𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 108

Two bullets

2035

Aidan

We are alone. The theater is dark and the air smells like moss and wet mud.

Valencia blindly follows me through the dark, my flashlight being the only source - and her only hope - of light in this wide open room, since we kept her candle in the hotel. We push open a door and stare directly into the theater hall, the rows and rows of seats looking more decayed the further we look down to the stage. It is quiet here.

I only realize that I have grabbed Valencia's wrist and now let go, as a signal that we are safe - supposedly. I wouldn't like telling myself otherwise. My right hand still hurts from the fresh stitches. But Valencia holding it gently is like instant pain relief.

We walk over the worn dark red carpet in the aisle between the rows of seats to reach the stage, to find a safe place to rest. I am exhausted. It has been a long way to come here. The Bronx now is probably not more than a pile of dust, destroyed by weather anomalies far worse than the ones we experienced while we were there.

What happened to my bunker? Should I care?

The stage has black curtains that are halfway covering the screen. I spot a door almost hidden in the wall and climb up the slightly raised platform to walk toward it.

Turning around, I notice Valencia trailing behind - she has been for an awful long while now, since the attack of the two dogs. At first, I assumed that she was just tired but she seems to have struggles even walking.

I stop and wait for her to catch up, which takes a bit longer than I would like.

Is she hurt?

Maybe she is just tired. I mean, I have seen the effects of her nightmares on her - how sleep-deprived she was and almost passed out in my arms. But she was sleeping peacefully the last two nights.

Let's hope that she is just tired.

I reach out with my hand for Valencia to grab on, and pull her up on the stage.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask her softly after she straightens up next to me. She seems distant, like her thoughts are far away.

"Mhm, yeah," she mumbles, avoiding my eyes.

I raise one eyebrow in concern.

"I am, let's just... look for a place to sit down, okay?"

I nod, trying to push away the thoughts of possible worse things that could have happened to her. My hands find the handle of the hidden door and I open it, letting Valencia walk through first. She has her arms wrapped around herself tightly like she is trying to comfort herself. When I try to look into her eyes, she looks away again.

Instantly, I am worried.

I tear my eyes away from her and scan the room with my flashlight. It isn't big, more like a small storage room for technical equipment. Wire and cable coils are neatly stacked on one of the metal shelves adjacent to my position. On my left, a big plastic box with a lid is shoved into the corner. I place my flashlight on it, positioning it so it illuminates the room.

Valencia stands there, her shape painting a shadow on the ground.

"What's wrong, please tell me... " I whisper to her while walking over.

She shakes her head, inhaling sharply. Her eyes never focus on me, she is avoiding my gaze. I don't know what is wrong, I don't know what I did wrong. We always told each other everything, but now she seems torn apart by something and doesn't tell me. And I don't like it. When I try to reach out for her hand, to hold it like we always did to encourage the other to speak, she pulls away.