To Be A Runner

Chapter 31: Eavesdropping

My eyes flutter open as I feel something cold brush against my heel. There's a muttered 'sorry' that's slurred from tiredness, and I rub my eyes and sit up, frowning slightly at the runner who's name I have yet to learn the name of.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Caleb chuckles from a few feet away. "Although I guess I shouldn't say beauty, no offense."

I stick out my tongue and scrunch up my nose in response. I already know from seeing the others in the morning that I have the worst bed head in this building, but hearing it isn't exactly a joy to me.

"Oh, don't give me that look," He grins. "While I know Penelope would probably run away screaming because um... yeah, but I'm sure Sam would still think you're beautiful."

My eyes widen in horror and I whip my head around the room, sighing in relief when I spot the radio operator still asleep and drooling on his too small pillow. His bed head is almost as bad as mine, and my lips twitch into a smile.

I turn and send a unamused glare to Caleb, who is snickering. I cast a quick glance to the other people who enjoy waking up at obscene hours in the morning, but thankfully they're all too absorbed into getting ready to notice my one-sided conversation with Caleb. In fact, with the way they're moving along they almost resemble the zombies, just without the moaning and groaning.

'You're hilarious, truly,' I sign with an eye roll. 'And I don't like him like that.'

God, I can't be anymore obvious, can I? I think as a blush starts to creep onto my cheeks. Thankfully only a few candles are lit so there's little chance of the redhead noticing.

"Sure, and I'm not the most amazing person you've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Let's state some other facts that are obviously not true. Hey, doc, you got any false statements on hand?"

I glance at Maxine who is pining up her curly black hair while looking into one of the small mirrors onto the wall. She turns and blinks sleepily, and even being in the darkened room I can see the dark circles under her eyes. I guess with the thoughts of Paula, the search for a vaccine through Patient Twenty-nine's files, and still being a doctor has taken a toll on her.

"Hmm?" She questions with watching eyes, but Caleb only smiles.

"Oh, nothing. Just talking about Five's little crush."

'Keep on talking, Caleb. See what happens,' I warn, but either he doesn't see my hand motions or simple doesn't care because he shows no sign of fear or nervousness.

Maxine smiles, but it's stretched and forced.

"Do you need any help at the hospital today?"

"I always do," She answers. "It always seems like someone's getting a cold or spraining an ankle." Dr. Meyers turns her gaze to me. "Do you have any runs today, Runner Five?"

'Fortunately no,' I answer, and the two people near me gape in surprise.

"Fortunately?" The doctor repeats. "I thought you liked running since you usually don't have to work in the kitchens the days you have them."

'It's true, I do despise helping in that dreaded kitchen,' I shrug, 'but I want to a mission of importance. And that's not what I've been given recently.'

"Every mission is important. Even the supply runs," She insists.

'The past three missions I've had were me raiding Halloween stores even though we're only a week into October,' I scowl.

Maxine simply shrugs. "What can I say? Sam likes holidays; Everyone at Abel does."

"Yeah," Caleb agrees, "it helps us forget that eventually we're all going to be eaten alive by the walking dead, or as you like to call them, 'rotting flesh bags'."