The Aftermath

S4E3: Bullseye

       Chris rubs his eyes as he walks down the hallway alongside Myracle and Ryan. He groans heavily while massaging the back of his neck, still sore from that intense basketball game.
Today is Ryan's first day of archery training. He seems to be excited since Myracle and Chris were allowed to come along. They're currently working on every course in the training camp. It's a necessity in order to take the leadership role on future supply runs.
Chris puts on a facade as he smiles at Myracle and Ryan's conversation. However, he isn't paying attention in the slightest. His mind is running wild with thoughts as he keeps thinking back to Simon's isolation.
Where has the time gone? Simon used to be close with everyone, but now he's acting seclusive. Each interaction he has with everyone feels forced. It's like he's lost his will to live.
Chris is practically the only person that Simon steadily speaks to. Everyone else acts like a bunch of extras in a film. There's always an awkward tension whenever they all interact. Chris misses the days where he used to speak with everyone.
Nowadays, Simon just shows a blank expression whenever he speaks. There's no jokes, no smart remarks, no shouts of excitement. It's almost like he's the new Myracle, except a lot more secretive.
Chris stops thinking about Simon once Ryan and Myracle notice his quiet nature. Usually he's much more involved in conversations. They look at him with concern, waiting around for an explanation.
"Chris is something wrong?" Myracle asks worriedly.
Ryan sheds full attention into Chris as he remains in silence for a moment. He hates when they notice his mood swings. He despises the feeling of providing troubling information upon them. It's just added stress.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking about the past," Chris says bluntly.
Myracle tried to leave it alone, but Ryan still isn't convinced. Chris is like an open book. He knows that this isn't enough to convince Ryan. He wishes that he can be positive, but Simon's a part of the group. They all used to be close at one point. What happened?
"Chris. Come on man. Tell us what's really going on," Ryan says in a serious tone.
He practically doesn't break eye contact. Just like Tamara, Ryan tends to flip on and off personality traits. He can be funny and goofy at first and then serious and mature the next. When it comes to his friendships, Ryan will do whatever he possibly can to make them last.
"I've just been thinking about Simon. He's been off ever since Sarah died. It's clearly taken a toll on him," Chris says while stopping short in the hallway.
"Yeah that is odd. He hasn't even been taking courses. He's practically invisible," Ryan says, finally taking notice in Simon's absence.
At the sound of Simon's name, Myracle resorts into this shy demeanor. Has he ever even liked me? Is it my place to talk about him like this? Should I be contributing to this conversation? Myracle thinks to herself curiously.
She contemplates her options, not wanting to sound insensitive. She decides to speak. If she doesn't, Ryan and Chris will practically interrogate her. Simon is the last member of the group that she needs acceptance from. Once she has that, she can consider herself a member of the group.
"He has been missing in action. I do miss having him around. We should speak to him soon," Myracle says optimistically.
They continue their walk, Chris still thinking about Simon. However, he's more so thinking about Myracle's words. It almost seems too good to be true. Part of him knows that Simon will never be the same again.
They finally arrive at the training grounds. They are intimidated yet eager to learn once they walk through those doors. They have everything over there. It stretches from intense workouts to tracking animals. There's a wide variety of knowledge all grouped together in one room.
This training area is almost as loud as fireworks going off on Fourth of July. A simple off day that everyone took advantage off before the apocalypse hit. They still long for the day where they can wonder through large crowds again.
       They make their way over to the targets, hearing that satisfying sound of the arrow making contact with the target at full force. That exhilarating sound only excites them more.
       This new learning experience is their chance to fix the terrible world that they live in. They're going to need all of the distractions they can get. Happiness doesn't last forever. They must enjoy this feeling before it's too late.
       Tara starts to run over towards them, her smile exuding pride and confidence. You can tell that she loves her day job. She's the type of person that would make someone envious. It's hard to enjoy work nowadays.
       "Hey rookies! You here for the archery course?" Tara says excitedly.
       "Yeah we're ready!" Chris says with a broad smile.
       Myracle and Chris both notice Ryan's sudden timid demeanor. This loud, humorous teenager has now practically curled up in a ball because of one simple girl. They've never seen Ryan speechless before. It always happens whenever he lays eyes on Tara.
