Shattered Horizon

31 Liam

After a few days of training with the crutches – and with Iris and Noah hovering protectively – I was ready for discharge.Bo, however, would need a few more days of observation. The decision felt like a wedge driven between us, but he reassured me he'd be fine.
The same afternoon, Dan knocked on our door. "May I come in?" he asked.
"Sure," Iris replied.
He entered, his gaze fixed on me. I could almost see the tears welling in his eyes. "Leader Liz would like me to show you to your living quarters. They're a few streets down."
"Okay," I said, maneuvering carefully on my crutches.
As I passed, Bo followed, with Iris and the rest in tow. Dan fell in step beside me. "So, are you doing alright?" he asked.
"I'm managing."
"Good," he said. "Where are you guys from originally?"
"North Dakota," I replied.
"We all met at a cabin," Bo added.
Dan's face paled, and a flicker of unease crossed his expression. "You okay?" I asked.
"Yeah... just thinking," Liam replied, his voice trailing off.
"The doctor mentioned something about seeing Leader Liz. We have questions," I pressed, sensing his hesitation.
He paused, a flicker of unease crossing his face. "Well... she's out of the settlement for a few days. Can't tell you much more. She wants you all to settle in and get registered first."
"Registered?" Iris echoed, her voice sharp with suspicion.
"Ah, yes. Everyone gets registered. It's how we keep track of who's here, make sure there are enough supplies..." Dan explained, but his words felt evasive.
Iris shrugged. "I guess that makes sense," she said, though her eyes still held doubt.
"Smart girl," Dan said, a hint of something else– calculation? – in his voice. "Maybe you'll become our next leader when ElizaLiz retires."
Iris shrugged again. "When we go to register, is there a way to know if you have family here by last name or something?" she asked, a nervous flutter in her voice betraying her true hopes.
"Yeah, when your name and last name are in the database, it'll find possible relatives in the settlement. Anyone you're looking for?"
"My sister," she whispered, fear and longing warring in her eyes.
Dan nodded thoughtfully. "How about you, Liam?"
I shook my head, a wave of familiar emptiness washing over me. "No one left," I whispered. The words left a bitter taste.
"I'm sorry. How about you, Bo?"
Bo's face lit up, but it held a tremor as he spoke. "Looking for my brother, sister, and younger sister."
Dan's eyes grew wide. "Just saved a family like that almost a month ago. One of them spent a long time in the hospital."
"Do you know their names?" I blurted out, a desperate surge of hope making my heart pound.
"I cannot remember, we bring people in a lot. But one family was unusual – a girl, her name started with a T," he mused.
"Terra?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.
"That's it!" he exclaimed. "Thank you, Dan," I said, relief starting to flood me. "Do you know where I might find them?"
"They live in the same building you and the group are going to," he said, a flicker of sympathy crossing his face as he glanced at Liam.
We stepped into the elevator, the confined space amplifying the tension. "Can you tell us more about how the settlement came to be?" Noah asked, breaking the silence.
"Sure. The United States military evacuated as many people as possible, gathering us in a settlement in Nevada. But then the government collapsed, the military scattered, and when supplies ran low, the settlement disbanded. Liz, my daughter, and I tried to find my son, but we never did. We assumed..." His voice choked and he glanced at Liam, pain etched on his face. "...assumed the worst."
The elevator came to a stop and we all piled out, we continued down the street.
He took a steadying breath. "Anyways, Liz formed a group, which slowly grew as we traveled city to city. Eventually, we reached Alenta and found enough resources to settle, deciding to establish a safe haven and send out rescue trucks for anyone wanting to join us."
Noah shakes his head satisfied at that answer,
"Does the whole city have power or just the hospital?" iris asked
"Well, the hospital runs on a backup generator, some folks have their own gas-powered ones, and most of the housing relies on solar panels," Dan explained.
"Cool," Iris grinned, the thought of familiar technology lifting her spirits.
An awkward silence filled the air as we walked toward the registration office. Dan swung open the door, revealing a long line winding through the room. "Looks like another transport got in," he muttered.
