Heir Ascending

Rumours; carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots- Oscar Wilde

Teenagers should be carefree and filled with sunshine, not submerged and drowning in the darkness that lies at the depths of the psyche. That darkness, though, was our reality. Especially when we were awakened in the middle of the night, grasping at breath due to creatures that no person should have to be trapped in a metal room with. I walked out over to the window where Oliver was sitting at the front, on guard.

"I'll watch for a bit. You should catch some sleep." I whisper trying not to wake the others.

"Do you know how to fire a gun?"

"Well I mean you can do it so it's not that hard. Seriously, you won't be any good to us if you exhaust yourself."

"You'll wake me if you see anything. As in anything?"

"You mean anything?"

"Ha, ha," he says robotically. "Thanks, I guess."

I give him a half-smile and turn my attention back to the outside of the cabin.

It was oddly peaceful despite the looming threat of danger. Outside the Zones, life takes on a pristine simplicity. Time loses its significance. Go to bed when it's dark, and get up when it's light again, and everything in between is just in between. It's actually fairly beautiful. To dwell in calm tedium, serenely beyond the grasp of expectation.

With no commitments, obligations, or duties; no particular aspirations and just the tiniest, most simple of needs. All that is expected of a person is their best effort. Not what they must, but what they are willing to do.

All in all, the deadlands have helped me redefine the word freedom. And, I like the taste of it.

The journey today started a lot less hostile and belligerent compared to yesterday. Quiet conversation was made between the four of us. Neutral topics. But nonetheless, conversation. Then Drax introduced us to a game he played in his Division called, 'Who's most likely too.'

"Basically, we'll all go around throwing out questions like, 'Who's most likely to drown if they jump into a lake not knowing how to swim?"

I shove him on the shoulder.

"The way I see it is, Who's most likely to try and save someone from who they think was drowning?"

"Oliver." Kim and Drax laugh out a response at the same time. True. Damn it.

"Great," Drax claps his hands together. "So you get all the games. I'll start. Who's most likely to disobey their parents?"

"Eden," Kim responds quickly.

"Not playing," Oliver says nonchalantly.

"Oliver," I chuckle.

"I'm going to have to go with Oliver on this one," Drax muses.

"Okay, Eden your turn."

"Okay. Who's most likely to set themselves on fire?"

"Drax," Kim and I respond simultaneously.

"I was going to say, Kim," Drax huffs. "Fine, who's most likely to eat all of our food within the next month."

"You," I smirk.

"Kim," Drax disagrees.

"Me probably," Kim nods and laughs. "My turn," Kim says eagerly. "Who's most likely to start hooking up before the end of the trip?"

"Oliver and Eden," Kim and Drax chuckle.

"No way. I find him repulsive and arrogant, and he finds me incredibly charming and witty."