Fever Dream Red

6

Me and Sunny whirled our gaze around to Lily, like deers caught in an unexpected headlight. She didn't even notice our stares: she was fixated on her work.

Sunny shrugged and turned back. She was better used to Lily than I was. She tended to be a bit strange. Lily, I mean.

"Do you know what we're gonna do next then?" Sunny inquired, hastily changing the subject.
"Skye is planning to move back into the city once everything's died down."
"I hope that's soon. I hate it here." She paused, looking down at her hands then looking back at me with wide eyes. She continued in a low voice."It feels like something's here. Y'know, bubbling under the surface. I can't see it but I- I know it's there."

A silence developed. Sunny looked out of the window, and then back to me, scavenging my face for any clues as to what I was thinking.

"I know what you mean. It's almost like the island is alive, in a way. But I think that's just the folklore of the place. Its reputation precedes itself."

I said this. I didn't really believe it; I just didn't want to terrify Sunny. The truth was, I didn't know how long we'd be here. I didn't know if and when things would die down. I feared the worst and hoped for the best. That hope was dwindling by the second.

"We're stuck here for now anyway. Better make the most of it."
"By doing what?"
"Anything. Anything's better than sitting here and waiting for our inevitable demise." I started pacing back and forth in front of the window, my fingers picking at my lips as I did so.

"I went out to the water earlier."
Sunny's eyes shone up at me, wide eyed once again.

They then narrowed as her eyebrows furrowed. "Why did you do that? It can't have been pleasant." Sunny muttered.
"It wasn't exactly," I sat on the bed beside her, "but I was alive, at least. Feeling the water on me. Feeling the chill. It refreshes you."

My voice got lower. I didn't want my siblings to laugh at me for what I was about to say.

"It just annoys me, y'know? Because people out there are dying and instead of doing what we can to make the most of our lives we are here like caged birds doing nothing."

I waited to see Sunny's reaction.

"I mean. You have a point." Sunny started.

Suddenly Skye flew into the room. They practically did, anyway, given the speed they were at.

"I've figured it out. Or. We have figured it out. Me and Matt. Can you all meet me at my room?"

They paused and checked her watch.

"As soon as you can?"

It wasn't as if we were doing anything.

We all started filing out of the room. Well, everyone except Lily.

She was still there, sitting and knitting. It was as if she hadn't heard anything.

I could have sworn her eyes rolled at the mention of Matt.

I was walking out second to last, followed reluctantly by Sunny. When Sunny was at the dorrway she faltered, unsure.

"Aren't you coming, Lily?" Sunny questioned. Her eyebrows were furrowed again, with her mouth agape.

Lily's head turned up at the suggestion, looked around as if to process what was going on, and began blinking profusely. It was as if she was a robot which malfunctioned when her limits were reached.

"Oh. No. I'll stay here." Lily matched Sunny's gaze and did it better by smiling happily at her. "I don't want to hear Matt ramble on."

Lily got back to her work, and me and Sunny walked off.

"I already hear enough from him as it is." I heard her mutter under her breath.

"She's a bit...odd, isn't she?" I told Sunny.
She shrugged and said, "You never know. Sometimes the best people are."
"I don't know. I think that if you were that unhappy in a relationship, wouldn't you get out of it?"

Sunny stopped.

It isn't really that simple, Finny. He's a volatile man, and we are in an apocalypse. She can't really run away from him, can she?" Sunny outlined every syllable to me, and I felt inclined to nod my head hurriedly.

She smiled softly and looked at me, and we continued walking.

When we arrived at the room, Skye was intensely talking to Matt again, both of their frames leaning over the table.

Matt's head turned up and they asked, "Is Lily not with you?"
"She wasn't bothered." Sunny answered, shrugging as if she didn't know why Lily wouldn't want to come to such an eventful happening.
"Oh well. Some people you just can't help." Skye sighed haughtily. I nudged Sunny, who I found biting her lip, strangely fixated on the red wall.
Matt continued staring at us.

She side eyed me, and I knew just another glance would lead to the volcano erupting, so I left her.

"That just leaves Eli and Mimi. Are they here yet?" Skye asked, looking a bit worried, perhaps at the concept of angering Eli.

"Who cares?" Matt asked.

Skye shrugged. "I don't particularly."

"Well then." Doug said, raising his eyebrows."Oi! All of you! Pipe do-"

Suddenly the closed door opened, and the lousy figure of Eli came into view. He looked as tired and unbothered as usual.

He came in and stood next to me and Sunny.

Matt looked at us three and rolled his eyes.

It wasn't our fault that Lily didn't want to show up to the meeting. It also wasn't our fault that Eli rocked up to the meeting late. He was probably dealing with Zoe being ill.

Matt couldn't blame him for that.

To be fair, Matt seemed to blame a lot of people for things that weren't their fault.

It was just how he was.

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Thanks to PavoCartel and dojacant for doing so. It is appreciated :)