The Ruins Of Tomorrow

25. We All Have To Do Bad Things

"I'm doing this for my own selfish reasons," Lia said, standing back as she still aimed the gun at me.

I searched her eyes and saw how hurt she looked. I wanted to ask about Benjamin and about many other things, but it was like I had lost my voice. I couldn't seem to get the words out. Lia picked up the bags that were on the floor and continued to rummage through the boxes on the tables.

She glanced at me for a second as I tried to move towards her, immediately lifting her gun higher. "You don't need to do this," I said, holding my hands up. "You will get caught and they'll throw you into the cells—if you stop now and explain everything to Dean, then he will understand—"

"Shut up," she said, gripping her bag. "I don't need to be understood. I need to act. Dean and everyone else don't know shit and you're even more lost" she hissed. "This would have been much easier if you didn't interfere and just left without saying a damn word."

I saw her hand shaking until she slammed the gun on the table. "Gosh, just pointing a gun at you makes me sick."

I slowly lowered my hands and took a step back, trying to distance myself from her. I didn't want to take any chances and risk getting shot. I felt the pair of scissors in my pocket as I saw Lia walk towards the freezers and open one of them. She took out more boxes and searched through them as she shoved more supplies in her bags.

I felt my arms move on their own as my hand reached to grab one of her bags. Lia quickly moved away, lifting her chin as she glared at me. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she said.

I couldn't let her take anything more.

She grabbed my wrist and pushed me to the side. "You can't!" I yelled. "You don't know how bad our situation is! Eventually, everyone is going to starve because they don't have any food for their families!"

She scoffed. "That's not my problem anymore."

I went around the table and slammed my hands. "I won't let you walk out of this place with those bags!"

Lia gave me a slight grin, appearing annoyed. "What? Is it really that important to you to receive praise and appreciation from complete strangers? You're fucking joking Scarlet."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"Maybe you really don't care about those people as much as you say you do. I mean, especially since they've been talking behind your back. Why should you even put up with something like that?"

I glanced back at her green eyes and it was like my head was trying to remember something again. I couldn't grasp it entirely, but I felt a connection. It's like I wanted to nod and tell her it's true, but another part of me really cared. Or maybe I was just forcing myself to believe that.

"It's because... because everyone deserves a chance to survive," I told her.

Lia chuckled as if I had told a joke. "Scarlet, you need to realize that not every single person, whether family or not, is going to survive in this world. Look at what happened to my family. It doesn't matter how many times you go out to find more food and water, or supplies. Eventually, shit happens when you least expect it, and then it all goes downhill from there."

Lia took in a breath. "I feel like if you were in my shoes, you would agree."

I shook my head until I felt her fingers on mine. "Maybe you should leave this place now and run away with me Scarlet."

For a second, I considered it. I didn't know what was going through my head, but I felt a sense of heartache. I gulped hard and backed away from her. "I can't do that. I'm sorry."