ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ || Zig-Zag

Chapter 19| Discoveries

Third Person P.O.V

            Caveman laid on his cot, the others gossiping about Jumpy and Zero.

"Man if they're not back by morning, they're dead." Armpit comments.

"Dead either way. If they stay out there or if they come back." X-Ray says back. Caveman sighs in frustration, looking to them which gains their attention.

"Don't you guys care, don't any of you care at all?" He questions, for the first time harshly since being there. His concern for the missing male and female camper had him worried and on edge.

"I mean you guys may not like me or even Zero for that matter. But what about Tara? I thought she was one of you guys?" He pushes, the once somewhat lively bunch went quiet. Most with their heads down, avoiding the newer camper's judging eyes. Zig-Zag looked back, his eyes intense.

"You don't think I care?" He asks defensively, standing up from his cot. Normally, Caveman'd be scared, back down from the boy.. But not this time.

"Doesn't look it." He eggs. Zig-Zag tenses with anger, an emotion he wanted to let get the better of him. He breathes with his shoulders, his eyes still intense but less threatening.

"Of course I care about her. She's the only girl I actually like, only one I actually care about. She's the only one that makes me want to give a damn-!" He starts, the other's not missing an opportunity to vocally tease the heartsick boy.

"-So how do you think I feel about her leaving- Being out there!? Right after she kisses me, huh?" He resumes, ignoring the taunting boys behind them. Caveman looked away.

"What I thought.." He mumbles, laying back down on his cot heavily.

Tara's P.O.V

            The day faded into night fairly quickly, the night was much cooler but, it was so much worse having absolutely nothing to eat or drink on hand. Of all things we couldn't have had on our person, our waters were left behind! Got a shovel though, not that it's of much use but Zero refuses to leave it behind.

            The morning dragged on once the sun started to rise, reminding us painfully just how meaningful water really means to our lives. I shake my head of drowsiness, trudging along beside Zero in the scorching heat. My eyes scanned around, desperate for some sort of relief from this heat. Water, shelter, anything! I looked to Zero, who dragged the shovel behind him sluggishly. I need to find us something to drink..

"Zero.. Do you-.. Do you see that too?" I asked quizzically. I hear him hum out tiredly, turning to seeing him slowly look up. His eyes squint, from more than just the sun's harmful rays.

"Yeah.. Yeah I see it." A small flicker of hope was ignited as we headed for the new hideout, that flicker of hope turning into a brief moment where I questioned my sanity.

           I breathed raggedly as we slowly trailed through the vast desert towards the shelter, my eyes gazing to the side, where an older woman was, sitting in a rocking chair and by her side standing tall, was my great great grandfather.

"Continue your family's promise.." Her voice fades, my grandfather nods dutifully. My eyes lingered on the phantom pair as we passed by, slowly resuming our quest for survival.

"What's wrong?" He turns back, which I hadn't realized how far behind I had lagged behind.

"N-Nothing.. Come on, let's get out of this heat." He stares, but too tired to fight it right now, our only concern being with salvation, even if temporary. We neared the only sort of relief from this heat, thinking it looked like a boat that was upside down, long since have been abandoned. It was partly buried, but still made for the perfect shelter, dropping to my knees and scanned inside quickly before gesturing Zero to enter first. He drops down tiredly, dragging himself in sluggishly. I crawl in behind him, and flop to the ground lethargically. I pant from the heat and exhaustion, forcing my eyes open to examine the shelter more. Mostly empty, besides the small crate in front of me, Hector on the other side still trying to calm his breathing too. I breath out, rolling onto my back