I frown at the taste of stale bread, cheap cheese and less than grade B meat on my tongue. And I frown deeper at the taste that isn't on my tongue.
"There's no pickles on this sandwich."
That's what I say, but with my mouth full of food, it sounds more like, "Where's fo fivkles on fyhis swandwhuch."
Kefilwe sends me a raised brow, and after swallowing my food, I repeat the sentence again, to which she sighs. "That's because we have no pickles in Abel at the moment, Five."
"But why don't we make some? All it is is cucumbers soaked in vinegar, right?"
"I don't think we've got any cucumbers stored."
My frown deepens. "Why not?"
"Because they're harvested in the summer, and since not many cucumber plants were sown in the first, they disappeared fairly quickly."
"Ah... right." I huff in disappointment. "I guess I have pumpkins to look forward to. We grew and harvested some of them, right?"
"I believe so."
I've been back home for a week now, and God, have I missed it. I received a lot of hugs, which was awkward, and a bit painful because of injured side, which should lose their stitches tomorrow.
Yay!
It's funny how happy Sam was to see me even though we did talk during the two and a half weeks I was gone. It was also funny how much Summer seemed to miss me, especially since I, well, threatened to kill her. Even Janine gave me a pat on the shoulder and a smile.
Penelope was the happiest at my return, followed by Milo. I loved talking with them, hearing what had happened and what they'd been doing while I was gone. Thankfully Sam was able to keep Milo from sneaking off to the track to practice and train, but he still wants to be a runner. He wants it so badly it scares me.
I see the teenager eating quietly at a nearby table. His is near the outside of the building, right by the open door. I think he's trying to look out at the rain so he can get an idea for drawing. He's shown me a few drawings of his, the ones he created while I was gone. They're getting better, although really, he was talented to begin with.
If only he weren't hanging around those two brats, Polly and Zach. Something about them just screams bad news to me. I wish he'd make some other friends that aren't those two. I've found nothing wrong with them so far besides Polly's need to smart mouth me whenever I tell my son no, but I have a feeling about them. A really bad feeling.
Penelope's eating with her class. She would come sit with me if her teacher would allow it. But after eating she has to go right back to school, and she really, really likes to talk and tell me every single thing that's happened to her so far today in alarmingly accurate detail, so it's best for her not to talk to me until after school.
But I guess it's a good thing I'm not talking to them right now, since I'm finding it very hard to concentrate. My mind feels scattered. It has been since I left that treetop base. I'm beginning to think it was Veronica who triggered those visions, since apparently she will be a part of my death, a big part of it. And after I was around her for two weeks, leaving and no longer having her near is messing with my mind a bit.
But I've not had anymore visions since I left; I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
"Something wrong?" Kefilwe asks, jolting me back to the present. "You look pretty disturbed by something, and I doubt it has anything to do with you not having any pickles on your sandwich..."
She sighs when I don't answer. "Is it because we're having trouble finding anything on that Laetitia Greenwald woman? You seemed rather interested in that bit of information."
"Yes and no," I reply, my head hanging low. "Something about that name sticks out to me, for more than one reason. I just have a feeling it might help in finding Caleb."
Laetitia Greenwald has been swarming around my head recently. I mean, why would I have a vision of Nadia saying that if it didn't mean something? This lady must be a part of Comansys-a worker there, possibly. It's obvious she's important because of what was shown on those paper files. She might know where our people are, so we have to find her... if she's still alive.
She must be if she's a part of Comansys.
"What else seems to be bothering you?" She asks, and I shrug.
"The pickles, for one," I say, getting a small smile from it. "But really, I'm just glad to be back home. I didn't like it there. A lot... weird things happened to me there. I got hurt a lot more than usual."
She tips her head to the side in interest, but before she could say anything on it, another voice cuts in.
"Hello, Five."
I look up and smile at the two people standing in front of our table, their hair dripping from the rain.
"Hey, Paula, Sam," I say kindly, and Kefilwe offers them a polite wave. They don't return it.
In fact, at the sight of her, the two seem to cringe and shrink back. Sam's a little more discreet about it than the redhead beside him, but not by much.
"Oh, hello, Dr. Lobatse," He says stiffly, and I roll my eyes.
"Hello, Sam," She says, trying her best not to notice how cold they're acting towards her. I admire her for that. If people were going to act this petty to me, I'd have probably decked them by now. "Are you not going to have a seat?"
