Running With the Wave

Chapter 33

Era:

The Keepers didn't come for me that night, and I'm happy about it. If I'm going to die I want to spend at least one more night with Keara and Moa. I sleep on the window ledge with Keara and Moa on their sleeping mats, both of them having changed into their night outfits before going to sleep. I had found my night outift exactly where I left it, but my day outfit is probably still in Hunter's room where I left it. The Ringer rings early, and I wake up to see Keara and Moa handing me a steaming bowl of oatmeal, beaming. I glance at the wall screen then stare at them.

"I was on kitchen duty today." I tell them slowly.

"They've already put you on the board," Moa admits, "but we decided you should rest, so Keara cooked the oatmeal."

I glance at Keara's bloated belly.

"Keara... You shouldn't be cooking..." I sigh.

"It's alright, Era." Keara tells me gently, "You've been through a lot."

Hell, yes, I think. Thankfully, I don't say it out loud.

"So have you." I point out.

She rolls her eyes.

"Just eat it."

Smiling, I take the bowl from her and scoop it greedily into my mouth. There's only so much canned peaches a person can take. I curl up on the ledge and they sit below me, all of us eating our oatmeals.

"So," I say between spoonfuls of oatmeal, "what's been going on?"

"Amiya's-" Keara begins, looking sad.

"Dead." I finish, "Tamio's in the ward. I saw her before."

They nod.

"Jitsi is barren, she was Disposed." Moa says quietly, avoiding my eyes.

They're both thinking of me. I nod thoughtfully.

"I wish I had known. She could have come with me." I whisper.

Keara reaches up and squeezes my hand. Halfway through the gesture, her eyes widen and she freezes. A small gasp escapes her lips.

"Keara, what's wrong?" I ask, sliding down to her anxiously.

"I think," she pants, "that I'm not going to be pregnant much longer."