Trying to Survive Sucks: A Tiana KOTLC adventure.

Failed Attempts at Hiding Anxiety Attacks

Tam's POV

It's been exactly a week since we went into hiding in Alluveterre.

One week of nice walks by the river with Biana and delicious meals that the gnomes make. One week of sleeping in.

So relaxing.

...

I tricked you, didn't I?

The river dried up.

I haven't gotten a solid night of sleep the entire time we've been here.

Granted, the gnomes make really good food. But it's hard to eat when the crack the lets light into the cavern gets bigger and bigger.

My biggest fear right now is the cave collapsing on us. Y'know, because we would all die.

Rex is having fun. He and Eliza love going down into the dried up river bed at digging holes to see if they can find any, and I quote, 'Human treasure they don't care about'.

So far, they've found seventeen plastic bottles, thirty shotgun shells ( Yes,I know what they look like), and, disturbingly, a lost doll with missing eyes and ratty hair that Eliza wanted to keep. Guess who burned it. Guess.

Sophie.

The look on her face when Eliza brought it inside, however, was worth staring into the dolls empty soul.

Right now, we're all huddled up in the emergency bunker because a chunk o the roof fell a few hours ago, and we can hear humans above us.

So, we're waiting until we can't hear anymore explosions to go up there and say hello to a few humans.

This should be fun.

Ow. Biana's nails dug into my arm when a crash indicated another piece of the roof falling away.

"Honey?" I whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I like it when you're near me, but when your nails draw blood from my arm i'm going to start getting concerned for my health."

Biana blew out a breath and loosed her grip. She tapped my arm twice, like the signal from the Black War we still used.

"Are you okay?" I shadow- whispered.

Yeah. I'm just trying to hide an anxiety attack so Rex doesn't know we're scared.

"We're almost through this. We got it."

I responded by gripping her arm the same way she had to me a few minutes earlier.

Ouch. Is that what I did to you?

"Uh, basically."

Sorry!

I smiled a little in the dark, enclosed space we were hiding in. After a few more minutes and several more pieces of the roof falling later, the shaking and explosions stopped.

"Okay. Who wants to volunteer as tribute?" Keefe asked. I rolled my eyes at the Hunger Games reference. Sophie had forced us all to read her old human books so we could learn the language, but Keefe had practically joined the fandom at this point.

"I'll do it," I mumbled. Biana glared at me, but only switched her grip from me to Rex. I twisted open the apocalyptic-vault style door and pulled myself into the dusty light outside.

Alluveterre was destroyed.

Plants crushed under huge sections of roof. A small fire burned near the huge tree, belching smoke that smelled like human pollution.

There were so many new gaps in the roof, Alluveterre shouldn't be considered a cave anymore. More like a lower place.

I poked my head back inside the shelter and motioned for everyone to come out. They all took in the scene. We silently agreed to pack our things and leave, hopefully to find where other elves were hiding and join them.

Poor Rex. He was not happy. We were each only bringing one bag and we were only packing up the essentials.

He wanted to bring his collection of human things, and his painting.

"I'm sorry, Rex. I wish we could bring this stuff too."

Rex still pouted as he shoved a few pairs of clothes into his backpack, making sure he put his toothbrush in.

"I'll tell you what. How about, when this war is over, we can come back here and bring whatever we can back home. Does that sound okay?"

Rex looked up at me, his bottom lip still stuck out. He nodded sadly.

"Okay. Can I leave you here to pack your things? Sophie and Eliza will be here soon."

Rex nodded again, slowly stuffing an extra pair of underwear onto the top of his backpack.

...

We were ready to leave in less than half an hour. We all met at the pavilion. The gnomes offered to take us with them to Wildwood, but Sophie knew the trees were already struggling under the pressure that the humans were putting on the Earth.

Linh touched my shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to Wildwood? We could make a one-way trip."

I almost did want to go back there. It was well protected, and safe. But then I looked up at Rex and Biana. Rex was chasing Eliza in circles around Biana's legs while she watched.

I shook my head.

"I've got other things to take care of. You should go though. You'll be safer there."

Linh glanced at our friends. Almost all of them had someone to protect them. Linh was still alone. She never wanted anyone else. Not after Wylie.

"I think I will. Bex wants to go too. I think we'll be alright."

I pulled my sister into a tight hug. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Bex hugging Dex and Lex. Juline and Kesler were waiting for their turn.

"Promise me we can meet at your huse after this war," Linh mumbled into my ear.

"I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

Then she was gone.

Then our plan decided to speed itself up.

"Oi, who are you lot? NATALIE! I FOUND SOME STRAGGLERS!"

Everyone turned around in shock. A human. A short human with scruffy brown hair and an Australian accent. He was carrying a small bag and was wearing ripped and stained clothing.

Another human came running up. She was tall, with tanned skin and dark hair. She grinned.

"Pleased to meet ya. I'm Natalie. Are you on the Imperfects' side, or the Slates? 'Cause if you're not with us, we'll have to kill you."