Discoveries | TMR | Three

1:9

The morning after Adeline had set about Nick for reasons still unbeknownst to everyone except a small few, and despite the general consensus being that they did not wish to leave the Harbour, Matt thought it were in the best interests of them all to get out for the day; leaving at the precise time the sun began to invade the horizon, with the plan of not returning until the next day.

Once it had been confirmed that both Adeline and Nick were alright, Matt had ordered each and every person whom was chosen to embark on this next quest to retire to their own respective boats for the evening, with the firm instruction that they were to get as much rest as possible in preparation for their journey.

Nobody stepped foot in the training centre to clean and disinfect the residual vomit and blood that had dried into the gym mats. Some, for fear that what expelled from Adeline's body was contagious, whilst others held the rigid belief that she should be the one to clean up her own mess this time.

I am sure you can guess who fell into that last category.

Matt had not minded. In fact, he had offered to assist; eager to get the hall back in tiptop form so that he may resume his training, though Lily would not hear one word of his persuasions, citing that it were far too dangerous for someone who is not immune, which was odd, for him, as he had not thought that Adeline's sudden illness had anything to do with the Flare or its effects.

He must remember to speak with Nick about that. Perhaps there is something he knows that Matt does not.

"Do you think it's 'cause she's been bitten too much?"

Unfortunately, with every standard gaggle of teenagers, he is not the only one who is desperate for answers, and whilst traipsing through an abandoned convenience store in the middle of the fucking desert, Matt is having to listen to an array of possibilities laid out to him by Maggie.

"I mean, I know she's immune but... she's been bit a hell of a lot. You think it's goin' away?"

"Her immunity?" he asks, his forearms resting on the trolly he pushes it up the aisles and his eyes glancing down the blonde girl sitting in the cart. "No." He shakes his head. "If you're immune, you're immune. Don't think it's something that can go."

Maggie hums. "You never know," she mutters. "I've lost count of the amount of times we've had to stitch up a bite or scratch in the middle of the night."

The girl goes quiet; so clearly deep in thought over every scenario, and it causes Matt to smirk. "You're hating every minute of this, ain't ya?"

A confused glimmer sparkles across her eyes. "Hating what?"

"Not knowing."

"It's frustrating," the young girl confirms with a sigh, stretching out of the trolly to yank a tub of salt from the shelf. "I'll give you that." She places the tub by her feet. "I'm so used to seeing everything."

"You are a nosy bastard."

She ignores that comment. "So I guess it's maybe just a lil bit annoying that I didn't see this coming. You spoken to Nick yet?"

"Nope," Matt informs her. "Not had a chance to. He went from Addy's boat to his, then back to Addy's." He stops the trolly half-way up the aisle and snatches a handful of leftover granola bars from the top shelf, throwing them gently by Maggie's legs, but saving one for himself. "I tried to go see him this morning before we left, but Alby said he didn't go back last night."

Maggie picks up a bar for herself and peels away the wrapper before biting a large chunk from the corner. "That's no surprise," she comments, her voice muffled and mouth full of food. "You've seen how they are. They've made their own clique since getting to the Harbour. Them two, Lil, and Daniel."