The next morning I woke up before Kenji so I decided to wake him up.
I carefully climbed up the ladder to him.
"Kenji wake up!" I said while shaking him.
The president assistant said there was a play area, which was really just a gated off circle but I didn't care I still wanted to play in it with Kenji.
"Kenji!"
"What?" He groaned still half asleep.
"I want to play with you, so get up!"
"No! Leave me alone!"
"No I want to play I am bored!"
"Well I want to sleep I am tired!".
I glance over and see lots of other kids playing together which was a surprise because I thought I woke up really early.
I fully climbed onto him bed now shaking him repeatedly
"Wake up! Wake up, wake up!"
"Fine!" He shouted.
"About time!".
He sat up and rubbed his eyes
"Let's tell Ruth and Forest where we are going first"
"I doubt Ruth would be awake" I said "She might be.".
We crawled down from the bed and made our way over to Ruth and Forest. It had seemed Ruth had taken the bottom bunk because when we went over she was surprisingly up and making her bed.
"There you both are! You were asleep for ages!" She said.
"I would have still been in bed if she hadn't woke me!"
"What? I was bored"
"We are going to go play over there" explained Kenji pointing to the gated off area to play in.
"Wait, where is Forest?" I asked, I was still thinking of last night when he denied that he was upset and seemed angry with me and when I said goodnight he never said it back.
"He's asleep"
"oh.."
"well come on Willow let's go, don't tell me you woke me up for nothing!"
"No I didn't let's go!" I said not before running off.
"Willow seemed sad that you were 'asleep'." Ruth said to Forest.
"Yeah...whatever." Forest replied vaguely.
"You are going to have to explain why you're upset at some point I mean Willow already started to notice".
"I say she will forget about it"
"And if she doesn't?"
"I tell them why, or at least say it's nothing to do with them. Even if I did try explain to Willow why I am 'sad' she wouldn't understand." .
"I'm sure she would, it's not that hard to wrap her head around."
Meanwhile the gated area aka play area was full of kids running around. Kenji started to look around to see what we could do, but a boy sitting on his own caught my eye, he had brown hair and was wearing black sunglasses .
I found it funny that he was wearing sunglasses when we were inside with no sun.
"What should we play?" Asked Kenji still facing the opposite direction, but just as he said that the boy I had been watching took off his glasses and I was shocked, his eyes were completely white except for the tiny black dot's which were his pupils.
I started to thug on Kenji arm still in shock of what I just saw.
"What Willow?" He asked.
I burst into tears, "I seen a demon!" I cried
"A what?"
"A demon, a really scary one!"
"There is no demons!"
"No look!" I pointed at the boy.
"Oh my god!" Sighed Kenji.
Why was he so calm about this?
"Willow that boy was probably born like that. That's why his eyes are like that"
"I'm confused!" I said now wiping my tears
"something happened to him or maybe he was just born like that but whatever happened but he is not a demon ."
"Oh, well I will just ask him why his eyes are like that"
"No you can't just ask people that!" Started Kenji but I had already ran up to him with Kenji not far behind.
"How come your- ?" I started but I was cut off by the boy.
"I am not a demon" he said in a calm sensible manner.
I was speechless how did he hear me, I mean we weren't that far from him but it's not like I shouted it.
When Kenji finally arrived he could tell I was shocked and scared .
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"He is a demon! He heard me call him one!" I cried.
"I'm not. I was just born with my eyes like this and I wear the sunglasses because they are sensitive to light" The boy said, he didn't sound angry or upset he just sounded calm, it was strange.
"How did you hear us?" Asked Kenji ignoring me?
"When you don't have anybody to listen to, you start to listen to others".
"Oh, well you're a good listener. I am very sorry about her!" Kenji apologised.
"Willow say sorry!" He whispered angrily.
"Sorry for calling you a demon..." I mumbled while wiping my tears.
"It's ok, I have been called worse and I can also tell you are very young, what age are you?"
"I'm four!"
"I'm twelve" said Kenji.
"oh, well I am ten" said the boy.
"That's not fair! Why is everyone older then me!" I huffed while crossing my arms.
"You didn't really expect him to be three did you?" Asked Kenji
"well..- ?" .
"Anyway, what's your name?" Kenji asked the boy.
"Oscar" he replied.
"I'm Kenji! And that's Willow" Said Kenji politely.
"Can we be friends now?" I asked
"sure!".
