Sleep

Chapter 12

"Here."

Alisha drew a gun from her belt and handed it to Tom.

"Where did you find all this stuff?" Tom asked, turning the gun in his hands.

"I stole them. From the shops." Alisha rose from the foot of the tree and sauntered over to the water.

Tom held the gun in his hands, gaping at its weight. The weapon was more on the smaller side, with grooves on the sides of the barrel and a reflective exterior. He stretched out his arms, tilted the gun at an angle, closed his eyes, and pulled the trigger.

It buckled in his hands, and the strength of the recoil thrust his shoulders back. He dropped the gun in shock, and it cascaded into the grass.

Alisha glared at him. "Tom!"

"Sorry," Tom babbled.

"Do you think they heard?" she said.

Tom stammered. "The scavengers? Speds?"

"Wait."

Alisha hurried up to the tree and plucked up the gun. She shoved off her goggles and cocked her head, balancing the gun delicately in her hands.

"What are you doing?" Tom hissed.

"Quiet."

Suddenly, Alisha swung her arm around and fired the gun at one of the bushes next to the log. He heard a yell erupt from the brush, and Alisha fired again.

Bang.

The bush rustled, and he heard a thud at the base of the log. He sprinted over, and Alisha stood over the man, the gun aimed at his head.

He panicked. "What are you doing!"

"Ending this." The gun shook in her hands, and Tom looked away in disgust. He stole it out of Alisha's hands and held the gun out of her reach.

"Tom..."

He stepped back. "What happened at the lab, Alisha?"

Alisha blushed, her fingers reaching for the goggles. "I've had to do things that are out of my control."

"So, murdering is out of your control?"

"Yes, it is Tom," Alisha snapped. It's kill or be killed. This isn't New York. I will do what I have to do to survive."

"Tell me the truth," Tom shouted.

"You're right, I haven't been honest. It's been 10 years for me, Tom. Cut me some slack. But first, we have to go."

"No, we are doing this now. Give me the gun."

Alisha looked up and shoved the gun at him. "Okay."

"What happened at the lab?"

"I- I went there after the bombs hit and you weren't there, but there were speds. I killed them and stole their guns. Tom, we need to leave."

"What about Dr. Palmono? Is he alive?" Tom demanded.

Alisha huffed impatiently. "Yes. He's one of them."

"What do you mean?"

"Look!"

Tom whirled around, and he looked wildly at the trees. Alisha raised her fist and struck Tom on the head, and he plummeted to the ground.

"Alisha..." he whispered.

"We have to go."

His eyes flickered, and he stretched his arm towards Alisha, but he couldn't see. He shivered as the world around him faded away.