Resistentiam

Chapter 9

I don't know if anyone will even still have this book in their library after how long it has taken me to update- I lost a family member a few months ago and writing was the last thing on my mind. But I've decided I want to focus on something positive and challenging, so back to the book I go...

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The plan was set. Dean and Matt would venture out into the world above them on a mission to cure poor little Bertie's ever-growing infection. Ash had volunteered himself to stand watch at the hidden entrance to their bunker, whilst Maynard would be watching over the motion sensors and trip wires to detect any interception from the wolves. Dean had managed to contact his former friend on the outside, explaining the situation. She was reluctant, leaving food parcels by the entrance to their bunker was risky enough, but for her to be involved in a plan whereby Dean would steal antibiotics was another level. Emery didn't even understand how Dean had contacted this woman - only he and Maynard understood the technical workings of the bunker. He always said it was safer that way, the less everyone else knew the less the wolves could pull out of them if they were ever captured.

Emery was sat on the edge of Ash's bed, picking at the dead skin around her fingernails. The tightening in her chest was becoming unbearable now, she couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong. At night she was haunted by the same dream, the same wolf with the menacing eyes and canines ready to kill. More often that not she would crawl into Ash's bed in the middle of the night for some comfort.

Ash was doing press ups on the floor of his room. Emery examined him for a moment; not for one second could someone say that Ash wasn't extremely attractive. She fixed her eyes on his straining muscles, not bad. Then her eyes moved to his face, the same face she had become accustomed to over the years. The four freckles just below his left eye, the bushy eyebrows that she forever argued with him about plucking, the deep brown eyes she always found so much comfort in... But his smile, the smile that made her forget all the worries in the world, the smile that always managed to cheer her up- "Do you want to stare at me anymore?" Ash grinned. Emery blushed, she felt embarrassed. Ash's chest heaved after his workout as he sat with his elbows on his knees looking at her. Their eyes met and her breath caught in her throat.

Then he laughed, the same old laugh she had heard a thousand times, and she laughed with him. What was she thinking? Emery fell back on the bed, laughing into her hands hysterically. Yes he was good looking, but he was also Ash. Her best friend. Ash, just Ash. "Is this how it feels to lose your mind?" She giggled, sighing slightly. Ash fell down on the bed next to her, both on their elbows. "This is all so fucked up, I can't think straight." She said quietly into her hands before running them through her hair. It was Ash's turn to watch her now. "Like we are just sat here as if we aren't about to take the biggest risk of our lives tomorrow. Never for one moment would I think to leave Bertie to die, I love that little boy. But I'm just so scared of losing you all. What if your Dad and Matt are captured? What if they manage to find the entrance? What if we are all-" She stopped, she couldn't even fathom it. The word she missed lingered in the air.

What if they were all killed?

It was certainly a possibility, the wolves are known to be unforgiving at the best of times. But if they discovered a group of humans had been hiding undetected for nearly two decades? She shuddered at the thought of what they would do. Then there was a different possibility- a possibility she thought worse than death. What if one of us were mated to one of those things? Maynard had told her what some wolves did to their mates, the lengths they would go to to keep them close. The minute amount of food in her stomach threatened to come back up. No Emery, she thought. You are just making yourself feel worse. Emery took a few deep breaths, she was overthinking. A strong grip encompassed her hand, Ash intertwined his fingers with hers. "We will be okay Em, I wouldn't let anything happen to you." She didn't know what to say, all she could manage was a weak smile in his direction. "Right, come on. Let's go sit with everyone." He tugged her by the arm away from his room and into the living area.

***

"Right okay it's a film, okay two words- second word. Um, dance? What do you mean longer? Oh, dancing! Umm, something smells? Stinky? No, okay no need to get mad. Something stuck to the bottom of your show? C'mon Em this makes no sense!"

"Time's up!" Shouted Dean, causing Emery and Ash to groan simultaneously. "Dirty dancing you idiot!" Emery growled whilst Ash looked abashed. "Oh yeah of course, come to mention it I didn't think there was a film called stinky dancing..." The whole room roared with laughter. The whole group had come together for a games night, and so far Emery and Ash were losing in spectacular fashion. Emery made her way back over to Ash, sitting beside him with a murderous look on her face. He pulled her into him in a joking manner and she relaxed into him, laughing along with everyone else. Claire and Marty were up next, followed by Matthew and Joanna. Maynard was the only person not in a partnership, but he was sat on the outskirts of the room, watching them all with a small smile on his face. Dean had sunk down into his chair, the stress of the previous weeks had clearly taken its toll, but today his smile reached his eyes and he looked content for the first time in such a long time. Music played out behind their voices, providing a consistent melody amongst their madness. The partners swapped round, and Emery proved to be much better at guessing than Ash, she had guessed Little Women within 10 seconds of Ash acting it out. Yet they couldn't pull back the win, and Lorna and Sean, another couple, had been declared the winners.

"Right, time for something special I think!" Dean suddenly exclaimed, raising from his chair. All eyes darted to him as he made his way over to a locked kitchen cupboard. He came back a few moments later with two bottles, bottles of what Emery had no idea. Dean brought them to his face, blowing the dust away to show the group the label on the bottle.

"These are a pair of 1947 Chateau Lafleur red wine, I won these in a poker game back in 1999 and I have never had even the smallest sip. So I've decided tonight is as good as any!" Dean announced, and the whole group cheered.

Ash and Emery looked at one another, their first taste of alcohol. They had heard from the others what alcohol was like, how you felt after drinking it, and between them they had often discussed their desire to try some. Dean had passed round some glasses and began pouring the wine.

"What, that's it? That's all we get?" Ash asked, perplexed. Dean had only given each of them enough wine to fill an eighth of their glasses. Dean laughed and shook his head. "Wine is not like water Ash, you only have a small amount, and you saver it." Ash raised his eyebrows. "Anyhow, a bottle of this costs over £1000 so I'm going to make it last."

Ash nearly split his £1000 glass of wine all over Emery when his dad told them that from shock, with Dean threatening to take it from him if he wasn't more careful.

"Let's do a toast! To us, the resistance. But we are more than that, we are a family. Whatever happens tomorrow, nothing can change that. We are bonded by more than blood, we are bonded by our hearts. Let none of us ever forget that." Dean spoke, a hint of solemness in his voice. "To us!" They all shouted, clinking their glasses together before raising them to their lips.

Emery didn't know what to make of it, it wasn't sweet but it wasn't sour. It left a strange feeling on the tip of her tongue, and her throat felt sort of tingly. She took another sip. I like it, she thought. Ash on the other hand looked positively disgusted, making Emery giggle. "You are such a child." Joanna said to him, making everybody laugh.

Dean refilled their glasses, little by little of course, until the bottles were empty and Emery felt like she was floating. The room remained filled with laughter, it floated through the room like a protective blanket, encasing them all in that moment. Emery looked around at each and every one of them, taking a moment to analyse their faces, the way they smiled, the way they laughed. She smiled to herself, she didn't know whether it was the wine or the unknown that was facing them, but in that moment she was overcome with emotion. She couldn't imagine ever loving anything as much as she loved them all in that moment. Her heart could have burst with the love she felt for them. Her family, her crazy, patched together family.

"You good?" Ash whispered to her, leaning in towards her. The wine had clearly taken an effect on him also, his eyes more glassy than usual. Emery took a deep breath before breaking into a huge smile. "Never better." She grinned.

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This has been such a hard chapter to write, so I hope it was okay. Feel free to give some feedback.

xx