Chapter 3

"Hello Monroe. How's life been?" Said the women, a smirk on her face as she took slow steps towards him. Monroe swallowed hard as memories came flooding back. The beautiful women before him, laughing as they danced in Liberty Hall, her whispering sweet things of love and passion in his ear at night. Her in his arms covered in blood after taking a bullet to save him.

"Joan." Was all he was able to choke out as the memories drug up old emotions. Her eyes flashed at her name. As the memories continued to flash in his mind, she continued to close the distance between them. She walked with those slow, sexy, deliberate steps, until she was right in front of him. Her nose almost touching his, her emerald green eyes staring straight into his pure blue ones. He nervously wet his dry lips. What was it about her that always drove him crazy? His eyes suddenly widened as he saw the glint of a knife. She leaned in closer, her arms going around him. His heart skipped a beat. Her lips were so close. He felt the knife cut the rope that bound his hands. She flashed an evil smile as she backed away. He swallowed the emotions threatening to over come him and looked down at his hands, rubbing his wrists.

"You didn't answer my question Monroe." She said, an edge to her voice. He looked up to see the smirk had returned. He almost flinched under her piercing gaze, but didn't only glared right back at her. He remembered how much he hated it when she would do that. He pondered her question for a moment.

"Life's been hell lately." He said finally, letting sarcasm seep in.

"Good." She said matter of factly. They began their private little staring contest, neither willing to let the other win. Nahla cleared her throat.

"It's getting dark, we should head back." She glanced at Monroe.

"What do you want to do with him?"

"Kill him." Replied Joan. Nahla immediately raised her rifle and cocked it. Monroe's eyes flew to hers. Would she really just kill him? Just like that? Joan laughed.

"I win." She said with a triumph smile, putting her hand on Nahla's gun lowering it. Anger swelled in Monroe. She had tricked him!

"That's not fair!" He said. Why was he so angry again? It was just a dumb game that they used to play. Then again everything about her made his blood boil.

"Go cry to Miles then" She said chuckling. He glared at her. Then he realized, she didn't know about Miles and him. He opened his mouth to say something, but a loud crash is heard coming from the direction of the house. Both Joan and Nahla whirl around and take off at a dead run towards their home, leaving Monroe to chase after them. "Why am I chasing them?" Thought Monroe, "I should be running the opposite direction." They burst out of the trees and continue to run hard for the house. They see the smoke coming from one of the unfinished sheds. People are running everywhere. They reach the center of the commotion and see several men trying to pull a man out from under broken lumber, others are trying to beat at the flames that continue to grow.

"Get that fire out now!" Joan yelled, rushing to help. No one sees the fire start to spread to the grass as they try to contain the main fire. Monroe notices and quickly grabs a bucket of water from a passing person, dossing the flames before they spread to the big house. Joan glances up and their eyes meet. She takes in the scene and nods her thanks to him. It is dark by the time they finally put all the flames out. Joan orders a few people to stay up and watch it, just to be on the safe side. Joan and Nahla, their heads bent in low conversation, walk to the big house. Monroe rolls his eyes and follows. What did they forget about him? As if in answer to his thought Nahla glances at him and continues to whisper to Joan. He tries to listen but can hear nothing. As they enter the house, Monroe looks around surprised. The house is decorated like a hunting lodge would have been before the blackout, complete with animal head wall mounts. He stares at them wearily, they had always creeped him out. He turned to find Joan watching him. Nahla had disappeared somewhere.

"I like what you did with the heads." He said sarcastically jerking he thumb at them. She laughed and shook her head.

"They were there when we found this place. It must have been a rich mans hunting lodge. It was loaded with supplies, food, meds, pretty much everything." Monroe nodded his head, casting his eyes around.

"Joan you want anything?" called Nahla from somewhere, the kitchen he guessed. She looked at him.

"You hungry Monroe?" She asked. He stomach rumbled, there hadn't been much to eat between here and Colorado.

"Yeah I could eat." He answered walking to her.

"Monroe does." She called back, a grin on her lips. In answer a toaster came flying from the open door way. Joan ducked and laughed.

"Missed me!" She yelled as they entered the kitchen. A knife landed in the door frame next to Monroe's head.

"Jeez!" He shouted, his eyes widening. He looked at Nahla standing there facing her friend.

"Wasn't aiming for you." She said to her with a smirk, glancing at Monroe. He pried the large knife out of the wall, still looking at it in disbelief. Did that really just happen? He asked himself, watching as the two women went on gathering stuff for their dinner as if nothing had happened. "Great, their crazy," thought Monroe.

"Let me see that Monroe." Said Joan holding her hand out as she eyed the onion in front of her.

"No I think I'll hang on to this one. You can get another one." He said as he looked nervously at Nahla who was cutting a tomato. Joan rolled her eyes and grabbed another knife from a drawer. Nahla smiled mischievously at him. Emma came in though the kitchen door carrying a platter of various meats. The smell made Monroe's stomach twist in hunger. Both the women licked their lips obviously feeling the same as Monroe. He saw the young girl start to panic when she saw him. Joan quickly stepped between them as Nahla took the platter from her before she dropped their dinner. Joan pushed him towards the living room.

"Stay here." She ordered. If he hadn't been so hungry he might have disobeyed her. He wanted to talk to the girl, maybe she would see that he wasn't the monster she thought he was. A few minutes later Joan and Nahla emerged from the kitchen with plates in their hands. His mouth watered.

"Ok Monroe you can go get yours." Joan said as her and Nahla sat down. He was slightly disappointed. A memory came to his mind of Joan setting a plate down in front of him before sitting across from him, her eyes dancing in the candle light, a smile on her face.

"You used to bring me dinner." He said thoughtfully. The two women immediately stopped talking and glared at him. He swallowed hard as he realized that he had said it out loud.

"That was then Monroe. A lot has happened since then." She said coldly. Everything about her had gone cold as she glared at him. He closed his eyes and just turned and walked into the kitchen, her screams echoing in his mind as if it had happened yesterday.