The days I spent without Ian were tedious and most of my time was spent worrying and awaiting his return. This is why it was such a relief to me when Jamie cane to my room to give me the good news. Little did I know the result of this trip would not just be on my mental state the weeks the raiders were gone but would remain a pain to me for the rest of my human life. This would most likely be the last life I could bear to live.
"Wanda, the raid is over." Jamie called from the hallway to my room. I had spent much of the past days here only leaving to eat, bathe, use the latrine, or do what chores I could.
The excitement the four words triggered in me was extreme. I was on my feet in a second darting out the hall. Jamie stood there waiting for me.
"I need to talk to you." He said somberly. I quickly dismissed his mood only one thought running through my head. Ian Is back.
"Later." I said ducking under his arm to run out of the cave leading to multiple other rooms.
The halls were empty. The raiders were home and everyone would be crowded around the dirty group of men returned from their trip.
I darted through the halls stumbling once just to pick myself up and keep sprinting.
I was out of breath by the time I reached the mirror room. Everyone was there in a crowd. This time I noticed a difference in the atmosphere. It was tense and depressing.
I made my way through the crowd of my human family into the center where the raiders were. They were all dirty and it was easily noticeable that they were the center of the depression.
I looked around the group of men for the man I wanted to see.
I rattled off the names of the men in my head but there was something missing. I looked over them three times. Everyone was watching me. Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath. Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath. Jared, Kyle, Brandt, Heath.
"Where's Ian?" I asked confusion written on my expression.
"He didn't come back." Jared said looking down. I noticed Melanie, her arms wrapped around Jared's waist, her face twisted with pity.
"What do you mean? Where is he?" I asked looking at Jared. I focused on his eyes trying to detect any emotion. All I saw was sadness and regret.
"I'm sorry Wanda." He said looking down.
Realization crashed down on me. My shoulders sagged and I felt tears overflow my eyes. I fell to my knees onto the hard rock floor. I winced in pain but I didn't pay it any attention to that. A sob erupted from my chest and echoed through the room.
Ian's not coming back. He's gone. These were my only thoughts. I repeated them.
I felt a arm wrap around me, but this wasn't the touch I wanted.
"Wanda, It's going to be okay." Jamie said trying to be brave. I heard the tremor in his voice and felt warm spots soak through my shirt. He was crying too.
I would have comforted Jamie, I would have told him it was alright. I would have said these things but that would have been a lie. The world was a horrible place today. This place I loved was now like prison to me.
The cavern was just an echo of my sobs. I didn't know who was there but it didn't matter because I knew who wasn't. And yet again I wished Ian had never left without me. I would have rather died by his side than have this news brought to me the day the raiders returned.