The two stare down at their plates that hold the exact same thing mine does, or did, since I've already scarfed down my not-very-satisfying sandwich down.
"We were, just not at this table," Paula replies. Her voice doesn't hold any... hostility, but it certainly doesn't hold any kindness. I send a raised brow at the two of them while Kefilwe's eyes dart around awkwardly, a defeated look within them.
"Why not at this table?" I ask, feigning obliviousness. "I mean, it's not like the seats are any better at another table. Come on. Sit."
I pat the seat next to mine, looking at them expectantly. I know Paula and Sam won't like sitting with Kefilwe, but frankly, I don't care. She's done nothing to them to deserve their rudeness, and she's been here for months. This needs to stop.
So, with my persuasion, Paula sits down by me while Sam sits down by Kifilwe. The three who still has food on their plates eat in silence, and the only time Paula talks it's directed at Sam and vice versa.
I purse my lips.
This won't do at all.
"I didn't tell you what happened at New Canton, did I?" I say suddenly, which gains their attention rather quickly.
"No. Why? Amber said everything was fine," Sam replies, and I snort.
"The run there and back was fine. When we were at New Canton... Well, how do you think Seventeen got that black eye?"
"I thought she'd just gotten into a fist fight with Runner Eleven," Paula says, and I shrug.
"That may or may not be true, but that's not how she got the black eye, because if we're all honest, Summer could kick Cameo's ass."
Kefilwe chokes on her sandwich at my language.
"But, anyway, after we got to New Canton. We went and asked for a meeting with the Permanent Advisory Council so I could break the news and tell them that Nadia wasn't planning on coming back..." I bite my lip. "They didn't take that very well."
"What happened?" Kefilwe asks, receiving a glance from Paula, accompanied with a slight scowl.
"Mostly yelling. A lot of that yelling was aimed at me, and me being... me, I said a few choice words in reply which ended up with Summer getting punched in the eye." I giggle. "Hey, that rhymed."
"Why her and not you?" Sam asks.
"Well, this one guy, Jonathan I think his name was, was going to punch me, but then I think he remembered how I did in those training sessions with New Canton's newbies, so he punched Summer instead."
"Then what happened?"
"She punched him right back. It was pretty funny actually. There was more yelling after that, mostly from Bernard, mostly aimed at me because apparently he thought I was the one who deserved to be punched in the face. I zoned out through most of it. His voice was getting pretty annoying. Then after that I received a few death threats."
"You were threatened by the council?" Paula gapes, and I shake my head.
"No. No. Not from them. After about ten minutes of Bernard's yelling, I'd had enough and left. He yelled at me as I was doing so. Since Amber hadn't come back on coms yet, I decided to go see Phil and Zoey. After I found them, Zoey told me that they'd received a few callers on their show who said they hope I get eaten by zombies because they don't like the fact that I'm dating Phil."
"Wait, you're actually dating? I thought that was just a joke."
"It is," I reply. "But the people in New Canton started a rumor, and it turns out both me and Phil like to be little shits so we went with it. I mean, the people in New Canton believe almost anything. They have a Conspiracy Theorists Club. That about tells you everything you need to know. Plus, the rumor has escalated... like, really escalated."
"What do you mean?" Kefilwe blinks curiously.
"Well, apparently, according to New Canton, Phil and I aren't just dating; We're engaged."
This time it's Sam turn to choke on his sandwich. "What?"
I nod. "Yep. Looks like I'm a bride-to-be."
"You told them that wasn't true, right?"
I shake my head. "No-well, I was going to, but Phil told the person asking us that we're still trying to pick out a date for the wedding."
"Oh, my God," He murmurs, smacking himself in the forehead.
"So I told him that there wouldn't be a wedding if he kept refusing my Arkansan tradition."
"Arkansan tradition?" Paula repeats with a raised brow, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.
"Well, you see," I giggle, "apparently you Brits believe we Americans run around holding the American flag with a bald eagle on our shoulder while blasting the National Anthem all day, everyday, when really we only do that on the Fourth of July. So, I told this person that every state has a wedding tradition revolved around our country.
"I said in Texas, they sing God Bless America after they take off their cowboy hats, just before the bride walks down the isle. Idaho gets their potatoes and spell out the word 'Freedom' out in a field during the reception."
"And what do they do in Arkansas?" Paula asks with a smirk.
"I said that the solemniser must be dressed like Abraham Lincoln."