"I'll wait in line," Iris offered. "We'll come and get you when it's close to our turn, Liam. Besides," she glanced down at Lighting, "someone's gotta stay out here with this guy. No dogs allowed." She pointed to a hastily written sign taped to the window.
"Okay." Liam sank onto a weathered bench outside. He unzipped his bag, fumbled for his notebook, and cracked it open. Lighting settled at his feet, a comforting presence.
I scooted closer to Liam on the bench and settled beside him. Lighting lifted his head, a hopeful wag in his tail. "Whatcha drawing?" I asked, my voice soft.
"Just the buildings," he murmured, his gaze flicking up to meet mine. "And the people walking by..." His voice trailed off, a touch of sadness in his eyes.
"I found this in my backpack." I held out my hand, revealing the object that had brought a surge of hope to my heart. His eyes widened in question as he took it from me.
"I thought I lost this... Where...?" He paused, the words catching in his throat. Then, in a rush, he pulled me close, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that spoke of gratitude and relief.
"Thank you so much," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion as he hugged me tightly.
Iris emerged from the building, handing us both clipboards. The forms were simple: origin, relationship status, age, any loved ones we sought, health concerns... the essentials.
Liam stared down at his clipboard. "Bo," he mumbled, a pained look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry..." He fumbled with the pen. "Can you help me?"
"Of course," I said, warmth flooding through me. A wave of relief washed over his face as I guided him through the questions. When he finished, he handed the clipboard to me, and I slipped inside to give it to Iris. "Thank you!" she beamed.
Returning to Liam, I found him no longer drawing. He stared blankly at the buildings across the street. "You okay?" I asked, sitting beside him.
His hand found mine, squeezing gently. "What if I'm not enough for your family?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
The question startled me. I accidentally nudged Lighting's paw with my foot, making him yelp.
"I mean... six months is hardly a lifetime. We got engaged – and you said yes." He paused, uncertainty clouding his features. "What will they think of that?"
I shook my head. "I don't care what they think, Liam. I love you. This is my choice, and I'd never regret it."
Liam nodded slowly, understanding gracing his features. Then Iris and the others came out, and Dan's gaze flickered to Liam again.
"He's staring at you again," I murmured, a prickle of unease down my spine.
"Don't you think that's weird?" Iris asked, her voice low.
Liam shrugged. "Maybe I remind him of someone," he said, but his tone held a hint of doubt.
We reached the building. "Here it is," Dan announced. It was tall, the faded facade hinting at its past life as an office building.
"You're on floor eight. Your sister and brother, Bo, are on floor five," Dan said.
"Thank you," Liam replied, extending his hand.
Dan took it in a firm shake. "If you need anything, I'm a street down, second floor. The building's blue and white." He held the door open for us, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
The elevator whisked us to floor eight. When the doors slid open, we were greeted by a single door. We pushed it open to reveal a surprisingly spacious living room. A worn couch, a desk overflowing with children's toys, a cozy dog bed for Lighting – it felt oddly inviting. We explored further – a small but functional kitchen, and four bedrooms with our names taped to the doors. Bo and Liam, Iris and Noah, and a room for Joey. Oh and working water!
"Woah, this place is huge!" Iris exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.
A couple of hours slipped by. I woke from a nap on the soft bed to find Liam on the couch with Iris and Noah, engrossed in a board game. Joey popped out of his room, his face lit up. "Wanna play, Bo?" he asked, bouncing on his heels.
I ruffled his hair with a smile. "Not right now, buddy."
"Okay," he said with a shrug, returning to the game.
I padded over to Liam and placed a kiss on his head. "I'm gonna go see if my brother and sister are home, okay?"
He immediately reached for his crutches. "I'll come with you."
"It's okay, my love. Finish your game. I'll be right back."
A shadow of disappointment crossed his face, but he nodded. "Okay, Bo," he said, bringing my hand to his lips for a gentle kiss.
"Ewww," Joey giggled.
We all shared a laugh, and the tension lifted. I slipped on my shoes, a nervous excitement fluttering in my chest, and headed out the door.