underneath the surface stirs in me, allowing lust to intertwine.
I turn, about to walk away when Clover touches my shoulder.
“We need to talk,” she says.
The seriousness of her voice makes me miss the giddiness she displayed the night before as I told her my name. Had I stole that giddiness from her? I realize now how extreme emotions can become out in this deserted place. The red zone wasn’t turning out to be everything I’d hoped it would be. I had imagined abandoned towns full of mystery and foreign ideas. I envisioned unfenced fields rolling as far as the horizon and discovering wild animals I’d never dreamed I would see. I was told my mother had loved the red zone. How could you love a place that only offered death and memories of a destroyed world? Why would you knowingly offer yourself up to it, away from your family and newly born daughter? Had I done the same as her? All my questions paled in comparison to the last one that crossed my mind. What would Dad do if I too, didn’t return?
Beyond Clover, Connor places the supply bag on his shoulder. A shy, tender smile brushes his lips as he glances toward the ground, lost in his own thoughts. He shuffles the bag’s handle to rest securely around his shoulders. When he catches my eyes on him, he frowns as if I’ve uncovered him in the act of doing something sinful. He must realize how he affects me. Clover snaps her fingers, drawing my attention.
“Millie?”
She snaps again.
“Who was the guy we buried?” She asks and waits for my response.
“Thank you for helping me, but does it matter who he was? He’s dead now.”
My voice comes out in an unfamiliar irritated sneer. If I can’t learn to control myself, and soon, I’m going to break. The heaviness settling inside of me, enlarges, bringing with it an unnerving anxiousness. It’s like everything I am or will be is resting on top of a rubber band and I’m standing beside the stretched rubber, daring it to snap.
Annoyance fills the features of Clover’s delicate face. Speckles of pink splatter her cheeks and cover the tips of her ears. Her eyes seem to glow in the morning light. A frustrated sounds emits from her mouth.
“I’ve had enough!” She yells, enunciating the words.
Waves of frustration flow off of her skin. I watch waiting for my own irritability to flare but it lies dormant.
“If we wanted to kill you, you would be dead,” Clover wails, then grinds her teeth. “Connor would’ve put a knife in your head as you were running from the gas station! But no, we spent all night trying to track you down, which is not easy in the dark, might I remind you.”
She points her thin finger at me.
“We ended up killing another one of those damn infected and found two more sets of infected tracks going in your direction. I would’ve prefered to sleep but instead end up tracking their disgusting bodies through the trees, hoping they don’t find you before we do.” She breathes in deeply. “At dawn, we calculated we would be able to catch up to you by late morning only to notice those damn pine cones leading the way the whole time. The whole damn time!” She bellows.
I take a step away as she continues.
“Today, I buried a man I didn’t even know when I couldn’t even give the same courtesy to my little sister. So when I ask who he is, I expect to be answered. We’re not the enemy Millie, we’re not going to hurt you and we’re not going to raid your village.”
Her arms fly into the air accenting her irritation.
“We won’t take your women and children!” She exclaims.
Clover stands in front me, her hands balled up into fist by her side. She takes large breaths to calm herself. All I can do is stare at her dumbly as she struggles with her own anger and exhaustion. I understand her exasperation so I wait patiently. Connor places his hand on her shoulder.
“Cuz, why don’t you go ahead and find us a place to make camp,” he says in a deep soothing voice, “Millie
I turn, about to walk away when Clover touches my shoulder.
“We need to talk,” she says.
The seriousness of her voice makes me miss the giddiness she displayed the night before as I told her my name. Had I stole that giddiness from her? I realize now how extreme emotions can become out in this deserted place. The red zone wasn’t turning out to be everything I’d hoped it would be. I had imagined abandoned towns full of mystery and foreign ideas. I envisioned unfenced fields rolling as far as the horizon and discovering wild animals I’d never dreamed I would see. I was told my mother had loved the red zone. How could you love a place that only offered death and memories of a destroyed world? Why would you knowingly offer yourself up to it, away from your family and newly born daughter? Had I done the same as her? All my questions paled in comparison to the last one that crossed my mind. What would Dad do if I too, didn’t return?
Beyond Clover, Connor places the supply bag on his shoulder. A shy, tender smile brushes his lips as he glances toward the ground, lost in his own thoughts. He shuffles the bag’s handle to rest securely around his shoulders. When he catches my eyes on him, he frowns as if I’ve uncovered him in the act of doing something sinful. He must realize how he affects me. Clover snaps her fingers, drawing my attention.
“Millie?”
She snaps again.
“Who was the guy we buried?” She asks and waits for my response.
“Thank you for helping me, but does it matter who he was? He’s dead now.”
My voice comes out in an unfamiliar irritated sneer. If I can’t learn to control myself, and soon, I’m going to break. The heaviness settling inside of me, enlarges, bringing with it an unnerving anxiousness. It’s like everything I am or will be is resting on top of a rubber band and I’m standing beside the stretched rubber, daring it to snap.
Annoyance fills the features of Clover’s delicate face. Speckles of pink splatter her cheeks and cover the tips of her ears. Her eyes seem to glow in the morning light. A frustrated sounds emits from her mouth.
“I’ve had enough!” She yells, enunciating the words.
Waves of frustration flow off of her skin. I watch waiting for my own irritability to flare but it lies dormant.
“If we wanted to kill you, you would be dead,” Clover wails, then grinds her teeth. “Connor would’ve put a knife in your head as you were running from the gas station! But no, we spent all night trying to track you down, which is not easy in the dark, might I remind you.”
She points her thin finger at me.
“We ended up killing another one of those damn infected and found two more sets of infected tracks going in your direction. I would’ve prefered to sleep but instead end up tracking their disgusting bodies through the trees, hoping they don’t find you before we do.” She breathes in deeply. “At dawn, we calculated we would be able to catch up to you by late morning only to notice those damn pine cones leading the way the whole time. The whole damn time!” She bellows.
I take a step away as she continues.
“Today, I buried a man I didn’t even know when I couldn’t even give the same courtesy to my little sister. So when I ask who he is, I expect to be answered. We’re not the enemy Millie, we’re not going to hurt you and we’re not going to raid your village.”
Her arms fly into the air accenting her irritation.
“We won’t take your women and children!” She exclaims.
Clover stands in front me, her hands balled up into fist by her side. She takes large breaths to calm herself. All I can do is stare at her dumbly as she struggles with her own anger and exhaustion. I understand her exasperation so I wait patiently. Connor places his hand on her shoulder.
“Cuz, why don’t you go ahead and find us a place to make camp,” he says in a deep soothing voice, “Millie
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