Kefilwe laughs, even though she's trying hard not to. Paula shakes her head, forcing herself to keep from smiling. Sam just blinks in confusion.
"Why Abraham Lincoln? I don't think he's from Arkansas."
"He's not. The only President from Arkansas was Bill Clinton, but no one likes him." I shake my head. "I just think it's funny that they actually believed it. I mean, I know Americans can be a bit obnoxious. You've seen me on the Fourth of July. I become the definition of patriotic on that day... But still... it was interesting. So yeah, until Phil agrees to that, we're not getting 'married'."
I chuckle, still unable to comprehend how people in New Canton actually think that. They're like a movie version of high school-dramatic as hell and willing to believe anything.
"He's never going to agree, is he?" Sam asks.
"He better not, or else he's getting left at the alter. He's like, seven years older than me, not to mention the fact that we have no romantic interest in each other."
"And I believe someone else has caught your eye. Isn't that right, Five?" Kefilwe asks, and I narrow my eyes at her.
"We faked a frantic argument and everything," I say, ignoring her comment. "Plus, I started to cry and-Where's Milo?"
The three of them turn to the table where Milo and his two friends were sitting; It's empty. Completely bare.
"They were probably called back to class," Paula guesses, but I shake my head.
"No. I can see some of his classmates at the other tables." I point to a nearby table. "See? There's Rachel and Andrew. And Polly and Zach are in ninth grade; Milo's in seventh."
I stand up, the humor that was surrounding the table is gone completely.
"I'm sure everything's alright," Kefilwe says soothingly, but she stands along with me.
"I have to go. Last time my kids snuck off..." I close my eyes, pain stabbing at my chest. "Last time they snuck off, one of them died. Would you mind returning my plate for me? Thanks."
I stride off, but they're not too far behind me. I can hear Paula saying something about me overreacting, but I don't really listen. It's like her words go into my ears but die before they can actually reach my brain.
A part of me knows I'm freaking out only because Milo wants to be a runner so badly, but I just can't help it. I know how I am. I know how stubborn and determined I can be, so I expect others to be the same, especially since Milo gets some of his traits from being around me.
And seeing how Milo has snuck off before, I can't think he won't do it again.
I can't see why anyone would really want to be a runner. Sure, if I'm honest, I love running. If I'm stuck in Abel for too long, I start to get fidgety, but only because I've been a runner for almost four and a half years. It's a part of me now. But I didn't want to be a runner. I just did it because I was healthy and I had a strong enough body to be a runner. My immune system was weak and I had anemia, but I could push through it, which was what they wanted.
It's what the Torrencers wanted.
But being a runner is all I can do now. I wasn't trained to do anything else. I can't do anything else; I don't know how. Running is in my blood, and while I don't see being a runner as a bad thing, because now I love my job, I can't let Milo think he can become one. Not when there's a chance he could get hurt... or killed.
I can't lose him. I've already failed one of my children; I won't make the same mistake again.
"Runner Five," Paula calls out again as I leave the building, into the rain. It's freezing as it hits my skin, but I ignore it. It's not like I can catch cold or anything. "Don't you think you're being a little-"
"No. No, I do not think I'm being over dramatic," I spit out, pushing my already soaked hair out of my face. "Once you have a kid, you'll understand."
"You're sixteen! Milo isn't even your-"
"Finish that sentence and your face is going to end up in the mud. Milo is my son and Penelope is my daughter. I know I'm only sixteen, but I've also killed more people than you've met, probably. I guess you could say I grew up quickly, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure my two kids don't have to. So I suggest you go back inside."
"No way," Sam says. "I'm not leaving you out here. In a situation like this, you're going to need someone to be your impulse control."
"Why is that?" I ask, trudging through the mud. A clap of thunder echoes through the sky, and I flinch.
"Because if you find Milo at the training grounds, or trying to sneak out of the township somehow, especially in this weather, you'll most likely strangle Polly and Zach."
I roll my eyes. "I would not. Although I would make sure the three of them got quite a punishment."
"Either way, I'm not going anywhere."
"I might as well come along too," Paula sighs, her voice barely heard over the sudden booming thunder. "Although you can head back, Dr. Lobatse. I doubt you'd be of much help anyway."
There's a venomous bite in her voice-one that would put a snake to shame, but the doctor doesn't flinch. She's gotten used to her tone, I'm guessing. Maybe she didn't hear it in the rain.
