Shattered Horizon

13 Liam

A couple of months passed, and with each day, my body mended a little more. I could walk faster now, the strain in my muscles easing. Bo and Iris were unwavering in their support, but Joanna's condition worsened. I remembered the night they'd told me, the night they offered me refuge. My knuckles rapped on her door, followed by a weak cough from within.
"Joanna?" I called, knocking again.
"Come in, child," her voice rasped.
The room was a jumble of papers and worn photographs tacked to the walls, the scent of stale tobacco hanging heavy in the air. An empty ashtray sat beside her.
"How are you feeling today?" I asked, taking a seat near the window.
"Well enough. Could've been better if I hadn't run out of smokes," she wheezed, her fingers drumming a restless beat on the bedsheets.
Worried, I bit back the obvious lecture. "Would you like me to go on a supply run for you? Someone else could come with me."
Her eyes brightened. "That'd be a lifesaver, dear. And please, be careful out there."
I leave Joanna's room and find Bo and Iris reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to Annalina.
"How is she?" Iris asks, her voice laced with concern.
"Not great," I admit. "She's out of cigarettes again."
Bo lets out a frustrated sigh. "She really needs to quit. They're almost impossible to find these days anyway."
I shrug. "She seems… at peace with her choices," I say. It sounds wrong, even to my own ears, but there's a grim truth to it. "The sun's still up. Maybe we can get there and back without too much trouble."
"I'm ready to go. Bo, are you in?" I ask.
He nods. "Absolutely."
I head upstairs to my room, grabbing my backpack, water bottle, and knife. My sketchbook rests on the desk, the pages almost full. "Need to find another one soon," I mutter. Just then, Annalina bursts in, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong?" I ask, kneeling in front of her.
"I want to go!" she sobs. "Bo said no!"
"Well..." I hesitate, but she interrupts.
"You guys promised I could come next time!"
I sit down on the bed. "Annalina, I have something even more important for you to do."
Her tears dry up instantly, replaced by curiosity. "What?"
"I need you to watch over Joanna and Iris. They're working on a special project and need your help," I explain.
A wide smile spreads across her face, and she darts out of the room. I head back downstairs, where Iris shoots me a questioning look. I mouth "sorry" to her.
Bo and I slip out the front door, turning right like we've done so many times before. Hours bleed by, and as we get closer, I hear voices. I can't make out the words.
"Raiders?" Bo whispers, his voice tight.
"Maybe," I reply, my own fear knotting in my stomach.
He grabs my hand and yanks me behind the nearest rusted car, our bodies pressed against the cold metal. We strain to listen, the sound of shattering glass echoing through the desolate street.
"Let's stay hidden until they're gone," Bo murmurs.
I nod, then realize I'm still holding his hand. A blush heats my cheeks, and I rush to let go. "Sorry."
"Liam, there's something I need to tell you," he says, his voice low.
"Okay," I stammer, my heart pounding for an entirely different reason.
"Well, I..." He pauses, then his gaze snaps towards the store where the voices came from. "Max?"
Before I can ask, Bo is on his feet, running. "BO!" I shout, scrambling after him. My heart thuds in my chest as I watch him hurl himself at a figure â€" another guy â€" and they tumble to the ground. Laughter erupts between them, and a moment later, they're kissing.
"Stay put!" A harsh voice cracks through the air, and a girl steps out from the shadows, a shotgun leveled at me.
"Wait, wait!" The guy â€" Max? â€" steps forward, shielding me. "He's with Bo. He's a friend."
"Yes, yes. This is Liam," Bo confirms, gasping for breath.
"Wait, Bo!" The girl lowers the shotgun, a wave of relief washing over her as she rushes toward him and throws her arms around his neck. I stand rooted to the spot, a whirlpool of confusion churning inside me. Bo said his family was gone.
"Kara," Bo chokes out, returning the hug with a fierce intensity. Max steps up, placing a protective hand on Bo's shoulder, then leans in to kiss him again. A surge of anger, hot and unfamiliar, courses through me. Jealousy? Is that what this is?
"How are you guys alive? I thought..." Bo's voice trails off, the pain of loss twisting his features.
"Another group came searching for your family," Max explains, his own expression grim. "When Tyler and Terra came asking for you, my dad... he told them you'd gone up to your family cabin."
Understanding dawns, and guilt pricks at me. I remain silent, trying to quell the storm of emotions raging within. The fading light throws long shadows across the street, adding to the weight of the moment. Max recounts how they found Terra and Tyler, but no trace of Bo's parents. Bo, in turn, tells his story, his words heavy with grief.
"Thank you for taking care of him," Max says, extending his hand towards me.
I hesitate, the turmoil inside making me clench my fists. Bo looks at me, confusion clouding his eyes. Swallowing hard, I force down the unfamiliar feelings and take Max's hand.
"I'll take you to Terra and Tyler," Max says, the joy practically radiating off him.
Relief washes over Bo, but a flicker of something else â€" guilt? hesitation? â€" crosses his face. "Bo," I started, "we need to get back. Joanna and Annalina..."
