INTERIM · BEN PARISH | ✓

Eight

I CAN'T BELIEVE what Vosch wrote. There's just no way.

"Yo. Red. Reeeed. BLOODY MARY!"

"Hm?" I snap out of my trance. "What?"

"Are you okay? You look both pissed and happy. What's up?" Musket unwraps the white gauze over his hand. His knuckles are nearly purple from beating Barrel to a pulp yesterday. But do I feel bad? Not really.

I take a deep breath. "Vosch gave me a note. I'm not allowed to tell you guys yet."

"Can you give me a hint? Please?"

"No."

"I hate you."

"Good." I storm away, ready to face Zombie.

I catch him laughing with his other members about my squad's failure just hours ago. Their laughs are enough to make my blood boil.

"You have two minutes to explain," I say suddenly.

Zombie, who was sitting casually on the side of his bed slips and crashes into Oompa (I hope that was him). "Sorry, bro. Uh, Red... that was very surprising." He says the last word slowly and carefully while trying to stand up.

"Make that one minute and thirty seconds."

"What- did you mean about Wednesday? That just happened by accident, I swear-"

"One minute."

"Be quiet!" he snaps. I close my mouth in defeat and let him speak. "Listen to me. I only had help from Ringer because I wanted to make you think I wasn't that bad."

"Rephrase that, please."

"I wanted to show you that I wasn't as terrible as you thought. But I guess Ringer's lesson took a little bit longer. I was really happy about it and then, well, you saw the rest."

"You wanted to impress me," I clarify bluntly.

"God no, Red. I just didn't want you to think so low of me. Jesus, there is a difference. You always give me a look like I'm some rabies infested rat you don't wanna look at. I just wanted to change your opinion."

I stare at the floor, cheeks flushed. "Time's up."

"I'm ready for final judgment," he half-jokes.

"You're fine. I don't hate you. I almost find your situation pitiful."

"Really? Um, good. I guess." He goes in for a hug but I step back.

"No hugs. I'm not into it like I used to be before."

"Oh. Okay. Start the clock then. We have eight minutes to talk all about you," he gives a weird devilish grin.

I'm already regretting this. "Go."

"Hm. What's the last thing you remember texting?"

"Seriously?" I give him a disgusted look.

"Hey, you're doing that 'Zombie's a Rabies Rat' look again," he reminds me.

"Sorry." This one is sort of hard, considering I haven't texted (no one has, really) in over six months. "Let's see. God, it was probably three weeks before the first wave hit. Um.. I do remember now. I think it was a text I sent to my cousin. I was still with Jared during the time. I texted something about wanting to break up with him."

"Do you miss your cousin?" he asks. He completely ignores the topic of my ex.

I shrug. "A bit, maybe. I don't know. She gives it to you even if you don't want her to be blunt. But we weren't really close. We only saw each other on few Christmases. Last year she was too busy with her friends and I didn't see Aunt Lucind- sorry, I'm getting off track."