Aer

30

'Hi,' Daisy enters the medics tent, Zoe turns to her, her eyes empty, she doesn't say anything, she just waits for Daisy to speak again 'Have you seen Aoife?'.

'Out the back,' Zoe says and turns back to the desk.

'Listen Zoe I know these past few months have been tough but we're here for you,' Daisy approaches her 'We all want to see you start to feel better'.

'Sometimes I feel selfish,' she says quietly.
  'Selfish?'.
Zoe keeps her back turned to Daisy 'We've all lost people, and we all move on, but I just mope around all day and I do feel bad but I can't help it'.

'Zoe your feelings are completely justified,' Daisy puts a hand on her shoulder 'We all deal with loss differently, you lost a lot and nobody ever thinks you're being selfish or mopey, we want you to get better, however long that takes. I just want you to talk to us and tell us how you feel because you can't go through this alone'.

'I really do appreciate that Daisy, you've such a kind heart,' she turns to her, her eyes full with tears 'I just think I've to deal with this myself, it's all well and good talking to someone about this but I need to talk to myself and work through this myself. I can tell you're a soft person too but you're strong when it comes to yourself, and that's admirable'.

'I try to be good, but I know there's a part of me that's the same as my mother and I know it's starting to come out,' she takes Zoe's hands 'I just don't want this loss changing you, you're good and kind, don't turn to the darkness of this world'.

Zoe hugs her tightly, the tears streaming down her face 'Sometimes I just can't see a way out'.

'I know,' Daisy feels her eyes beginning to tear, she takes a deep breath and pulls away from Zoe 'Listen I'm going to see Lily now but afterwards why don't we head for a walk? And we can clear our heads'.
'I'd like that,' for a split second Zoe smiles slightly.

Aoife, Cian, Conor, Charlie, Daisy and Lily sit around the table. It's been a while since they all got together and spoke about things, planned together.

Daisy finishes explaining her proposal about teaming up with Aaron to fight the cult kids and the horde.

'Are you being for real?' Conor frowns 'after what he did to Alex? You want to go running back to him asking for his help!?'.

'I know,' Daisy says 'We can't take back what he did to Alex but we can make things right'.
Conor shakes his head 'I couldn't be around him, I'd kill that cunt if I got anywhere near him'.

'Yeah I just can't imagine he'd agree to this,' Aoife says 'his whole reason for hunting us down was because we were taking supplies, causing his boys to go out further, how's he gonna react when he finds out we've got a whole group that need supplies?'.

'With the cult gone out of that town that's one new place for supplies,' Charlie says 'We could give him the town, he joins us he can have the town'.
'What about supplies for us?' Aoife asks.
  'The cult brings that horde to the town closest to us, without the cult the horde won't be brought there. We all get a town to ourselves'.

'But that leaves the horde,' Cian says 'I agree with Daisy, I think it's worth the shot, but with the cult dead the hordes just going to spread out. I mean the attack at the school was Freaks that broke away from the horde, that's going to happen much more frequently without the cult keeping them together'.

'Perhaps our main focus should be on the horde first,' Lily speaks up 'Get rid of their biggest weapon'.

'How'd you suppose we do that?' Charlie asks.

'There's a large mass grave down the hill, in a dugout field, we plant explosives from the armoury there, lead the Freaks into it. We've flares, firecrackers, with Aaron's group we'll have enough people to make sure the horde stays in one piece,' she explains.

Charlie smiles proudly at her, she smiles back.

'The cult may even surrender if we take out the horde,' Daisy says 'Even a few may turn to our side, give us information to get to the leaders and kill them'.

'The only problem is what do we tell these people? 'We've been lying to you all along and we're actually from a bunker'?' Conor says ''oh and the leader wants us all dead', I somehow don't think they're going to take it well'.

'They can fuck off if they get mad,' Charlie rolls his eyes 'It is what it is like'.

'I already spoke to them. We go to Aaron in the morning, Daisy I think you should approach them, we'll come but I think you'd be best to do this,' Lily says.
'Okay,' Daisy agrees, she doesn't seem hesitant or scared, it's as if she sensed it.

'I just don't think they're going to be happy to see you, I thought Lily would've sent one of the group, not one of us. I don't know how ye think this is a good idea,' Charlie frowns as he and Daisy lay in bed later that night.

'What are they gonna say?' Daisy says 'at least we've a history with the group'.
'That didn't matter last time'.
'This time is different though, I've got a good feeling'.
'A good feeling?' Charlie scoffs.
Daisy rolls her eyes 'positivity would help'.
  'Positivity gets people killed'.

Daisy sits up 'Charlie we can't just live with the horde, we need Aaron's help'.
'I know but Daisy I didn't agree for you to be the one to go back there,' he says.
  'It's not your place to agree'.
  'I'm the one that has to live on if you get killed and live with that guilt'.

A look comes across his face that she hasn't seen in a long time, a look of hopelessness and stress. Charlie's good at having a poker face, his blue eyes were always so cold and distant.

'Charlie, they're not going to hurt me, out of all of us I'm the last they're going to want to hurt and I know you know that too,' she smiles slightly 'Without the horde and the cult we'll get to live in peace and not have to worry anymore'.

'I know, but I also know there's going to be a lot sacrificed to get to that,' he sighs 'You know I was in the Ifreann before I found the bunker?'.
'You never told me that'.

The Ifreann was a town not far from here known for riots and kids killing each other. Most kids died there.

'I didn't grow up in a nice part of the town, been dealing with my brother since I was fourteen, I made good money and used it all on drugs for myself. Then when this all hit and my entire family was wiped out I had no one, it was like I got to start over again. Then the riots began, kids killing each other, using Freaks in fights, you've heard the stories. I left the Ifreann after a few months to find that 'peace' you're talking about, and I thought I did with the bunker and look how that ended. There's no such thing as peace anymore, it's just one thing after another until we die'.

'Charlie...' she rubs a hand down her face 'We've been through so much together already, and there's still more to come but we'll get the happy ending we've been fighting for'.
'Nobody gets a happy ending'.
'Hey, that's not true,' she cups his face 'we have each other right now'.

'I love you,' he says.
'I love you too,' she kisses him.