"Why don't you come back with us." Max says "We can get Annalina tomorrow. She is in safe hands right?" He doesn't look me in the eye as he wraps his arms around Max once more.
I ache with a mix of understanding and resentment. He needs to see them, but doesn't Annalina deserve that same desperation? The thought sours my stomach. "Bo, Annalina and the rest," I repeat, trying to appeal to his sense of duty. "She waiting for you"
Bo wavers, a silent battle playing out on his features. He glances between Max and Kara, then back at me.
"Why don't we do this," Max interjects, a touch of kindness in his voice, "Bo, you go with me. We'll meet Liam and Annalina here tomorrow."
Max's words hang in the tense air â€" a sensible suggestion, perhaps, but it sends a jolt of unease through me. He wants to take Bo away, just like that, after everything we've been through together? The idea of them disappearing into the night, alone.
Bo seems caught off guard too. He glances at me, and I can't help the flicker of desperation in my eyes. I barely know this Max. Sure, he seems to care for Bo, but what if this is all some kind of trap?
"I... I don't know," Bo finally stammers, his voice thick with conflict. He looks back and forth between Max, Kara, and me, again his brow furrowed.
"Bo," I begin, my voice trembling slightly. It's a desperate bid to mask the tangle of hurt and fear twisting in my gut. "It's getting dark. Annalina... she's going to be scared without you. Joanna's getting worse..." My voice trails off, the unspoken plea hanging in the air.
He bites his lip, the internal battle raging behind his eyes. I see the longing for his family, the desperation to know they're safe; but I also sense his hesitation, his loyalty. A flicker of something â€" guilt, perhaps? â€" crosses his features.
Then, in a near-whisper, I add, "And I need you."
The effect is almost instantaneous. Bo's eyes widen, and he takes an involuntary step toward me. The tension between us is electric, charged with unspoken emotions.
Max clears his throat, breaking the moment. "Listen, I understand. But Bo, they've been waiting…"
Bo stands frozen, caught between two worlds. He glances at Max, then back at me, the decision weighing heavily upon him.
A knot of betrayal tightens in my chest as Bo nods in agreement to Max. Minutes of strained silence had stretched into an eternity, and now a wave of anger and hurt washes over me.
He's choosing them? Just like that? After everything we've faced together, the bond we've built... My fists clench, the nails digging into my palms as I fight back the childish urge to protest, to beg him to stay.
"Okay then," I managed to say, my voice tight and choked. "I'll, uh, I'll see you both tomorrow. Here."
Bo hesitates, a flicker of guilt crossing his features. But, there's a newfound light in his eyes, a longing that wasn't there before. He opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it again, a silent apology.
Max claps him on the shoulder, his grin wide. "Come on, let's get you reunited with your other siblings."
They turn to leave, and an impulse I can't control pushes the words out of me. "Don't forget about us, Bo." My voice cracks, betraying the desperation I try so hard to hide.
He doesn't turn around, but his shoulders stiffen slightly. I want to take the words back, to swallow my pride along with the burning jealousy, but it's too late. The figures of Bo, Kara, and Max recede into the gathering dusk, and the emptiness echoes louder than the sound of their retreating footsteps.
My fingers clench around the cigarette packs, a bitter satisfaction replacing the earlier sense of betrayal. He left. For them. Like we, like Annalina, meant nothing after all the nights we shared, all the dangers we faced together. Fury seethes beneath the hurt.
I slam the convenience store door behind me, the noise echoing harshly in the silence. Taking a shaky breath, I head back the way we came, but the familiar landmarks feel alien now. The setting sun casts long shadows that twist and writhe, mocking the desolation inside me.
Tears sting my eyes, hot and angry at first. "How could he..." I choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. Then, the sobs come, great wracking gasps that leave my chest aching. The tears stream down my face, blurring the desolate landscape.
I stumble to the side of the road, sinking to my knees in the dusty gravel. The cigarette packs lie forgotten in my bag, useless against the crushing weight pushing down on me. How long I stay there, lost in the torrent of hurt and abandonment, I don't know.
The sting of tears still lingers as I push through the last few streets. My legs tremble with exhaustion, each step mirroring the weight in my heart. I sniffle, swiping angrily at the tear tracks on my cheeks. How could he do this?
Then, the familiar outline of their house appears, a beacon against the darkening sky. "Liam, you're home!" Annalina's voice rings out, and she hurtles out the door, flinging herself into my arms. I squeeze her tightly, a wave of protectiveness washing over me.
Joanna emerges next, Iris at her heels. Concern floods Joanna's face as she takes in my tear-streaked cheeks. "Annalina, darling, why don't we start getting ready for bed?" Her voice has an urgent edge to it.
The door shuts behind Annalina. Before I can compose myself, Iris rushes down the steps, her arms wrapping around me. The moment the dam breaks, sobs wrack my body, the hurt and betrayal I'd been desperately holding back spilling forth.
"Where's Bo?" Iris whispers, her voice filled with a motherly worry.
Through my ragged breaths, the truth hits me like a thunderbolt. I loved him. It's more than friendship, more than just needing him to survive. The realization both terrifies me and brings a strange sense of clarity.