       He simply nods in agreement of Chris and Myracle who give off sly smirks. Chris elbows the side of his arm, egging him on only further. It's not everyday where he sees Ryan act this way. Chris is going to make the most of it.
       Tara's brunette hair is set in a ponytail. She's wearing a bright, vibrant yellow tank top, her athletic body making itself public for all eyes to see. She has this graceful presence about her that can captivate anyone in that training room.
       Ryan can't help but notice her obnoxiously large glasses that dangles off her nose whenever she glances down. He loves how sweet and innocent she looks. He forgot how compassionate certain people can be.
Chris and Myracle instantly start giving Ryan a look, teasing him from his awkwardness. His crush is so blatantly obvious. It's completely left out in the open. Chris is almost more excited to tease Ryan rather than partake in this archery course.
"Let's get started everyone! First, I need you guys to grab some compound bows while I find the arrows," Tara says while she jogs away, her ponytail swaying back and forth.
The room suddenly grows quiet. They can only hear the sound of Chris' snickering as he finally grabs the bow. Ryan staying quiet makes sense, but Myracle surprises him.
She was very vocal on the way here, her giddy attitude practically jumping out at them. She was much more lively, but it all changed as soon as she later eyes on Tara. Chris quickly shakes away his thoughts, focusing on the thrilling task in front of him.
"Ryan are you good? I don't think I've ever seen you like that," Chris says passively.
"I don't know Chris. Something's different about her," Ryan says with a slight blush.
Just before Chris responds, Tara comes rushing through the doors, carrying different sets of quivers filled with arrows. This sight fills the room with excitement. You can practically see the joy protruding off everyone's face.
However, Myracle still doesn't show any sigh of cheerfulness. She seems rather anxious and secluded. It's like she's all by her lonesome, trapped in her own cruel thoughts with no one to distract her.
Chris attempts to get her attention but quickly hesitates. Should I confront her? Does she even want to talk to me? Should I just act standoffish like before? Chris thinks to himself as his joyful expression turns cold, creating a gloomy atmosphere.
An hour passes as everyone continues their training. Chris' fingers are practically numb from the repetitive motion of pulling the bow back. His arm is bright red from the bow's impact considering he forgot to wear a long sleeved shirt.
He tries to hide the mark. He can't let anyone notice it. The temptation of grabbing an arm brace was at an all time high before, but they were only provided with two. Even though Chris is trying to ignore Myracle, he still can't help but care for her.
He winces from the pain of the impact, his form only depleting. He finally stops to catch his breath. This repetitive process is starting to grow tedious and demanding. He just wants to move on to something new already.
He looks to his left and sees the shocked faces of Myracle and Ryan. Bewilderment rushes over him at this sudden notion, even Tara seems to be impressed. Chris forces out an awkward chuckle before saying anything.
"What are you guys looking at exactly?" Chris asks awkwardly.
"Take a look fam," Ryan says while energetically motioning over towards the target.
Chris suddenly becomes much more intrigued as he looks at all of his shots. Most of them are bullseyes. He barely remembers those shots that he took. They were practically shots in the dark. It was like he blacked out, completely trapped in his own mind.
"It's been a while since I've seen anyone perfect a training session like that. Myracle you did great too!" Tara says optimistically just before walking towards Ryan.
Ryan awkwardly fidgets as he maintains eye contact with Tara. He's not usually one to make a fuss over a girl's beauty, but he was floored by her beautiful brown eyes.
He's practically waiting for her answer like a singer waiting for a callback after their audition. The experience is completely nerve wracking yet thrilling at the same time. He has no idea what's to come.
"Now Ryan, you're aim wasn't exactly like the others, but you have something that they don't have. Your reload time was impeccable. I feel like you have a lot of potential," Tara said with a comforting smile.
"T-Thank you," Ryan stutters over his words, earning a chuckle from Tara.
She maneuvers her way around Ryan, resting her hands gently onto his shoulders. He instantly tenses up, the nerves taking over. She starts to adjust his posture which only makes Ryan even more flustered.
