We're just staring at each other.
The eerie silence all around pushes in, suffocating, trapping us together as I blink, then he does. Our mouths part, but no words escape. No sounds. No breaths. Just silence. If I concentrate hard enough on the quiet, block everything and everyone out, I might be able to see it, just there, laying stagnant in front of my eyes.
Out of all the people in the Wastelands, why did it have to be Will? It's the same boy that is best friends with Kara. The same boy that winked at Vicky when she found out that she was a Weapons Cleaner. The same boy with the cocky British accent. Why him?
"Will," I finally manage to say, still glaring at him as I drag the one word out.
"Xander," he replies. His accent makes me want to punch him in the face. He brushes his long hair out of his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. "Long time, no see."
"Could've been longer," I say.
I'm sure the others can feel the awkward tension travelling slowly around the room. You could probably cut through it with a knife. You could reach forward and tear it apart with your bare hands if we continue to stare at each other any longer.
"Do you two know each other?" Wes asks, coming to stand next to me.
I never break eye contact with Will as I reply, "Oh, we know each other, all right."
I see Will roll his eyes, turning back around to look down at the papers lining the table, suddenly becoming so engrossed in all the information, it's like I never stepped foot into this room at all. Like I'm not even here.
And here's me thinking being a Runner was going to be better than being a Hunter.
The air around me turns thick, unbearable, choking, and all I want to do is run, to get out of this horrible room with these people I don't even know. But my legs won't move. I can't stop staring at Will's back as he reads the papers intently in front of him. I can't really tell if he's actually reading the words written down, or if he's just trying not to look in my direction.
I've never wanted to punch someone more than I do right now, and he isn't even doing anything to me.
I want to quit, Wes, I don't say out loud, but I wish I could—if I had another job to fall back on. If I have to spend another minute with him I will go crazy.
Wes glances at me with a questioning look on his face, words passing between us in the silence. I shake my head slowly, looking down at the ground, silently ending the conversation we were having with our eyes.
A forceful nudge to my shoulder jerks me away from the thoughts floating around in my head. The girl from before, the one with the hate clear in her eyes, moves to stand in front of me, slowly walking over to Will.
"Watch where you're standing," she says, glaring over her shoulder at me.
I blink and shake my head, wondering if I just imagined her saying that. "You know you barged into me, right? I mean, I'm not that hard to notice, am I?" The words sound harsher than I intended. I think they sound worse as I gesture down my body, even though I wish my hands not to. "I'm wearing a plain white T-shirt and it's the only color in this dark room, and you still couldn't see me?"
I suddenly want the words to be stuffed back into my mouth.
The girl whirls around, her dark—almost black—hair whipping over her shoulder. "What the hell did you just say to me?" She grips the edges of the table hard enough for her knuckles to turn white. She lets it go, stepping closer to me, waiting for my reply.
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The Survivors Trilogy
المغامرةXander is sixteen. He lives in a crumbling building in the Estate with a small group of others. As far as they know they are the only survivors. Xander and his best friend Vicky are Scavengers - they have to scavenge simply to stay alive in the unfo...