We then all sat in a circle together and talked about how we found out about the apocalypse. "I found out when I was in school" said Oscar.
"Same!" I agreed excitedly
"Me too!".
"If you are sensitive to sun and it was very sun that day how are you not dead?" I asked curiously, but was then hit by Kenji.
"Willow! You can't ask people how they are not dead! Say sorry!".
"It's ok, and I had my dad to help".
"is he dead?" I asked.
"Willow, for the love of god get some manners and stop mentioning death!".
"Stop being bossy!" I snapped.
"I am not, you are just being rude and I am allowed boss you around I am older!".
"No you're not!".
"Yes I am ask Forest or Ruth!".
"Fine I will!" I said getting up but was yanked back down by my pigtail.
"Ow!".
"Don't actually ask them!" Kenji whispered.
"Let's ask Oscar if you should be allowed boss me around just because you're older!" I said.
"No Willow don't put him in an awkward position!".
"It's ok!" Said Oscar calmly.
"So what do you think, should Kenji be allowed boss me around?" I asked.
"Well he is older so I guess he is more mature and you are quite young so maybe...".
"See even Oscar agrees with me!".
"You are not mature at all!"
"That's not what Oscar thinks!" Kenji said proudly.
God, he was so annoying. And what Oscar said was completely wrong. Kenji is not mature, at all.
"Anyway, to answer your question Willow, yes my dad is still alive thankfully!" Oscar said making Kenji and I stop fighting. "But who is Ruth and Forest? Are they your two parents?" Asked Oscar.
Kenji and I burst out laughing.
"No Ruth and Forest are our friends and so are me and Kenji none of us are related!" I laughed.
"I don't know if I would consider us friends, but sure Willow" said Kenji I just glared at him. "How old are Ruth and Forest?" Asked Oscar
"Much older then me!" I replied.
"They are fifteen" answered Kenji.
"Oh how did you meet?".
"I met Forest when my other friends left me to die!".
"Wait what?" Asked Kenji. "You never told me this!".
"You never asked" I said.
"Well tell us now!".
I proceeded to tell Kenji and Oscar the whole story, adding in every detail, and maybe exaggerating some bits... I even told them how I met Ruth when we were getting held at gun point.
"Whoa!" Said Oscar in amazement.
I smiled loving the attention.
But that quickly came to an end quickly when Oscar took off his big black glasses for a split second.
I gasped and quickly shut my eyes.
I felt bad for being frightened by his eyes but I couldn't help it.
When he finally finished fixing his glasses and put them back on he asked calmly as usual "Why are you so scared of my eyes?".
"Well-" I started but was interrupted by Kenji.
"Willow is just being a baby as per usual, your eyes are so cool, you look like a super hero, they are very cool don't listen to whatever Willow or anyone else says!" Reassured Kenji, he was clearly embarrassed of the way I was acting and felt bad for Oscar and so did I but I just wasn't used to seeing someones eyes like that.
I would usually be really angry at Kenji for calling me a baby and telling Oscar not to listen to me but he was slightly saving me from looking like a rude person.
"Willow say sorry right now!" Demanded Kenji.
I felt like I was always apologising these days.
"I am sorry Oscar!".
"Say you are really sorry!".
Was he for real? This is embarrassing enough.
"I am really sorry Oscar!" I said even though I wanted to scream at Kenji about how I can't control what I am and am not afraid of, even though I wish I could.
"It's okay.." Oscar replied with his head down.
He was clearly sad and I felt terrible.
"Are we still friends..?" I asked wearily.
"I mean sure, if you want to be".
I smiled.
"Come on Willow we should probably go back to Ruth and Forest now, do you know if there is anywhere we could get breakfast or food?" Kenji asked Oscar.
"Yeah I am pretty sure they will give out food around eleven I heard, they don't have much but I have only been here a night so you never know" .
"Ok thanks! See you later maybe?"
"Yeah! Bye!"
"Bye Oscar!" I say running to catch up with Kenji who had already walked off.
When we walked out the gate and were close to Ruth and Forest bunk beds Kenji said "Look at me Willow!"
"Why?" I began, while looking up at him.
Then he slapped me right across the face.
"You were being such a brat! You should be ashamed of yourself I mean poor Oscar, every question you shouldn't have asked, you did!".
I burst into tears and ran to Ruth still sobbing.
"Willow? What's wrong?"
"Kenji slapped me!"
