Born to Die

Chapter Eighteen

I am led through alleyway after alleyway in a pretty crappy part of town until we reach wire fence. I need to clear my head and I am exhausted, so I start to lean back on it, only to have Daniel push me forward, a little too roughly.
"Do you have a fucking death wish or can you just not read? Fuck." He yells at me. I look up at him, clearly confused, until he sighs and points to multiple signs that read "Danger! Electric fence. Keep off-- keep away."
"Oh sorry... I didn't see them... Thanks for saving me... Twice..." It comes out barely a whisper, I am so drained of energy.
"Yeah whatever." He grunts, then leaves me with the two Godzilla men for a few minutes before returning and lifting the fence from one corner. What the hell? I don't bother asking him about it, I honestly couldn't care less about how the fence suddenly became touchable. I duck into the small opening, followed by Daniel then the two hulks and watching them squeeze through is by far one of the most amusing things I've ever seen, but I know better than to display my amusement so I keep my smile to myself. I doubt I would have been able to contain it if I had not been so shattered over Zeke.
Why do I love him so much? Why do I love him at all? I'm such a fool!

I am led to a rundown building that looks like it survived world war 1 and 2 and a thousand earthquakes in between and was home to a million arsonists. So in other words, it looked like it might collapse at any second. I linger outside for a second, before thinking that I have nothing left to lose anyway if this damn building was to collapse on us, not that I had much of a choice with Daniel pulling me by my arm.

Once inside, the lifeless world outside the fence is suddenly transformed into flocks of people working on all kinds of things. There is so much damn noise I have no idea how we could not hear it from outside. Some people are working with lathes of some sort, ton presses, propane torches, jigsaws and heaps of other machines I had never seen before in my life. Others were working out, some sparing, others punching the shit out of punching bag. What really shocked me was the damn arsenal, which was larger than the military's! People surrounded it swapping weapon after weapon and practicing with them. I finally found my voice.
"What the hell is this place?" I questioned.
"This is your new home, Hope. We are your new family." Daniel answered with a smile, making his dimples show.

"Excuse me? I don't even know you! Any of you! Why the hell would I stay here- or anywhere else for that matter- with you? You practically killed Zeke-" my voice broke, I couldn't help it. The image of him laying on the ground in a pool of his own blood was just too much. Daniel was clearly unmoved by my breakdown.
"Whatever! So I could have killed the fucker? He had it coming. And why would you even care? He was going to kill you, you know that don't you? I saw it in his eyes. He would have done it. He wasn't bluffing." I can't talk about this- about Zeke. It's too painful. I don't want to consider the possibility of him actually hurting me... Well that badly at least. I wanted to cling onto his words instead. I desperately wanted to believe them. I love you.
"Who are you?" I asked Daniel.
"Daniel." He replied simply.
"Yeah I got that much. Daniel what? Is it true you're my... I'm your... Sister?" I feel so silly even asking.
"Yes." He answers like its the most normal thing in the world.
"Yes it is true, Hope. Now we need to get some things straight before you get any bonding ideas."