HUNTER → GRIZZ VISSER ✔

014. six months

𝗦𝗜𝗫 𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗛𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗗 𝗚𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗕𝗬. Six months ago, they were children. This is who they are now. They eat and live communally. This is all according to Cassandra's rules. A midnight curfew, mandatory weekly town meetings, and the community doctrine: those who don't work don't eat. They found a balance between doing what is expected of them. Whether that be in love, or in sex, or play. They dance between following the rules and bending them, constantly worrying that if they bend to far, this whole rickety structure might topple and break, because they know that it's always one dumb move away from destruction.

Everything in town was so quiet. It had been six months since Dewey's execution, since Cassandra's death. Six months, since the kids got placed in this "new town". Everyone knew this but no one wanted to face the truth. All the boys who once had nicely cut hair and clean faces now had grown beards, due to the carelessness and stress. Hunter's once happy and cheery personality was now cold and timid as she pressure was building up on her.

The Guard was expending, finding new people to join each day. People were finally starting to do their jobs and follow the rules, adapt to the new environment they'd been thrown into. The cafeteria was back in full working mode, the church wasn't a mess or filled with empty plastic cups and puddles of beer. There were rarely any parties thrown, or little fun had. Everyone was focused on surviving.

In the small moments Hunter had alone, she spent it with Grizz. The two of them becoming each other anchors.

Hunter stood on the podium beside Allie as she spoke into the microphone, the church filled with all the kids attending the mandatory meeting.

"So new class sign-up sheets are posted in the church lobby. We've just added an improv class, and due to popular demand, a second jiu-jitsu class. And, finally, I hope to see you all tomorrow at movie night." Allie spoke.

The two hadn't made any progress in become friends again. Hunter recognized that the people listened to Allie for some things, and Allie recognized that she would never have forgiveness for what she did.

When Allie finished she stepped back and let Hunter step forward, "Okay, I just want to remind everyone that Thursday, tomorrow, is Thanksgiving, so bring all your recipes to Will so that he can make sure we have the right ingredients. Next, we have an update from the Committee of Resources."

"What about the Committee on Going Home?" A girl asked from the crowd.

"Gordie and Bean promised me a report on Thursday," Hunter answered confidently.

"Are we going home?" The girl asked again.

"Not before Thursday." This comment received a few laughs from the crowd.

Hunter moved to the side allowing Will to step forward and make his announcement, "We finished our audit on food supplies, and based on our current rationing, we have enough to carry us through spring. This winter won't be a problem, but our food won't last forever."

People's expressions changed from calm to worried. "We all knew that. We'll start to run low by next summer." As Will finished his announcement people started to whisper.

Girls started to look around the room with worried looks as they whispered things to their friends. Hunter watched everyone's reactions deciding to step back to the microphone, "We have a plan."

Grizz nodded, speaking up, "Um, so after Thanksgiving, I'm gonna lead a search party to look for farmland and for alternative food supplies. If anyone wants to join me, I'm looking for four to five volunteers to come along with me."

"No fucking way!" A boy yelled out from the back of the room.

Grizz dropped his hands down to his side and sighed. "Look, we all know what happened to Emily."