POV: Vera
I had stormed off into my mother's tower. Walking in instantly cleared my head. It smelt of wild flowers and fresh summer air… like she always smelt of. I don't know how the smell survived winters but it did… and it was the only place I could think. I had come close to killing one of them… their leader. Cut off the head of the snake and the body dies. I was going for the head. I separated him out easily, the way the others kept flashing him looks. My knife was in my hand, and I only had to take out one boy to get there… I raised my knife, but Alex raised his voice, telling me to calm down, if I could hear him. So I just knocked the boy out instead. He never saw it coming. Then I was ready to go for the kill…but again Alex stopped me. Alex, was the only person alive that could bring me down off of Hyper mode… he and my mother were the only ones with the ability to soothe my nerves and clam me down. Alex had calmed me down enough to allow me to leave without killing anyone… but my blood was still pumping.
They had no idea. They had no idea the nerves they were playing with, what their presence here meant to me. Alex knew, and still took a chance. Alex was a good judge of character, and it had never failed him before. They were kids… our age. Rare but seemingly reasonable that they were. The younger ones died because of their inability to grasp reality... their immaturity. The older ones got slow and believed that their old life was still in reach. Their life of peace and happened all around. But kids our age… my generation grew up with the epidemic as their reality. They accepted it whether they realized it or not. Accepting ones fate, gave you the advantage over it. You could get through it. But I wouldn't get over this… these intruders. There was no way.
The memories flooded back, and I bit my hand to keep from crying. I slid down the door, feeling my knees might give out. Breath I told myself… just breath. I did. But I was still on edge. I still wanted to march out there and kick them out. But I had to trust my brother. He knew what he was doing "family is everything' my uncle would say 'Family is all you'll have left in the end. Family is all that matters." I believed that with all my heart. Which was why I was in the mess I was in now. Most of what mattered to me, was gone… and I was left with the memories of their crude passing.
I found myself sitting at my mother's piano. Her mother believed music could heal anything, and taught me her method every second she could. Pushed back the board to reveal the dusty keys, and sat on the bench my hands in my lap. I just starred at the black and white keys.
"Vee?" it was my brother. I had heard him come up the stone steps to the tower. He knew I would be here. He peeked his head in the room and saw me sitting on the bed. He started over.
"I know this is hard for you…" he started, but stopped when he saw the piano open, 'Mom's piano."
"ya…" I breathed. My fingers slid over the keys.
"You planning on picking it up again?" he asked. I shook my head, the same answer I always gave him when he asked if I was going to play. My brother expected nothing different, "Look, the visitors handed over their guns… I didn't even ask. They're honest people… we just scared them."
"They handed over their weapons?" I looked up. Alex nodded, "Then they're stupid. You never give up your weapon."
"Give em a chance Vee, gosh it's not like they'll stay here forever. Just little while. They look tired and I believe them when they say they could use a good night's rest and a full stomach."
"Look, I'm trusting YOU. Not them. Don't ask me to do more than that because I won't. You of all people know why.
"Not everyone turns out to be like…"
"Alex enough." I stood up, "I'll deal with the situation for now. But don't expect me to get along as if nothings wrong." Alex sighed.
"Alright… just for a while. I promise." He said. He gave me a kiss on the head and went for the door, "At least get something to eat?" As soon as he said 'eat' my stomach grumbled. Alex laughed, "See you downstairs." I sighed. I really didn't want anything to do with the intruders. I would avoid them obviously. So I waited a half hour before heading downstairs, hoping they had left the kitchen to sleep I their rooms.
But NO. The idiots were there, sitting at the big oak table, playing cards. A game I was all to familiar with: Blame Benji. A game my family always played. Alex must of taught it to them. Which just angered me more. Why was Alex being so friendly to them?
As soon as I walked in, they all looked up. The one they called Dub, the one I knocked out, was no where to be seen. It was just three of them and Alex, who destroyed my excuse to leave by waving at the bowl of steaming soup sitting at the table. I licked my lips, picked up the bowl and went to the other end of the table to eat. They all hesitated, before going back to the game.
The one who had almost run my brother over in the car, was labeled Flint. Funny name for a boy, but hey boys are odd anyway. Flint was a tall lengthy kid, who looked more clumsy on his feet than he did behind a wheel of a car. He had a mess of blonde hair cut short and poorly kept. He had a long thin nose and a black bandana tied around his head. They had all taken off their jackets, enjoying the heat of the fire I had started earlier.
