Living the Dead

Chapter 20: Leave it All Behind

The sun rose and the group was still very much alive. Every day felt like they dodged another bullet. They wanted to get it over with as soon as possible but it felt like fate was taunting them.

Most of the group couldn't sleep for most of the night. Though they resolved most of their personal issues the other day they were still overwhelmed with stress. Andrea's scene also left a mark on them. They decided it was best to leave her alone and let the alcohol drain through her system. They chose to believe she wouldn't have dared said that sober but it didn't change she had the thought in her head.

Andrea alienated herself from the group that morning. She slept in so she wouldn't have to eat breakfast with them and when she did wake up she took the food to her corner. Some people attempted to reconcile with her but she had none of it. She either half-heartedly accepted apologies or simply shut them away.

On the inside, Andrea was feeling hurt and betrayed. She didn't feel like she belonged with them anymore. She remembered all the hard times in her life and pooled them together. It made her all the more like an outsider and failure. She just wanted to start over. And she had an idea on how.

It was time to deliver breakfast to their prisoner, Keane. She took a tray of eggs, hashbrowns, and sausage and headed to where Keane was being kept. There was no one guarding him anymore because they trusted the cages he was imprisoned in and it was a reward for Keane's good behaviour. This allowed Andrea even more freedom to continue her private conversations with him.

She knocked on the metal gate and Keane walked up to the bars. She slid the tray under and he casually ate it with a fork and knife while listening to her. He sat down on the floor and so did she to level with him.

Keane was surprised she would risk it again since he knew she was hanging on by a thread. Especially at such an important time in their lives, it was pretty dumb to be breaking the rules.

Andrea cut him short and got to the chase. She let him know that she did a lot of thinking overnight and made the decision in the morning. She concluded she was done with the group and wanted to move on and was hoping Keane could help her.

He nearly spat out the bite in his mouth. She caught him off guard and he still couldn't believe it. Keane wanted confirmation he heard what she said but Andrea's face was dead serious. She meant what she said and desperately wanted his help.

"That's insane. I hate your friends but they're your friends. You've been through everything together, what could possibly make you think this?" He asked. Keane wasn't part of the group but he at least understood how proper friends worked.

Andrea didn't need him to understand she just wanted a way out and she knew Keane could help him. It seemed difficult though because Keane was still locked in and wasn't much help to anyone in there.

Then she held out a silver key. She waved it at him and winked. Keane's eyes were glued to it because that key meant his freedom but he suspected there was a catch. Andrea's devilish smile confirmed it.

"I want to join your group. I'll beg Mason if I have to but anywhere is better than here. I want you to vouch for me." She pleaded.

This blew Keane's mind even further. Even he thought she was insane. Keane couldn't believe he was saying it but he would rather stay locked up then get Andrea mixed up with his own people.

As much as a weasel he was, Keane still knew right from wrong. From his perspective, he wouldn't want Andrea to defect. He cared too much about her to risk her getting hurt. He knew what Mason was like better than most and the thought of her with him didn't agree to him. Mason rarely took kindly to strangers. The only new people were brought in was if they were full family or he had specific reason for wanting them.