here to kill us just like what he did to Cora. He planned this all along to lure us out for trade, then when he gets back to the camp, he tells them that we died in an ambush. Am I right so far, Gael?"

The tension between them thickened.

Calmly, Gael raised his hand slowly, then he spoke, "I don't have to lure you out to kill both of you. I could have done it in the camp if I wanted to. Take my gun, Iris. If you think I will shoot you and Colt."

"Stay beside me, Iris," Colt ordered. "You better start talking, old man!"

"You know she shot Darick. When he came and told me what happened, I didn't want to believe it, but when Hamid spotted her sneaking out, I told him to let her in and out of the camp, and I'll handle the rest. She did that for a couple of nights. The moment she left, I walked into her cabin, and she had supplies that didn't come from scavenging. It was in packs; water, protein bars, tuna, can chicken, etc., like a care package. So last week, I followed her." "Go on," said Colt, seemingly convinced.

"I ordered you and Templeton to go hunting and watch out the campers to make sure they're still there. That day, before I killed her, she was already planning on leaving and took a few of her things with her. I let her go for a couple of minutes, then Templeton came to inform me. It took an hour for you both to go after her while it only took thirty minutes for me. I crossed through the lake, and that was when I saw the two armed men with her." "Why did you have to keep it from us?"

"I don't want you getting involved. She crossed me and betrayed us. She told them everything about our camp, about us, everyone, and about Iris." "What?" My back stiffened-mentioning my name gave chills down my spine.

"Cora told me everything. Those men are from the same group, but not the same men who were with her the night she shot Darick. The previous ones were ruthless and refused to tell her the name of the leader. She described them to me though."

"Then why did you have to kill her?" I asked and watched them as I was afraid that the two of them might slit each others' throat in front of me. If one of them started, I had my gun at my back.

"I killed the two men and burned them."

"So, it was you, huh?" Colt grunted.

"Yes. Burying her was a mistake, Colt. You shouldn't have done"

"If you only trust us with your plans, none of these things have happened. Or I would be aware of what to do.”

"Now it looked like someone came there to kill those men and buried a woman. The men who were with Cora that night would recognize her once they dug the grave. Anyway, we're all already at risk that's why I had to kill her." "Then why are we going there? I am sure we are not going to trade, am I right?" I asked Gael.

"Part of it was to trade, but yeah, I want to kill the other two men who knew Cora."

Colt snorted, "You're out of your fucking mind! As if killing them is as easy as eating a banana." "You'll help me."

"I won't! You lied to us, to everyone. And I don't know what else you did behind our backs," Colt said harshly while shaking with anger. "You don't trust me enough. That's all because I failed you once, and you thought I would fail you again!" I totally got it why he was angry at Gael. He felt betrayed by the person he respected and trusted most. And I couldn't do anything to help solve this problem. And one thing I was scared of was that I could possibly put their lives in danger. "I trust you, Colt. You know that. One day you will understand why I am doing this. That's why I want us to make a stop because I want to tell you everything about my plan. You shouldn't have found out this way, but whether you like it or not you will eventually have to help me."

Colt snickered, "After what you did to us, you're still so sure about that?" He shook his head. "Here's my plan, Gael. I'll drive you there because you lead the group, but you will be on your own or whatever you are planning to do. I'm not gonna risk Iris' life."

"If it involves Iris I know you won't think twice."

Colt rushed to Gael and pressed his gun against his forehead. "I swear to God!" he hissed.

"Colton, don't!" I grabbed him on his shoulder, but he didn't even budge. His arm contracted and his veins protruded against his forehead. "Please, it doesn't have to be this way."

"You will thank me later-"

Colt cut him off. "Fuck you! Goddamn it, Gael! I trusted you with my fucking life!"

"Colton, please?" I begged. "For my sake. I want to know why I'm involved."

"Apparently, they've been looking for Iris since she escaped. That's why I believed in what Iris had been saying to us. Iris seems so important to them than she thinks she is. We will find the two men because they will be there tomorrow to deliver their recruits to their leader."

"I'll only help you on my own terms. I'm doing this for her, and not for you. But don't you dare plan of double-crossing me, do you understand me?" Colt pressed his gun one more time on Gael's head before he retreated, still glaring with eyes awash with anger and pain.

I let out a deep sigh of relief. My body was still shaking when Colt faced me.

"Did you have any mutual relationship with any of them?" His vain filled voice seared my heart that made me swallow and grimace.

"You mean if I fucked them? You don't have to sugarcoat it. And my answer is no. Never." I wrapped my arms around my body as I felt that he thought so low of me.

"Did they..." He swallowed. "Did they violate you?"

My brow arched. "If they raped me?" I shook my head. "No. They just dragged us and let us fill in line, then drained our blood every day. They believed that it slowed down the effect of the virus for a few hours."