The second… the leader, they called Dani. He had an athletic build, about the same as my brother. He had bright blue eyes and a head of wavy amber hair. A few freckles spotted his face, and a gold earring pierced his right ear. He two had a black bandana, but had tied it around his bicep. He was sitting somewhat slouched in his chair, which gave him away all to easy. He felt akward without his gun and it showed. He shifted uncomfortable, and his hand often brushed against where he would normally have his gun.
The third was called Tags. He was a short but lively character. He cracked jokes left and right apparently feeling right at home. He was much shorter than the rest, but he was thicker around the arms, like my brother. He had a head of brown hair that came over his eyes in such a way I wondering how he saw anything at all. I only saw his dark brown eyes for a second a few times: flickering over at me.
Dub, I saw was laying on a pile of blankets closer to the fire, out cold. He looked to be the youngest in the group but not by much. He had a baby face, round and soft, with strawberry blonde hair.
"So how long you guys planning to stay?" Alex asked, throwing a card down. I tuned in instantly.
"Well, I don't want to impose." The one called Dani said, "How ever long you'll let us…" I tensed… and Alex saw it.
"We'll have to talk it over…" Alex said.
"Hey, would you like to play?" Dani asked me. I deliberately didn't answer, trying to finish my food, "Is she deaf?" he asked, sincerely wondering.
"No…" Alex said in a tone I took to be a warning to ME. ME of all people to be warning he was talking to ME. I looked up and gave Alex a glare, before getting up to leave.
"She's a handful isn't she?" I heard one of them say as I left.
I went to my room, and locked the door. I went around my room and double checked the guns I had hidden in various place, and put the pistol under my pillow, before going to bed. I had nightmares of that night. The night my life was shattered. The night where my hyper mode set off to the extreme. I never woke up… it just played over and over in my head.
Finally when I did wake up, I found myself in a tangle of blankets, and sweating. I could still smell the sharp sent of blood from my dream. I swallowed and looked out the window… the sun was up.. it was well into the day. Quickly I cleaned up and got dressed.
Breakfast was quiet, as the kitchen was empty. Seeing empty bowls in the skin, I figured they were already up and had already eaten. I didn't like not knowing where my enemies were, and went looking for them.
I found them in the courtyard, talking about their jeep. Alex was with them, as well as Dub.
As soon as Alex saw me, he excused himself from the group and came over to me.
"You had nightmares last night…" Alex said. Stated it more then a question. I gave him a puzzled look.
"You woke up the guys. They went running to your room thinking something was wrong. You're door was locked. When they couldn't get in they came and found me." He said. I bit my lip frustrated and embaressed.
"And what did you tell them?" I asked.
"I told them to go back to bed and I would take care of it. You locked your door Vee." Alex said. I nodded.
"A precaution." I said. Alex sighed, and shook his head.
"Alex!" Tags called, "You ever play Brute Squad before?" he asked. TO my dismay, they all headed over.
"Brute Squad? Can't say that I have." Alex said. I bit my tongue. How could the just be so friendly? Just like that?
"Aw we'll have to teach it to you. And you're sister if she wants." Tags said.
"Ya sure she'd love…" Alex stared.
"I'm going to go collect wood. We burnt plenty of it yesterday and we'll need more." I said darkly.
"Vee why don't you wait until I can go with you…" Alex started.
"I'll go with you." Dani said, to me. I was about to snap a rude comment at him, but Alex jumped in.
"Perfect!" Alex said.
"I don't NEED anyone to come with me." I said.
"It's not safe for anyone to be out there alone. Especially…" Dani started but Alex cut him off.
"OK!" he said, "Well glad that's settled. Off you go then. You guys can use the bikes behind the stables."
"Alex…" I started.
"Vee… for me. Just try." Alex said. He gave me a look that came with a guilt trip. I scowled and spun on my heel. I heard Dani run to catch up.
"Sorry if we scared you last night." He started, "We were just being careful. You really can't be to careful in times like these…" you got that right, I thought. He was silent… waiting for the other end of the conversation.
"I'm Dani." He said.i Swallowed hard.
"Vera." I said.
"We were worried about you last night… freaked us out."
"Look," I spun on him, "you're not here to make friends. If you are you're looking in the wrong place. Don't play all 'let's be friends' or 'we were worried about you' with me. I won't buy it."
