Group Z

Chapter 5

I am led up ornate wooden stairs that are obviously well used and cared for, into a hallway with a window at the far end of, looking over the wall of the Sector and into the forest beyond, with six doorways leading off it. I make sure to limp as I walk, playing up the injury on my thigh, showing weakness.

Damon points each door out as he goes past. 'Mum and Dad's room, Dad's study and Benny's room.' He says gesturing to the left. I take particular notice of the study making plans to visit it at some point.

'Bathroom.' He says gesturing to the end of the hall. 'It has all the basics, shower, toilet, sink, although everyone's room also has an ensuite. And finally.' He says exaggeratedly, gesturing to the right. 'My room and...' He pauses to put his hand on the knob of the second door. 'Sapphire's room. Yours too for the time being I guess.'

He opens the door to reveal a room coloured in a pretty lilac colour with a large double bed and so many pillows I wonder how anyone could sleep on so many. The carpet is a darker purple colour, almost blue with faint patterns of flowers on it. Intricate drawings dominate the walls of the room, they look hand drawn, a mixture of pencil and pen, and a light with a rainbow coloured lampshade provides a soft light. Along the edge of the room a cot has been made up with blankets and pillows that I assume is for me. There is a desk along the other wall that doesn't have the door with a window above it holding a lamp and several books, papers and coloured pencils. It is the prettiest room I've ever seen and I gaze around in awe, before snapping myself back to the matter at hand.

'Sapphire is staying out tonight, so you have the room to yourself. She'll be back in the morning.' Damon explains.

I look up at him and, with a slightly timid smile say. 'Thank you so much for helping me today. I take it you were the one who found me outside?'

He nods, and I continue. 'It may sound weird, but I felt safe but for the first time in what seems like forever.'

He looks at me with softness in his eyes and I know that I have him. I step up to him and hug him before giving him a kiss on the cheek. A light blush colours his cheeks as I step away and he backs out of the room closing the door gently behind him.

Listening to his footsteps pad down the hall and his door open and close I immediately I drop all pretence of a limp and walk over to the desk, silently rifling through drawers tucked away underneath it, looking for any information that could aid me in this hunt. I find nothing. Nothing except a lot of sketches. Good ones. They are of people I recognise as Malcolm, Sofia, Damon and some that make me smile of Benjamin.

The thing that strikes me most about the images is that they have captured the essence of all members of the family. Benjamin has a smile showing off some missing teeth, Damon leans against a door, his hair falling over his face. Malcolm and Sofia stand side by side looking at each other and no one can mistake the love in their eyes. These sketches obviously had hours of love poured into them. I place them aside gently, careful not to rumple the pages as I continue my search.

An hour later I concede defeat and after replacing everything exactly how I found it I transfer my daggers to under the mattress of the cot and flop down on top. I begin planning my next move and as I do, I fall asleep fully clothed on top of the sheets. Clearly some remnants of whatever Sofia gave me linger in my body.

When I next wake up it is to footsteps in the hallway. I sit up on the bed as the door opens and Sofia comes in her arms laden with a tray.

'I've brought you dinner.' She says setting down the tray on the desk I had previously torn apart. 'Damon mentioned you were sleeping so I decided rather than forcing you to come down to have dinner with us I would bring it to you.'