Wither With Me

CHAPTER 47 - VENOM

Nora was unable to sleep throughout the night. She was told to rest, since the journey to the evacuation point would be long and dangerous. But, how was she supposed to sleep at all? That place brought her nothing but bad memories. It was one hell of a bad omen. And, in the sparse moments she was able to leave her worries aside, Lilian's presence bewildered her. A presence that lost its warmth and gentleness at an alarming rate.

Nora's words were no longer reaching her, they seemed to get lost along the way, as if her sister stood on the opposite side of an infinite glass wall, isolated. The thoughts she perceived were disjointed, cryptic.

[They're coming.]

[Family is coming.]

[They wanna be with us.]

When the soldiers brought Lilian before her, she looked fine on the surface, and didn't show additional signs of physical deterioration. However, there was something in her eyes. A blue sparkle, bordering on iridescence. There was nothing human about it.

Nora approached her and gave her a hug.

"Lilian, sweetie...!"

Her sister reciprocated the hug and locked eyes with her, but her facial expression was brimming with inexpressiveness.

"Get ready, miss, we have orders to accompany you to the convoy. We must leave." said one of the soldiers.

"R-Right, I get it... Give me a moment, please."

"Try to stay optimistic." said the other soldier. "You've gone through lots of trouble, but you're in good hands now. Today you'll finally be able to rest peacefully, far away from here."

That sudden display of empathy caught Nora by surprise. Did she look so grim? To be honest, that man wasn't looking very bright either. She couldn't help but think it was a façade. Nobody was safe. Not yet. She wouldn't rest assured until she saw those safety promises becoming a reality in front of her own eyes. And even then, she'd be doubtful.

She let go of Lilian and grabbed what little belongings she had, before abandoning the room, following the soldiers closely.

******

"You doing okay?" asked Claire, with a hesitant voice.

William patiently waited for the military to give the order to board the convoy. He appreciated anything that allowed him to keep his mind occupied, anything but think. He had entertained himself watching the military personnel loading supplies and weapons in the vehicles, while the other civilians arrived in dribs and drabs. However, he did not feel like talking.

"I talked with Nora this morning, they allowed me to see her." continued Claire.

"Right..."

William looked away from her. He already knew what she was about to say.

"She mentioned what you were told at the lab..."

"Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay?" he answered. His tone was abrasive, making Claire shudder.

She nodded. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean to bother you. I'm just a little worried, that's all. I'll shut up now."

Worried? About him? He supposed they had spent enough time together for them to develop some sort of bond. It was natural to be worried about friends, family, or close acquaintances. At least she still had a tangible bond with someone, one that wasn't self-destructive. He envied her.

"I wouldn't even know how to describe how I'm feeling right now. We'll have time to talk later, when we get out of here; if we do."

Claire's eyes were fixated on him for a while, somber and melancholic.