5 : 50 PM

Jaiden's POV

The teenager knocks on the door 305.

" Come in. " The young asian girl answers from the other side.

Jaiden opens the door and sees that everything in the room has been cleaned,compared to when he first came in. He searches for the girl everywhere then he finds her,smoking and lying to the window. She seems to be thinking about something. The young lad slowly walks to her and stands on her left,lying his elbows to the window too.

" Do you have a cigarette ? " The woman asks subtlely.

" I don't smoke. "

" Shit... "

" Don't you go down with the others ? "

" Tell you the truth... I don't actually trust anyone in this Earth. Hell I wasn't even supposed to let you in. "

" So... Why ? "

" Huh ? "

" Why all this lonely attitude ? What brought you to this ? "

" I don't wanna tell abou... "

" Come on ! Don't tell me that sorta thing everyone says. We all have our little secrets. "

" Trust me you don't wanna hear about this. "

" How about we make a deal ?! " Jay searches his pockets and takes out... a rippen photograph of himself in front of his house.

" Why are you taking your photo out ? "

" I got a little plan in mind... " He suddenly draws a little dove with his black indelible felt on the back of the picture. Then he hands the felt to Shima. " My mother did this for me. You have to draw an animal symbolizing the truth for you. "

" Do you realize I'm not a child... " Shima begins to ask meanly.

" Just do it. Please ! " After that Jay pleads him,Shima Ko unwillingly takes the pen and decides to draw a small bat biting Jay's dove. This one looks astonished at her work.

" Why the bat ? "

" Truth is... humans are diseases. They only think about their belly. The cure is death. "

" Me,I would rather say that the cure for the bat is rather the light because... Bats are generally vampires... and vampires fear light... "

" Why are we drawing this ?! " Shima interrupts Ramirez impatiently.

" My mother told me that... Once we drew the animals,we have to tell our deepest secrets so that they get transferred in those drawings. With that,they would never be out of our mouths ever again. But if one of us comes to reveal this secret,we would be obliged to rip this paper off. "

" What is this spiritual bullshit again ?! "

" I dunno,that's all my mom's stuff,occultism. "

" Anyway... Will this really work or you wanna lose my precious time in this room ? "

" Despite it is actually a loss of time,this will help to feel destressed about your secret,knowing that none of us will reveal to someone because of the drawings. This symbolizes an eternal seal. That will allow us to keep our secret safe as long as Rambo and Bruce are still alive. " He points at the animals.

" Now you naming the animals ? "

" Sorry but I gotta do something with them. Anyway,now that it's done,tell me your secret so that it gets sealed forever. "

" Alright... "

" Why this loneliness attitude ? "

" Ever since I was born... " She begins emotionally,making Jay discover a new side of her,a sadder side. " I never had love. As soon as I arrived in the house,my dad threw me carelessly to the floor. They never really wanted a child. My dad just fucked my mother just like every young man in his period. It was just supposed to be an one-night sex. But my mom became pregnant. Her parents were christians and never wanted an abortion. Despite they kicked her out of the house.

After I was born,I just became for them... A crust. A crust that we wanted to get rid of ASAP. During my youth,they literally were obliged to raise me like any other lucky child. But I never got the love I deserved. Not even from my friends. And then,when I came out of the house,it was a liberation for them. I just wished they die sooner than others. Since then,I have never... Ever... Had anyone to... To love me. "

And then something happened : Shima begins to cry silently. She tries to wipe her tears but they keep sinking. She picks up a handkerchief. Jay looks at the scene deeply touched by her story.

" I'm sorry; I shouldn't... cry like this but... " She keeps wiping her wet eyes with the piece of paper. Then Jaiden,silent,lies his back on the barricade then stares at the ceiling,waiting for Shima to stop crying. When she finally calms down,Jay brushes his hairs with his mainhand then turns around and stares at the sunset at the horizon.

" When I was born,I have always been loved by anyone I meet. My parents,my teachers,my friends... I have always been the luckiest prick in the world. I had a sister,I had graduations,I was a footballer,I attracted girls. But then the apocalypse erupted... And I lost everyone that I loved... I know that our fates aren't related at all but... I suffer as much as you from that lack of love currently. I loved my dad... My mom... "

Jay stops talking,feeling his eyes wetting themselves and his voice having difficulties to speak properly. Then he talks back,in a more saddened tone.

" I loved my sister Jade. She was only 9. But she died of tuberculosis. Then,after she turned,I had to... I... "

Suddenly,Jay feels Shima Ko touch his shoulder to reassure him. He wipes his wet eyes then chills himself down and turns to his comrade.

" You know,I have kept the second piece of picture... for myself. " He takes it out and shows it to Shima. We can see the rest of the family : the father,the mother and little Jade. They seem really happy together. The korean girl takes Jay's part and sticks it manually to the other one; and both parts link together. She gives them back to their owner and steps back.

" I don't wanna be buddy with anybody. But Jaiden,you are the only person with who I could have been able to feel... at ease. "

" Shima,among the group,you are the only person that I could reveal my story about my family. If we were friends,you would have been the best friend I would have had forever. "

" If we had been dates,you would have been the best boyfriend I have ever had. " That sentence makes Jaiden chuckles.

" You really think I got a... "

" I'm not into men anymore. They're too arrogant. " She answers with her usual bad attitude.

" As you wish,Ellen ! " He lies back onto the barricade of the window.

