Tyrant (Lazaretto Sequel)

seven

April 11, 2094

CAMILA

We decided to stay with Craig and his family for a few days. Derek was still trying to come up with ideas on how we were going to get to New York, and we weren't exactly in a hurry. There was no telling what had happened to Lauren after we had left her and Max behind, though Max called Derek yesterday to let him know that he was still alive. He and Lauren had fought it out, and Max said he barely escaped. He said something came over Lauren right at the last second that stopped her.

Craig and his family had been very welcoming to us. Derek and Keith caught game in the forest while Normani and I tended to the farm animals, which I didn't know they had up until a few days ago. I wished I could have lived a life like them; out in the middle of nowhere away from city lights and all the commotion. They lived a simple life, but it was more than enough for them. It was a life I used to live, and I was envious of them for having it.

Little Tyke had become such a joy to all of us. The permanent smile on his face was so infectious. Even if you didn't feel like smiling, for some reason upon seeing the small child, a smile would grace your face without knowing it. That was, everyone except for Ally.

I walked outside to the large fire that everyone was sitting around. The moon was halved and shining bright, light clouds littering the sky. I noticed Ally sitting opposite of the flames holding a cup in her hands, her gaze directed at Troy who was running around playing with Tyke. As soon as a smile made its way to her lips, it faltered not a second later. I sighed before making my way over to her, sitting next to her on the log. Craig had a guitar situated on his lap, strumming chords softly against the midnight sky.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. Ally broke her gaze from Troy to look down at the cup in her hands. Her chocolate eyes looked molten against the orange flames.

"It hurts," she said after a few moments.

"What does?" I became alert. She shook her head and bit her lip to keep from crying, something I noticed she had been doing frequently lately.

"Everything," she breathed. She slowly turned her head to meet my worried gaze. I scooted closer to her on the log and pulled her into my side. She leaned her head against my shoulder and returned her eyes to the fire. I looked over at Troy momentarily to see him distractingly still playing with Tyke as he was gazing over at Ally and me. Once the child pulled on his hand, he returned his attention back to the small boy.

"How do you tell the person you love that you can never give them what they want the most?" Ally asked with a hint of sadness in her voice. "How can you look into the eyes of the person you love and know that your days with them are numbered? How do you tell that person that you're going to die, and that there's nothing they can do about it?"

I tightened my grip and leaned my head on top of hers as the melody pouring from Craig's guitar almost lulled me to sleep. "I don't know," I whispered.

A few minutes later, Troy came over and plopped down beside Ally wiping the sweat from his forehead out of breath.

"That kid never stops. It's like he's filled with batteries or something," he laughed. Ally stirred in my arms and sat up. Her face was flat and void of any emotion. She stood up from the log and threw the blanket around her shoulders.

"I'm going to bed. I'll see you both in the morning." Without another word, she left the fire and walked inside the log cabin home. Once she was safely inside, Troy moved closer to me and rested his arms on his thighs. His hands were clasped together, and his head hung towards the ground. Ally was shutting him out again, and it hurt me to see him in so much pain, but it wasn't my place to share anything with him. Ally wanted to do it on her own...I just hoped she wouldn't wait too much longer.