He gazes at Chris who gives off a wicked smirk, giving a simple thumbs up. Chris quickly turns around, containing his laughter as he watches his best friend get manhandled by his trainer.
       "If you keep your posture like this, then your aim will definitely improve. If you want, I can help you out with this process tomorrow," Tara says gleefully.
       It takes a moment for Ryan to process this information. He knows that Chris is going to talk about this for the remainder of the day. He's going to treat it like it's a date. It takes every bit of Ryan's strength to maintain a straight face.
       "S-Sure! Sounds like a plan," Ryan says shyly.
       Just before they exchange farewells, the sound of a slamming door reverberates in the distance. Tara's face instantly goes pale, such a switch in her behavior. It reminds Chris of the situation with Tamara.
       Tara showcases this petrified expression on her face as her body begins to tremble. How could this incredibly approachable person fall under pressure so quickly? What's truly going on here?
       Suddenly, a woman walks in, portraying a high level of confidence. She almost looks like a dictator, completely distracted by their egoism and self interest. The tension that follows behind her is absolutely unfathomable.
       The look of her alone is enough to terrify anyone. She's on par with Admiral Johnson considering they both contain an authority complex. She showcases a terrible attitude, formulating a cold and mysterious atmosphere.
       Chris looks over at Myracle who recoils just as badly as Tara. It's like she knows who this woman is. What else is there to Myracle? Who is this woman? Why are they both so petrified? Chris thinks to himself before watching the madness unleash.
       Ryan takes a step back, analyzing the situation at hand. He notices Myracle's strange behavior as wells. Perhaps she didn't open up enough about her past. No matter what the reasoning is, Ryan will interrogate her after this confrontation is over. He needs answers.
       He absolutely despises Laura's attitude. The attitude that puts herself above all others. She's the type of person who you shouldn't trust in this new, apocalyptic world. Loyalty means nothing to her.
       Ryan shows a perplexed expression as he watches the woman completely ignore them, walking directly towards Tara. Why is she giving us the cold shoulder? What's up with her attitude? What's her relation to Tara? Ryan thinks to himself curiously.
       "What're you doing? Stop playing around and come with me. Sullivan needs you. Don't know why though considering how much time you waste training these rejects," The woman says rather bluntly.
       Tara instantly secluded herself, like she's a turtle hiding in her shell. She wants to come back out and feel safe to speak freely, but she can't. This woman has complete control, like a tyrant.
       Just before Chris intervenes with the woman's harsh words, his mother comes on the walkie talkie. She sounds frantic, clearly stressed beyond belief. The sound seems to be coming from the woman's pocket.
       "Laura we need you over here now! Come quick," Debbie says in a serious tone.
       "I'll see you home," Laura growls viciously.
       Silence is the only thing that follows after Laura's confrontation. Tara doesn't say a word. She just follows the woman like a puppet, incapable of making her own decisions.
       Ryan's face lights up as soon as he makes the connection. He overheard Tara's whispers as she was talking to Laura. He clearly heard the word mother come out of her mouth.
       Ryan's mind runs wild with theories as they start to walk back to their rooms. How come Laura treated her own daughter like that? Why is Tara so scared of her. Is there more to this story than what meets the eye? Ryan thinks to himself as he walks back without sharing a word.
       Chris contemplates on whether or not he should comfort Myracle. She usually gets distracted from her hardships whenever they speak to each other. He decides not to however, for they have been dealing with their own predicaments ever since that night.
       They all walk back, Tara and Laura still fresh on all of their minds. That confrontation between the two is still uneasy for them. It felt more like ridicule and interrogating rather than attitude. It was like Tara was her slave.
       As they walk back to their separate rooms, Simon locks his eyes onto Rosie and Jeannie. They're both talking to each other in the cafeteria, it seems to be a heavy conversation. He doesn't take that into consideration however.
       He needs to talk to them about this supposed leader. They need to team up just like the old days. They have to figure out the hidden secret of this supposed sanctuary. Everything seems way too good to be true.
       "Guys, we need to talk," Simon says while sitting down.
       They've never seen Simon this fired up before. He hasn't interacted with them in a long time. He has tenacity in his eyes. He has to gain more knowledge on this hospital. They have to be hiding something.