Chapter Ten

Day Three Hundred

It had been four months since Rhodes learnt the rest of the world was alive. They still hadn't left the mansion. They'd all felt a bit awkward at the idea of moving into houses where people had died, even the men, so they'd stayed put at the house.

By now, all the younger children could work out that something really was wrong, because the men didn't want anyone to know they were here. That they wanted the women for something.

Now, Rhodes had ordered that the men draw lots. To figure out who would live with whom. Neil had refused, saying Elektra was all his, to which Rhodes had, horrifically, agreed.

Two months earlier, just after Christmas, Carmen had turned sixteen. To her horror, she had been forced back in the orange dress and, despite her pleading, was used by the men.

May-Li was now seven months gone and it showed, with her t-shirt and trousers barely covering her belly.

Now, Rhodes had ordered everyone to pack.

Apparently, Theo, Will, Schmuel and he were staying at the mansion, while the other men would choose who lived with them.

It was revolting. It was like one of those documentaries Tee used to see about animals, with the males fighting over the females.

The men drew lots at dinner.

Rhodes had announced, "We will draw the lots to see who has the oldest, the pretty May-Li, who will soon have the first child of the mansion."

Tee was confused by that, as this didn't include Tania, but maybe he meant that one of his men was the father.

The six pulled out. The short straw meant they had May-Li.

The men compared. Dave.

He smiled slightly, before nodding at Rhodes. Harry whispered to Tee, "I'm not stupid; I know this isn't how normal people marry."

Tee looked down and him and answered, "They're not married." Harry argued, an eyebrow raised, "But they'll live together."

Tee simply couldn't understand this either. May-Li looked defeated. But only defeated in that she'd now got fed up. She wanted independence again.

The next lot, for Maria. A few of the men made eyes at Maria, who sneered back. The one who won was Leroy.

The next two lots went. James 'got' Tania (who then cried when she thought about Anthony's father); Ewan was to live with Kazima.

The last two went up – for Carmen, for Tee.

Tee had been surprised, since she wasn't sixteen yet – in fact, she'd turned fifteen at the end of October. But Rhodes told her just before the last two straws were drawn, "Theresa, whoever has you will not do anything until your sixteenth birthday. I have their word."

Unlikely. Even if he did have their word, they'd probably go back on it.

The last lot were drawn for Carmen. Li Chang and Rudy. They drew the straws.

Li Chang smiled slightly when he drew. He would 'have' Carmen.

Tee faced Rudy, a feeling of dread rising in her stomach, having to imagine the horrible future she'd end up with, with him. Having to cook dinner every night for him, having to wake up to him every morning.

Rhodes stood to his full height. "Well then. Everyone will pack and we will look for homes. When we have spotted one, we will drive back and state which one. We may go farther than the village if needs be. Now, I expect everyone will pack their things and leave first thing."

When Tee was lying in bed, facing the ceiling, she did her best to ignore what everyone was saying. Jody had asked, "Do – do you think anyone will try and look for us?"

Carmen wiped her nose and answered, barely able to look up, "I don't think they're even trying. All that with the soldiers, the men said they set fire to the helicopter and pushed it over a cliff. Even if they're able to find anything, they'll think the infected attacked them or that they couldn't find us and had an accident."

"They won't rule out the men," Jody pointed out, but Carmen answered, "It's too much of a risk. They won't try. It's horrid."

Tee sat up in her bed and looked over to Floss, on the bed next to her. "Floss," she began, "you do understand that this isn't how people move in together?"

Floss answered her, "When I grow up, I'm moving in with Harry. He won't hurt me."

Tee smiled for what seemed the first time in weeks. Floss was smart, she knew how things worked. She planned it out.

Day Three Hundred and One

They went off in the minibus at first light.

Tee and Rudy, Neil and Elektra, May-Li and Dave, Maria and Leroy.

The others were going off in the old college coach. They were going later because they needed to figure out how to put in Anthony's car seat.

But Rudy sat next to Tee for the entire drive. She closed her eyes and grimaced at this. His thick dreadlocks kept falling onto her face and shoulders and irritating her. It could have been worse; Neil was sitting by Elektra and forcing his arm round her, trying to kiss her.

They'd looked at some of the houses first, but the men were picky – too small, too near the sea, too high up, terrible view. Honestly, they found something wrong with everything.

They went further north and soon, Rudy smiled as they reached a motel. "This is more like it!" he cheered, as they went in the car park.

Armed with guns, just in case there was a slim chance there may be infected, they gingerly stepped through the front room. Rudy grinned. "I like this. Several rooms, huge kitchen, might even have some decent stuff."

Leroy replied, "Remember what Rhodes said; any food, bring it back."

Then Rudy opened the doors to a room he'd found on the map. "Hey, hey!" he cheered. It was the suite.

Two white beds in the first room, with a clean bathroom next door. A television (though they doubted it would work). A cupboard, still with food in.

Leroy nodded and then Rudy sighed and began packing a small bag with Mars bars, crisps and wine bottles. Leroy checked the sell-by date on all of them and told them they had a few months left.

That made Rudy ask if that meant they could have them now.

Leroy found a can of crisps with a week left and opened it, handing the can to Tee.

Tee was surprised at this gesture and slowly put her hand forward and had some. They weren't quite stale, but they felt so good after weeks of plums and boiled leeks.

Dave found one of the other rooms quite nice, as did Leroy, who also liked the kitchen. Neil acted as if he and Elektra were already a couple, calling her 'darling' while they looked around the place, saying he thought a first-room floor with a view of the sea looked good.

The girls couldn't argue. The fact was, these men controlled them, though they had to try. At the very least, they'd see each other each day.

The coach had managed to find some places down south.

They'd travelled for several hours, but eventually they found a place near the Thames. They'd found five houses on a nice-looking street in Essex, but none of them knew what would come soon.

A/N: I'm so sorry I have to cut short there; I've been really busy, plus I have a bereavement. I hope you enjoyed the chapter so far and tell me what you think.