𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 47

The Worst awaits
2031
Aidan

All that Jason got in return for his death was a bouquet of slightly wilted flowers placed under his picture and a sappy speech from the General.
His Killed In Action report was announced later.
The next day, the other recruits already forgot he existed.
If this is how dead recruits are treated, then I don't want to die. Not under any of these circumstances.

I look through the matted window of my barrack and shield my vision to see the buildings afar from the perimeters of the base behind the graying veils of rain.
"Boo!"
I jump. "Fucking hell, Rujii!"
The girl grins. "It's Rui, but you of course don't care."
I raise my finger. "Just for that, I will continue calling you Rujii."
Suraya leans against the doorframe and glances at me.
"You got something to say after stealing one of my lives?" I bluff, still salty about her scaring me.
She snorts, crossing her arms. "What are you, a cat?"
A sigh escapes my lips. "No, I'm not. Jesus Christ, don't sneak up on me like that."
"Or what, you're gonna run away? I wouldn't suggest it in that rain."
I rub my eyes. "You are everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I didn't see you for... what, two days?"
Suraya furrows her brows. "I don't owe you anything."
"No, that's right, you don't..."
"But you missed it, didn't you? Me annoying the shit out of you?"
I turn away since I'm not sure what to reply to this.
"You're mad at me." I hear her say behind me.
"What-" I ask.
"Just like at the table in the lunch hall, when I laughed, you thought the group was whispering about why you hung out with me."
My eyes narrow at hers. The way the light hits them, making them shine like honeycombs, is close to my fa-
"I'm not mad at you," I say, firmly.
Suraya huffs. "Sure, and your grimace doesn't deny that, huh?"
When she says it like this, I throw my hands up in frustration. "Don't sneak up on me, I don't like it."
"Fine!"
Silence spreads over us, and after a while, I assume she left, yet when I turn around, I get startled again. Suraya is still leaning against the doorway, her brows knit together on her dark skin, and she shoots me a glance, bouncing her Slinky Hand up and down like a Yoyo. Her foot is tapping impatiently, like a disappointed parent.
The sound echoes on the hardwood floor or the barrack.
"I wanted to say something but you're looking at me like that, and I can't even-" She rolls her eyes and turns around on her heel, marching for the door.
"What is it, Rujii?" I ask before I can think. "I'm sorry for lashing out at you. Something-"
Suraya stops in her tracks and sighs. "I know, Aidan. That's why I'm here."
I raise my hands. "I don't need compassion."
Her tone of voice doesn't suggest any, anyway.
The girl narrows her eyes at me. "No, but a new team member."
My eyes widen. "What?"
"The General assigned me to your team. Thought I'd tell you before you could lash out at me tomorrow, but I guess it didn't work that well."
"Wait," I turn around to her fully, "you're my new team member?"
Suraya smirks. "Surprise, idiot."
I frown. "And you said tomorrow? What's tomorrow?"
"Our next mission," she shrugs and moves away from the doorframe, joining me at the window. "You better prepare for it."
The rain doesn't lessen, not so far, and the General still wants to send us on a mission.
My thoughts trail to Jason, what I saw as a glimpse in the body bag before the zipper was pulled fully closed.
Nauseating, if that's what acidic rain can do.
Suraya clears her voice. "And I am sorry about Jason. Sorry if it sounded like I wasn't."
I shrug. "I hated him. But still, he died, someone died, a person. That is... tough."
She nods. "Everyone is dying. I mean, even my mother last year. Cancer is a bitch, or any sickness if you don't have the access to medicine."
"My sister died because of medical terms. We didn't have any medicine for her flu, and something so simple can kill a four-year-old," I say quietly. "And when I think about it, I just want to cry."
I have never told anyone about this part of my story so far.
"Then cry," Suraya whispers, not pitying, but perhaps she also has noticed the time for my balloon to burst is here, "That's what humans are made for."
I shake my head, almost disgusted at the mere thought of letting my tears fall. "It's almost like I can't. When I want to, I just can't force it." I fiddle with the hem of my shirt. It's the first day I'm wearing my newly acquired black shirt I managed to find with Suraya, so far no one has noticed or complained.
Suraya shifts next to me. "One thing I got from my mom," she begins, "is that I can see the pain in people's eyes. And you seem so full of it that it broke my heart the first time I saw you. You might be good at hiding it but-"
I bite the inside of my cheek. "There's a lot to it."
She nods. "Yes, yes, quite possibly. I'm not asking for anything, but I... " Her voice trails off. "I forgot what I wanted to say."
A slight smirk tugs at my lips. "I'm fine."
"Sure you are," she sighs and turns around to head to the door. "I have to go, so I'll see you tomorrow."