" I will go to see the others. "

" To see the others ?! " Jay reacts,totally surprised by this change of attitude. " I thought you wouldn't trust anyone. "

" I still don't but I won't stay here lamentating myself on my past. I'll go down. "

" Okay. I might borrow you some food. "

" Be my guest. " She responds,turning her back. But before to definitely leave,she stares at Jay and calls him. " And thanks... "

" For what ? "

" For making me talk about my past. "

" Ah you're welcome. And thank you too. For listening to me. "

" You're a very great person,Mr. Ramirez. " After this,she goes to shake his hand. Jaiden,despite the surprise that caught him,shakes her hand back firmly and both instantly part away,avoiding any romance story. " Will it stay between us ? "

" Don't forget. " He shows the drawings a last time. " Our secrets are sealed. "

" Good. See you next time,Cross Knight ! "

" Hahahaha. You'd better stop watching my back. " He says after she leaves the house.

A few hours later...

Room 201.

Jaiden Ramirez lies on the bed with an empty packet of chocolate bar at the left of his head. He focuses at looking at the ceiling. When someone knocks on the door.

" Who's it ? "

" Ryan. "

After recognizing the voice,Jay allows him to enter. The young man comes in and instantly sits next to Ramirez.

" Nice place you got here. "

" I didn't even visit every room. Haha ! "

" So... What's the plan ? "

" Enjoy the night and sleep. "

" I was talking about tomorrow. "

" Right now,we don't have much of resources. So tomorrow,I purpose me and Lars go out to find what we can. "

" Where would you go ? "

" The further possible. Wherever. "

" Okay... So... "

" So... Do you have any family ? "

" My parents... They lived at Victoria,Texas,last time I visited them. "

" They still live there ? "

" I hope so. My dad knows how to handle intruders. That's not a bunch of walkers who will kill him. He was in the army,in the 1980s. "

" Cool ! What war did he do ? "

" Afghanistan,Irak,Iran... Anywhere in Africa. "

" Why there ? "

" The politicians asked them to go there to show their support to other countries. Me,I personally think... " He suddenly lies on the bed far from Jay,his hands behind his head. " They just wanted to exploit them. "

" What do you mean ? "

" To reprimand them... To mistreat them... To force them to obey to strangers... So that they quickly takeover the continent. Smart no ? "

" How can you be so sure ? "

" We,americans,are experts at taking lands over. Remember the discovery of America ! No need to explain all the bullshit we maneuvered to steal their land. "

" No shit... "

" I may be a simple mailman,but my father told me all about those politic fools who just want more power... More and more again until they die from it. Now that I think about it... This apocalypse isn't totally a bad thing. "

" Ah yeah. You're right. My mom told me something related. "

" What ? "

Before to answer,Jay gets up and stays on a sitting position,facing his pal.

" Everything happens for a reason. "

" Right. So maybe this shit happens... to reeducate the politicians and teach them how to be good leaders for good. "

" Or maybe it just wants to show how much we were dependant about all our little pleasures and didn't care much about more important things : food,protection,criminality,water,global warming... This brings us back to the first ages of prehistory. "

" Except,in prehistory,there wasn't guns,evil people... or fucking human eaters. "

" True ! Hahahah ! "

" So... I know ! " Ryan jumps out of the bed. " Do you want me to tell you about the time I had to deliver a dog... "

" Go ahead ! Shoot. "

" It was three years ago,I was... "

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

" Who's it ? "

" It's Melissa. Ryan,are you here ? "

" Shit... I don't think I wanna talk to her. "

" Ryan. Please we have to talk. "

" What if you tell her that I'm outside ? "

" Jaiden ? Tell me Ryan is with you ! "

As Melissa keeps knocking for ten more seconds,Jay reflects about what to do : let her discuss with Ryan who seems not agreed at all to talk or let her out and take the risk to piss her off. He thinks about if for a while then he decides that problems always have to be faced courageously. So he gets up,goes to the door and prepares to open.

" Please no... "

" Ryan. You're gonna have to talk about it one day. And now's the time. "

" Okay. I trust you... I will trust you. " Ryan reacts,sad and putting his face down.

Jay then opens gently the door and meets Melissa.

" Ryan is with me. You can talk inside if you want... "

" No thanks. " She interrupts. " Ryan. Please come. We have to talk about IT. "

" Al... Alright Mel... Melissa. I'm coming. "

Ryan hesitantly opens the door and gets face-to-face with his ex. Jay,afraid of the staredown which begins,walks to the kitchen,looking quickly for something to eat. Then Melissa gently leads Ryan out and closes the door nicely.

Jay,after taking an apple,goes to the bed but he wonders something. Despite he really wanted to sleep,he thinks that it would be thrilling to listen to thel discreetly. He thinks about eavesdrop them but he would run the risk to get spotted and anger both of them,especially Melissa. But the good side is that he would be able to help Ryan for the next time.

But if he goes to bed right now,his soul wouldn't be too tortured about it. But he would have difficultirs to put them together again.

So,after thinking for a quick time,he decides... to eavesdrop them. So he sticks his right ear to the door and barely listen to them. All he can hear is : " Sorry","Too","No","Again","Love","Time"," You understand ? ","Yes","Friends","Pals","Agreed","Miss","Goodnight Ryan. "

After the discussion finished,he stealthly runs to the bedroom,slows down and gently lies to bed to sleep. He slowly closes his eyes and gets lost in his minds,hoping that this situation nearly ends soon.