Deep Dark Blues

Chapter 18 - Survivors

"What are you talking about?" Ryan's eyes were bouncing between Reed and Aksel.

The man on the bed writhed, tangled in the sheets with a look of sheer horror on his face. Any small movement of Reed would elicit a flinch from him, a desperate attempt to get away from the doorway.

"Aksel? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I...I didn't... I had to- "

Reed felt frozen in her chest, suspended in the middle of contracting.

All this time... All this time it was that little...

"You did it?" she heard herself mutter.

Aksel let out a startled cry, pushing himself further and further into the corner of the room.

"You injected us... You sentenced us to die..."

"Can somebody fucking tell me what is going on?!" Ryan bellowed, however, his command fell on deaf ears. All eyes were stuck on Reed and Aksel, the woman towering above the man despite his impressive statue. He looked like a small child cowering away from the imagined monster.

He released a small cry, looking away from Reed.

"S-s...Somebody take her away! Please! This... She is not one of us...I-"

"Not one of you?!" her voice gained volume.

"Not one of you?! You tried to fucking kill me! Who the fuck do you think you are?!"

She was marching right at him, her vision red. That cockroach.... That absolute bastard. He tried to kill her. She could have died because of him...

Aksel yowled like an animal, pulling a blanket upwards as if it could shield him from the conflict.

"No! No, no! Take her away!"

"You think you can just do something like this?! No consequences?! Fucking steal my pills?"

"S-stay away! I am warning you!" he cried out.

"Or what? What the fuck are you going to do? Swallow more pills? You fucking coward!"

"Reed!"

Ryan stepped into her path, blocking the view of the man.

"You need to leave."

"What?"

She couldn't believe what he was saying.

"He tried to kill me! How can you just-"

"Listen, I don't know what happened here and you are not helping. Leave."

"I am not fucking leaving! He just... Ryan, he tried to kill me!"

"Yes, and I am going to find out why after you leave." He glanced back at the trembling crewmate.

Reed couldn't believe this... She couldn't believe the audacity of asking her to leave. Had he heard what she said? Had he been listening at all?

Her eyes jumped onto Isabella in search of support, but the woman wouldn't even meet her gaze.

"Isa? He can't just make me leave..."

Isabella chewed on her lip.

"Reed... Listen... Ryan..."

Ryan wouldn't let her finish, stepping closer with his chest almost bumping into hers.

Reed would often forget how tall he actually was, his chin barely grazing her forehead. He looked down at her, those green eyes slanting dangerously.

"Step out..."