The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 13 - Nettoyage souvenirs horribles et se rapprocher de l'autre

Nate and Ross left a few hours ago, they decided to go to the army base alone. Courtney sat alone on the couch, facing the wall in the living room. The silence covered the house like a blanket, reaching every corner. Nothing was to be heard.

Courtney used this time to think about everything.

She had gotten closer with Drew, she felt comfortable around him and was on the path to trusting him. He stood up for her when Annie died, when Jane was yelling at her. He did something. He believed him her.

Alex was a different story. She knew that he still felt uneasy around her, and that a part of him still blamed her for Annie's death. She knew this because when Nate brought Annie up at Fred's house, she felt his eyes land on her. But she also knew that he felt guilty for blaming it all. She could see it on his face every time they made eye contact.

Annie was a nice girl. Courtney never talked to her before the rain. Courtney blamed herself for Annie's death, and she always would. No matter what people thought, no matter what people told her. The mind was more convincing than anything else.

Jane scrubbed at the blood stained floor in the kitchen, she had managed to clean the knife and rid of the ashes. The floor in the kitchen was different to the floor in the dining room. The one in the dining room was easier to clean blood off of.

Once she saw it as clean enough she stood to her feet, her bones cracking when they were set out straight. A strand of fiery red hair escaped her ponytail and waved itself in front of her face. It had been days since they showered, it had been days since she had seen her own reflection and to be honest, she felt a little scared to see how she would look. She blew the lock of hair out of her face for the seventh time.

Drew woke a few times last night, mainly just groaning in pain and wanting water. She didn't bother to tell the others because she couldn't tear herself from his side. She threw the towel that dripped copper blood into the sink and walked towards the small window above the counter, she grabbed the handle, hoping that the air could wash out the bitter blood and ashy smell. She couldn't actually smell it anymore, she'd gotten used to it but that made it all worse, she didn't want to be used to it. She didn't want to become numb like the others, she wasn't ready for it.

The ceiling.

That was the first thing he saw. He didn't remember much, just people yelling, then the pain. The searing pain which made him wish he was dead. He lifted his head to look around but stopped when he felt like he couldn't breathe. He tore his eyes from the walls and the ceiling to look down at his chest.

He lifted a shaky, limp hand to his lower stomach. His fingers coming into contact with what felt like paper. Confusion swept over him like a tidal wave until he remembered the hooded figure coated in black, the person who had slashed him. He slumped back in defeat, his head smacking off the table causing a groan to escape his lips. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to pass.

When he opened them again, they widened at the sight of someone's face merely inches away from his. It was Jane. A smile formed on his face and he closed his eyes again.

"Are you okay?" She asked, leaning back and examining his body. "Does it hurt?" Her voice became panicky. He opened his eyes and watched as she moved her focus to his wound.

"No. I don't feel much." He said with a sigh. "Is there any food I can eat?" He asked, his voice scratched and raw, he lifted his head off the table slightly, to look around the room.

Jane nodded and straightened her back. "I'll be right back." She walked to the wall at his feet which had all their bags lined up. Nate had got them out of the cars before he and Ross had left. She pulled the first one up and scoured through it, placing a half full bottle of water on the table and a can of pineapples. Moving to the kitchen she pulled out a fork from the drawer under the cooker and a straw from the cupboard under the counter.