Kismet

Twenty-Five - Zeke

It felt impossible to confront Aaliyah now. Zeke knew she was angry, it was clear. He knew her better than anybody else.

They had left Kory's soon-to-be rotting body behind, and Raymond picked up the gun for 'protection.' It didn't seem likely that they would encounter another person in this neck of the woods. But what did Zeke know? He was just a kid, right?

Walking felt like his worst enemy right now, his legs burned in pain from the constant moving around. They couldn't get a break.

"Don't sweat it, kids." Raymond spoke up. "We'll be back on our feet soon enough. I guarantee you."

"We're walking, though." Konrad said. The others also didn't seem to understand Raymond's basic figurative language.

"Jesus, whatever. I need to teach you some lingo, don't I?" Raymond shook his head, visibly suppressing a grin. Zeke didn't say 'language' when Raymond said 'Jesus.' He was too tired to fully process what he had said. Aaliyah was walking in the opposite direction from him, Ophelia and Konrad thankfully between the two.

He wasn't sure if he was able to even look at her anymore. Her words made him overthink everything. Zeke should have stayed still, right? Kory would be alive if he just stood still. He wasn't supposed to be mad at Kory. He didn't do anything. It wasn't his fault that he died. So why was he feeling this way?

He had felt several ways for Kory, but never angry, or even mildly irritated.

Zeke's thoughts had blocked his awareness so much that he hadn't realized Raymond had been calling his name for what seemed to be countless times.

"Kid, what's up with you?" Raymond spoke up, worry in his voice. Zeke looked back at him, blinking away tears he never knew formed.

"Nothing," he mumbled. "Sorry."

"For what, Zeke? You didn't hear me, it's not a big deal. Just be a little aware next time." Raymond shrugged, playing off Zeke's absent-mindedness.

He nodded, staring at the trees surrounding him and the group. Zeke never realized how endless these woods are. Sometimes he wondered if people from the real world came out here in the wild. Raymond said it was 'camping' the first time he asked, but it sounded odd to him. Why go outside and get bitten by bugs when you could be comfortable inside? Zeke felt a bit hypocritical thinking that way, since they had just 'camped' merely days ago. He also wondered if they would do it again. They had no real shelter, and they had stolen food from a gas station yesterday. Or today. He didn't remember at this point. His mind had been too occupied to remember simple things such as what he ate the day before, or possibly hours ago. He doubted it was hours ago. Kory died today. There was no guarantee that he had eaten today.

At least he had a fresh memory. Sometimes he forgets that Kory was killed. He was gone, but Zeke always felt him. His voice that he could never correctly remember anymore, the vacant warmth of his fingers intertwined with his. His scent. He would always remember Kory, even if it felt impossible. Kory gave him something to always remember him by.

Guilt. Grief. And resentment.