"I'm fine right here, thank you," She replies. "I want to make sure the children don't put themselves in harm's way or injure themselves. And if they are hurt when we find them, I'd be able to help them, since you cannot."
Paula flinches at the blow. It's calm and cool. Kefilwe could simply claim she was stating facts, which she was. Paula is infected still, meaning she can't be a doctor. It's a true statement, but it still hurts.
There's a growl of annoyance and anger, then silence. I honestly don't care at the moment, although I will have to talk to Sam about his and Paula's attitudes towards Kefilwe later. Because Paula deserved that one.
The water soaking my long hair weighs down on me, nearly causing my head to hang back. I remind myself I need to get a haircut very soon. It's down to my waist now, and it needs to be around my shoulders. Not only is my long hair an inconvenience, but it can be dangerous when I'm out on runs. The longer the hair, the more or a chance it might get tangled in the fingers of a zombie.
And while I won't go getting a pixie cut anytime soon, I will be getting it cut.
Lightning flashes across the sky, and for that brief second of light, I see two figures running around. I can't make out their faces, but I know who they are.
So I start running.
The two are gone in a flash, no longer seen when the lightning disappears. Thunder clashes, this time so loud Sam jumps a foot in the air. I would laugh if I wasn't so determined to go after the two. Wherever they're going, Milo must be waiting, so I follow them.
There are a few lights on outside the buildings, but the only time I can really see where the two teenagers are going is when lightning flashes, followed by a clash of thunder.
"Come on," I pant, my clothes soaked and sticking to my skin. "I saw them. They're headed this way."
The cold rain is starting to hurt as it touches me. Each droplet is like a small stab to the epidermis. But I keep running, even as I start to shiver. I have to find Milo. I have to make sure he's not doing anything stupid.
He's too much like me for me to think that he isn't.
Then as I'm moving, something hard-something hidden under the mud and masked by the rain, hits my foot. A stab of pain goes up my toe, but before I can even think to complain about that, I'm going face first into the mud.
It gets in my shirt, my pants, my hair. I grimace at the slimy texture it has against my skin. Three pairs of hands grab hold of me, helping me back on my feet. I hear garbled up voices asking if I'm alright, but the rain nearly drowns them out.
"I'm fine. I'm fine," I say. "I just tripped. No big deal. Now come on. We've got to catch up to them before they do anything stupid."
So we start off again. I can feel that the three are beginning to get annoyed at having to run around in this rain, but my thoughts are only on Milo. Him trying to do any of the obstacle courses on the training ground right now could lead to serious injury since he can barely make the obstacle courses when they're dry.
But then I see the quick flashes of two shadows, and they're not heading towards the training area. They're actually going the direct opposite.
"What the..." I mutter, following them with narrowed eyes.
Then we turn a corner, and I see him. He's sitting under a balcony, a notepad and pencil in hand, drawing in earnest. He glances up when Polly and Zach approach him, and when he does I push Paula and Kefilwe behind the building to stay out of sight. Sam thankfully gets the idea and follows.
I peek around the corner, and I see Milo still looking up at Polly and Zach, a frown starting to form on his face. The loud mixture of thunder and rain silences their voices from my ears. And only Milo is facing me, so I can't read their expressions.
The brunet shakes his head at the two before looking back down at his notepad. His brows furrow and I see his lips move one more time before the two run off. I can't help but wonder what he said to them.
I watch, the rain still pouring down on me, as the boy continues to draw. After a few minutes, he checks the cheap watch I found and gave to him. He closes up his notepad and shoves it, along with his pencil into his jacket. Then he darts off into the direction of the school.
"Runner Five," Sam says, his teeth chattering. "Now that you know what he was doing, can you please just get out of this rain? I don't want to leave you out here but..."
I nod, although I feel numb from the cold. Sam's face is flushed and Kefilwe is shaking like a leaf. Paula looks almost as bad. The half-Zombie thing must make her not feel as cold as the rest of us.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. You guys need to get dried off and I need to clean myself since I'm, well, covered in mud." I cast a quick glance back, seeing that empty place under the balcony. He wasn't training. He wasn't sneaking around behind my back, not really. Maybe his friends aren't that bad after all.
"Let's go."
A/N: Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it's more of a filler, but I thought since the last eight chapters have been super serious, this would help since it's a bit more laidback. Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to jettmanas
Please be sure to vote and comment! Thank you and have a blessed day!