Wisteria (Wisteria Series) by Bisi Leyton Page B

it to you? You would not understand.”
    “You’re running diesel generators? That’s not hard to understand.”
    “Yes, that is exactly what we are doing.” Felip chuckled as though she was an idiot and turned back to his games.
    There was no point continuing the conversation or showing any frustration over his response. She had to figure out how and when she’d leave. Her sword had vanished and these people didn’t have weapons in easy access.
    “How long have you been out there? Where are you from?”
    “Oh, not for long. How long have you all been up here?” She didn’t want to discuss where she was from. She got up, limped over to the cabinet and started to examine the titles.
    “Two years, but it is better for me not to try and keep track. In my mind, it helps pass the time. But I am going to assume you live around a lot of people.”
    “Why do you assume that?”
    “Because Bach said he got you from Norton and I have heard there is a safe haven near there. The Isle of Smythe; one of the last human safe havens.”
    “One of them? Wait, you know about other settlements?” She jumped up, but couldn’t stand long. “How many? Where?”
    “A few.” Bach came into the room. “Eventually, they kill each other or are devoured by the infected. I would not expect yours to last very long.” He sounded as if he wanted everyone to die.
    “We’ll be fine,” She shot back angrily. “We keep ourselves safe.”
    “Not very safe, since you ended up here with us.” He looked like he was smirking.
    “That was an accident,” she defended.
    “Well, it is only a matter of time,” Bach quipped. “The infected will breach and everyone you know will die, if they are not dead already.”
    “What?” She searched for words to reply, but she didn’t have to figure that out because Bach skulked out of the room.
    “Ah, do not worry about him. He is just mad because you are using his room,” Felip chortled while he continued to play the game.

     
    * * * * *
     

     
    Bach returned to his makeshift quarters, regretting what he said about the Terrans. Well actually no, he stood by it. The reason he and his cohorts came to Terra was to watch the Terrans suffer for what they did to him and his mother.
    Watching the swarm of infected Terrans wandering beneath his window, he wanted to will the swarm to dissipate, so Felip could take Wisteria away. But doing that would take almost all his strength to get a swarm this size to scatter.
    Hours later, he was still at the window when someone knocked. Opening his door, he saw Wisteria standing outside with her arms crossed. Just seeing her mad at him upset him because she must have remembered this lost secret and was choosing to toy with him. Her large black eyes squinted up at him through her long eyelashes. This particular guise was one he’d seen before.
    “Yes?” He looked down at the short girl.
    “Thank you for saving my life. And thank you for letting me stay in your room.” The sound of her voice was rhythmic because he remembered now that she’d been a singer. She was also a liar, for not admitting that she knew him.
    “But you owe me an apology.” Her eyes were squeezed to angry slits.
    “What?”
    “You should apologize for what you said before. Why did you act that way?”
    “Okay, I am sorry. Is that better?” He started to close the door.
    Wisteria stopped it with her hand. “Please, never speak to me like that again.” She furiously limped away from him and made her way down the hall.

     
    * * * * *
     

     
    Moments later, Wisteria lay down to sleep, but her thoughts were full of mixed images of her family and the surreal groans from the biters below. After several hours of trying to sleep, she gave up and left the room. She wandered around the penthouse apartment and found her way to the roof.
    While there, she saw a black ball the size of a volleyball, spinning on the center of the roof. She walked over to it. It seemed to be rotating by itself