"Why?" She asked furiously.
"He said I was a brat!" I cried.
When Kenji finally came over he said "Wait before you shout at me, let me explain!"
"There's not much that can save you from this!" Ruth warned.
"I know but hear me out, The minute we got into where the other kids were Willow started crying saying she seen a demon, it was a boy and his eyes were slightly abnormal , I mean how rude! Then she ran up to him and went to ask him why his eye were they way they were but was interrupted when he said he heard her call him a demon, she then proceeded to ask how he is not dead, and if his dad is dead. And finally to top things off she nearly started crying when the boy took off his glasses to fix them and he had to ask what was wrong with his eyes that scared her so much! Like come on Ruth she was being so embarrassing and rude!".
When he put it all together it did sound like I was a terrible person but I didn't know those questions were mean or rude.
Ruth hesitated before answering but finally said "Kenji why didn't just tell her what you told me just there instead of hitting her, say sorry!".
For once he was apologising to me!
"I am sorry for hitting you Willow!" He sighed.
"It's ok" I mumbled, but I was still angry.
"Maybe next time let your friend do the talking instead?" Ruth suggested Sweetly.
"He doesn't talk and when he does he shows no emotion, he is like a robot!" I replied.
"See what I mean!" Kenji said.
"Maybe he is just shy?".
"Maybe.."
~6 hours later~
After spending most of my day exploring more of this place dinner time had rolled around. I walked over to Ruth and asked.
"Where's Forest?".
"In his bed"
Strange... he had been in bed all day.
"is he awake?" I asked.
"I don't know?" She replied.
"I'll check!".
"No, I think you should stay down here!" Said Ruth but I ignored her.
I climbed up the ladder to Forest's bed.
I was surprised to see he was awake and just staring at the blank ceiling.
He looked sad and tired. Which I didn't understand how he could be tired because he had been in bed all day. There was something he wasn't telling me...
"What are you staring at?" I asked.
"Nothing" he replied vaguely.
"Did I wake you up?".
"No" .
"So you are just sitting up here looking at the ceiling?" I asked clearly confused.
"Yeah something like that!".
He wasn't trying very hard to keep this conversation going.
"I have a new friend!".
"Cool".
"His name is Oscar and he has creepy eyes".
"Wow...".
"And Kenji hit me" I replied trying to get some sort of reaction out of him.
"Yeah that so sad, but why don't you go down to Ruth?"
"But I want to stay here with you!" I protested.
"Yeah but I am really tired...".
"But you have been in bed all day!".
He sighs clearly loosing his patience.
"Willow go down to Ruth!"
"Fine!" I hissed. He was so annoying. I crawled down the ladder and looked around. Kenji and Ruth were gone.
I wandered around helplessly until someone from behind me grabbed my shoulders.
I jumped and turned around.
"Hey Willow!" Said Kenji excitedly.
"You scared me!".
"Sorry, but look do you notice anything different about me?".
"Your hair...?" I asked confused.
"No! Something else!".
"Oh! Your clothes your not in your uniform anymore!" I said.
Kenji was now wearing black tracksuit bottoms a white t-shirt and a dark green zip up hoodie. "Yes!".
"Where did you get them?" I asked.
" I don't know if your small brain could remember this, but when we first came in here yesterday they all asked our age and gave us bags remember?" He asked.
"My brain is not small, and yes I do!".
"Well the bag had clothes in them! Isn't it strange how prepared they were? This whole apocalypse has only being going on for less then a week!".
"Yeah but there's a lot of soldiers and police and other people to get all this stuff!" .
"I don't know kind of suspicious if you ask me!".
"Just be happy!" I said.
"Where's Ruth?" I asked.
Kenji pointed to a line that had been formed.
It was huge.
Then I spotted Ruth.
She was in the middle of the line. Kenji and I approached her.
"Do you like my clothes?" Kenji asked proudly.
"yeah....where did you get them from?" Asked Ruth visibly concerned.
"Remember the bags we got when we first came here?".
"Yeah?".
"They had clothes in them!".
"Oh cool, they are very prepared!".
"That's what I was thinking!".
"Why are you lining up?" I asked.
"They are going to give us breakfast, but don't expect much there is lots of people so I say it will only be something small".
" But I am hungry!"
"I don't know what to tell you!" She responded but then we were interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Hey, your guns worked really well, Miss no time to dye!" It was Stephanie.