Madness (Completed)

Stranger

I approach the stranger cautiously. I wrap my crossbow on my back and put my hands up. The stranger has golden hair and bright blue eyes.
"I won't hurt you. Let's start with basics, what's your name?" I ask as I stop, close enough to the stranger for my comfort.
"Felix. Yours?" He asks, his arms shaking. I notice he has an accent, but I can't place it.
"Violet. I have a friend over there, his name is Mark. We have a group that we can take you to." I say in a nice tone.
"I haven't eaten in days. Haven't slept in even longer times. Can your group help me?" He asks, terror in his voice. I then realize his accent is Swedish. Interesting.
"Yeah, can I call my friend over?" I ask, not wanting to scare off the stranger. Felix nods and I look over my shoulder.
"Mark!" I call. I immediately hear his footsteps run towards me and see his head peer around the corner.
"What's wrong?" He asks worriedly. I gesture towards Felix and Mark lowers his knife to examine the stranger.
"I need food. She told me that you had a group that can help me. I need medicine too." Felix says looking at Mark. Mark looks at me and back at Felix, interest and determination in his eyes.
"How long will you stay?" Mark asks taking a step forward.
"Not long. I just need help and you're the first people I've seen in months." Mark raises his brow and looks at me.
"Gather supplies. Food, water, things like that. We'll take you back to our group when we're done." Mark explains. Felix nods with a shaky head and starts looking on the shelves. Mark grabs his bag and walks back to the isle I was in.
"Do you trust him?" Mark asks as he puts a few things in his bag.
"I don't know, he seems scared and I think he needs help. It must be hard living out here on your own for so long." I say with a sigh. I grab a can of green beans and shove them in my bag, even if they are expired.
"True. We can ask the guys what they think. I think we got enough for now, let's head back. Grab Felix and meet me at the door, I'll take your bag." Mark grabs the bag off my shoulder and puts it on his own. I walk around and find Felix holding a few bottles of pills that I can't read the labels of.
"Hey, we're leaving." I say tapping him on the shoulder. Felix nods and follows me out the door where Mark is waiting. I pull off my crossbow and get ready to shoot, just in case an Eater comes around. Felix follows Mark and I back to base. I open the door and set down my crossbow next to it as Mark sets down the bags of food and supplies. As soon as Felix walks inside everyone's head turns.
"Who's that?" Wade asks pointing at Felix.
"We found him while scavenging, his name is Felix and he needed help." I explain. I close the door and lock all the locks it has. I make my way to Jack, who is still sitting in the corner and sit next to him. The others talk to Felix and learn about who he is.
"I gotta tell you something." Jack starts, looking into my eyes with his bright blue ones.
"Go ahead. I'm all ears." I say, giving all my attention to Jack.
"First, I've noticed your differences. You've acted different ever since you and Mark took that trip, the one that almost killed you. Secondly, I've seen Mark eyeing you and whispering to you, I know you know it too. And thirdly, you've been... Out of it lately. You haven't talked as much, you have been taking all the supply runs, all the night watch shifts. You barely eat, I haven't seen you sleep in days, I guess what I'm saying is, I wanna know what changed you on that trip." Jack sighs heavily. I didn't want to tell him about that trip, it would ruin anything we have together. Need to think of something, anything else to say rather than the hard truth.
"Please tell me, you won't tell him why you really changed." Kate whines.
"But, being honest might help. Right?" Lily asks, trying to help, but failing.
"Not with this! She can't tell her boyfriend what you two actually did with his best friend. That would ruin it all." Kate hisses angrily.
"I'm sure that isn't a good way to ward it, but I think you are right. She probably shouldn't tell him that little detail, maybe a substitute." Lily suggests, not helping me at all.
"What substitute is there for this? You make so sense Lily." Kate growls, her anger growing by the second.
"I'm sorry you feel that way. I'll let Violet decide." Lily finishes, not saying another word.
"Fine. Choose good kid." Kate says.
"Jack, this isn't what you're going to want to hear. Are you sure you want to know?" I ask, sorrow obvious in my voice.
"Yes. I won't get angry with you, I promise." Jack kisses my hand lightly, continuing to stare into my eyes the entire time. I take a deep breath and think of a 'substitution'.
"Mark and I were trapped in the car, Eaters surrounding us. We had little food, no gas left in the car. We both believed we were going to die in the next few weeks. Mark and I would cut our thighs each day, just wanting death more than the torment of living that way. Mark and I, we had grown very close to each other, we had... A type of short term relationship. We were going to kill each other one day, at midnight exactly so it would give us time to wait and spend the day with each other. That day, was when you and the guys rescued us. The reason I'm different is because I wanted to die so bad, for so long, just sitting in that car with Mark for countless sleepless nights. We just listened to the sound of Eaters growling at the car and scratching at it while blood dripped from our cuts. I wasn't injured in a car accident, neither was Mark. We were trying to kill ourselves. We had kissed each other just to feel something other than sorrow and fear... That's what happened..." I say as a single tear drips down my cheek. Jack wipes away the tear with his sleeve and turns my head to look at him.
"I'm sorry you and Mark had to go through that, but you both need to move forward. I understand that it might be hard to sleep. But, you need to, I don't want you hurt again, I won't let you get hurt again." Jack wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling my close to him. I burry my face in his chest, tears slowly dripping down my cheeks.
"Don't be mad at Mark either, we thought we were going to die, it was out of desperation." I mumble through sobs.
"I'm not mad. I just want to keep you safe and out of harms way. I love you Violet." Jack kisses my forehead lightly.
"I love you Jack." I say between sobs. Jack runs his fingers through my matted and dirty hair to try to sooth me. I calm myself down a bit and stop tears from coming out of my eyes.
"Good wording. I bet he actually feels bad for you, even though he shouldn't. He should feel betrayed because you still love Mark, and he loves you too. You're playing Jack, and you don't even care. I never thought I would be discussed by you, Violet, but I am right now. Jack doesn't deserve someone as heartless as you in his life." Kate spits harshly at me. I stay silent, it takes so much self control to not snap at her that she is wrong, but I manage to ignore her comment. I lean on Jacks shoulder and hold his hand tightly in mine as, for the first time in weeks, I drift off to sleep in his arms.