Colt averted his gaze, harshly breathing through his nose. He then walked away, kicking everything he came across with.

"I'm sorry, Iris."

"Sorry for your dumbass, Gael! You can't protect everyone without his help. You should know that." I left him and followed Colt. "Colton!"

He stopped and propped his hands on his hips, still breathing heavily. His head, neck, and his arms glistened with sweat. I could feel the prick of the sun burning my skin as well, but he was not sweating from the heat of it-it was from his self- control as he tried hard to not kill Gael.

I licked my dry lips before I spoke. "We need to get back to the car."

He nodded, meeting my gaze with an intensity that almost gave me shiver. "I'm sorry that I lost control. I promise I will protect you with my life, and I will never let them get into you, Iris. I swear." He cupped the back of my head, then crushed his mouth against mine with a forceful and opened-mouth kiss that almost brought me down on my knees. Every part of me tingles, hyper-aware of how his kiss intoxicating me.

My body tightened, my arms clamped around his sweaty neck as I pressed my body against his. He intruded his tongue, and I sucked it before it slipped it into my mouth. Colt groaned, breaking the hot kiss with suction, and ended with a loud smack.

"How did you learn how to kiss like that?" He smiled with amusement.

"What I learned better today is you are damn hot when you're angry. It was a hell of a kiss in the middle of the deserted road under the blazing sun while we are sweaty and coated with dust." I laughed. "Quite romantic, isn't it?" We intertwined our fingers as we walked back to the car waiting for us.

"I remember my old days," Gael said as he walked to the passenger side. "A month later, I married my wife."

"How did you two meet?" I asked when the tension seemed to dissipate inside the car.

Colt was back on driving. He was still tensed, but I was glad he made the right decision of not shooting Gael because he couldn't forgive himself and would regret it for the rest of his life if he let his anger consume him.

Gael smiled. "I met her at my best friend's wedding."

"You mean my parents' wedding," Colt interjected, still scowling.

My eyes grew wide. "Hold on. You two knew each other before the plague?"

"Yeah. That's why I would never betray my best friend's son. I did not regret even a little of killing Cora, and I would do it in a heartbeat to anyone who dares to harm him. His brother, Colton saved my life, and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't because of him. I owe Colt my life."

Now it was all clear to me. Gael did all of these to protect the remaining son of his best friend.

"Anyway, so I slept with my wife at her parents' room."

"My grandparents' room," Colt corrected.

"Your wife is Colton's aunt. His mom's sister?"

"Yes," he said proudly.

"Wow." I blinked. "How come you never mentioned this to me, Colton?"

"I did not get a chance to talk about this, but now you know." He looked at the rearview mirror with a small smile on his lips.

"So after that, Collin, his dad threatened me if I break his sister-in-law's heart, he will let me die alone in the desert."

"You broke the bro-code." I chuckled.

"Yeah. It was love at first sight. I mean on my part because she was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen- a tiny little thing. But she hated my gut after we slept together, and said I was a lousy lay."

Colt laughed. "That might be true, Gael."

"Do you have children?"

"She had a miscarriage, and it almost took her life. So we decided not to have a baby anymore. I didn't push her when she disagreed about adoption." His answer made me look away, feeling a sudden twist in my stomach.

***

WE STOPPED at sunset, ten miles away from the Greenebach. I spread the blanket beside the small fire Gael had lit up.

Colt scouted around while Gael went hunting for rabbits. The warm air smelled decay and dried leaves-not the smell of dead bodies like everywhere; decomposed or burnt. Everything seemed quiet and sullen. Even the dark sky had shimmering stars tonight.

A few hours later, Gael came back, carrying a white-tailed deer.

"What the hell?" Colt spat. His voice was full of admiration. "You still have that in you, huh?"

"Old-time never dies." He tossed the deer down. "We can trade or eat this, your choice?" He was looking at me.

"I'm not hungry anymore," I said. We ate the food we bought with us before he went for a hunt.

"Fine by me," Colt seconded.

"Good. Get some sleep, Iris. We have a big day tomorrow."

"You haven't told me about the plan." I lay back down, using my backpack as my pillow.

Colt sat down beside me, rubbing my jeans covered leg. "We'll tell you early morning. Get some sleep."

"You both need some sleep," I told them lazily.

"I used to stay awake for three days since the plague." Gael poured water to the small kettle and might have planned on making coffee.

"And you two are not gonna sleep tonight?"

"Don't worry about us, twig. We'll be fine. I need you to save your strength for tomorrow. We can't predict what will happen once we reach Greenebach. I need you to stay focused."

"Aye, captain. Big day tomorrow," I said before I closed my eyes, feeling his lips pressed against my forehead for a good night kiss.