Stained in red

Very Few Survivors (Serta)

Sunset hit the sky with a burst of colour, the clouds turning shades of tropical oranges and passion fruit pinks. Under the array of colour a mother and daughter embraced each other, and a King counted his survivors.

38, 39, 40, 41...47,48...49. 49. Only 49 had made it. 49 out of 1246. 49 survivors, I repeated. Only 49. Jax must have seen the horrified look on my face because she came over to me and rested a hand upon my shoulder, I felt her fingers shaking. Good it's not just me.
"How many?" She whispered.
"49." My voice cracked. Jax sighed and shook herself.
"We still haven't checked the West or East side." She tried.
"Huh?"
"Of the woods, we still need to check the West and East side. Maybe more survivors are hiding out there." I still felt her hand quivering, her reassurance didn't work on her either.
"Come on, Serta. They need you. I need you. Serta, you have to accept it, it's all you can do. They are relying on their King."
"Don't call me that." Jax looked taken aback.
"What?"
"Don't call me that." My gritted teeth clenched tighter together.
"Serta-"
"What crown do I have? What kingdom do I rule? It's gone. It's all gone. Give it up, Jax. It's over." I stalked to a far away tree away from her. I turned half way to look at them all, "Don't rely on me! I can't do anything! I can't help!" I screamed at my already traumatised survivors, as tears slid down my cheek and my throat became raw. "So find someone else." I couldn't manage to scream at them anymore, i got away from them all before I sunk to my knees. I opened my mouth but closed it again there was no point in praying, not to my Dad not to any God. No one would listen. I was alone. The aloneness sunk into me and I crumpled completely. I was alone.

I hadn't realised I had slept until the light forced my eyelids open. Quickly, I noticed the small girl resting against me, her golden curls shining in the light. I didn't wake her, after all she didn't deserve it, I had been so horrible to them. What had I said? Despite myself I still meant them but I did regret saying them so harshly, especially to Dana. Her copper eyes fluttered open. She seemed startled. She might have had a bad dream. Who wouldn't? I asked myself "Shhhh. Go back to sleep." I brushed her forehead and used a calm hushed voice, that would hopefully soothe her.
"Serta?"
"Yes." I said.
"Where do we go?" Her voice melted me inside-out. I offered her nothing but the truth.
"I-I don't know."