The Chosen.

Party

A short brunette girl about our age is given the task of leading us to a big community room to find our beds. Her eyes keep darting towards Tom and it's starting to make me feel a bit envious. Everything in my mind tells me to punch her, but this is the first time we've seen people and i don't want to risk getting thrown out. It's intriguing to me actually, how quick i am to turn to violence as an answer. Before i felt the things i do for Tom, i had never once thought out hurting another person. With him i can't help but to feel reckless and carefree when it comes to things like that.

"Here you go." she says to us, well just Tom really, before walking back the way we came

"Here you gooo." Me and Zeke both mockingly say at the same time making Tom giggle and shake his head at us. His little grin makes me bite my lip. I miss his mouth against mine.

I open the door to the massive room we were lead to. We are greeted by tons of hospital type beds lined up next to each other. Looks like this place was a cafeteria turned into sleeping quarters. Theres certainly enough rooms in this place for everyone to have their own, so i know there must be history behind the decision. Wonder how long it took them to figure out that no one could be alone even if it was just for sleeping. The room looks to hold about 50 or so beds most of them being occupied. Our group is met with a general stare, leading me to wonder how long it's been since they took in new comers.

Exhausted from the long day of traveling, searching, and being grilled with questions, Tom and i pour ourselves into a bed quickly fall into a deep sleep.

"Hey... Hey." I feel my shoulder being shaken awake.

"Huh?" i rub my eyes expecting to be greeted by Bill. The little short African American girl from the hallway looks down at me. I disappointingly remember there's no such thing as Bill anymore, he left me long ago. A stinging pain rings throughout my chest.

She puts her finger over her lips shushing me before pointing to Tom and motioning for us to follow her. I manage to pull Tom's grumpy ass from bed and sneak away from all the restful sleepers that surround us. Following some whispers down the hallway, we find the girl who awoke us.

"Hey, I'm Faith." She says pulling her smile onto her face

"Hi, I'm June, this is Tom." My eyes look back to Tom who looks pissed that we woke him. Faith turns walking away so Tom and i follow her down a deserted hallway.

She opens two double doors to a softly illuminated room, the murmurs of people our age filling the air. A barrel sits in the middle of the room holding a fire that sends smoke through a large hole in the ceiling. Looking around i realize we are in a very large garage of some sort. I notice a small party going on. People dance to music, others drink and talk the night away. Our feet still moving towards the crowd of people i can sense their gazes falling upon my face. I can't decide if they're staring at me because i am a stranger, or because of the bruises and cuts across my skin, or could be the fact i held their friends at gun point just earlier. I hear whispers around me, my name being passed around like i'm not standing right there.

"HEY!!" says the blonde boy from earlier way too excitedly

"Heyyy." i say in confusion, i figured he'd be pissed at me. I spot the can of beer in his hand, his demeanor making a little bit more sense now. He's wasted.

"This is my new friend Mia, have you met Mia?" he asks me pointing to my familiar blonde best friend

"Mmm no i don't believe i have. Very nice to meet you Mia." I play along with his drunken shenanigans. Mia giggles at me throwing me a cheeky glance. I turn around to notice Tom is no longer by my side, which makes me instantly panic. My head swings around looking for him all over.

Suddenly i spot his dreads across the room, his back turned to me. He moves slightly and i can see the short brunette girl who led us to our beds talking to him. She giggles throwing her hair over her shoulder, Tom looking at the ground periodically while rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Her little hand reaching up, stroking his dreads. He's fucking flirting with her.

The saliva builds up in my mouth as my stomach fills with a jealous rage. I had the idea of curb stomping this bitch for even looking at him, now she has the nerve to touch him? I'm suddenly shaken from my thoughts as i stare into the fire,

"Here want some?" says Faith handing me a can of beer

"Sure, thanks." I smile taking my hands out of my pockets to retrieve the can from her small hand

"No problem."

"Hey, sorry i like... held you at gun point." i murmur biting my bottom lip apologetically

She giggles breaking the tension "Don't worry about it. I probably would have done the same thing."

"Where did you even get that thing?" Mia asks surprising me, she was so quiet i hadn't even noticed her walk up beside me.

"Oh, that police station... you remember? The first night?" I recall, thinking back to the large blood smear on the white floor.

"Damn." she says realizing i've been packing a gun this entire time. I can't decipher the look on her face, i wonder if that news made her feel safer or more in danger.

"Can i ask how you got that?" Faith gestures to my wounds, i knew this would come eventually so i'm glad to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. Maybe if everyone knew the reasoning behind them, they wouldn't stare at me like some freak.

"Yeah so i got attacked by that... thing.. " i mutter not knowing exactly what to call it

"HE did that to you?" Her eyes widen in fear "I've never heard of him leaving anyone alive to tell the story... that's crazy." She stares at me amazed for just simply being alive.

"Yeah it has these large daggers for fingers, slashed my face open." i explain running my fingers over the jagged edges of scabs protruding from my cheek.

"So i'm assuming this wasn't from him." She points to the purple bruises that adorn my wrist, knowing his daggers couldn't cause finger shaped bruises

"Oh my god June, is that from-" Mia gasps trying to paw at my hand but i rip it away before she can analyze it any further

"It's nothing really." I eye down both of them, daring them to bring it up again.

I don't know this girl and here she is prying into my personal life. Now Mia knows only leaving Zeke to find out, which i'm sure won't take long with the mouth Mia has on her. I sigh a deep breath. What was i supposed to say? I hit him too, i deserve it? ... I liked it? My gaze meets Tom's as he talks to the little brunette girl. I bite my lip to calm the thoughts of bloodshed i deeply crave at the sight of her leaning into him.

I've downed four beers as i've watched them talk from a distance, people have come and gone but they have not left each others side. These four beers in about an hour have started to not treat me so well. I know i'm a light weight, but that only made me chug the beers even faster. I notice the blonde boy walking, or should i say stumbling up to me once again.