"just wake me up in 6"
a gently hand shaking my shoulder, i slowly sit up taking in my surroundings, tyler is sitting in front of me, circles formed under his heavy eyes "i think we should head out" he says.
its only than when i notice its already light out "you didn't wake me up" i say looking at him he just shrugs, hard to read what he's actually feeling.
"said i wasn't going to let you sleep on the floor" he mumbled, he avoids eye contact and gazes to the wall "you should've just woken me up, you look tired"
"im not tired" he says with some sort of a heavy undertone. i decide to switch the topic "hows you're arm doing?" he shifts his gaze to his arm and back to the wall "fine"
not a man of words, thats for sure.
"so....uhm by saying we should go, where exactly are you planning to?" i say, he looks back at me "well i heard about a group of people called the banditos who take in people like us, escapers, but they live out of the city walls, so my plan was to go out there search for them, if you're cool with that"
im starstruck about the fact i was right there were people who felt like me, a small smile creeps upon my face and i look back at him "i didn't know about that" i say "i just needed to get out of there i didn't really have much of a further plan"
i try to make it sound more casual but the silence stil falls "so banditos it is" i say standing up, my feet are sore and my muscles tense, but im out thats all that matters
i let out a groan and walk over to my backpack and take out my water bottle and take a sip, filling my dry throat. without a word i pass him the bottle, he stares at it for a moment but finally takes a sip himself.
"so right out city walls, whats the best way for that?"
he closes the cap on my water bottle and clears his throat "east" he says handing me back the water bottle, man he really doesn't talk much.
i look at my feet leaning forwards and backwards, i look up to him still looking at me but quickly shifting his gaze away "they are still out there, we have to be careful" he sternly says "right" i mumble.
once again silence falls and i tense up "well, lets move than" i say swinging my backpack around my shoulder he just nods and walks out the door ugh this is gonna be a long day.
i follow him out and a hint of sunshine pampers my face, i breath in the fresh air and follow tyler down to the stairs he suddenly stops and i bump into him "hey-
"shut up!" he says pushing me backwards and placing his own body flat against the building a glimpse of fear shoots through me and i copy him plastered against a wall.
"what is it" i whisper "bishops" my eyebrows furrow, they never go out themselves they always send other people "what? all the way out here?" my heartbeat is going up and i look up at tyler.
"it'll be fine" he mumbles looking away "im gonna take a look" he says stepping forward "no wait!" i grab him by his arm and pull him back "we should just go around" he sighs, he looks at me with those same heavy eyes, i wonder if he actually slept at all last night.
"fine" he says and i immediately turn back to the stairs and slip through the other hall leading more north "this will be safer" he nods and follows.
we've been walking for around 5 hours now and my feet are burning, my heads almost spinning and the burning sun on my skin isn't helping either.
i peek a glimpse at tyler who looks even more rough than he did this morning, dragging his feet forward with a thin coat of sweat plastered on his forehead, he catches my glimpse and raises an eyebrow.
"maybe we should find shelter for tonight" i say before he starts suspecting something "yeah that sounds good" he actually agrees? that's new.
"i think i know a place" he says "stayed there one time" what? how can he stayed there before "you've been out before?" i almost yell.
he shuffles stiffly "yeah" he says, this guy is he for real "why didn't you tell me?" he shrugs "dunno"
like i said before man of many words "you can tell me now" i say curiously sitting down on a ledge, even the floor is warm.
i see him visibly hesitating but he takes a spot next to me, i look at him full of curiosity but i don't wanna bomb him with question "wellllll..." i say, mockingly bumping his arm.
he stares out in the horizon "there isn't much to tell" my eyebrows knit together, how can there be nothing to tell? "what do you mean?"
nothing.
i look at the horizon trying to figure out what he feels, maybe something happend "did you get send away?" still nothing.
"i did" i say, i can see his expression change in the corner of my eye "C facility" i say numbly keeping my gaze on the horizon.
wasn't planning on telling him that but hey got to do something. "you got out before?" his voice soft now.
i chuckle "i tried" while i take a deep breath i move my sore body back and look more up, few stars have start to show "didn't make it far"
he follows my lead and looks up as well, silence falls once again.
im tired and my body starts aching "so where's that place you know my back is killing me" i decide not to question him, how its looking he's not interested in sharing anything anyway.
he shifts his body slightly towards me and points "see that building with the stripe in the middle ?" my tires eyes scan over the buildings and i in fact spot a building with a stripe lingered over it, "yeah"
"thats it" thank god its not that far "alright well shall we?" i ask while standing up, at this point i haven't eaten anything in 2 days so i feel a little dizzy putting my weight against the wall and leaning on it for a brief moment.
tyler looks at me almost concerned but shifts back towards his more numb gaze "you alright?" he asks.
i nod "yeah just little dizzy" he leans against the same wall "we can wait longer if you want" he says looking up to meet my eyes
i can't already start showing weaknesses and besides i just want to sleep "nah its fine, lets just go" i say pushing away from the wall wiping my forehead
"alright" he mumbles leading the way, after 15 minutes what felt like forever we finally reach the building.
"its basically the same as last night" he says while opening the door. there's an actual bed in here, a single but still, a small desk with cups and a small radio.
i kick off my shoes and fall down on the bed, a groan escapes my lips while the aching in my body continues.
i keep laying there for about 5 minutes until i sit up upon the bed looking up at tyler, he's taking off his shoes as well.
its my turn to sleep on the floor so i find a spot in a corner and drop my backpack there, tylers gaze shifts over to me "you take the bed" he says pulling the blinds shut.
"its your turn" i say facing him from a couple feet away, he shrugs and looks away "just take it"
i walk back over to the bed running my fingers against the lining "we could just share" i mumble fiddling with the sheets.
"what?" he says stopping the curtains and looking over at me on the bed "we can both fit"
"the floor is fine" he says in his more numbly tone "well than ill have to figure that out myself" i smile and i see him getting annoyed.
"come on, you could use some sleep" i say in a more serious tone now "i'll probably kick you out in my sleep" he says while playing with the hem of his shirt
"ill take those chances" i say and pat the bed "cmon"
he hesitantly walks over and sits himself down at the end "are you sure" he mumbles looking into my eyes, it actually makes me feel a little warm
"yes im sure tyler" i try to make it as clear as possible, close up he looks even more tired and i actual worry for him.
i shut off the lights and slide into the warm bed, tyler who's still at the end does the same, he uncomfortably shifts hid body so we're barely touching.
still i can feel his warm upper arm brush against mine, i don't mind it at all, i have to stop attaching to him gosh.
"that better than the floor huh?" i say jokingly, he nervously chuckles "yeah"