The art of survival (Maya Hart/joshaya)

Chapter 8

I must have fallen asleep again while Josh was holding me because when I woke up I was still in his arms. I didn't feel uncomfortable or anything but it felt strange to being this physically close to a person again after all this time, a door opened and I heard footsteps walking over to the bed.

"Did you fell asleep?" Riley's voice whispered, probably trying to not wake me up. I felt her sink down on the bed.

"No, I just don't want to let her go, it feels like she will be gone if I am not touching her." Josh whispered. Someone stroke me over the hair. Probably Riley.

"I know Josh but she is here, safe. She came back." Riley said softly.

"People are asking for you and you know that Shawn isn't stabile enough to be a leader right now. They need you, Maya is sleeping and I won't leave her." Riley continued. Josh mumbled something that I wasn't able to hear. He kissed me on my forehead before getting up and walking out. Josh is the leader of this place? Riley took his place next to me. I slowly started to move to show that I was awake.

"Maya? Are you up?" Riley whispered in my ear. I nodded and sat up in the soft bed. The bed felt like heaven compared to all the nights I have slept in a tree this year. Riley was still laying down. I looked at my best friend that looked like she had grown so much during this time. She looked at me with seriousness in her eyes that I haven't seen before.

"You look like shit." She grinned at me. I laughed for the first time in forever. I looked down at my arms. They were covered in grey dust and growler blood. Riley gave me a little mirror that they had next to the bed. I was shocked when I looked into the mirror. My eyes had dark circles under them. My body was covered in dirt that made it hard to even see my skin. I was skinnier than I should be and I had blood scattered across my face. I seriously needed a shower. My hairs blonde color was barely noticeable anymore.

"I do look like shit." I agreed and turned my head towards her.

"We are having showers here, the water is kind of cold but it's enough for you to get cleaned at least." Riley said and got up. She gave me some clean clothes. A pair of jeans, a blue shirt and a white t-shirt. They smelled freshly washed and I almost got nostalgic by it. Then I noticed that I didn't find any of my weapons, no gun and no knife.

"Riles, where are my gun?" I asked Riley. She furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You aren't allowed to wear any in here yet." Riley started but I just put my hand up to stop her. Is she serious? No weapons in a world full of human eating monsters?

"Riley, I need my weapons." I said and raised my chin. She shook her head.

"Why? You know I am not going to hurt you." I said. She looked at me with sad eyes. Clearly hurt by my remark.

"I am not the one to create the rules Maya." Riley answered tiredly.

"Then who the heck created that stupid rule?" I said angrily.

"Josh." Riley said. Of course Joshua Matthews had a finger in this.

"Well, I need to have a talk with him." I said and started to walk out of the room. I got stopped by Riley as she laid her hands on my shoulders and pulled me back. She had gotten stronger. She wouldn't have been able to do that a year ago.

"Shower first, arguing later." She sad and literally pushed me inside a bathroom. I was quickly followed by my new clothes that hit me in the back.

"Oh c'mon Riles" I shouted as she locked the door behind me. I heard her sit down on the other side of the white door.

"Seriously Maya, you stink, nobody is going to think that you are stabile enough to carry weapons if you look like you are coming straight from a horror movie." She shouted back at me. I sighed. She was probably right. I started to take my dirty clothes of. I just laid them in a pile on the ground. The water was a bit cold but it wasn't like the streams I had tried to wash myself in the last year. They even had shampoo and conditioner here! That is a true luxury.

I got out of the shower feeling like a whole new person. I looked at myself in the mirror on the wall. My hair was back to blonde again. I kind of looked like I had before all this started but I felt exposed without my weapons. My weapons had kept me safe when I didn't have anyone. I want them back. I quickly got dressed in my new clothes. I looked down on the military jacket I got from Josh before I ran away. I need to clean it up but it's time for that later. Now I need to have a talk with uncle boing.