Already Gone [SlyPKC]

Help From a Little Girl

SSoH POV

"Wake up!" Small hands grasped onto my right arm and violently shook me back and forth. "'Ey! Sleeping Beauty! You can't just throw your day away!"

My eyes peeled open, and a head ache slowly creeper into my mind's HQ. Damnit. "Go away, Curly." I mumbled into my pillow, and the shaking stopped. Instead, Peony decided to jump over me into my range of view. She rested her head on he pillow beside me, and I stared at her with the most blank expression.

She hesitated befor speaking. "I know you're sad because he isn't here."

I sighed deeply and nodded, shutting my eyes. "Yeah."

"At least you get the bed to yourself for a whole week." Her tone was more perky, and I peeked one eye open. She had a fake smile on her face. I rolled onto my left side.

"Leave me be. Let me sulk." I muttered, and the bed shook as she hopped off.

Peony stepped out of the room for five minutes, and then returned with a chair. She pulled it beside the bed and took a seat. "Let's go do something today."

"No." I said, and she frowned.

Her hand reached for my head, and she pinched a lock of hair and pulled it. "Your hair is getting longer."

"Great. Maybe by the time he gets back, I'll be Fabio again." I pulled the covers up more over my head.

Peony had a questionable look. "Fabio?"

"Nevermind."

I heard Curly rise from her chair, and when I peeked out from under the covers, she was gone. I began to drift off again, but it was soon interrupted by a cold splash of a wet, heavy sensation pouring onto the bed followed by laughter.

I darted out of the once comfy sheets and onto the floor, shivering and shocked out of my mind. I glanced behind me and the bed was soaked with water. Peony stood above me with an empty bucket, and Bek was laughing in the doorway.

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast, princess? Or should I say lunch?" Bek teased.

I stood, snatching the bucket from the girl. Wanting to chuck it at the wall, I chose against it. It'd probably put a dent in it, and scare the shit out of Peony too. Instead, I placed it on the screwed up bed and trudged out of the room.

"God dammit." I mumbled to myself, trudging to the bathroom and grabbing a towel. I patted down my arms and face and ruffled the towel in my hair.

I tore off my soaked shirt as I exited the bathroom and walked back down the hall to the bedroom. Peony greeted me with a wave as I bent down and opened my drawer of shirts in my dresser. She was sitting back down on the chair, and Bek was tearing the sheets off of the mattress and throwing them into a hamper.

Pulling on a shirt, Bek was about to walk out of the door with the bunches of sheets. Peony followed her with a few wet pillows, and I sighed. "You guys." I said, and they both stopped, their focus shifted to me. "Let's find something to do. Go out. Have fun."

Smiles appeared on their faces, and Peony's face beamed with approval. "Yeah." She nodded, and they both exited the room.

…

It was our first time being in the cafe, and it was fairly empty. No one was at the register, but one person sat at a round table, drinking out of a steaming mug.

He shot up from his chair as he noticed us walk in. "Hi. Would you like something?"

"Uh, yeah. Just black coffee for me, hot chocolate and a cookie for the kid and... Bek what do you want?" I turned towards my fellow blonde, who's natural roots were growing in slowly.

"Just water." She said.

"Yeah. Water." I grinned at the man, and he nodded, leaving to the kitchen.

It felt weird to not reach for my wallet. I let it go and found a seat near a window. Sitting in a booth, Peony scooted in next to me, and Bek took a seat across from us.

It was a small cafe. Abstract paintings hung around the room, sending off a jazzy tone to the place. Color scheme? It rotated around the shaded colors, nothing was bright nor popped out.

Peony leaned on the table and took a deep breath. I sat in silence, and Bek tapped her fingers on the table in a repeated rhythm. I briefly looked out of the window, watched the citizens pass by in their winter gear. There hasn't been snow in a while. Puddles formed in the streets and crept down the abandoned sewage drains.

The man appeared quicker than I'd expected, a plate with two mugs and a clear glass balancing in his right hand. Placing them on the table, he handed Peony a cookie and tucked the empty plate under his arm.

"You know," He said to Curly, "You have to be he first child I've seen here in Koda. He turned and stuck his hand across the table to me. "I'm David."

"Seamus." I greeted, shaking his hand. "Are you serious, though? She's a first?"

David nodded, glancing back at Peony. "The youngest I know is Jarrod. He's sixteen, works for Valencia. Have you met him?"

"He taught me how to shoot." The girl smiled proudly.

David's eyes widened, and I shook my head with the memories of the shoot range. "Wow. That's first class training. That boy is really talented."

"Take a seat, David." I gestured next to Bek.

He nodded and took a seat in the booth. setting the plate on a nearby table. "Thankyou. So... where are you all from- if you don't mind me asking. I know some people don't like talking about what happened outside of these walls."

"Colorado." Bek stated bluntly, raising the glass of water to her lips and taking a sip.

"Colorado?" David furrowed his brows and a hint of confusion glazed over his face.

I smirked guiltily. "Colorado. However, mostly by car." I lifted a finger. "And it wasn't just us three: Me, Bek and Peony."

"Who else was there?" Curiosity filled his eyes.

I sighed. "Our original bunch consisted of Eddie, Aleks, James, Bek, Spencer, and me. Then we split in Pennsylvania, leaving James, Aleks and Spencer to go off on their own tangent, find their family. And..." I gulped, remembering the chat with Aleks a few weeks prior. I hadn't told Bek nor Eddie about Spencer's passing, or the fact that the other two were heading for Koda. But now is better than never, I guess. "Spencer was bitten, and James couldn't find his Mother..."

I looked down at the table to avoid Bek's reaction. She slammed her cup on the table. "Since when?"

"Since almost a month ago." I muttered.

"And where are they going now?" David asked before Bek could question me. "They have to be going somewhere."

"Here."

"Might I ask about... Eddie? Is he-" David began. and I finished before he could put any more worrisom thoughts in my system.

"No, no." My gaze shifted back upwards. "He's off with Valencia's groups. Looting. Leading."

David nodded in approval. "He must realy be something special if he's leading." He commented.

My cheeks grew hot, but hopefully not noticeably red. "Yeah... He is."