2136: A Post-Apocalyptic Novel (Book 1 of the 2136 Trilogy)

CHAPTER 10

"What did you do!"

The words came out as a yell rather than a question.

"You just doomed us all. You know we can't live without those rations. How do you expect us to survive? People are barely hanging on as it is."

Roxx was shuffling his stock, and counting the number of items in his inventory.

"Are you even listening?" I said.

"Calm down." he said, not bothering to make eye contact.

"Calm down? Calm down!" I choked. "How am I supposed to be calm? A bomb just went off. Look at me!"

He raised his eyes.

I could feel myself getting lightheaded from all the standing, so I found a nearby barrel to rest on. My chest was heaving with rage and fear.

I could feel him looking at me, but I refused to meet his gaze.

"Everything is going to be okay." he said. "I have a plan. But for right now, I need for you to trust me."

How could I trust him? He was full of secrets. I wasn't sure I even knew who he was anymore.

"I don't even know you." I said.

He looked hurt. Good.

"I thought you were just like all of us. Working to get by, but now I'm not too sure. You lied to me."

"I would never lie to you," he said.

"No?"

"No."

My hands were shaking on my thighs.

"What about the tunnels? What about the corn and the stockpile of food buried a hundred feet beneath the surface? What about that? Were you ever going to tell me about those? Were you ever going to tell anyone about it?"

He walked towards me and held up his finger over his lips.

"Lower your voice." he said. His eyes looked around the shop to see if we were the only ones around. We were. He knelt on one knee and took my hands in his.

"Willow," he whispered. "Look at me, sweetie."

His eyes were more blue than usual. I could see my reflection in those blue orbs. I could see the fear on my face, the tangled knots my hair had formed into, and the stress streaming down my cheeks in dried crusty tears.

"Look at me." he said again. I did, unable and and unwilling to fight. I was too weak to stand alone.

"I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you." He held my hands firmly in his own. It felt good to feel his warmth.

"I probably should have told you sooner about the bunker. I'm sorry about that," he said. "But, what's done is done and we have to move on."

"Did you cause the explosion?" I asked sternly.

Now that everything was out in the open. Why waste any more time? Just cut straight to the chase.

He shook his head.

"No. And I'm going to find out who did."

He stood up and walked to the door.

"Who do you think did?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, but my guess is one of the neighboring precincts. I've heard rumors over the last month about an uprising forming."

"What do you mean an uprising?"