"We were just trying to be nice. You would think that would be welcomed in a time like this." Dani said. I scoffed and kept walking.
"I'm only going along with this for my brother. Otherwise you and you're friends wouldn't be here." I snapped.
"No need to freak out…"
"It's amazing your still alive." I muttered.
"So how are we going to carry wood back on bikes anyway?" Dani asked as we turned the corner… "Oh." They were motor bikes. Two large bags were strapped to the back of each, answering the boys question.
We got to the woods, and parked the bikes by the creek. Dani had his rifle and I had my pistol. I pulled the canteens out of the bag, and kneeled down by the creek. Dani stood on the bank, rifle in hand watching the trees. I rolled my eyes. I didn't need protecting.
"Thirsty?" I asked. He nodded, and I threw him an empty canteen, 'Fill her up." I said. Dani gave me a look.
"You watching then?" he asked. I scoffed and pointed at the ground by the trees.
"See that? Twigs, leaves…it's Fall." I said, "You'll hear them come before they even see you."
"Doesn't hurt to be careful." He said, and started to fill his canteen. He was completely right. I wondered what it was he did. Anyone who survived these days, wasn't just the average Joe. They had to be someone, know something to survive. And know it BEFORE the epidemic took over.
"So.. DANI. What is it that you do exactly?" I asked, taking a sip from my canteen.
"What before the epidemic?" he asked I nodded. He laughed, a bit embarrassed and answered, "I was a professional paintball player." He said. I looked at him.
'Serioulsy?" I asked. He laughed.
"Seriously." He answered. I shrugged. I guessed that would give you the ability to survive. Accuracy in aim, stealth, teamwork, and what not, "What about you?" I looked at him, but he didn't not make eye contact. He was watching his conteen fill. I ran my tongue over my teeth.
"Piano player." I said. Dani laughed.
"I bet that's useful in a fight." He said. I shrugged.
"Keeps your hands nice and strong to strangle with." I said. He looked up startled, "It was a joke." I said. He smiled.
"Sure." He said, and straightened. I picked up a stick, "We just start then?" I nodded. I started walking north, picking up stray sticks as we went. I was fine with the silence… but obvioulys Dani was not.
"So… you come out here a lot?" he asked. It occurred to me that living with a bunch of boys, talking to a girl was awkward for him. Despite my grudge against him, I kinda felt bad.
"what were you and you're friends doing out here anyway?" I asked, "It's not smart to travel all the time."
"We're searching for a refuge we heard about." Dani said, "Our last camp… was ah…" he he cleared his throat, "Over-run."
"By the infected?"
"I wish. But no." Dani said. I heard the pain in his voice. It must have been some take over.
"People?" I asked.
"You could say that." Dani said, "Anyway we got kicked out because they disagreed."
"About what?" I asked.
"About taking in survivors." Dani said. I stacked another stick in my arm, hesitating.
"And you were on which side?" I asked.
"We were set with enough supplies. More than enough. We believed that it wasn't right to hide behind our walls while there were those who needed help."
"And got kicked out because of that?" I asked.
"You seem surprised. You seem to have the same beliefs." He said. I stopped, and shoved the sticks under my arm. I turned around and faced Dani.
"If only it were that simple." I hissed, "Don't think you know anything about me just because the events in your past seem to be similar to what happening now. It's nothing like it. Don't you DARE think otherwise."
"Well you can't just…" he suddenly stopped, his eyes averting from me to somewhere behind me.
"The infected… I know. Six of them." I said.
"I thought you said we would hear them!" Dani hissed, dropping his sticks and pulling his rifle around.
"When I said that I had assumed you weren't DEAF." I snapped, and turned around. I saw the movement up ahead further in the trees. They hadn't seen us yet, but there was a wind that told me they would smell us before they saw us.
"Come on…" I said, "We'd better get back to camp.' I said quietly, "pick up your sticks."
"And be left with no hands available?" Dani scoffed.
"And have a defense against the infected without wasting bullets… and have wood for the fire." I hissed. I started back at a jog. As we got closer to the bikes a gurgling scream made us both stop. There, between us and our bikes were four more infected. The scream, I knew would attract the six in the forest and anything else within hearing distance. I heard Dani swear, and he dropped all of his sticks again, pulling his rifle around. I dropped all my sticks but two of the thickest ones, each about as thick as a sign post, and two feet long.
"Run!" I yelled.