After Armageddon (Finished)

Ch 4 - Akward?

We sat in a circle in the small living room. I was on a light white couch with El next to me. Crystal was on a matching armchair, sizing me up and down. She hadn't let the suspicion of us leave her eyes the whole time we had been here. In between us, Nina played with her feet on the multicolored, circle carpet. Tad and Lane were on the front porch discussing us. I could hear them through the front door.

Looking around, I noticed how ordinary everything was. Off-white walls matching white furniture. A wooden chair in the corner next to a brick fireplace. A couch and two chairs that seemed to belong together. Like they hadn't changed a thing since the appocolypce came.

Through the doorway, I saw a kitchen-dinning room area, a fridge, oven and microwave all still in place. Even the dishes looked clean and done next to the shiny metal sink.

On the opposite side of the fire place, a large set of stairs disappeared into the wall. I figured that's were their rooms were.

"So you guys have been here a while?" I asked Crystal trying to brake the awkward silence.

"Ya." She responded dully.

"My name's Lei by the way, I think I forgot to mention that. This is El and Nina." I gestured to them. She nodded. "You don't talk much do you?" I asked her. She stared back at me blankly, as if trying to think of what to say. She smiled in the corners of her mouth and looked down, her dark brown hair wavering in front of her freckled face.

"You know Lei? I kinda like you." She said to my surprise. "You remind me of a friend I had before we became home schooled, her name was Jay. You guys look a lot alike too, same big eyes that is."

I laughed. No one had ever said I looked like someone else my whole life.

Just then, Tad lead Lane and their big black dog Mojo back inside. Tad was brunette too, only his hair was darker than Lane's. He looked a bit shorter too, and less muscular. His eyes were chocolate brown, clashing against his light skin. He looked over at me and smiled, against my own will, I smiled back. He looked down at Nina.

"We don't have any baby food, hope that's not gonna be a problem." He said softly. I shook my head.

"We didn't either, I made some for her, did you bring any El?" I asked. El nodded, I let out a sigh of relief. Making baby food was difficult and boring. One of the things I hate the most. Mojo ran over to us as I spoke licking each of our faces in turn, making Nina giggle loudly once agin.

"Is this all of you guys? You couldn't have lasted very long out there just the three of you, what happened?" Lane demanded.

"We had one more, Frakii. She was standing guard with El and she got attacked. El made us leave. Then we found you guys. We weren't gone very long, we were in their old house in a suburb about ten miles from here." I explained. Tad looked down.

"I'm sorry you guys lost your friend." He said. El stood abruptly, and walked out the front door, slightly slamming it behind him. "Did I say something wrong?" Tad asked. I shook my head, and looked after El.

"Frankii was his girlfriend. We better not mention her much. I'm gonna check on him okay? Watch after Nina for me Crystal?" I asked. She nodded her head solemnly as she slid down to the floor to play with Nina.

I walked out the front door to make sure the strongest member of our new group wasn't completely broken already.