In Praetor

Chapter 6

Zulu was dreaming. She had to be, since she was seeing Lali right in front of her. Before she could be happy, the other girl was murdered by a guard just as she had witnessed all those years ago. Now Zulu was being strapped to a table, prodded with needles and injected with different substances. She was forced to overdose on various medicines and watch others die in gruesome ways. Suddenly it changed into gruesomely deformed creatures chasing after her, trying to rip her apart. She looked for somewhere to hide, crying in fear. She knew she couldn't escape, they'd get her soon enough. 

Zulu woke up screaming, tears streaming down her face. 

"Zulu!" Rise was beside her bed, trying to calm her down. "Zulu! You're awake! Everything's going to be okay!" 

He held her, calming her down by whispering soothing words into her ear. 

"Let go of me," she croaked, her throat hurting from screaming and crying. She didn't have the strength to push him away. After a few moments, she noticed she was in pajamas. Her face flushing, she growled, "You changed my clothes?" 

"Yeah, you had a fever when I found you collapsed in the doorway last night." He saw her face turning red and was both a bit surprised and amused to see her getting embarrassed. "Is this the first time someone has done that for you?" 

She didn't reply for a while, just looked away from him. "Why did you do that?" 

"You would've gotten worse had I just left you," he pointed out. She made a huffing sound, like she didn't believe him, and rubbed the tears from her eyes and face. 

"Just don't do it again," she grumbled, a bit irritated by her own reaction. He smiled slightly upon hearing the vague thank you in her words. After a moment he left the room to give her some space and let her change. 

In the afternoon the two made a trip into Renchel, having to pick up some groceries and such. While at the food market, Rise decided to let Zulu lead the way. 

"Do you really eat all that?" he asked, watching her stuff a bunch of junk food into the basket she carried. 

"No, these are just the emergency rations since they last longer," she said pointedly, suddenly grabbing some military rations. 

"Military rations? You like those?" He made a weird face. "Don't you think they taste disgusting?" 

"Taste has nothing to do with it," she shrugged. "It's food and keeps me from starving." 

"Seems to me like you're using the snacks to counter the taste of the rations," he raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. She scowled at him, her cheeks turning pink. 

"You're just over analyzing things, idiot," she scoffed. 

"Stupid," he stuck his tongue out. She ignored him and went on with her "grocery shopping". 

They headed over to a clothing store after putting the groceries in the Jeep. It wasn't that large of a building and the clothes displayed in the windows were relatively normal. 

"Why are we here?" Zulu grumbled. 

"Getting you some more civilian clothing," Rise stated. 

"I'm not a civilian though," she argued. 

"You're using that as your cover though," he said pointedly. She glowered at him, huffing. 

"May I help you?" One of the store employees came up to them as they came in. 

"Yes, could you help my friend here find some cool, casual attire?" Rise smiled at the employee. 

"Yes, of course." The girl blushed as she stared at him. Quickly turning to Zulu, she gasped. "I hope you don't take this offensively, but you're a very handsome woman." 

"You're cute yourself," Zulu told her coolly. 

"Oh, thank you." The girl blushed harder than when she was looking at Rise. 

"Wow, she has the ability to make someone swoon over her without even trying," Rise quietly thought aloud, his eyes on Zulu as he smirked slightly. 

"And what if I was trying?" Zulu was still irritated about being in the clothing store. 

"You can read minds?" Rise asked, taken aback. 

"No, your thoughts were clearly written on your face. Plus, you said that out loud, you idiot." Zulu shook her head as he gave her a goofy grin and a thumbs up. 

"That just shows I wanted you to know what I was thinking," he chuckled, watching as the girl scurried around Zulu and the store.